Retail - General
All it takes to spark a flame sometimes is a single high-temperature source in the engine area or an overheated bearing that ignites some dry plant material. Take control of the situation in advance by having a brief plan ready to implement. Communicate it to your family and employees.
While application season is still weeks away, retailers and other suppliers are encouraging farmers to reserve product now.
Use one or more of these tips to reduce expenses, reallocate resources and build a fertility program that works well for your farm and gives you some peace of mind in the process.
Yes, phosphorus is expensive. But before you decide to not use it or arbitrarily pull back, try to weigh the decision based on facts and not emotion.
If the legal challenge succeeds, the federal court decision would result in making the technology unavailable for sale or distribution to U.S. farmers.
The disease is causing turmoil for farmers who have a large crop in the making. In some cases, a Hail Mary fungicide application at R4 up to early dent (R5) might make sense this season, say agronomists.
The online platform currently has about 500 programs and service providers in the Midwest participating and is a free resource for farmers, ranchers and their advisers.
Farmers Cooperative is the newest FS member of Growmark, Inc.
Will this be the summer of drought that never fully materialized for these two crops? While there are areas of dryness, both continue to flourish. Here’s a look at how August weather is expected to finish out this week across the country, as September comes into view.
The Minnesota corn crop is going for gold. Pro Farmer Crop Tour scouts expect the crop will reach a record 202.86 bu. average, if it can outpace southern rust and tar spot. Scouts peg the Iowa corn crop at a 198.43 bu. average, but it also faces disease challenges.
Iowa could be the nation’s top state this year for corn and soybeans, but both crops are in a race to beat disease pressure that’s gaining momentum. Illinois corn continues to ride the struggle bus, while the soybean crop there is positioned to deliver high yields.
With at least four weeks left in the growing season, Ferrie encourages farmers to stay ahead of heavy disease pressure in fields, particularly in what he calls D hybrids — those that punch their yield card late-season.
Corn yield estimates in seven counties surrounding the community of Bloomington indicate farmers there will harvest an average crop, at best. That’s counter to what USDA predicts for Illinois yield results statewide.
The extent of the disease in the state is the worst one ISU Extension pathologist says she has ever seen. Farmers in 17 other states have also confirmed the disease.
Short-stature corn is often planted at higher populations because its architecture allows for better light interception and more efficient use of resources when plants are grown closer together. But that’s not always the case, according to Ken Ferrie, Farm Journal Field Agronomist.
Camaraderie is cathartic. It lifts spirits, gives encouragement and reminds all of us we are valuable. Check out what farmers have to say about this year’s corn crop – the good, the bad and the in-between – and may their experiences lighten your load in the process.
A crop-protection startup is using AI and machine learning to identify and develop new active ingredients it says will help farmers solve issues like weed resistance faster and more economically.
More than 1,000 farmers across the country weighed in via survey to express concern that access to glyphosate and atrazine is at risk, after both technologies were called out in the MAHA Report. The next report, the MAHA strategy recommendations, is due to President Trump by August 12.
Some growers are considering rescue treatments with post applications of products. But as the calendar turns to August and the crop enters reproductive stages, that can be a risky undertaking at best, agronomists say.
Got tar spot? Economic data shows two passes can offer ROI, depending on the hybrid. However, if your crop got dinged at pollination that’s a different scenario and might require a revised game plan that takes yield estimates into consideration.
Portions of the central Plains, the Upper Midwest and the Mid-Atlantic will be in a heat dome by Tuesday. But first, those regions will see thunderstorms and heavy rains this weekend, according to the National Weather Service.
Both diseases are showing up earlier this summer than last year, according to Daren Mueller, Iowa State University plant pathologist. He says a new interactive tool from the Crop Protection Network can help farmers locate these diseases, and others, faster.
So far, the problem has been confirmed in four states. Agronomists are encouraging farmers to scout crops, estimate yield impacts in affected fields and determine whether to make adjustments to marketing plans.
This year’s program features all new agronomic content to help farmers grow and harvest high-yielding crops. Two of the key sessions: selecting a corn planter that’s right for your farm, and developing a systems approach to success with early-season soybeans. We look forward to seeing you there!
Unlike most leaf diseases, tar spot starts impacting the crop at the bottom of plants. That means fungicides you apply must penetrate and get deep into the crop canopy to provide effective treatment. If you opt to not treat the disease, consider making plans to harvest early and pre-booking some dryer gas.
“ARA advocated for included measures such as the preservation of the Section 199A deduction, bolstering of the farm safety net, investments in ag research, and numerous conservation initiatives,” said ARA’s Richard Gupton.
That percentage doesn’t tell the complete story, however. While farmers in the West and southeast Texas have endured weeks of dry conditions that’s not been the case in the central Corn Belt where growing conditions have been excellent.
Corn farming for grain generated an estimated $123 billion in total economic output in 2024, with an estimated contribution of $50 billion to Gross Domestic Product. Find out how your state benefits financially from corn.
The Seilers use cover crops and no-till to improve soil health, reduce input costs and improve profitability.
The groups are urging the administration to “formally include farmers, ranchers and food producers in a collaborative stakeholder process.” An action report — a follow-up to the MAHA report released in May — is due by August 12.