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

Smoking Hot Land Prices Continue to Soar, no Softening in Sight

Farmland in parts of Iowa, Minnesota and Nebraska, for example, have seen 30% to 40% year-over-year moves up in price. One expert sees no land price weakness anywhere in the U.S. but shares how that could change.

May 10, 2022 11:50 AM

Rhonda Brooks

Bust out the Rotary Hoe to Help Soybeans Emerge in Crusted Over Soils

Be proactive and go to the field sooner rather than later. Once that crust hardens, it can hinder or even prevent crop emergence. Either or both will cost you money.

May 09, 2022 02:20 PM

Rhonda Brooks

Ken Ferrie, Farm Journal Field Agronomist

Ferrie: Add Weight to Planters, Break Out Rotary Hoes, Tend to Strip-Till Seedbeds

It’s also time to consider switching to corn planting if you are unable to plant corn and soybeans simultaneously. Beware of salt-burn risks in spring strip tillage, and start checking soybeans for bean leaf beetles.

May 06, 2022 08:28 AM

Rhonda Brooks

Rain Delay? You still have a 92% Corn Yield Potential if Planting May 20 in IA, IL

When you plant corn does matter, but there are in-season factors that play a significant role in final outcomes as well, according to USDA and agronomists.

May 05, 2022 09:33 AM

Rhonda Brooks

ClearFlame Engine Technologies Co-Founders Julie Blumreiter, chief technology officer, and BJ Johnson, chief executive officer, say their technology will enable the rapid decarbonization of diesel-dominated sectors.

E98-Fueled Diesel Engines set to Run in the Field and on the Road

CEO of ClearFlame says its modified diesel engines in trucks and farm machinery offer the same power and performance of traditional diesel engines but with lower fuel costs and fewer emissions. Look for them this summer.

May 04, 2022 12:45 PM

Rhonda Brooks

A Goldilocks Planting Season – too Hot or too Cold. Nothing’s ‘Just Right’

Much of the Midwest is seeing cool, wet conditions while the West is increasingly dry. If you plant in poor soil conditions, you will pay for that mistake at harvest, say agronomists. Their recommendation: be patient.

April 29, 2022 04:24 PM

Rhonda Brooks

First Human Case of Avian Flu in the U.S. Confirmed in Colorado

The case occurred in a person who had direct exposure to poultry and was involved in the culling process of poultry with presumptive H5N1 bird flu, reports the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

April 29, 2022 09:30 AM

Rhonda Brooks

Grain Prices ‘Well-Supported’ for Next Three Years, says RaboResearch Economist

The fundamentals were already in place, forecasting positive prices for grain. The war in the Ukraine has strengthened that prediction.

April 28, 2022 01:44 PM

Rhonda Brooks

9 Ways to Help Protect Pollinators Now

Bees, butterflies and other pollinators play a valuable role in food production. Farmers can do their part to protect pollinators by implementing these best management practices.

April 26, 2022 11:24 AM

Rhonda Brooks

Ferrie: Muddying Corn into Fields? That can Cost You 30 Bushels per Acre

With these high corn prices, plant corn when conditions are right, says Ken Ferrie. Don’t act in haste and set yourself up for corn replant decisions. If you have to push conditions and plant, go with soybeans.

April 25, 2022 02:51 PM

Rhonda Brooks