Feature stories/news
Local Interest
Wildfires open pastures and ranges to invasive plants
By Gary Stone, Nebraska Extension Water and Cropping Systems Educator
The devastation the wildfires across Nebraska have caused this past year is unimaginable. Communities and people’s lives have changed forever. The estimated total acres burned in Nebraska by wildfires in 2026 to date is 981,502, with the Morrill fire in the Sandhills estimated at 642,029 acres. Though not the highest priority, one item that should be addressed in the near future is the risk of invasive plants appearing in areas that have never had them before.
Early Detection and Rapid Response (EDRR) is a concept for identifying potentially invasive species prior to or just as their establishment is taking place. An Integrated Pest Management (IPM) plan can be developed to manage, contain, and potentially eradicate the invasive species before it spreads further. This will help to avoid costly, long-term control efforts.
Landowners and managers should be aware of this potential problem and be ready to act should the situation arise. Invasive plants spread through the environment in several ways, including equipment, wind, water, wildlife, livestock, and forage stocks. With the extensive wildfires that have occurred, it is very possible that seeds and plant parts from these plants have moved considerable distances to new areas in pastures, farm ground, and riparian sites. The forages generously shared by producers from other states could also contain other invasive plants not seen in these areas. Producers utilizing these forages should monitor the areas where they were fed for new plant species.
In addition to the Nebraska Noxious Weed list and the county-added noxious weeds, two devastating invasive winter annual grasses of particular concern for the Sandhills and grasslands are Medusahead [Taeniatherum caput-medusae (L.) Nevski ] and Ventenata [Ventenata dubia (Leers) Coss.]. Both non-native invasive grasses pose significant ecological and fire threats. These invasive grasses contain a high silica content, making them less desirable as forage. Heavy infestations reduce native forage production, can form monocultures, and can decrease land value and biodiversity. Control of these two species is similar to that of Cheatgrass. Other invasive plants to watch for are Bulbous bluegrass (Poa bulbosa), Dalmatian toadflax [Linaria dalmatica (L.)], Sulphur Cinquefoil (Potentilla recta L.), and Viper’s bugloss (Echium vulgare L.).
Prevention is the best and cheapest management option. Scout and monitor your land for any new plants. If you cannot identify the plants, contact your local Nebraska Extension Educator or local Nebraska Weed Control Authority for assistance.
It is best to detect and control these plants during the early stages of infestation. Do not let them become established in the long term, as controlling and maintaining these plants will become more costly and time-consuming. Managing these plants early and preventing seed production are key to keeping them from spreading. Several management options (IPM) may be required.
The best timing for winter annual grasses is in the fall, prior to or shortly after emergence. Perennial plants are best managed early in their growth stage before they become established. Perennial plants and most biennial plants are managed during the rosette stage in early spring or in the fall, after a frost.
Calculating Annual Cow Costs Webinar Series
Input costs are challenging producers to examine production costs and identify opportunities to adjust the production system. Knowing annual cow costs is the foundation for evaluating and making management decisions to improve profitability in a cow-calf enterprise. Calculating costs and breaking them into categories provides insight into where there may be opportunities to make changes.
Nebraska Extension will host a webinar series on November 9, 10, and 12 to explain the fundamentals of knowing and calculating annual cow costs.
Topics to be covered will include:
- Understanding economic unit cost of production for the cow-calf enterprise.
- Recognizing the value and cost of both grazed and harvested feed.
- Calculating cow depreciation and replacement development costs.
- Figuring the cost of equipment and labor utilized in the cow-calf enterprise.
- Examining breeding expenses and evaluating the value and cost relationship.
- Reviewing benchmark cost and production data to see how you compare.
The webinar series is $70 per person and includes a resource workbook. The course will be limited to 40 participants. To register, go to https://go.unl.edu/cow_costs. Registration is requested by October 30 to ensure meeting materials have time to be mailed to participants.
For questions about the webinar series or for more information, contact Aaron Berger, Nebraska Extension Educator, at 308-235-3122 or aberger2@unl.edu.
ServSafe® Training and Examination Scheduled in November
Nebraska Extension will host a ServSafe® Food Protection Manager training on Tuesday, November 3, from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. at the Panhandle Research, Extension & Education Center in Scottsbluff. The one-day training helps food service managers, owners, supervisors, and other key staff strengthen food safety practices and meet certification expectations for restaurants, food trucks, and other food establishments.
“Don’t miss this opportunity to enhance your food safety knowledge and meet Nebraska restaurant certification expectations,” said Ashley Fenning, Nebraska Extension. “ServSafe training helps food establishments build confidence, protect customers, and support consistent, safe operations.”
Participants will learn best practices for preventing contamination, maintaining proper time and temperature controls, supporting employee health and hygiene, and creating safe systems for cleaning, sanitizing, and storage. The training also prepares participants to successfully complete the proctored ServSafe Food Protection Manager Certification Exam.
The training is $160 per participant and includes a course manual, 8 hours of instruction, and a proctored certification exam. Registration is due three weeks prior to the course date to allow time for manuals to be mailed.
Register online at: https://go.unl.edu/panhandleservsafe2026 or call the Morrill County Extension Office at 308-262-1022.
For more information, contact Fenning at 308-262-1022 or astevens4@unl.edu.
