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  Solving murder mysteries is a popular game but when it affects your crops, it is serious business! Soybean yields have been stagnating for years. Some farmers get great yields (70-90 bushel/acre), but many farmers average 50-65 bushel/acre. Soybean yields may be 20-30 bushel below optimum, even with good genetics. With depressed crop prices, good soybean yields are essential to making a profit and staying in business. The Allen County SWCD (Decatur, Indiana) held a field day two weeks ago. A local farmer (Nate) approached me after I gave a presentation on how a lack of plant available nutrients increases crop disease. Nate, a trained agronomist, says he noticed a “soybean mystery disease” starting in 2014. It occurs around August 1-10th almost every year but is worse some years. Symptoms: Usually, low areas or compacted areas show up first but also hill tops. It starts on lower leaves which turn pale, yellow, then brown and fall off. Usually, bean pods start aborting from the bottom

New tire technology has the ability to boost crop yields by 7%. Several recent articles in No-till Farmer outlined the benefits and few disadvantages of new tire technology. Most older farm equipment use standard bias tires inflated to 35 pounds per square inch (psi) but now standard radical tires (20 psi), increased flexion tires (16 psi), and very high flexion tires (VF, 12 psi) allow tires to flex which decreases soil compaction and improves yield while saving farmers money on labor and fuel. As the tire pressure goes down from 35 psi to 15 psi, the tire flattens and the side walls bulge. The tire may look flat but new tires are designed that way. The tire foot print expands by 4.5 inches which means the load is spread over a larger surface area, resulting in less soil compaction. Traction improves so more field work can be accomplished faster with less fuel and labor. Less compaction resulted in higher yields. Tire experts tested tires at 35 psi which is over inflated for most new

Agriculture is going through a lot of farm stress lately with lower crop prices and high input prices. Several farmers recently commented how stressful they were about buying new equipment or farmland and how to pay for that with today’s prices? Sometimes it helps to know that you are not the only one going through it. Here are some tips for reducing farm stress so that you have a clear mind for making important farm decisions. Sometimes we all make matters worse by dwelling only on the negative. Here are two methods that can help you think clearly so you can deal with your problems. Do any of these two methods for 2-3 weeks. First, Think of any moment that made you feel comforted and content. Close your eyes and relive that moment. Second, think “B-R-A-I-N.” B = Breathe. Breathe deeply 5 times. Release the air slowly. R = Relax. Tell yourself to relax, whether in your head or out loud. Notice areas of tension in your body, and try to release that tension. A = Ask yourself what you nee

With lower crop prices, many farmers are struggling to make ends meet. Corn is around $3.50 a and soybean $10/bushel, down from a high of $7 for Corn and $15 to $17 for soybeans/bushel. Brazil crop production continues to drive crop prices lower as they expand acreage into the Amazon forest. To survive, farmers will need to cut costs. Here are tips on cutting crop production costs. Reduce tillage. The equipment costs, fuel, and maintenance have gone up with inflation from 25%-81%, depending on the tillage operation since 2010. As a comparison of 2010 to 2023 prices: Chisel Plow $14 now versus 2023 in $20, a rise of 42%. Disk Tandem ($13, $17, +31%), Field Cultivate ($11, $17, +55%), Plow ($17, $24, +41%), Soil Finishing tool ($11, $20, 81%), Sub soil ($18, $27, +50%). Farmers who eliminate at least one tillage pass or go to no-till can save money. Gary Schnitkey, Illinois University Economist reports in the last two years, the profit per farm on going to no-till over just one pass til

Farmers pay a lot of money for nitrogen (N) fertilizer, especially on corn and wheat but also vegetable crops like tomatoes, pickles, melons, sweet corn, etc. Most N fertilizer is produced from 200 plants world wide using the Haber-Bosch process. Natural gas or coal is used with atmospheric N using high pressure and high temperatures. The coal or natural gas is a source of hydrogen while the atmosphere supplies the N to produce ammonia (NH3). About 96% of the N fertilizer is produced this way but it also has high greenhouse gas emissions, methane and carbon dioxide. The need for N fertilizer is currently about 100 billion tons per year. The atmosphere is a natural source of N at 78%. Worldwide, there may be 4,000 trillion tons of total N atmospheric worldwide or about 34,000 tons of N/acre. Almost all of this N is in in the wrong form for plants. However, lightning can fertilize our crops adding 1 to 50 pounds (lb) of natural N per acre. Lightning converts nitrogen molecules with high

