December 2013

Research

• UNL Research Raises Concerns About Future Global Crop Yield Projections. Yield increases have tapered or plateaued in many areas, suggesting prospects for continual yield increases may have been too optimistic.

Pesticide Applicator Training

• This Year's Topics Cover the Standards Plus Some New Issues. About 11,000 private applicators statewide are eligible for recertification in 2014.
• Multiple Sites Offer Pesticide Safety Education for Certification and Recertification. Pick a site and make your plans now.

Cover Crop Production

• Webinar to Detail New USDA Cover Crop Termination Policy, based on discussions among USDA agencies looking at production and possible effects on crop insurance.

Dry Bean Production

• 2013 Nebraska Variety Trial Results posted to CropWatch

Climate Reviews

• Drought Ebbs in 2013, but It's Not Over Yet as 48% of the state remains in drought. In southwest Nebraska, drought conditions are almost as bad as they were in 2012. Climatologists at the National Drought Mitigation Center review the year at both the state and national levels.
• What are the Odds for a Snowy Christmas? While the chance of getting more than 1 inch of snow on Christmas Day is less than 10%, the odds of having a white Christmas are 21%-45%, according to the December Ag Climate Update for Nebraska. 

Farm Management

• Post-Harvest Market Signals, Basis and Carrying Charges
• USDA Reports Nebraska Ag Prices

Irrigation

• Nebraska's Irrigated Acreage Continues to Grow and is now estimated at 9.1 million acres. County by county, see a map of the number of irrigated acres. In reviewing the growth, the authors also ask about the future.

Soil Health

• World Soil Day is Dec. 5: Salute to Soil Underscores Need to Focus on its Health

AgNews

• USDA Soil Health Webinars Cover Range of Ag Production 
• Weeks Named National Academy of Inventors Fellow for his Biotech Work 
• USDA:  Nebraska's Dry Edible Bean Production Down 14% in 2013 
• Nebraska County-Level Wheat Estimates

IANR & Extension Programs

• Market Journal Looks at Selling Strategies for Old, New Grain 
• Dec. 18 Workshop:  Do Cover Crops Help Your Bottom Line?
• Nebraska Soybean Day and Machinery Expo Dec. 19
• Farm Beginnings® Program set to begin Jan. 4 in Syracuse
• Jan. 9 Fremont Corn Expo Offers Ideas and Strategies to Remain Competitive
• University of Nebraska Water Lectures Begin Jan. 15
• Crop Production Clinics to Focus on IPM, New Sprayer Technologies. Plant now to attend at one of the nine sites in January for a day packed with research-based information to improve your profitability and sustainability.

Resources

• Free Farm Finance Clinics in December
• ‘Groundwater Atlas of Nebraska’ Now Available. The new edition includes 20 more maps and new diagrams. It also includes new chapters describing the interconnections among groundwater, surface water, and the hydrochemical aspects of groundwater.
• New Pest Management Publications from UNL Extension