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Weekly Weather Update for Oct. 4: Drought Gets Worse in Nebraska

Harvest

Burned combine in field — Remember that fires can still occur despite taking every available precaution, so keep a fire extinguisher in the combine cab and don't forget your cell phone at home.

Fire Safety During Harvest Season: Essential Tips for Farmers

With drought conditions increasing in Nebraska, farmers are encouraged to review these fire prevention measures and remain alert to ensure a safe harvest season.

Tractor pulling grain carts down road — The bustling harvest season means more machinery sharing space on the roadways. All drivers should remember to use and pay attention for signals, be patient, and give one another ample space to prevent accidents.

Harvest Season Safety: A Reminder for Everyone

With Harvest '24 underway, safety on the roads is a top priority — farmers should ensure equipment is well-maintained, visible, and used with caution, while drivers need to stay patient and give farm machinery ample space.

Research Updates

Bare field with weeds on one side — A sugarbeet field in the spring of 2024 with Palmer amaranth. Where Goltix has been applied, there is a clear line of weed suppression. (Photo by Chabella Guzman)

Nebraska Extension Partnership Leads to Breakthrough Herbicide for Palmer Amaranth in Sugarbeets

Nebraska and Colorado-based sugarbeet growers are reporting promising results after using the newly-approved herbicide Goltrix this year.

Woman stands at table in front of field day attendees near field — Carolina Córdova, Ph.D. (center) leads a demo for attendees of the 2024 Soil Health Field Day at Ithaca, Nebraska. (Photo by Abygail Warm, UNL communication specialist)

Córdova Leads USDA LTAR Collaboration on Innovative Protocol for Measuring Soil Carbon Stocks and Changes

The research team has developed a groundbreaking protocol for measuring soil organic carbon changes, enhancing carbon sequestration strategies through standardized long-term monitoring in agricultural systems.

Forage Production

Hay in stacks — In Nebraska, hay prices fluctuate throughout the year due to several factors, including weather, supply and demand, and quality. For easy access to current hay prices, bookmark the link to CropWatch's hay markets page below.

Pasture and Forage Minute: Fall Thistle Control, Hay Prices and Drought Concerns

Herbicide options for pasture thistles during fall, insights on hay price fluctuations due to factors like drought and market conditions, and addressing the impact of dry weather on pasture health and alfalfa harvest timing.

Financial Management

Barn — Calculating building costs can provide a starting point or guide to begin negotiations — it is also essential to understand what a user or the renter is willing to pay.

Determining a Fair Rent for Farm Buildings

Insights on calculating fair rent for farm buildings by evaluating both fixed and variable costs, such as depreciation, property taxes, insurance, and repair expenses, as well as building size, condition, location and risk.

Family members stand together near vehicle — Life insurance can be a key tool for farm and ranch businesses to provide tax-free death benefits at the death of the insured if the policy is structured correctly. (CAP photo)

Ideas for Estate and Transition Planning: Life Insurance for Debt Coverage

This article highlights the importance of life insurance for farmers and ranchers in estate planning to cover debt, ensuring liabilities are paid off upon death.

Barbwire fence near pasture — The Beginning Farmer and Rancher workshops offer valuable insight for individuals who are preparing to take over a family farm or ranch, or start a new venture in agriculture. (Photo by Chabella Guzman)

Beginning Farmer and Rancher Workshop Offered in Valentine

This workshop is perfect for young farmers, ranchers and anyone interested in understanding their role in family operations.

Woman works on taxes at desk — Sole proprietor farming businesses use IRS Schedule F, Profit or Loss from Farming to report income and expenses of the farming business. Schedule F can be used by partnerships, corporations, trusts and estates to report farming activities.

Introduction to Schedule F Workshop Scheduled in Mullen

Extension professionals will review basic tax information on filing a Schedule F, used by farmers and ranchers to report income and expenses of the business.

Man holding flag in front of barn — The Boots to Business Reboot for Farmers and Ranchers is part of the Boots to Business initiative, which supports veterans transitioning into entrepreneurship.

