December 8, 2017

Climate

Nebraska Entering a Dry Phase for Next 6-7 Years

A closer look at wet and dry periods for the last 120 years in Nebraska indicates the state is entering a dry phase expected to continue for the next six to seven years. While there may be wetter "exception" years during this period, the general trend is for drier than normal precipitation during this period.

December 5, 2017 Drought Monitor for Nebraska

Dry November Conditions Lead to Major Shift in Drought Monitor

After a drier and warmer than normal November, the Drought Monitor showed a marked increase in how much of Nebraska was dry, increasing the "abnormally dry" area from 9% to 61% this week.

Corn Production

Taking the corn stalk nitrate test in the field — (From left) Rodrigo Werle, assistant professor of agronomy and horticulture; Jacob Nickel, irrigation research technician; and Himmy Lo, research assistant in biological systems engineering, perform stalk nitrate sampling on a plot at the West Central Research and Extension Center in North Platte. (Daran Rudnick/Biological Systems Engineering)

Competition Allows Ag Producers to Try New Technologies, Methods

A new University of Nebraska-Lincoln-led partnership is helping agricultural producers explore emerging technologies and identify ways to strengthen profitability without increasing risk during the growing season.

Figure 1. Corn stalk residue with downed ears, baled and ready to use. (Photo by Jenny Rees) — Figure 1. Corn stalk residue with downed ears baled and ready to use. (Photo by Jenny Rees)

Corn Stover Removal: Nutrient Value of Stover and Impacts on Soil Properties

Corn residue has a number of uses and thus its value as well as its impact on other systems may need to be estimated when evaluating post-harvest options. This article looks at how to estimate the nutrient value of the residue and potential impacts to the soil from removing the residue, based on Nebraska research.

Figure 1. Based corn stalk residue. — Figure 1. Where moisture is not limited, research shows that removing some corn residue from a field may benefit yield in the following crop. However, if residue is removed for more than three years, research showed longer term impacts to the soil.

Crop Residue Removal: Impacts on Yield

A review of multiple research studies indicates that where moisture is not limited, residue removal can result in no yield reduction to yield increases for the subsequent crop. However, long-term residue removal has been shown to affect other production factors and it's recommended that even in minimal erosion areas, removing residue does impact other production factors and it's recommended that 2.4 tons/acre of residue be left in the field.

Amelioration Strategies after Corn Residue Removal

The authors review three research studies on how amelioration practices such as adding cover crops and/or manure may offset any effects of removing crop residue.

Farm Management

Nebraska Crop Production Budgets Updated for 2018

The 78 Nebraska Crop Budgets for 2018 include five new budgets relative to corn-soybean rotations and updated costs for inputs, machinery operation, ownership, and service. The budgets are grouped by crop and provided in two formats: PDF and an editable Excel spreadsheet that allows users to customize the budget to reflect their operation.

December Farm Finance and Ag Law Clinics

Workshops on Ag Liens, Loans and Leases at 2 Sites this Month

A new workshop — "Ag Liens, Loans, and Leases" — will be held at two sites in mid-December to help farmers assessing these aspects of their farm operation and management.

Who is Trading in the Future Markets and Why It Matters - Part 2

Learn how understanding Commitments of Traders information can help you interpret market conditions and develop your own assessment of future market movements. This is the second of a two-part Cornhusker Economics.

Extension Training for Farm Record-Keeping Software

Tune up your farm and ranch record-keeping skills at Nebraska Extension training opportunities this December at the Panhandle Research and Education Center in Scottsbluff.

Diversified Agriculture

Western Nebraska Sustain Ag Conference 2016 — The Western Sustainable Ag Crops and Livestock Conference explores a variety of production options for ag producers seeking new and alternative options to keep their operations sustainable.

Western Sustainable Ag Crops and Livestock Conference Dec. 16

Learn from successful practitioners and explore new ideas for creating a more diverse and sustainable farm or ranch operation at this year's Western Sustainable Ag Crops and Livestock Conference. The conference will be December 16 in Sidney.

Soil Fertility

What is the Economic Value of Manure

Manure has value. That value may result from improvements in soil quality, increases in yield, and replacement of commercial nutrient required for crop production. This article focuses on the economic benefits of manure.

Crop Reports

Market Journal Looks at Long-run Crop Price Cycles

This week on Market Journal host Jeff Wilkerson talks with Scott Irwin, University of Illinois ag economist, about research on how long-run price cycles could indicate when crop market prices will recover. Wilkerson also talks with Nebraska Extension Plant Pathologist Loren Giesler about selecting soybean traits to reduce disease risk. In 2017 Nebraska soybean farmers produced the state's largest soybean crop in the state's history, he notes, representing the state's fourth record in four years.

NASS Reports Winter Wheat Condition 59% Good to Excellent

Research

Modeling Pollen-Mediated Gene Flow from Glyphosate-Resistant to Glyphosate-Susceptible Giant Ragweed under Field Conditions. How does wind affect the spread of glyphosate-resistant giant ragweed, which now infects over 1.1 million acres of Nebraska corn and soybeans? See new research from UNL weed scientists Zahoor Ganie and Amit Jhala, published in this week's Nature.

Husker Researcher Explores Incentives for Coordinated Land Use. A three-year study by an assistant professor of agricultural economics at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln offers insights about how producers can be incentivized to implement pro-environmental land use practices. These might include programs such as Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) or practices such as riparian buffers or windbreaks for foraging patches for pollinators.