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  Colorado State University examined 50 earthworm research studies to determine the effect on crop yields. All studies had different crops, soil types, tillage, and fertilizer applications. Overall, healthy earthworm populations increased crop yields an average of 23.3% world-wide. Earthworms thrive in healthy soils and do the best in no-till fields (no tillage), in cover crops fields with good soil organic matter levels, and where crops are rotated. These fields also had higher levels of beneficial bugs, bacteria, and fungi. Earthworms decreased the need for chemical fertilizer by an average of $50/Acre. Earthworms love healthy soils (No-till Farmer, 2024). Tillage is a major deterrent to earthworm growth. Tillage destroys their burrows, kills some adults but also desiccates earthworm eggs and wipes out future generations. Nightcrawlers are top feeders, using surface residue for food and to maintain soil temperature. Tillage destroys soil organic matter (SOM) which red wigglers need t

  Scientist are looking for ways to produce a regular source of food on the moon. You can not just plant crops in a greenhouse on the moon and expect them to grow. They need nutrients that recycle and are in the right form. That takes microbes. Understanding what microbes make nutrients plant available may also allow “earth” farmers to use less commercial fertilizer. Farmers are now using biofertilizers (microbes) to enhance plant nutrition. Here’s a summary of important plant microbes used to make plant available nutrients. For nitrogen (N), the rhizobium bacteria convert atmospheric N2 into ammonia (NH3). The rhizobia (R) infect the plant in root nodules and then convert N into useable plant forms. Farmers inoculate soybeans, hay, and cover crops with specific rhizobia strains to generate free N for the plant. Use Bradyrhizobium japonicum for soybeans; R. trifolii for red clover, crimson clover, and white clover; R meliloti for alfalfa; and R. leguminosarum for peas, beans, and true

  Phosphorus (P) is an expensive nutrient but critical for good crop production. Phosphorus is the backbone to the plants genetic code, for ATP (energy transfer/storage) in plants, and for cell division and enlargement. When P is severely limited, plants turn a purple color, which is common on cold wet soils in the spring. However, plants often have a hidden hunger for P which may limit yields. Chad Penn, Research Soil Scientist for USDA from West Lafayette, Indiana at the Ohio No-till conference; shared recent research on corn P nutrition. Available P in soil varies by soil type and weather conditions. Farmers try to optimize P application, but it varies so much, even within a few inches or feet. Even with extensive soil testing and grid soil sampling, P is often either under applied or over applied. The ARS-USDA research is trying to find a way to put on just the right amount of P so that it maximizes yield. Chad discussed the two main sources of soil P. The first fraction is the sma

  Farmers are starting to buy seed for next year to get the early discounts. GMO (genetically modified) corn and soybeans are popular in the United States. About 90-94% of soybean and 87-92% of corn in the USA are GMO. The USA produces 38% of all GMO crops in the world. Other countries, like Europe (Denmark, Netherlands, Belgium, Germany, Italy) and Mexico have banned or limited GMO crops. Mexico and Europe want food security against monopolies. In Europe, after World War II, food security became a big issue and they consider the risks too high to accept GMO crops. What constitutes a GMO? Scientist select a gene that helps with a certain trait (insect resistance, herbicide tolerance, drought, etc.). They transfer that gene to another plant, test it, get government approval for the gene, and then release it for commercial production. A benefit of GMO crops is that they speed up natural selection for beneficial genes. Gene stacking involves putting several beneficial GMO genes in the sam

  Farmers, starting in 2025, will get paid for corn delivered to ethanol plants based on a carbon intensity score (CIS). This is part of the Biden’s Inflation Reduction Act (BIRA) which has to do with trying to reduce climate change impacts. The BIRA program starts in January 2025 and runs for 3 years. Farms with a lower CSI may get higher premiums while farms with higher CSI may not even be able to sell their corn to an ethanol plant. Farmer’s need to start planning, collecting data, and even change some farming practices to lower their CSI if they want to take advantage of the program. BIRA pays ethanol plants and biofuel companies (biodiesel and sustainable aviation fuels) to collect the data and they are the ones that get paid the tax incentives and tax credits. According to Mike Estadt, OSU Extension Educator, “The government decided it was easier to work with close to 100 ethanol plants and pay them to conduct the program then to try to collect data from 100,000 farmers.” Mike is

The world of agriculture is changing quickly with all the new technology. Artificial intelligence (AI); automated planting, spraying, and harvesting; and nutrient management are all being incorporated into farming operations to increase efficiency and yields. This article will focus on changes in nutrient management. Plant nutrition impacts yield and the quality of our food supply and impacts pests (weeds, insects, disease). Most farmers have insufficient data for the immediate nutrient needs of a plant, leading to fertilizer misapplication and significant challenges in fruit and grain quality. Good plant nutrition at the right time improves plant health, soil health and also reduces issues with pests. Extensive research has established the link between disease susceptibility and specific nutritional imbalances associated with each disease. By managing a crop’s nutritional needs, it is possible to significantly reduce or even eliminate pest susceptibility, however, farmers need to meas

