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

Jury Decision marks Fourth Consecutive Win in Court for Bayer and Roundup

An Oregon case marks the latest in a long line of lawsuits the company has had to contend with in the past few years. Most of the 138,000 cases have come out of the U.S. residential lawn and garden marketplace.

July 12, 2022 03:33 PM

Rhonda Brooks

U.S. Breaks 1,853 Heat Records this Week. Topsy-Turvy Forecast for Father’s Day Weekend

Sizzling heat hit much of the U.S. this week. The NOAA reports May 2022 was among “Earth’s top 10 warmest months,” and that 2022 is the sixth-warmest year on record so far.

June 17, 2022 04:14 PM

Rhonda Brooks

How to Conquer the Cornfield Wrecking Ball of Tar Spot

Evaluate your crop’s vulnerability to the destructive force of tar spot.

June 16, 2022 04:30 PM

Rhonda Brooks

Farmer Optimism Takes a Hit, reports Purdue Ag Barometer

Grower sentiment plummeted to a reading of just 99 in May, the lowest in two years. The dramatic rise in input costs “creates havoc in people’s minds,” says Jim Mintert, report co-author.

June 09, 2022 11:23 AM

Rhonda Brooks

Ken Ferrie, Farm Journal Field Agronomist

Ferrie: That Yellowing and Striping You’re Seeing are likely Zinc and Sulfur Deficiencies

Yes, the problem could also be a nitrogen deficiency or even a phosphate deficiency. Check out the photos provided to identify which deficiency your crop is encountering now and determine next steps.

June 03, 2022 10:46 AM

Rhonda Brooks

Sustainable Farming Events Showcase ‘Struggles and Successes’

America’s Conservation Ag Movement is hosting a series of farmer-led, in-the-field agronomic events in five states this summer.

June 01, 2022 08:01 AM

Rhonda Brooks

Ferrie: Beware the Carbon Penalty in Cornfields Now

You may need more nitrogen to fuel this year’s crop adequately. Also, cutworms are on the move. Ferrie advises dropping your threshold tolerance to 1.5%.

May 31, 2022 12:54 PM

Rhonda Brooks

The Lake St. Clair ship is moving thousands of metric tons of grain to Europe.

Farmers in ‘Surprising’ State help Ease Grain Distribution Disruptions

This spring about 100 growers in New York started shipping corn and soybeans to Europe and Africa, via the Great Lakes Seaway system.

May 27, 2022 10:43 AM

Rhonda Brooks

Got Emergence Problems? Evaluate These 3 Options for Corn and Soybeans

You can leave emerging crops alone, run a rotary hoe or replant. Ken Ferrie has developed online calculators to guide decision-making and help remove some of the emotions you might struggle with in the process.

May 19, 2022 01:25 PM

Rhonda Brooks

Zippy Duvall: Labor is Biggest Limiting Factor for American Agriculture

The president of the American Farm Bureau Federation weighs in on immigration reform and year-round work permits, Waters of the U.S. concerns and support for the new Climate-Smart Commodities Program.

May 11, 2022 04:21 PM

Rhonda Brooks