Pivotal Issues Blog

By: Iowa State University If you have cornfields in Iowa this spring, start scouting emerged corn for armyworm in late May. Larvae may be present and chewing on young corn plants, says Adam Sisson, an Iowa State University Extension pest management specialist. Insecticide treatment may need to be sprayed if armyworms reach threshold levels in the […]

By: Rod Swoboda With delayed spring weather and low or uncertain grain prices, farmers and crop consultants are asking questions about using starter fertilizer for corn this spring. The placement of small amounts of plant nutrients in bands offset to the side and below the seed row or in the seed furrow increases the concentration of […]

By: Rod Swoboda With the cold, wet weather earlier this spring, planting was delayed in much of Iowa and the Midwest. Farmers have had to hustle to get seed in the ground, and they’re now looking ahead to the next big question: Is there enough nitrogen? You don’t want your crop to run short of N […]

By: Lon Tonneson Next Level Ag LLC has come up with a combination of traditional soil test and a soil health test that has helped its customers increase their crop yields and cut fertilizer costs. The Indicator Test is a combination of the traditional university-style soil test and the Haney soil health test. Next Level Ag […]

By: Industry Voice by Beck’s Hybrids It’s important for farmers to get a good start on their season while ensuring that their crops have the greatest potential for success from the moment they are planted. And as temperatures warm and spring planting begins, many farmers have contemplated different starter fertilizer options. Starter fertilizers typically include various […]

By: Soil Health Institute The initial methods cooperating scientists will use to assess soil health indicators has been released. According to Dr. Steven Shafer, Chief Scientific Officer of SHI, the lack of widely-applicable measurements and methods for assessing soil health are significant barriers to adopting soil health practices and systems. “Something you often hear scientists and […]

By: Stoller Kris Ehler of Ehler Brothers Co. in Thomasboro, Ill., has advised multiple yield champions over the years, specifically Illinois’ soybean champions the past three years. So, he believes he knows the key to ensuring soybean plant yields are maximized at every stage of the growing season. In fact, he personally tests products in his […]

By: Anna McConnell In areas where rain doesn’t come regularly or when growing water-hungry crops, farmers are forced to get creative when deciding how to keep fields green and lush. Irrigation uses groundwater, surface water, and water delivered directly to farms to hydrate thirsty plants. Evapotranspiration and wind are issues farmers face when trying to get […]

By: Beck’s Hybrids Over the past year, agronomists have fielded as many questions about foliar fertilizers. The presumption is that some of this attention is because foliar applications were a component in the recipes used by recent national yield contest winners. Another possible explanation is that with tight margins, farmers are looking for ways to cut […]

By: Successful Farming Staff If you’re having difficulties obtaining nitrogen fertilizer (anhydrous particularly and sometimes urea) during this spring that’s compressed in many areas, you’re not alone. “One farmer I talked to could only get one tank per day,” writes Dave Franzen, North Dakota State University (NDSU) Extension fertility specialist, in this week’s NDSU Crop & […]