Crop & Field Updates By Sunday corn and soybean harvest were about half way done and about 65% of the winter wheat had been planted. See Extension reports from across the state as well as USDA condition reports and the final 2012 small grain production report.
Cover Crops Offer Multiple Benefits Cover crops can help improve the soil, improve soil structure, fix nitrogen, feed the soil biological life, and help manage soil moisture. Seed mixtures are one of the best ways to ensure success.  More

September 28 – October 5, 2012

Corn Production

• How Much Should You Charge for Cornstalk Grazing? Cattle feed is scarce and the state has a bounty of harvested corn fields. If you're thinking about renting out your fields, see this article and the related checklist for first-time renters. It also will introduce you to the Cornstalk Grazing Cow-Q-Lator.
• Tuesday (Oct. 2) Webinar:  Grazing Cornstalks Offers Value for Cattle and Crop Producers.  Learn more about how corn stalk residue from Nebraska's 10 million corn acres can be grazed this fall without limiting crop yield next year.

Drought

• Cover Crop Options after Corn or Soybean Harvest. With an early fall harvest of the crop and sometimes the crop residue, cover crops can help protect barren fields while providing organic matter and soil building mechanics. See the table of types and recommended seeding information.
• Preventing the Spread of Noxious and Invasive Weeds in Imported Hay. Don't get more than you bargained for when importing hay from a distance. Invasive weeds and insect pests could cause costly, long-term problems if you're not careful.
  Questions and Answers for Producers, Sellers, and Buyers of Baled Hay Moving from Areas Under Quarantine for Imported Fire Ant. September 2012 Industry Alert from USDA Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS)
• UNL Hosts Drought Forum in Lincoln October 2. Even if Nebraska receives twice the normal rainfall in the next two months, it would still not be enough for a full recovery from this year's drought. From December to February we typically get just 7% of annual precipitation. Learn more about this drought and how you can become an involved observer.
• Nebraska Department of Agriculture Aflatoxin Information for Grain Handlers.
  FDA has granted a temporary policy change to allow for the blending of corn contaminated with aflatoxin at levels between 20 ppb and 500 ppb to achieve levels more appropriate for animal feeding. NDA Director Greg Ibach shares information on the provisions that sellers must meet.
  — NDA Letter to Corn Industry
  — NDA Letter to Ethanol Industry
  — Notification of Intent to Blend. A PDF form to download, complete, and submitted to NDA.
  — FDA Action Levels for Aflatoxins in Animal Feeds
• DroughtResources.unl.edu.  Get the latest UNL drought information for the farm, home, and ranch 

Wheat Production

• 2012 Nebraska Wheat Crop 18% Below Last Year. At 53.3 million bushels, it's the smallest crop since 2002.
• Assessing Winter Wheat Stands and Estimating Yield Potential. Hard, dry soils made wheat planting difficult this fall, leading to poor stands and concerns about the potential for winter injury. Estimating winter wheat yield this fall can help you predict if it's in your best interest to reseed if soil conditions improve. If you do reseed, recommendations are included for getting the best results, including higher seeding rates and a phosphorus application.
• Also see these recent wheat planting stories:
  —  How to Compensate for Delayed Winter Wheat Seeding and Improve Yield Potential
  —  How Wheat Seeding Date Affects Yield
  —  Using Fungicide Seed Treatments to Improve Wheat Health

On-Farm Research

• Farmers Should be Looking for On-Farm Research Opportunities this Fall. The coming crop season affords some excellent opportunities for conducting on-farm research, especially given changes due to the drought.

Crop Updates

• Crop and Field Reports from Extension
• USDA: Wheat Emergence Slow in Dry Soils; Corn and Soybean Harvest Half Done

Agriculture's Future

• Land-Grant Universities a Great Success Over 150 Years, But Face New Challenges. In a lively discussion at the Sept. 28 Heuermann Lecture, four former secretaries of agriculture discussed the challenges of agriculture amid a bright future and the significant role that land-grant universities will play in fulfilling the food needs of a growing world population. In one exchange, Dan Glickman, former secretary during the Clinton years, said that if the movie "The Graduate" were made today, the one-word career advice to Benjamin Braddock would be "agriculture."

Grain Storage

• Estimating the Tonnage of Silage in a Bunker Silo. Simple equations can help you estimate the wet basis density of your silage and the tonnage of what you've stored.

Weed Management

• October is Prime Time for Thistle Control, fall weed management, the beef market, and more.

IANR & Extension Programs and Resources

• Market Journal Looks at Outcomes of Farm Bill Delay (9/28/12)
• Register Now for 2012 Crop Insurance Workshops
• Manure Storage and Grain Handling Safety Focus of Nov. 14-16 Conference