Researchers involved in a UNL-USDA NRCS study on cover crops highlight the importance of species selection, as each type of cover crop has a unique root system that contributes differently to soil health.
Timothy Porch, research geneticist at USDA ARS, left, and Carlos Urrea, Nebraska Extension dry bean breeding specialist, scout a plot of dry beans. (Photo by Chelsea Didinger)
Researchers at UNL and USDA ARS in Puerto Rico are collaborating on the development of new drought-tolerance dry bean lines using plant genes from tepary beans, a crop native to the southwest U.S. and Mexico.
Farm Management
In addition to equipment and operational costs, the number of acres to be harvested, time, the availability of good custom operators in your area, and harvest efficiency all contribute to making an economic decision on hiring custom work. (Center for Ag photo)
A review of custom rates in 2022 and how to use the Ag Budget Calculator to determine what custom operators may be charging this year.
Featured speakers in this webinar include Marcelo Castillo, USDA research economist, Brian Lisonbee, Lisonbee Immigration Law attorney/owner, Lincoln, Nebraska, and Elliott Dennis, UNL assistant professor and livestock economist.
For ag producers interested in hiring seasonal labor, this webinar focuses on the state of ag labor and historical use, an overview of visa requirements, procedures, compliance and employer obligations.
Forage Production
Rejuvra™ is a new rangeland herbicide product from Bayer that controls cheatgrass seedlings. It should be applied in early fall before seeds germinate and can provide control up to two years post-application.
Management insights on controlling cheatgrass, wild oats and fall armyworms in pastures, and using growing degree days to schedule your final alfalfa harvest.
Dr. Dannele Peck, USDA Northern Plains Climate Hub, talks about the Grass-Cast model's development and how growers can use it to make decisions on forage production in the upcoming season.
Nebraska Extension Educator Chuck Burr highlights management practices for iron deficiency chlorosis in soybean fields.
A session on drones was held at the annual Water and Crops Field Day at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, West Central Research Extension and Education Center in North Platte. (Photo by Chabella Guzman)
The 2023 Water and Crops Field Day featured seminars and panels on crop and livestock production practices that align with USDA's new climate-smart agriculture initiatives.
The Historic Knorr-Holden signboard located near the corn plot north of Scottsbluff was officially unveiled on Aug. 23. (From left) Dave Ostdiek, retired UNL PREEC communications specialist; Bijesh Maharjan, UNL associate professor at PREEC and current plot supervisor; Richard Bischoff, UNL IANR associate vice chancellor; and Ron Yoder, UNL IANR senior associate vice-chancellor.
UNL faculty members recently celebrated the Knorr-Holden Plot's century-long historical value to agricultural research. Located near Scottsbluff, Knorr-Holden is one of the top five-oldest continuous field-crop experiments in the U.S.
As part of this year's studies, the Nebraska On-Farm Research Network is partnering with Nebraska farmers to evaluate which dry bean varieties are best-suited for direct harvest.
Extension Events
Dipak Santra, left, and other University of Nebraska-Lincoln faculty and graduate students in a plot of field peas at the UNL High Plains Ag Lab Field tour in June 2023. (Photo by Chabella Guzman)
The conference will cover a wide range of agronomic topics for field peas, chickpeas, black-eyed peas and other pulses, including management of nutrients and diseases, genetics, crop insurance, policy and more.
This episode of N Field Observations discusses control practices for farmers battling Palmer amaranth and an emergency measure the EPA is currently considering to provide assistance.
Crop Reports & AgNews
Historical crop progress data for Nebraska is available at USDA.
Nebraska Extension Educator Gary Stone reviews crop water use during the 2023 irrigation season and highlights a new feature for receiving 2024 reports via text.
To see if you qualify for USDA's new Farm Labor Stabilization and Protection Pilot Program, visit USDA.
Ag employers can begin applying for a new pilot program that aims to help address workforce needs, promote a safe work environment, and support expansion of lawful migration pathways for workers.
In Case You Missed It...
A total of 164 counties have been documented as infested with soybean gall midge as of Aug. 9, with two new counties located in Kansas and six counties in Iowa.
With soybean gall midge emergence dates and locations advancing in the state, Nebraska Extension educators stress the importance of scouting and documenting observations, which can inform ongoing research on management options.
The forecasted yield potential this season is 7% below the historical average for both rainfed and irrigated corn, similar to predictions in September 2022.
