Rhonda Brooks

Agronomy Editor, Farm Journal

Rhonda Brooks is the Agronomy Editor for Farm Journal and AgWeb, covering all aspects of crop production. A Missouri native with a background in agricultural communications, she has previously worked on multiple Farm Journal brands.

Latest Stories

Farmers Seize Market Opportunities but Concerned about Rising Interest Rates

Sixty-five percent of farmers surveyed in July expect interest rates to climb in the next 12 months. On a positive note, 7 out of 10 said they expect farmland cash rental rates to remain roughly the same for 2024.

August 03, 2023 09:01 AM

Rhonda Brooks

Farm bill - capitol - grain system - soybean field - corn field - By Lindsey Pound

Senators Look To Rein-In Abuse Of Farm Payment System

Sens. Chuck Grassley and Sherrod Brown have introduced the Farm Program Integrity Act. It would create a cap of $250,000 in commodity support for a single farm operation and, potentially, some undesirable side effects.

August 03, 2023 06:43 AM

Rhonda Brooks

Ferrie: Give Corn A ‘Big Push’ With Better Nutrient Allocation

Using the same amount of fertilizer -- but at different times and more than one way during the season -- can help you harvest more bushels and improve your bottom line. Check out our two brief videos to learn more.

July 28, 2023 01:31 PM

Rhonda Brooks

High Humidity a Contributing Factor in Tar Spot Outbreaks

Farmers can use humidity charts for their area to assess when the disease could hit their corn crop as well as the optimum time to make a fungicide application, says Missy Bauer, Farm Journal Associate Field Agronomist.

July 26, 2023 11:23 AM

Rhonda Brooks

$100 an Acre Herbicide Costs Won’t be Unusual Next Season

On the low end, expect to invest at least $50 an acre in the Midwest and $85 in the South for products. Some corn and soybean farmers are evaluating adjuvants and management practices that could help trim expenses.

July 20, 2023 02:31 PM

Rhonda Brooks

3 Trends that Will Drive the Food System of the Future

The food system is being reimagined today and farmers can benefit by thinking about how to improve their ability to take advantage of opportunities in the process, says Rob Dongoski with Ernst and Young.

July 20, 2023 01:30 PM

Rhonda Brooks

Ken Ferrie, Farm Journal Field Agronomist

Ferrie: Biofuel Tax Credit Needs Could Mean More Dollars For Farmers’ Grain

There is now a dollar value assigned to grain carbon intensity scores below 29 in the form of tax credits to biofuel plants that buy grain as part of their decarbonization efforts.

July 18, 2023 08:54 AM

Rhonda Brooks

Crime Sprees Target Precision Ag Technology at Farms and Dealerships

Thieves are ripping off yield monitors and navigation systems, many of which retail for $4,000-plus. Some authorities speculate the tools are sold on the black market abroad for use as is or pieced out for their parts.

July 12, 2023 09:05 AM

Rhonda Brooks

The Crop Science division of Bayer AG is based in Creve Coeur, Mo., part of the greater St. Louis metro area.

Bayer Plans to Sell its Crop Science Division, says German News Service

Platow Brief, a banking and finance publication, says new Bayer AG CEO Bill Anderson and team are working on a deal to spin off the division to improve the pharma giant’s financial wellbeing and placate investors.

July 11, 2023 08:42 AM

Rhonda Brooks

One of the defining visual symptoms of the disease are small, red fruiting structures called perithesia, which show up at the base of an infected soybean plant.

Red Crown Rot Reaches Illinois Soybean Fields, Suspected in Other Midwestern States

Double-digit yield losses are not uncommon. To date, 14 Illinois counties have confirmed the disease, and it’s being scouted for elsewhere by seed company and Extension pathologists and agronomists.

July 06, 2023 04:40 PM

Rhonda Brooks