Ken Ferrie
Agronomist Ken Ferrie provides agronomic insights, crop management tips, and practical advice for farmers to improve crop yields.
Ken Ferrie walks through the problems plaguing this year’s corn crop and shares his strategy for salvaging yield and protecting grain quality in storage.
Farm Journal Field Agronomists say adjusting yield calculations for compromised plants could reveal 20 to 40 fewer bushels per acre than what farmers in parts of the Eastern Corn Belt currently expect.
Some Midwest cornfields are losing more than a percentage point of moisture daily, tightening timelines for growers trying to determine how much crop they can confidently sell into the market rally.
Saturated soils and high winds have downed corn and sparked disease risks for it and soybeans. Here is how to adjust your harvest equipment and strategy now to save yield.
From inaccurate dry measurements to unseen water issues, simple mistakes and overlooked details could be neutralizing your crop protection investments.
With tar spot at fairly low levels, Midwest agronomists encourage farmers to focus on protecting the upper canopy, keying into the best application timing and keeping an eye out for southern rust.
Ken Ferrie leads the unsponsored, two-day event focused on crop fertility ROI, weed management and making the 4Rs pay in tight markets.
From sulfur and nitrogen deficiencies to silk-clipping beetles, Ken Ferrie breaks down what farmers need to address now in ponded, replanted and unevenly developing fields.
An unusual combination of severe hail, 88 mph winds and excessive rainfall has devastated some corn acres, while saturated fields, delayed herbicide applications and rising weed pressure threaten remaining yield potential.
Heavy rains and hail have triggered widespread nutrient deficiencies, disease pressure and weed threats in parts of Illinois, Iowa and other states. Field Agronomist Ken Ferrie outlines some strategies for farmers looking to salvage their corn and soybeans.
Data shows late-planted corn can “cheat” the clock with GDU acceleration, making the case for holding the line on your original hybrids for now.
Soil moisture, seed chilling risks, and emergence forecasts can help you decide whether to run hard or park the planter.
Ken Ferrie uses a green-yellow-red “signal light” system to help farmers evaluate their planting decisions in the week ahead.
Ken Ferrie offers practical steps to salvage your yield potential if you’ve been affected by heavy rains and seed quality issues.
From Mehlich-3 to Olsen P, the extractant method your lab uses can help you interpret the data and manage inputs for more ROI.
Ken Ferrie warns that anhydrous ammonia won’t help young plants fight the carbon penalty this spring. He details how to bridge the nitrogen gap and protect your yield potential.
Before you leap, check out these essential management steps from Missouri farmer Todd Gibson and Farm Journal Field Agronomist Ken Ferrie to help you mitigate risks and protect ROI.
Weather is unpredictable, but a solid plan ensures you’re prepared for whatever the planting season brings.
Prioritize timing and placement to ensure young corn plants have access to enough N to withstand any disruption from microbial immobilization.
How you manage the mix in cornfields can determine whether the nitrogen feeds your crop or disappears into thin air.
Ken Ferrie explains how to prioritize planter attachments, why digging cross-sections is essential for ground-truthing planter performance, and the hidden risks of excessive closing wheel downforce.
A South Dakota farmer plans to use either a high-speed disk or a VT super coulter to ready the seedbed in fields this spring. He asks for help to know which tool to select for the job.
Ken Ferrie gives some practical tips on how you can rely more on facts and less on your gut to reduce management mistakes and achieve better cropping outcomes.
Planning for next season? Review the expert insights and recommendations from farmers and field agronomists on how to reduce costs and strategically reallocate resources.
Several years of low commodity prices, high input costs and thin margins have taken a toll on soil stewardship in some parts of the country. As a result, farmers need to use caution and do their homework before renting ground that’s coming available in their area for 2026.
Farmers wanting to hang onto the soil moisture in their fields are struggling to address compaction and ruts where there has been little to no recent rainfall. Anhydrous ammonia applications are also difficult to get sealed in fields where moisture is minimal.
The new technology is being evaluated in Farm Journal Test Plots this fall and catching a lot of farmer interest in the process. Check out our brief video showing the system at work in a central Illinois cornfield.
It’s a head-scratcher situation: some Illinois farmers are reporting moisture levels in their corn are dropping only one point per week.