Two corn diseases farmers need to be monitoring again this year are vomitoxin and tar spot. Cooler temperatures especially at night and August rains tend to promote Gibberella (GIB) erot or vomitoxin. GIB is caused by a fungus named Fusarium graminearum , also called Gibberella zeae , causing ear rot, stalk rot, and head scab in both corn and wheat. Corn symptoms include a reddish or pinkish-white mold on the ear tips which is a toxin. The pathogen over- winters on plant residue, usually corn stalks/leaves and wheat residue (straw and chaff). GIB ear rot is most prevalent when cool wet weather occurs for about 21 days after silking. Fields most susceptible are corn after corn or corn after wheat, especially if the wheat was infected with Fusarium head scab. Corn that is stressed from lack of nutrients, by insects, or other types of plant stress (soil compaction, poor soil health) tend to have higher levels of GIB ear rot. Some corn varieties, when they start to dry, keep their husk up

Phosphorus (P) runoff has long been blamed for excess harmful algae blooms in Lake Erie. While most experts blame agriculture, humans are also a significant source of P runoff in the form of human sewage. The City of Maumee by Toledo is an example. US EPA recently announced that the City of Maumee has been dumping 150 million gallons of raw sewage into the Maumee River for the last 20 years. The problem occurs because during heavy rains, relatively clean water from downspouts, sump pumps, and other sources of stormwater is mixed with raw sewage, and the sewer system can not handle that much water so it is dumped into the river. Cities are now required to have two piping systems, one for raw sewage and one for relatively clean stormwater. However, the cost is very expensive to replace and update all those sewage systems. It is not only problems in major Cities, it is also rural home systems that need updating. So, everyone needs to do their part to keep water clean. Another new developm

  Upcoming Field Days  Crops are growing and field days are sprouting up all. Farmers have an opportunity to take a break and learn some new information at these events. Drainage Technology and Water Management Field Day at Ohio State Lima, July 24th.  Drainage installation, drainage water recycling, and soil health will be the focus of a field day being held on Wednesday, July 24, 2024, beginning at 9 a.m. at The Ohio State University at Lima. Registration is required to attend. The event and registration details are available at go.osu.edu/limadrainageday .  Field demonstrations will be conducted by the Ohio Chapter of Land Improvement Contractors of America in an open house-style format throughout the day and a variety of conservation practices will be on display, featuring Extension and industry experts. The event is free and open to the public and parking will be available on site.  The field day will take place at the Ohio State Lima Regenerative Farm, which started in 2020 and p

Glyphosate is an herbicide and the main ingredient in Roundup, a popular brand of weedkillers. Research shows a potential link between prolonged and high levels of exposure and an increased risk of certain cancers. Roundup has been the subject of thousands of lawsuits, many of which are ongoing.   What Is Glyphosate? Glyphosate is the active ingredient in herbicide products, including Bayer’s Roundup. Glyphosate herbicides are widely used for weed control in U.S. agricultural settings, schools, public areas and home gardens.  Article: https://www.consumernotice.org/environmental/pesticides/roundup/glyphosate/

Research suggests a link between the popular glyphosate weed killer Roundup and cancer. The World Health Organization's International Agency for Research on Cancer concluded glyphosate is “probably carcinogenic,” but the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency maintains more evidence is needed. Roundup and Glyphosate Roundup is the brand name for an herbicide containing the active ingredient glyphosate. Glyphosate is a nonselective weed killer, meaning it can kill most plants on contact within days or weeks. Agricultural workers often apply glyphosate by spray to large areas of crops. Article: https://www.consumernotice.org/environmental/pesticides/roundup/

