Penton Agriculture

Are beef checkoff allocations enough to keep beef producers in the game?

Thu, 01 Oct 2015 13:08:00 +0000

I guess we should be thankful we have such a great product, because our industry’s investment in that product, by almost any definition, certainly wouldn’t reach any level of sustainability.

My View From The Country

Cinch up; Market uncertainty isn’t going away

Thu, 01 Oct 2015 13:06:00 +0000

The U.S. is learning that our market future is no longer solely determined by what we do.

My View From The Country

Ag women fire back at comments criticizing saleswoman for riding in the combine

Thu, 01 Oct 2015 10:00:00 +0000

Women in agriculture took a step backward this week when a farmer’s wife bashed a female salesperson for presenting her sales pitch to her husband in the confined quarters of a combine during harvest season. Here are my thoughts on the subject; plus, four items that lift up women in agriculture.

Content Classification: Curated

BEEF Daily

Wonderments about expansion in the current market

Wed, 30 Sep 2015 17:39:00 +0000

Will the recent price break for feeder cattle cut short the long-awaited herd expansion?

BEEF Editors' Blog

Book on cattle lameness now available from Zinpro

Wed, 30 Sep 2015 14:09:14 +0000

Cattle lameness is an issue that producers must work to continually stay on top of.

Certified Hereford Beef enjoys record year

Wed, 30 Sep 2015 13:54:18 +0000

As more and more consumers learn to rely on the consistency and promise of brand-name beef products, it’s a category that enjoys continued growth.

Eliminate silage deaths, injuries

Wed, 30 Sep 2015 13:43:58 +0000

It’s well known that ranching and farming is one of the most potentially dangerous occupations in the country. But where those dangers lie can be surprising.

How a 5K race helps to purchase ag-accurate books for students in North Dakota

Wed, 30 Sep 2015 10:00:00 +0000

For the third year, the North Dakota CattleWomen are hosting the “Beefin’ It Up - Fuel for the finish” 5K & 10K. Find out how this race supports agricultural education in North Dakota schools and show your support for this event by participating virtually. The details are on today’s blog.

Content Classification: Curated

BEEF Daily

Who won our September photo contest? Plus, 3 voters take home prizes

Tue, 29 Sep 2015 10:00:00 +0000

Today we wrap up our Greeley Hat Works “Hard-working beef producer” photo contest. Find out who won the contest, plus, see if you are one of the lucky voters randomly selected to take home a prize.

Content Classification: Curated

BEEF Daily

Does your ranch have a succession plan?

Mon, 28 Sep 2015 20:34:03 +0000

The process involves two steps—estate planning and succession planning. Estate planning deals with the tax ramifications of passing the ranch on to others.

Feedyard activity: A tale of two very different years

Mon, 28 Sep 2015 20:31:00 +0000

2014 was one of the best years ever for cattle feeders. 2015 tells a different tale. What does that mean for cattle prices as the year heads for the exits?

Are you the cause of antibiotic resistance?

Mon, 28 Sep 2015 20:28:00 +0000

Antibiotic resistance has many facets and many causes.

Timing is everything when it comes to weaning

Mon, 28 Sep 2015 17:22:00 +0000

The real issue is the stress of weaning occurs at the lowest point of trace mineral status for our calves. Here's how you can help your calves succeed.

6 Trending Headlines: Cow confinement can improve pastures; PLUS: How’s the culture in your cowherd?

Mon, 28 Sep 2015 14:45:00 +0000

The idea of a confinement or semi-confinement cow-calf operation is growing in acceptance. That’s because, from several perspectives, it offers advantages to both the cattle and the cattle producer.

Does your local school support agricultural education?

Mon, 28 Sep 2015 10:00:00 +0000

Agricultural education in high schools offers practical lessons in math, science, reading and more while introducing students to careers in agriculture and teaching them life skills that are applicable to future jobs.

Content Classification: Curated

BEEF Daily

GeneSeek earns Industry Partner Award from Red Angus

Sat, 26 Sep 2015 14:12:15 +0000

Red Angus breeders were pioneers in utilizing performance data and EPDs to make long-lasting and positive genetic improvement in their cattle.

