CropWatch March 7-14, 2014
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March 7-14, 2014
Grain Storage
- Checking Stored Grain a Must to Maintain Quality. As temperatures warm up and air moisture increases, pay special attention to stored grain condition.
- Make Safety a Priority When Entering Grain Bins. Grain can shift and cover a person in less than a minute. Take precautionary steps when entering stored grain areas and wear the right protective mask for what you're doing.
Farm Management
- Interpreting 2014 Crop Insurance Projected Prices. Projected prices for corn ($4.62) and soybeans ($11.36) were set this week and are down from 2013. See factors to consider when buying your crop insurance before the March 15 deadline.
- Western Nebraska Break-Even Prices Mostly Lower in 2014. Ag economists examine the break-even points for corn, dry beans, sugar beets, sunflowers, wheat, peas, and millet grown in western Nebraska, based on 2014 Nebraska Crop Budgets.
Corn Production
- Innovative Youth Corn Challenge. Teams of youth compete for cash prizes by implementing and evaluating new farming practices in corn. Application deadline is March 15.
Alfalfa and Forage Production
- Soil Test New and Established Alfalfa for Nutrient Need
- Acid Soils Jeopardize Alfalfa Seedlings. If you're planning to seed new alfalfa into ground that has been in row crops for many years, test the pH before planting.
IANR & Extension Programs
- Ag Water Research and Policy Update March 20. Register now to hear from UNL Water experts and agency representatives on water management options, water availability, and water policies.
- Reminder: On-Farm Research Updates will be March 10 at the UNL ARDC or March 11 at York. Can't travel? The March 10 session will be live online and will be downloaded at the Phelps County extension office.
- Market Journal: The Spring Forecast. Ag Climatologist Al Dutcher looks ahead at the week and shares the spring forecast. Correction to March 8 Market Journal crop insurance segment.
- UNL Plant Breeding and Genetics Symposium. Register now to attend this April 1 event in Lincoln or by webinar.
USDA Reports
- Crop Condition and Soil Moisture Report. Subsoil moisture: 16% very short, 39% short, 45% adequate, and 0% surplus.