SIOUX CENTER, Iowa — Like many other kids involved in 4-H, Emmanuel Ruiz Del Olmo and Kylee Kurtzleben spent a recent warm, humid day with halter in hand, practicing leading their calves in preparation for the upcoming county fair.
- Crystal Reed
Warm and inconsistent weather patterns are leading to increased pest pressure for farmers in the Midwest.
- Tim Kenyon
Summer is halfway gone, but some favorite produce items recently became available at roadside stands across Iowa, Illinois and Missouri.
- Crystal Reed
EFFINGHAM, Ill. — Solo cups aren’t just for summer barbecues. They’re also something to look for in a cattle herd.
- Benjamin Herrold
While every growing season has its own variety, over a century of weather data helps portray what an average growing season looks like in different areas.
- By Donnelle Eller, Lee Wire-Des Moines Register
U.S. farmers are paying significantly more for the seed, chemicals and other supplies needed to grow crops than their major global competitors in Brazil, a new report from the National Corn Growers Association said
- By Ankit Yadav and Amit Jhala, University of Nebraska
Escaping weeds may tempt growers to spray later into the season, but corn growth stage restrictions remain critical.
“Resilience, Innovation, and Heart in Every Field” is the theme of the 20th annual Iowa Women in Agriculture Conference Aug. 6 at the FFA Enrichment Center in Ankeny.
- By Russ Daly, South Dakota State University
Veterinarians and cattle producers have long embraced preweaning vaccines as effective tools to help reduce the impact of respiratory disease in calves following the stress of weaning.
Editor’s note: The following was written by Mark White, Sarah Low, Maria Kalaitzandonakes, and Jonathan Coppess with the University of Illinois and Brenna Ellison with Purdue University for the farmdoc daily website June 25.
Farmer sentiment dropped again in June as the Purdue University-CME Group Ag Economy Barometer Index declined from 119 points in May to 113 points.
- Tim Kenyon
Mother Nature is imposing changing and challenging Midwest conditions this growing season.
- Crystal Reed
All farmers know weather is unpredictable. Most just hope to avoid disaster.
- Benjamin Herrold
Native warm-season grasses can benefit pastures, especially during the hot summer months. University of Missouri Extension Agronomist Valerie Tate said they can complement cool-season grasses.
- Tim Kenyon
The Iowa PBS documentary Tractor Wars II digs into how the tractor industry changed focus.
- Tim Kenyon
Women play a vital role in U.S. agriculture — contributing through production, advocacy, education, and entrepreneurship, while also improving rural communities through leadership and outreach.
- Benjamin Herrold
Grain marketing plans take a variety of things into consideration. University of Missouri Ag Economist Ben Brown said ultimately, they are about being intentional.
- University of Missouri Extension
STOCKTON, Mo. — Keeping pastures in their optimum quality range supports cattle performance and contributes to a successful operation.
Editor’s note: The following was written by Tamra Jackson-Ziems and Dylan Mangel, University of Nebraska Extension plant pathologist, and Talon Mues, Extension educator, for the university’s Crop Watch website June 19.
- Sue Roesler
For the last 250 years, agriculture has been on a fast track with technologies that improve weed control strategies in farming and ranching.
- By Tim Kenyon, Iowa Farmer Today
Josh Nelson views cover crops as another way to diversify, enhance and sustain good black soil for more production on his farm near Belmond, Iowa.
- By Ivair Valmorbida, University of Missouri
The first corn leafhoppers of the year were detected June 16 and June 22 in Missouri corn fields during routine field scouting in Boone County as part of regular in-season monitoring.
- By Dave Roepke, Iowa State University
Students from Jim Fitzgerald’s precision agriculture class at Boone High School pushed a utility cart across one of the school’s athletic fields on a sunny morning, trying their best to roll along a straight but invisible line. Without assistance from the cart’s GPS-powered tools, it was a t…
- By Crystal Reed, Illinois Farmer Today
When most people think of crops in the Midwest they think of the common offerings — corn, soybeans and wheat.
- By Tim Kenyon, Iowa Farmer Today
Practice makes it better. Crop and livestock producers tend to get more opportunities when they pay close attention to volatile markets and expenses.