Cattle Market Weekly Audio Report for Saturday, Sept, 26, 2015

Sat, 26 Sep 2015 05:16:00 +0000

Increasingly bearish fundamentals this week continued to compound expected seasonal pressures and shove prices lower for all classes of cattle. Yearling feeders traded $5-$10 per cwt lower with instances of $15 lower, according to the Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS). Calves sold mostly $5-$15 lower with instances of $20 lower in the Midwest and Southeast.

Audio File:

FINAL-CMW-09-26-15.mp3

Heavier carcass weights offsetting lower placements

Sat, 26 Sep 2015 03:25:00 +0000

Softer fed cattle prices and increasing packer leverage, as cattle marketing becomes less current, suggests the value of additional pounds and delayed marketing is no longer worth the cost.

Fed cattle and wholesale beef lead price decline

Sat, 26 Sep 2015 03:18:00 +0000

Bearish fundamentals, including growing total red meat and poultry supplies, worsening feedlot economics, and the reported backlog of ultra-heavy cattle, continue to weigh on cattle prices.

A relationship with your veterinarian that works

Thu, 24 Sep 2015 18:44:00 +0000

BEEF’s survey reveals that most readers are happy with the services their veterinarians provide.

How to take advantage of today's record calf prices

Thu, 24 Sep 2015 18:27:00 +0000

It is interesting to note that the high-profit, top 20% herds earned $724 per cow, a 10% higher earned economic return than average. The low-profit, bottom 20% herds earned $325 per cow, a return of 50% less.

Cattle Economics

Weekly Cattle Market Wrap-Up | Feeder cattle face another tough week

Thu, 24 Sep 2015 16:11:00 +0000

Feeder cattle prices were tough all week. The Monday auctions enjoyed a small jump in the CME, but the Wednesday auctions had the CME locked the limit down.

Audio File:

Beef Mag fdr ctl and cow audio 2015 09 24.mp3

Range Beef Cow Symposium offers practical information

Thu, 24 Sep 2015 15:04:00 +0000

Mark your calendar for the Range Beef Cow Symposium, Nov. 17-19.

How do you react when the (really) bad days happen?

Thu, 24 Sep 2015 14:58:00 +0000

Bad days in the ranching business happen. Sometimes, really bad days happen. When they do, how do you react?

My View From The Country

Here’s what separates the empire builders from the rest

Thu, 24 Sep 2015 14:54:00 +0000

Those who start at the bottom and reach the very top of the cattle business do things differently.

My View From The Country

How do you use antibiotics? A new survey wants to know

Thu, 24 Sep 2015 14:38:00 +0000

All beef producers can participate in a first-of-its kind survey exploring producer opinions about antibiotic use and resistance in cattle.

BEEF Editors' Blog

Is ag education supported in your school district?

Thu, 24 Sep 2015 14:33:11 +0000

An article recently in a Nebraska newspaper indicated a surge in interest by high school administrators in ag education programs.

Beef prices at new all-time highs

Thu, 24 Sep 2015 14:31:00 +0000

Retail beef prices are at all-time highs versus competing meats.

Limousin breed, Tyson align to offer value-added programs to producers

Thu, 24 Sep 2015 13:43:59 +0000

Vertical cooperation between segments of the beef business has proven its value to every participant in the production chain—cow-calf producer, feedyard and packer.

Hay growers win big in New Holland photo contest

Thu, 24 Sep 2015 13:28:53 +0000

Hay season is over, but the sights, sounds and memories of that first day in the field are still fresh on the minds of hay growers.

Net farm income predicted below 10-year moving average

Thu, 01 Oct 2015 15:32:00 +0000

USDA, Economic Research Service

USDA forecasts that both net cash and net farm income for 2015 will be below their 10-year moving averages in inflation-adjusted terms for the first time since 2009.

Trade analysts to discuss U.S. competitiveness in rice export markets

Thu, 01 Oct 2015 14:05:00 +0000

University of Arkansas Food and Agribusiness Webinar to discuss U.S. International Trade Commission Report on the Competitiveness of the U.S. rice industry.