  One issue that is arising in Ohio and North America are invasive species of insects. A number of new invasive insects (and some old ones) are causing problems including the Spotted Lantern Fly, Asian long-horned beetle, the Box tree moth. Older invasive insect species like the gypsy moth (Spongy Moth) and emerald ash borer are still around. Due to expanded world-wide trade, many of these insect species come from Asia and have few natural predators but they can cause economic damage to crops, various plants, and trees.  The Spotted Lantern Fly is an invasive plant hopper native to China and it’s preferred host is another invasive plant called the Tree of Heaven. Tree of heaven is a weedy invasive tree that looks like black walnut. Spotted lanternfly also feeds on over 100 species of plants including grapes, fruit trees, ornamentals and timber. Spotted Lantern fly damage includes oozing sap, wilting, leaf curling, and then dieback and it also promotes sooty mold (a fungus) which attrac

  Wheat harvest is progressing depending on rainfall. Both yields and quality appear to be good this year. Some farmers are wondering what to do with the wheat straw? Should they keep the straw on the field to build soil organic matter (SOM) or should they sell it? What is the value of the wheat straw and how many nutrients are being lost? Does straw residue hurt the next crop?  Straw is a valuable resource in high demand for bedding or mulch and livestock farmers even use straw to add fiber to their livestock rations Some farmers chop it and let it lie on the field, others bale it. If planting double crop soybeans or cover crops, removing the straw may be beneficial. High carbon straw may slow down plant growth (especially chaff) and it also attracts pests like slugs and voles.  If selling straw, make sure to sell it for what it is worth. Straw has value as bedding but it also contains soil nutrients. At a minimum, straw sellers should consider the value of nutrients leaving the farm

Agriculture is changing quickly as farmers integrate new technology. Drones, robotics, sensors, and AI are just a few of the new innovations that are taking place. Small farmers are starting to use a new system called vertical farming, and even bee keepers have a new vaccine to help bees survive a devastating disease called American foulbrood.  Drones are quickly being adopted by farmers to monitor and improve crop performance. Drones can fly above crops and through thermal imaging and multi sensors, capture information on crop health, pests, environmental stresses (drought, excess moisture, heat stress, etc.) and nutrition needs of crops. Drones can map soils, check on crop variability, and help farmers make decisions about how to fix issues in the field. Real time information helps farmers respond quickly to improve crop performance. Often, farmers save money because nutrients or pesticides (herbicides, insecticides, fungicides) are only applied to areas that need attention. This sav

  A wave of Bird Flu (Avian Influenza or H5N1 virus) is crossing the country, infecting both birds and bovine (dairy and beef cattle). So far, there is no evidence that the virus is being spread from mammal to mammal, only from birds or cattle. Poultry (chickens, turkey, ducks) and wild birds like Canadian Geese, pigeons, starlings, and sparrows may all be vectors or spreaders of this disease. Humans in China and Hong Kong have contacted the disease but it is not common in the USA. Milk pasteurization has been shown to be an effective way to keep the virus from infecting humans.  The Bird Flu virus has infected poultry and wild flocks of birds in the USA, Europe, Africa, and Asia. About 15 million poultry birds have died from Bird Flu in 1.5 years. More than 193 million birds have been culled to stop spreading the virus. Now Bird Flu has also been found in bovines or dairy cattle and even beef cattle. Usually milk production drops by 25% or more. Bird flu has been found in several poul

Farmers are finishing up planting, but some crops have been slow to emerge. Cooler nighttime temperatures may be delaying emergence. In most cases, moisture has been adequate but highly variable. However, summer has arrived and very soon hotter and drier weather conditions may prevail. The last two years plus this year look like a hot June. Last year, moisture was very short in May. This year, farmers have some moisture at the surface, however, subsurface moisture is very low. When it gets hot and possibly dry this early in the growing season, what can a farmer do? Crops' roots are still shallow and the crop is not well developed yet. Early planted crops appear to be in better condition to survive higher temperatures and possibly drier soil conditions because they have more developed roots. First, try to terminate cover crops and weeds quickly to save moisture. Second, reduce or avoid tillage because each tillage pass dries out the soil .5-1.0 acre-inch of water. Dry soil tends to