  This revised article comes from Larry Tombaugh (2023). So, what's the big deal about humates? Humates reconditioned the soil around Chernobyl after the nuclear reactor had a melt-down. Humates give us fulvic acid which is used to treat medical patients more effectively. Humates have a CEC (cation exchange capacity) of over 600, contains 65 micronutrients, and has both positive and negative sites. So, humates are a great soil conditioner and plant biome facilitator! Humates are a big deal! A teaspoonful of dry humic eaten about 4 or 5 times a week will feed your gut microbes (over 8,000 bacteria and fungi strains in a healthy gut). Humates is a broad term for the carbon-based product formed after the Ice Age all around the world. Potency depends on the amounts of Humic and Fulvic acid. Russia claims about 75%, New Mexico and North Dakota 80% and Canada about 85%. Where the ore was formed determines its purity. The reason Canadian ore is superior is because it was formed from 30-fo

  Every two years, Ohio State conducts a survey of farmers on cropland values and cash rent. Barry Ward, OSU Economist conducts this survey of professionals including ag business, farm managers, farmers, rural appraisers, and ag lenders. Western Ohio cropland values and rental rates are significantly different than the eastern and southern values. The type of soil, fertility, productivity, and generally higher returns result in higher prices in Western Ohio. Also, larger squarer fields, flatter soils, and access to crop markets add value to the cropland and to rental rates. In 2022-2023, Barry Ward surveyed 190 participants and the results were just released in August 2023. The numbers are reported for top, average, and bottom farmland with only the average farmland and cash rent values reported. For all of Western Ohio, average producing cropland produced 185.3 bushels corn per acre and had a projected value of $9,672/acre in 2022 with a projected value of $10,329/acre in 2023 for a 6

  In between rains, farmers are harvesting corn. Due to cooler temperatures, Canada smoke, and fewer growing degree days; moisture levels in corn are wetter than normal. August rains also promoted Gibberella (GIB) ear rot or vomitoxin. Vomitoxin levels above 5 PPM can not be fed to hogs and some elevators are reporting 6-10 ppm or higher. Farmers are getting charged discounts for both vomitoxin and high moisture which lowers the price. Farmers also cannot deliver high vomitoxin corn for ethanol because it concentrates vomitoxin levels in the distilled grains (DDGs) which are fed to livestock. Elevators often mix good grain with poor grain to dilute the vomitoxin levels to an acceptable level. Michigan seems to have more vomitoxin issues than Ohio. GIB is caused by Fusarium graminearum, a fungus that is also called Gibberella zeae. This pathogen infects corn and wheat causing ear rot, stalk rot, and head scab. Corn symptoms include a reddish or pinkish-white mold on the ear tips which i

  A common farm problem is how to get corn stalks to break down. Many environmental and soil conditions affect residue breakdown including air and soil temperature, moisture, oxygen, biological activity (microbes and arthropods (shredders)), and different farming practices. Tillage and the addition of fall nitrogen after harvest are common practices that farmers use to speed up residue breakdown. Some farmers feel that the GMO (genetically modified) corn residue is also much slower to break down. Iowa State University (Dr. Madhi Al-Kaisi) conducted a 3-year trial to test how corn stalks break down. ideas. Researchers used both Bt (Bacteria Thuringiensis) and Non Bt or Non-GMO corn varieties and evaluated three tillage systems: deep tillage, strip till, and no-till systems for three years, in the field and under controlled laboratory conditions. After 12 months in the field, they found no significant differences between Bt and non Bt corn and no differences between tillage system in cor

  Manure is a valuable commodity to farmers for its fertilizer value and it beneficial role in feeding soil microbes and plants. As fertilizer prices have moderated, the value of manure has declined\ slightly, but its still a good product for the soil if put on thin with live plants (cover crops) to recycle it quickly. Manured fields on average have a yield increase of 4.4%. That adds value to any farm. To get the best results from manure applications, follow these recommendations Manure should always be tested because nutrients values vary. Take a manure sample close to the date of application to get accurate results. Soil testing is also recommended to avoid over application. Pre-side dress nitrogen tests (PSNT) are commonly taken in the spring or early summer but take these tests close to manure application date. Weather, moisture, soil temperature, and overall soil microbial activity changes PSNT values tremendously. To protect water quality, apply manure based on the phosphorus (P

  Fertilizer prices this fall have started to decline since this time last year. Overall, fertilizer prices have dropped almost 66% since their all time highs but are still about 20% higher than pre- COVID levels in 2019. For farmers this is good news because fertilizer is a major cost. However, grain prices and fertilizer prices tend to correlate which means they travel in the same direction. Grain prices are declining also. Generally, fertilizer prices follow the grain price, so it is not all good news. Why are fertilizer prices falling? Fertilizer production is a global industry. Russia is a major exporter of fertilizer, and the Ukraine-Russia war caused fertilizer prices to soar. For the United States, we had to find new supplies and new input sources. Canada stepped in and started producing more fertilizer, especially potash or potassium fertilizer, so prices have declined. Russia and Belarus are major exporters of fertilizer. Although government sanctions were imposed on their ex

