UNL Extension professionals provide insights on timing and volume of herbicide applications for interseeded cover crops to help producers avoid germination and plant establishment issues this growing season.
Irrigation Management
Producers looking to take advantage of nitrate-nitrogen in groundwater to reduce nitrogen applications this growing season may want to test their wells to determine current levels. Information on testing requirements is available at all local NRD offices.
Extension recommendations for calculating the amount of nitrate-nitrogen in irrigation water and optimal timing of applications to reduce the cost of nitrogen inputs in irrigated corn.
Forage Production
For maximum season production, the first alfalfa cutting typically requires six to seven inches of water — if soil profiles are currently very dry, spring irrigation should be considered.
This week — Strategies for irrigating alfalfa in early season dry soil conditions, grazing to control abundant weed growth due to drought and forming a drought plan.
This new series by Nebraska Extension Educator Gary Stone highlights the main rivers in Nebraska and their impacts across the Midwest and Northern Plains.
Extension Events
Advanced demonstrations, innovative research and a panel discussion will be just a few of the educational opportunities offered at the second Nebraska Soil Health School on June 27-28 in North Platte.
Registration is due June 20 for the second Nebraska Soil Health School to be hosted June 27-28 at the West Central Research, Extension and Education Center in North Platte.
Crop Reports & AgNews
Historical crop progress data for Nebraska is available at USDA.
Industry experts shared snowpack/snowmelt runoff estimates for the upper North Platte River basin, updates on UNL irrigation management research and progress on replacing the Goshen/Gering-Ft Laramie tunnels that collapsed in 2019.
Farmers and ranchers have until May 26 to sign up for the Grassland CRP through their local USDA Service Center.
Farm Management
Nebraska Extension Educator Jessica Groskopf outlines what types of conversations should be had around finances during the transition process in this Center for Agricultural Profitability webinar.
One of the hardest things to do is talk about finances — in this new webinar, Nebraska Extension Educator Jessica Groskopf helps farm owners and heir generations learn how to discuss operational finances while planning a succession.
The May webinar will examine the latest average cash rental rates in the state as reported in the recently released Nebraska Farm Real Estate Report and offer insight on adjusting rental rates considering high commodity prices this year.
The May 15 webinar is free and will give attendees the opportunity to submit land management questions for the presenters to answer during the presentation.
As planting is critical for everything else that happens during the growing season, the dry conditions have led to a variety of questions this spring regarding soil conditions, planting depth, irrigation and herbicides.
Stapleton farmer Jon Walz's on-farm research in 2021-22 focused on testing two nitrogen efficiency technologies. Because of this research, Walz was able reduce his nitrogen applications without losing yield, and increase profit. (Photo by Hannah Gaebel Dorn, HG Images)
Studies are getting underway for the 2023 growing season, but there's still time and availability for Nebraska farmers who are interested in conducting on-farm research this year.