Online Business Training for Veteran Beginning Farmers and Ranchers on Sept. 30

This free online training is designed to help veterans explore ag business ownership, providing insights on starting and growing a farming or ranching enterprise, including business planning, financing and marketing.

Weed Management

This Week on N Field: Tips for Control of Herbicide-resistant Palmer Amaranth in Soybean

Nebraska Extension Weed Management Specialist Amit Jhala discusses the three basic principles that producers should adopt for maximum control of this persistent weed.

Crop Reports

wheat field — Historical crop progress data for Nebraska is available at USDA.

Crop Progress: Winter Wheat Planting Advances Amid Moisture Shortages

Drought has intensified in Nebraska, causing increased topsoil and subsoil moisture shortages as growers reach the final stretch of winter wheat planting.

Man operates combine in dry bean field — A Panhandle grower undercuts and windrows a field of dry beans so they can dry down and be combined. (Photo by Gary Stone, Nebraska Extension)

Crop Progress: Dry Bean Harvest Reaches Halfway Point

Dry bean harvest was at 46% complete by Sept. 22, and harvest of corn, soybean and sorghum continues near average pace.

IANR/Extension

Large group of people surround Nathan Mueller during live rainfall simulation — A crowd gathers around the USDA NRCS live rainfall simulator which demonstrates the outcome of different soil health practices, led by Nathan Meuller, USDA NRCS state soil health specialist, at the WCREEC Water, Crops and Soil Health Field Day on Sept. 5. (Photo by Bijesh Maharjan)

Nebraska Soil Health School: An Accomplishment of Goals Through Collaboration

The Nebraska Soil Health School successfully hosted its second annual series of programs across the state, educating over 600 stakeholders on innovative soil health practices.

Tasseling corn field — UNL researchers have developed a metamodel to enhance the Global Yield Gap Atlas, a worldwide database that can aid producers in improving yields by providing high-quality agronomic data on 13 major food crops across 70 countries and six continents. (Photo by Craig Chandler, University Communication and Marketing)

Husker Researchers Use Machine Learning to Help Identify Yield Opportunities

The research team is generating precise estimates of crop yield potential worldwide, helping farmers, scientists and policymakers identify opportunities to improve agricultural productivity.

Woman writes on tabletop as people watch nearby — Jennifer Clarke (left), professor of statistics and food science and technology, and director of UNL’s Quantitative Life Sciences Initiative, joins a strategic planning discussion during the National Agricultural Producers Data Cooperative conference Aug. 9. (Photo by Emma Saathoff, IANR Media)

Husker Faculty Lead Conference Honing Strategies for National Ag Data Network

The USDA-funded initiative was formed to create a cyber-ecosystem that can securely manage and share agricultural data on a national scale, aiming to support farmers and industry stakeholders across the country.

Subscribe to the CropWatch Podcast

UNL's Dave Aiken explains how a trip to the south plains of Texas in 1976 influenced groundwater regulation in Nebraska, discusses irrigation challenges for producers in the coming decades, and more.

Weather

Weekly Weather Outlook and Update: Another Dry Week Ahead

Harvest efforts will benefit from the warm, dry weather ahead, but there's also a heightened risk of wildfire and worsening drought through the beginning of October.

August 2024 Climate Summary

A dry August in Nebraska led to a return of drought for numerous regions, particularly in the northwest and southeast, where 2-category degradations were observed.

In Case You Missed It...

Hops field — Hops have emerged as a minor specialty crop in Nebraska, a result of rising demand of locally sourced ingredients grown in unique and local environments by the craft beer industry.

Herbicides Labeled for Hops in Nebraska

Managing weeds in a hop yard is complex, given the diversity of annual and perennial weeds, limited herbicide options and labor-intensive mechanical control methods. This herbicide guide discusses best weed management practices and the herbicides suitable for hops in Nebraska.

Common mullein plants in field — Mild, wet winters favor common mullein growth, ensuring good germination the following year for new seedlings and good winter survival of plants entering the second year.

Common Mullein Control: Herbicide Choice and Application Timing

Effective weed control in range, pasture and CRP depends on selectivity and timing. In selecting an herbicide for common mullein control, there are many options.