  Most farmers have finished planting for the first time but may be looking to replant. Replanting corn can be a difficult decision. Young plants can recover especially if the damage is above ground. However, below ground damage from insects, disease, compaction, saturated soils, or fertilizer injury are more difficult for corn to recover. With the cold nights lately and cloudy days, sometimes sunshine and warmer temperatures allow your crops to recover, making that decision easier to make. First, determine how widespread the damage is and how healthy the plants are that are remaining on the whole field. Aerial Drones can help cover a large area but you still need to inspect the remaining plants to determine their health.  Dr Robert Nielson, Purdue University offers these suggestions on corn replant decisions. Most modern corn varieties are fairly tolerant of both low and high populations. Based on 10 years research, populations ranged from 23,500 to 40,000 seeds per acre. Based on tho

  A week of good weather has helped most farmers get crops planted. However, there are issues dealing with fast-growing cover crops (e.g., cereal rye). Due to a warm winter and spring, most crops, including wheat, are 2-3 weeks ahead in maturity. Fall-planted crops are all headed out and getting tall. How viable is the seed, and how do you manage those situations? On seed viability, cereal rye seed is viable 30 days after heading and flowering. Some cereal rye has been headed out for 2 weeks, so it’s time to get it terminated. Some rye is 4 to 6 feet tall, so shading is becoming another issue to consider. Balansa clover seed can remain viable in the soil for 3 years and reseed itself. Balansa and Crimson clover seed is viable 30 days after blooming. Hairy vetch seed can remain viable for 5 years in the soil (hard seed) and starts to mature around July 10, which may be July 1st this year. For all cover crops, terminating cover crops once they are 10-20% blooming reduces the chance of re

  Farmers are starting to make progress on planting, but it's quite variable. Warmer temperatures and humid conditions are expected. Both the winter wheat and weeds are growing quickly. Not only weeds, but also many insects and diseases are becoming a problem this year. Wet soils tend to compact and create poor soil structure, which is a major problem if soil dries off. Farmers have a lot of things to worry about when it stays wet and it's time to get crops planted. On fast-growing weeds, corn has more restrictions for post applications of herbicides. Higher rates of herbicides will be needed along with post-emergent herbicides to control the weeds. Higher rates of Glyphosate (Roundup), Liberty Link corn, and Extend corn can help control most weeds but it is more difficult when weeds get big. The weeds are much easier to terminate when they are small. On insects, watch for wireworms and seed corn maggot. Seed corn maggots are often a problem early with the larva feeding on the

It’s a typical Ohio spring. Sporadic rains, followed by a few days of sunshine, then more drizzle. Farmers are trying to get crops planted, but progress varies. Under these conditions, cereal rye is growing fast which can help dry out soils but tends to shade newly planted crops. Second, with a warm winter and fairly warm spring with rain, slugs and voles (field mice) are flourishing. Weeds are also growing because it is too wet to spray all the fields. Here are some tips to deal with these problems.  Cover crops, especially cereal rye, outcompete many troublesome weeds but the cover crop needs to be terminated. Most farmers will kill the cover crop with herbicides but crimper crop rollers can terminate naturally and if the crop is tall, get it on the ground. Once it is on the ground, it will hold moisture and keep soil temperatures cooler going into summer. Cereal rye is a natural fit for soybeans but is more difficult to manage with corn. Soybeans thrive on the nutrient

Rain is again slowing down spring planting. April and May showers are saturating fields causing nutrient runoff and soil organic matter (SOM) losses. While most scientists say phosphorus (P) is the main culprit, harmful algae blooms (HAB) or cyanobacteria need a variety of nutrients. If rains continue into summer combined with warm weather and not much wind, HAB can multiply quite rapidly. Farmers have planted cover crops and applied a variety of best management practices to reduce HAB in Lake Erie, will it be enough?  Where is the P coming from, what is the source? Human wastes account for roughly 16%, livestock manure 17%, and the biggest source is still from agriculture, from the soil. Considering the large acreage (4.2 million acres in the Maumee River basin) it takes only a small amount of P loss to cause HAB in Lake Erie. Farmers generally apply about 35-40# of P on corn and maintain about 95% of what is applied. HAB need only 1/10 as much P as corn (1# P = 500# of HAB), so now f