Gear Up for Preplant Burndown

Thu, 01 Oct 2015 13:38:00 +0000

Higher quality cotton is a must for U.S. cotton industry: Part II

Wed, 30 Sep 2015 16:07:00 +0000

Cotton breeders working to improve fiber quality and yield to help keep U.S. cotton industry viable for years to come.

Jeremy Zwinger to discuss rice outlook for U of A webinar

Wed, 30 Sep 2015 15:05:00 +0000

University of Arkansas Food and Agribusiness Webinar to feature The Rice Trader's Jeremy Zwinger's thoughts on the rice market following a recent trip to Asia.

10 top stories for September 2015

Wed, 30 Sep 2015 14:06:00 +0000

Here are the top 10 stories from Delta Farm Press in September 2015

Plant breeding, digital science - meeting world food demand

Wed, 30 Sep 2015 12:53:00 +0000

Rick Bogren and Bruce Schultz, LSU AgCenter

Researchers should be integrating information science with applied plant breeding to serve a growing world population, says plant geneticist Susan McCouch.

Delta Farm Press Calendar of Events

Wed, 30 Sep 2015 11:42:00 +0000

Meetings, trade shows, field days and conferences for those involved in Mid-South agriculture.

Body conditioning scores key to beef profits

Tue, 29 Sep 2015 14:57:00 +0000

Johnny Morgan, LSU AgCenter

Beef producers need to be aware of the importance of the body conditioning scores of the cattle. Unproductive cattle cost more money than they are worth, says LSU AgCenter area beef specialist Jason Holmes.

Grain sorghum growers were ready for sugarcane aphids

Tue, 29 Sep 2015 14:22:00 +0000

Linda Breazeale, Mississippi State University

After causing significant challenges in 2014, sugarcane aphids did not catch Mississippi’s grain sorghum growers by surprise this year.

Scott Young: consistent, high crop yields in south Arkansas

Mon, 28 Sep 2015 15:31:00 +0000

Scott Young makes the most of data, Extension, company resources

On 2,700 acres just east of Hamburg, Ark., farmer Scott Young has learned how to grow high-yielding corn and soybean crops in a big way.

Soybean harvest nears finish after difficult growing season

Mon, 28 Sep 2015 15:23:00 +0000

Mid-South producers faced major obstacles in 2015

As harvest advances, Extension specialists describe the Mid-South soybean season as rather bi-polar. “From beginning to end this has been a year of extremes for Mississippi farmers,” says Trent Irby.

Farm bill’s PLC helps boost U.S. peanut acres by 20 percent

Mon, 28 Sep 2015 15:09:00 +0000

New farm program appears to be helping drive increase in peanut acres in Georgia, other states.

Low-input cotton for tough times

Mon, 28 Sep 2015 14:14:00 +0000

Ernie Flint, Mississippi Extension Agronomist

Cotton is a very different from soybeans or corn in that it can deal with stresses as they arrive and rebound to set and mature bolls.

Bamboozled at the seafood counter: catfish that isn’t

Mon, 28 Sep 2015 13:06:00 +0000

The lesson is that where catfish is farm-raised does make a significant difference.

Farm Press Blog

Missouri soybean breeding targets different regions

Fri, 25 Sep 2015 15:02:00 +0000

Brad Robb, Contributing Writer

University of Missouri's soybean breeding program is delivering genetically-superior varieties that will keep soybeans competitive against other commodity oils.

Southwest cotton producers see irrigation, cotton, rice in Mid-South: Part I

Fri, 25 Sep 2015 13:01:00 +0000

Southwest PIE Tour participants see irrigated cotton, rice on trip through west Tennessee, northeast Arkansas and southeast Missouri.

‘Pecky’ rice not necessarily stink bug damage

Thu, 24 Sep 2015 15:19:00 +0000

Gus Lorenz and Jarrod Hardke, University of Arkansas Extension

“Peck” — the default term to describe damaged rice — is most often associated with rice stink bugs. In some years that is not warranted.

