All

Michael Rethwisch

Geographic Responsibilities: Butler/Polk Counties
Program Responsibilities: Cropping Systems

Soil school attendees working — A group of farmers, consultants, researchers and USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service employees collaborate on an activity to first find the soil type and then its appropriate standard at the Nebraska Soil Health School. (Photos courtesy Nicole Heldt)

Nebraska Soil Health School Offers Expert Insights to Producers, Ag Professionals Statewide

March 13, 2023

Following a successful premiere of the new Nebraska Soil Health School, the second installment will be June 27-28 at the West Central Research, Extension and Education Center in North Platte, Nebraska.

EPA Proposes Updates to Pesticide Application Exclusion Zone Regulation, Opens Public Comment Period

March 13, 2023

The updates would clarify procedural duties if an unauthorized person enters the AEZ during a pesticide application, where landowners may be located during application, and proposes a new droplet size classification system.

Farm finance clinic banner — Though the farm finance and ag law clinics are offered monthly at sites across Nebraska, remote sessions are another option — call the number below to arrange a one-on-one meeting via phone or virtual platform.

Free Farm and Ag Law Clinics Set for March

March 10, 2023

If you can't attend one of the two dates scheduled for free, in-person farm and ag law clinics in March, virtual/phone options are also available anytime.

Farmers discuss ag tech — Taylor Cross (right), a graduate student in mechanized systems management, speaks with Nebraska ag producers Doug Jones (left) and Tony Jones about the sensor-based fertigation management technology that’s been shown to increase nitrogen-use efficiency and profitability in on-farm research. (Photo courtesy Nebraska Today | Hannah Gaebel Dorn, HG Images)

Sensor-based Fertigation Management Research Boosts Efficiency, Profitability

March 9, 2023

Tested on cornfields in eastern Nebraska, the study's sensor-based fertigation produced about 44 pounds more grain per pound of nitrogen than traditional methods, with an increase in profitability ranging from $28-$40 per acre.

Alfalfa field — Spring is a critical time to control weeds in alfalfa, as weeds grow faster than stressed alfalfa, leading to thin stands, weakened plants and lower yields.

Pasture and Forage Minute: Increasing Alfalfa Productivity with Grass Mixtures, Spring Weed Control

March 9, 2023

Interseeding cool-season perennial grasses into alfalfa and applying herbicides in early spring are reliable methods of improving alfalfa production and health this growing season.

Farm equipment — Participants of the 2022 Innovative Youth Corn Competition experimented with using supplemental sulfur, fertigation, PrairieFood, Pivot Bio and cover crops to boost yields and maximize their return on investment.

Innovative Youth Corn Challenge Contest 2022 Results

March 9, 2023

Arlington FFA Chapter members Aaron Fuchs and Braden Monke placed first in the 2022 contest with their study on supplemental sulfur, which increased plant health and final yield of their corn crop.

Corn field — To view Walter's webinar with Nebraska Farm Bureau on making 2023 crop insurance decisions, click the link to the article below. (Photo courtesy Center for Agricultural Profitability)

Caution Needed When Purchasing Supplemental Coverage Option and Enhanced Coverage Option

March 3, 2023

Cory Walters, associate professor in the Department of Agricultural Economics, breaks down how these two crop insurance contract options work to protect producers and their operations as the March 15 deadline to sign up approaches.

FarmBits Podcast: Precision Plant Protection

March 2, 2023

Nessi Benishti from Agrio discusses the company's mobile applications, which help producers make precision plant protection decisions using artificial intelligence.