When farmers select their varieties and hybrids, plant the seed and raise their crop, they face challenges from the weather, insects, weeds, diseases and economic factors.
A Lee Enterprises, Incorporated newspaper. Majority shareholder: David Hoffmann, Hoffmann Media Group.
Settled under the Homestead Act of 1885, the Ochsner family farm in Sutton, Nebraska, has weathered the Great Depression, the 1980s farm crisis, and the evolving landscape of American agriculture. Today, fifth-generation farmer Levi Ochsner, his wife Jena, and three generations working side-…
- Tim Kenyon
As another challenging Midwest growing season ends, farmers consider management practices that could close the gap between red ink and profitability.
- Crystal Reed
Nitrogen application in the fall and winter might need to be delayed this year with the appearance of a Super El Niño.
- Crystal Reed
FAIRMOUNT, Ill. — A dry stretch meant good harvest weather in eastern Illinois, but farm equipment doesn’t always cooperate.
- Crystal Reed
BLUE MOUND, Ill. — In early October, central Illinois farmer Ryan Damery was halfway through a promising soybean harvest.
- Crystal Reed
VICTORIA, Ill. — With frequent rains and equipment breakdowns, Jay West of Knox County, Illinois, was only 15% into harvest Oct. 6 and waiting on parts for a repair while one machine was up and running.
- By Nat Williams, Illinois Farmer Today
TAMAROA, Ill. — By mid-October, Austin Lovelady was finishing up with harvest and had all his winter wheat planted. Now comes the financial reckoning.
- Crystal Reed
MANHATTAN, Ill. — Beans have been drying down unevenly on Dave Kestel’s farm in northeast Illinois, making for a start-and-stop harvest this year.
- By Nat Williams, Illinois Farmer Today
McLEANSBORO, Ill. — Joseph Rexing cut back on planting corn this year, largely due to the price of nitrogen fertilizer. His yields are good, but it’s been a losing proposition for a while.
- Crystal Reed
MORGAN COUNTY, Ill. — Tim Thompson finished harvesting his western Illinois corn crop Oct. 2. Following a one-day rain delay, he started on soybeans on Oct. 4 and expected to be finished by the end of that week.
Wet weather is slowing corn harvest across much of the Corn Belt, creating challenges for growers while also giving Wyffels Hybrids’ agronomy and breeding teams an opportunity to evaluate corn performance under a wide range of conditions.
With recent rains adding moisture across parts of the Corn Belt, growers may be trying to determine how early to get those combines rolling.
- By Nat Williams for Iowa Farmer Today
Some new corn hybrids short in stature may be long on promise.
New pre-emergent chemistry offers hope for growers battling the most aggressive resistant weeds in North America.
- Benjamin Herrold
Harvest will tell the final story of this year’s crops, but timely rains have helped them look promising in many parts of the Midwest.
- Nat Williams For Lee Agri-Media
Most seed put into the ground in the Midwest is treated, but the jury is still out as to the most effective use of chemical and biological additives. There’s little doubt that treatments are beneficial but there’s much to be learned.
- Benjamin Herrold
Down in southeast Missouri, the cotton and rice crops are getting close to harvest, and it has been a generally good weather year for the crops.
- Fred Hall Iowa State University
As producers prepare for silage harvest, remember that corn silage harvest is one of the most fast‑paced high‑stakes periods on a dairy farm, and the decisions made in the next few weeks will shape feed quality for the entire year. Four factors -- cut length, moisture, packing density and pi…
- Benjamin Herrold
COLUMBIA, Mo. — Construction progresses on the new University of Missouri Soybean Cyst Nematode Diagnostics Lab.
- Benjamin Herrold
ROCK PORT, Mo. — On an overcast late-August day, University of Missouri Extension agronomists and specialists talked about crop productivity, technology and ongoing research at the annual MU Graves-Chapple Extension and Education Center field day.
The Peterson Farm Brothers, Greg, Nathan and Kendal, are fifth-generation farmers working the land in central Kansas. Although many might know them from their popular farming content on YouTube and other social media channels, their day-to-day still revolves around raising beef cattle and gr…
- Tim Kenyon
MONTICELLO, Iowa — About 125 area farmers gathered Aug. 18 to get information on insurance considerations, storage challenges, grazing options and other management strategies following heavy storm damage earlier this month in eastern Iowa.
- Benjamin Herrold
As summer nears its finish, many farmers are making decisions on when to take a last cutting of hay and which pastures to let grow as stockpiled forage for grazing later.