  Grain harvest has started but many areas have low soil moisture. Planting grains or a cover crops into dry soil can be difficult. The crop may germinate but may not grow or survive if adequate moisture is hard to obtain. Here are some planting considerations if your soil is dry and you are trying to plant another crop. First, the goal is to conserve moisture. No-till grains like wheat or rye or even other cover crops will help conserve moisture. Tilled soils lose about .5-1.0 inch of soil water. Most wheat and cover crops need at least 35%-45% soil moisture to germinate. A worst-case scenario is if just enough moisture causes seed to germinate, but then not enough to keep it alive. If your soil is really dry, either plant before a good rain or right after one. If planting deep, a hard rain may cause the soil to crust. This would be less of an issue in no-till fields than fields that are excessively worked, where the soil is fine, which tends to crust more. Second, for wheat, plant a

  Farmer have a new type of weed resistance to worry about. Farmers have been using herbicide or chemical weed control for many years. Weeds have learned several ways to get around herbicides in order to survive. While it is recommended that farmers rotate different groups of herbicides and use full rates, sometimes that does not happen and weeds become herbicide resistant. That has been the main way weeds like pigweed, water hemp, and mares tail have become weed resistant. Some weeds have become resistant to one or several groups of herbicides and now some weeds have even learned to become resistant to almost any herbicide. That is a scary proposition! Often farmers use several passes of herbicides with different modes of action (MOA’s) to control weeds. The goal is to reduce the weed population down to zero so that no survivors pass on any genes that are resistant. The problem is that there are millions of weed seeds in an acre of land, stored over many years. So weed seed is always

  Late season diseases are occurring in corn and soybeans. Tar spot in corn and sclerotia or white mold plus soybean cyst nematodes (SCN) in soybeans. In many cases, it’s too late to prevent the diseases. However, there are some management practices to reduce future incidences of the diseases. For corn tar spot, the symptoms include irregularly shaped black structures on leaves. The black structures are firm, appear mostly smooth on the surface and the spots do not rub off or break open. Tar spot can also produce black spots circled by tan lesions with dark borders. Tar spot overwinters on surface crop residue. The spores are dispersed by the wind and rain droplets splashing the inoculum onto plants. The inoculum likes cool summer conditions with adequate moisture and high humidity. The recent August rains with cooler days and nights is causing good growing conditions. Field with a history of tar spot are most susceptible. The best time to apply a fungicide is at tasseling (VT) up to t

  As crop start to mature, farmers are estimating crop yields. Weather conditions have been variable. Many soil are drier than normal. However, some fields have had almost perfect rains and some way too much. Expect yields to be as variable as the rainfall, even within the same field. The best way to estimate corn yield is to use the yield component method. This method was developed by the University of Illinois. The following procedure comes directly from Dr. Bob Nielson, at Purdue University. The yield component method uses four components. These yield components include number of ears per acre, number of kernel rows per ear, number of kernels per row, and weight per kernel. The first three yield components (ear number, kernel rows, kernels/row) are easily measured in the field. Final weight per kernel obviously cannot be measured until the grain is mature (kernel black layer) and a 15% grain moisture of 15% which is the typical moisture value used to determine a 56-lb market bushel.

  Hugh Bennett was the first Soil Conservation Service (SCS) director. SCS was created by our U.S. Congress in 1934. SCS later became known as the National Resource Conservation Service (NRCS). Hugh was an outspoken proponent of stopping soil erosion. In 1934, Hugh testified before congress during the Great Depression when the Dust Bowl was at its peak. The whole country was hot and dry during the 1930’s, hotter and dryer than today. The long-extended drought of the 1930’s (11 years, 1930-1940 with 15% to 25% below average rain per year) plus the over grazing and the tillage allowed USA soil to blow away. The previous decade, a large swath of the Southwest was converted from permanent prairie with long fibrous roots to wheat which was seasonal and corn, and oats (other seasonal crops). At that time, land was grazed heavily until the soil was almost bare. Once the roots and plants were gone, the wind started blowing and it carried the soil with it. Over 350 million tons of topsoil in Ka

  Local farmers had excellent wheat yields this year and with higher wheat prices, wheat can be a profitable enterprise. The war with Russia and Ukraine continues to keep wheat prices higher than normal. For crop rotation purposes, adding wheat may reduce weed populations and some diseases. If wheat is planted and harvested in a timely manner, it is possible to double crop soybeans or grow a cover crop. Farmers also have the option of baling straw as another enterprise. Wheat and other small grain crops like barley, cereal rye, oats all have some possibilities for expanding the crop rotation and giving an alternative crop to harvest. For high yields, early planting is critical to get the crop off to a good start. Winter wheat is generally planted in September and it is not recommended before the Hessian Fly free date (From September 22 in Northern Ohio to October 5th in Southern Ohio). In Ohio, best results are wheat planted within 10 days of the Hessian Fly free date for each county.