Another 10% of the nation’s corn crop was planted last week, bringing the total now a couple of points ahead of last year but still behind the five year average. According to the latest progress report from USDA, farmers now have 19% of the corn crop in the ground and two percent has emerged, most of it in non-Corn Belt … Read More
Chicken Litter – A Hot Commodity
Jenny Rhodes, Extension Educator for University of Maryland in Queen Anne’s County and local poultry farmer, was asked to attend the 2015 Chicken Media Summit to talk about chicken manure. For her first 10 years in extension, Jenny wrote nutrient management plans. These plans are state mandated and any farmer meeting it’s requirements must have one for their operation. “In … Read More
White House Climate Initiative Announced
Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack and presidential advisor Brian Deese visited Michigan State University Thursday to announce a comprehensive national strategy to partner with farmers, ranchers and forest land owners to address the threat of climate change. The new initiative, “Building Blocks for Climate Smart Agriculture & Forestry”, will utilize voluntary, incentive-based conservation, forestry, and energy programs to reduce greenhouse gas … Read More
Soybean Leaders Talk Biotech in China
Representatives from U.S. soybean organizations are in China this week joining their counterparts from several other countries to discuss the biotech-approval process there. United Soybean Board (USB) chairman Bob Haselwood of Kansas, the American Soybean Association (ASA) president Wade Cowan of Texas, and the U.S. Soybean Export Council (USSEC) chair Laura Foell of Iowa teamed up with their fellow soybean … Read More
Propane Power Options for the Farm
Among the most common uses for propane on the farm are grain drying, irrigation, and building heat – but there are many more ways that propane can benefit an agricultural operation. Propane Education and Research Council agricultural director Cinch Munson says currently about 40 percent of the farms in the United States use propane. “There’s a lot of new equipment … Read More
Propane Incentives Pay Off for Growers
The Propane Farm Incentive Program paid off for participants last year, according to the Propane Education and Research Council (PERC). PERC reports that participants of the program, which provides up to $5,000 toward the purchase of new propane-powered irrigation engines, reduced their per hour energy costs by more than 40 percent in 2014 compared with their previously owned diesel-fueled irrigation … Read More
Industry Adjusting to Lower Farm Equipment Sales
Sales of farm tractors and combines are continuing their downward trend this year and the industry is adjusting after several good years in a row, according to the Association of Equipment Manufacturers (AEM). “The last five years have been pretty darn good years and we were at pretty high levels of equipment sales,” said AEM Senior Vice President and Ag … Read More
Verdesian Can Help Plants Take-Off
At Commodity Classic, Verdesian Life Sciences was showcasing nitrogen enhancement technology developed by Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL) that can really help plants Take-Off. According to Kurt Seevers with Verdesian technical services, Take Off® crop nitrogen assimilator helps improve photosynthesis by increasing carbon flow into a plant’s metabolism. “This enhances the formation of amino acids, which perform multiple functions in … Read More
Reaction to Prospective Plantings Report
The much-anticipated 2015 Prospective Plantings released by USDA Tuesday shows declines expected in corn, wheat and cotton acres this year, with only a modest increase in soybean acreage. Corn planted area for all purposes in 2015 is estimated at 89.2 million acres, down 2 percent from last year. If realized, this will be the third consecutive year of an acreage … Read More
Ag Conservation Easement Funding Announced
Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack and Natural Resources Conservation Service chief Jason Weller today announced the availability of $332 million in financial and technical assistance through the Agricultural Conservation Easement Program (ACEP). “Conservation easements are an important tool to help these landowners and partners voluntarily provide long-term protection of our nation’s farmland, ranchland, wetlands and grasslands for future generations,” said Vilsack. … Read More