Deer app shares MSU expertise with hunters

Thu, 24 Sep 2015 15:03:00 +0000

Sarah Buckleitner, MSU Forest and Wildlife Research Center

Hunters can go into the woods armed with the knowledge of Mississippi State University deer experts, thanks to a newly updated MSU phone app called “Deer Hunt.”

Rice Leadership Program deadline Oct. 3

Thu, 24 Sep 2015 14:00:00 +0000

USA Rice Federation

Rice producers and industry professionals who meet the eligibility requirements are encouraged to apply for the Rice Leadership Development program by Oct. 3.

As LibertyLink acres increase, protect the technology

Wed, 23 Sep 2015 14:51:00 +0000

Bob Scott, University of Arkansas

Bob Scott: Pigweed populations may have already started to express some “tolerance” to glufosinate... we cannot fool around with single and sequential applications of Liberty.

Arkansas rice industry kicks off National Rice Month

Tue, 22 Sep 2015 22:40:00 +0000

Arkansas rice industry donates enough rice for more than 1 million meals with a serving of rice as part of National Rice Month observance.

Swiss NGO report ‘very misleading,’ Cotton Council CEO says

Tue, 22 Sep 2015 16:15:00 +0000

National Cotton Council says Swiss NGO report very misleading when it comes to cotton provisions of the 2014 farm bill.

Stink bugs, soybean aphids in late soybeans

Tue, 22 Sep 2015 15:47:00 +0000

Scott Stewart, University of Tennessee

Soybean aphids, stink bugs are occurring in some very late soybean fields in the northwest corner of Tennessee.

Arkansas soybean grower breaks 100 bushels for third year in a row

Tue, 22 Sep 2015 15:37:00 +0000

Ryan McGeeney, University of Arkansas

Matt Miles of McGehee, Ark., does it again

Arkansas soybean farmer Matt Miles has broken the 100-bushel-per-acre barrier for the third year in a row.

New conventional, high-protein, high-yield soybean tested on farm

Tue, 22 Sep 2015 15:10:00 +0000

Ryan McGeeney, University of Arkansas

A new conventional, high-protein, high-yield soybean, developed by researchers at the University of Arkansas, is thriving in real-world conditions.

Improving water use efficiency starts with caring for the soil

Tue, 22 Sep 2015 14:44:00 +0000

Ernie Flint, Mississippi Extension Agronomist

Water efficiency begins with the soil: soil fertility; soil tests; raise organic matter levels; increase the activity of beneficial soil organisms.

How to control weeds as wheat planting approaches

Mon, 21 Sep 2015 15:40:00 +0000

Larry Steckel, University of Tennessee Extension Weed Specialist

How best to approach weed control as wheat planting approaches?

"When it comes to ryegrass control, some type of two pass approach works best." -- Larry Steckel, University of Tennessee Extension weed specialist.

Closing the rural digital divide: FCC says goal is end of 2020

Mon, 21 Sep 2015 13:27:00 +0000

Progress on providing broadband Internet service to rural areas is not occurring "broadly enough or quickly enough," says the Federal Communications Commission.

Farm Press Blog

Net farm income more than cut in half by price drop

Mon, 21 Sep 2015 00:21:00 +0000

Don't look for much improvement in prices anytime soon unless surprises occur, FAPRI director says.

Corn diseases: Tar spot Q+A

Wed, 30 Sep 2015 20:45:00 +0000

Source: Ohio State University

A few weeks ago, Tar Spot, a new disease of corn caused by the fungus Phyllachora maydis, was reported for the first time in the U.S., first in Indiana and then in Illinois. It was later found as far east as Allen County, IN, bordering Paulding County in northwest Ohio. Pierce Paul, Ohio State University, offers these answers about the new disease.

Corn stocks up 41% from September 2014, soybean stocks up 108%

Wed, 30 Sep 2015 17:16:00 +0000

Source: USDA

Old-crop corn stocks in all positions on Sept. 1, 2015 totaled 1.73 billion bushels, up 41% from Sept. 1, 2014. Old-crop soybeans stored in all positions on Sept. 1, 2015 totaled 191 million bushels, up 108% from Sept. 1, 2014.

