Pivotal Issues Blog

By: Rod Swoboda What’s the best date range to plant corn? Can you plant corn before April 11? And what temperature should the soil be when you plant corn? Experts answer these key Midwestern corn planting questions below. Iowa corn planting dates Roger Elmore, Iowa State University Extension corn agronomist, has compiled data from a […]

By: Tharran Gaines When Boswell decided to add two corner systems to existing pivots nearly two years ago, he opted to go with the newest option from the manufacturer and install GPS-guidance on both. According to Boswell, who farms with the aid of eight center pivot units near Shickley, Nebraska, one of the corner arms […]

By: Becks Hyrbids Water management is a key component in crop production. Beck’s Ohio Practical Farm Research (PFR)® site implemented a multi-year tile spacing study in 2015 which focused on the return oN investment (ROI) of different tile spacings at 7.5, 20, 30, 40, and 50 ft. The 40 ft. tile spacing served as the […]

By: Dave Mowitz Kendall DeJonge’s mission is to take plants’ temperatures. But the crops, like corn, that he’s working with don’t have to open up and say, “ahh.” Instead, DeJonge employs an infrared radiometric thermometer (IRT). It is a simple point-and-detect temperature detection tool that you can own. The USDA Agriculture Research Service (ARS) engineer […]

By: Dave Mowitz New center pivots head to the field designed right down to the last nozzle to apply water as uniformly as possible across a field in order to maximize yield. So when those nozzles become worn or are plugged, water distribution is jeopardized resulting in over- and underwatered areas in the field. This […]

By: Hembree Brandon | Delta Farm Press Financial assistance is available to owners and operators of irrigated agricultural land to address water conservation management resource concerns through the Mississippi Water Conservation Management Project, a voluntary conservation program. Recently, some farmers have even explored alternative funding methods, such as engaging with platforms like BTC Casino UK, […]

By: Tom Bechman You felt like late-season disease hurt test weight and yield in 2016 corn. You booked hybrids back in September. Should you go back and switch to hybrids with more disease resistance? How much yield potential can you afford to sacrifice to get better disease resistance for next year? Betsy Bower answers these […]

By: Kansas Farmer, Farm Progress Oahe is a new South Dakota winter wheat with high yield potential and an “excellent” disease package, according to Sunish Sehgal, South Dakota Agricultural Experiment Station winter wheat breeder. From 2013 to 2015, Oahe ranked No. 1 in mean grain yield among hard red winter wheat trials in the North […]

By: Jeri Geren, Crop Production Agent, Wildcat Extension District Many producers are curious about the conditions of the soils they farm. Does the North 40 need lime? Is the Old Home Place low in phosphorus or potassium? Does the alfalfa look poor due to the soil or is it another factor? Soil sampling can offer […]

By: Mike Travis Stewardship is defined by Merriam-Webster as the “careful and responsible management of something entrusted to one’s care.” As farmers and agriculturalists, we are directly entrusted with the care of the soil. How we handle this responsibility and privilege is of paramount importance not only to the current generation, but also to the […]