Can corn prices break through macro head winds?

Tue, 29 Sep 2015 21:36:00 +0000

Corn continues to run into heavy resistance on the charts each time it tries to advance between $3.85 and $4.05 per bushel. Extreme macro commodity head winds around the globe also continue to work against the bullish players.

Grain Market Viewpoint

Choosing the next enterprise for the farm operation

Tue, 29 Sep 2015 20:15:00 +0000

There is no magic silver bullet in selecting the next best enterprise for your farm operation. First, assess the goals and values of the business, family and personal lives. After examining the goals, ascertain whether adding a new enterprise is consistent with the goals, both short and long-term. It does not matter what the new enterprise may be if the current business cannot support it.

Road Warrior

Lower crop prices should impact land rental rates

Tue, 29 Sep 2015 13:40:00 +0000

Average rental rates for 2015 did drop a bit in some areas, but in general have remained quite high across the region. Farm operators and landlords are now beginning the process of negotiating land rental contracts for the 2016 crop year, and are trying to arrive at equitable rental rates, based on the lower crop prices that we are now experiencing.

Focus on Ag

How does tillage impact soil health?

Mon, 28 Sep 2015 15:55:00 +0000

Dust storms, rills and gullies, soil crusting, runoff, ponding — these are above-ground signs of poor soil health. And below ground: weak soil aggregation, compaction, impaired biological life, restricted water infiltration, stagnant smell, gray color. The prime culprit? Tillage.

5 Agriculture stories to read, Sept. 25, 2015

Sat, 26 Sep 2015 00:50:00 +0000

In the 5 agriculture stories to read this week, get some tips for harvesting down corn and insight into reduced fertilizer application given low commodity prices. Read about climate change consensus from non-climate scientists and learn which farm management practices are the worst. Finally, read an article reminding us that GMOs are more than just food.

China and Brazil take control of the soybean market

Fri, 25 Sep 2015 20:28:00 +0000

Soybean bulls were happy to see China, the world's top soybean importer, sign a commitment letter to buy 13.18 million metric tons. This was obviously a welcomed event, especially when you consider last year the Chinese delegation agreed to buy just 4.8 million tons.

Grain Market Viewpoint

4 Considerations for fall herbicide applications

Fri, 25 Sep 2015 17:54:00 +0000

Source: Ohio State University

Herbicide options and different sites of action may have some farmers forgoing fall herbicide application. However, Mark Loux, Ohio State University Extension, says that fall herbicide treatments may be beneficial in cases. Here are some considerations before you wash your hands of fall application.

Midwest harvest updates

Fri, 25 Sep 2015 17:01:00 +0000

Corn and soybean harvest are underway across the Midwest. Experts from WinField are keeping tabs on what's happening in their area and sharing field conditions, harvest progress and more.

Farm Progress Show 2015: New, updated tractors and combines

Fri, 25 Sep 2015 16:05:00 +0000

Check out the latest upgraded and new tractors and combines from some of your favorite brands: New Holland, Agco, Case IH and more. These will be available for the 2016 growing and harvest seasons.

Cash rent changes for 2016

Thu, 24 Sep 2015 19:44:00 +0000

Source: University of Illinois

Cash rents on professionally managed farmland likely will decrease for the 2016 cropping year. Rents on non-professionally managed farmland likely will decrease as well. However, projected rent decreases are not large enough to cause farmers to have positive returns in 2016.

Straight lines on yield maps are man-made

Wed, 23 Sep 2015 18:20:00 +0000

Straight lines are one of the first “gotchas” when studying a yield map. The cause for yield differences that follow straight lines are always man-made! Seeing a straight line on a yield map instantly leads to digging deeper.

Would you burn working capital to keep farming?

Tue, 22 Sep 2015 20:52:00 +0000

First, one must consider the producer’s goals; business, family and personal. Next, look at the current business position. If the business is near the stage of exit perhaps the financial losses and negative margins are not a good use of the excess working capital.

Road Warrior

Upper Midwest corn, beans ready for harvest

Tue, 22 Sep 2015 20:34:00 +0000

The warm late growing season this year has pushed the 2015 corn and soybean crop very rapidly toward maturity. Soybean harvest has begun on some earlier maturing varieties in many areas. Some early corn hybrids have also reached physiological maturity and will likely be ready to harvest very soon.

Focus on Ag

Farm Progress Show 2015: Digital tools for on-farm data, precision ag

Sat, 19 Sep 2015 01:57:00 +0000

While at the 2015 Farm Progress show, we came across these digital tools to help you farm more efficiently, and gather data you can use.

5 Agriculture stories to read, Sept. 18, 2015

Sat, 19 Sep 2015 00:51:00 +0000

In the 5 ag stories to read this week, get some tips for successful weed control and learn about a new corn disease. Read about a Taiwanese commitment to purchase U.S. corn and soybeans and get tips for adjusting your combine for soybean harvest. Finally, enjoy a very sharable video about the actual amount of herbicide used per application per acre.

Soybeans prices could be a surprise winner

Fri, 18 Sep 2015 18:06:00 +0000

With global demand for soy fairly stable at this level and continued political uncertainty brewing in Argentina and Brazil, I'm going to stay patient in regard to reducing more new-crop risk. From a spec perspective, I like the thought of buying a deep break.

Grain Market Viewpoint

Farming for water

Thu, 17 Sep 2015 20:43:00 +0000

Farmer uses cover crops, no-till to handle wet soils, weeds.

While many farmers rely on spring tillage to dry out wet soils, Jerry Ackerman goes the other way. His cover crop/no-till program helps him handle heavy rains and wet soils better than tillage and drain tiles. In 2013, it even helped him fight waterhemp thanks to the strips of cereal rye he seeded the previous fall in soybeans and corn.

Will Fed's move support the corn market?

Wed, 16 Sep 2015 13:03:00 +0000

There's a lot of talk that corn might take several runs to break-through the $3.95 to $4.05 area vs. the DEC15 contract. There's also talk that the funds have been covering some of their short positions in several markets as they try to lighten up the load ahead of the uncertainty surrounding the Fed's next move on Thursday.

Grain Market Viewpoint

Smaller corn supplies could offer price rallies

Tue, 15 Sep 2015 20:50:00 +0000

Source: University of Illinois

With corn supplies for the 2015-16 marketing year less burdensome than projected earlier, there will likely be opportunities for price rallies over the next several months. Producers in many parts of the Corn Belt will likely see opportunities to forward price stored corn for late winter/early spring delivery above $4.00.

Sequestration likely to affect farm program payments

Tue, 15 Sep 2015 20:38:00 +0000

Many farm operators in the Upper Midwest are anticipating significant county-based Ag Risk Coverage (ARC-CO) farm program payments on corn for the 2014 crop year. Some producers are also likely to receive a fairly substantial ARC-CO payment for soybeans for the 2014 marketing year. It was recently revealed that the likely 2014 ARC-CO farm program payments, and any other farm program payments, are likely be subject to Federal government sequestration provisions.

Focus on Ag

Will you seed cover crops this year?

Tue, 15 Sep 2015 18:28:13 +0000

Cover crops are gaining in usage across the Corn Belt. We'd like to know, do you plan to plant cover crops this fall? If so, on how many acres of your row-crop fields? Or, perhaps you won't plant any at all. Take our latest poll and let us know. Feel free to leave a comment with your location and planned cover crop acreage.

Go to result page on submit: Go to result page on submit

Worst farm management practices

Mon, 14 Sep 2015 19:38:00 +0000

This is my list of the worst top 10 management practices. There are most certainly other aspects and components that are very important for businesses, but this list demonstrates that discipline is required for success. Even the mundane, seemingly boring tasks and details can be extremely important.

Road Warrior

Crop production and WASDE recap

Sat, 12 Sep 2015 01:35:00 +0000

Source: USDA

Corn production slightly down, prices up; soybean production slightly up, prices unchanged

Corn production is forecast at 13.6 billion bushels, down 4% from last year's record production and down less than 1% from the August forecast. Soybean production is forecast at 3.94 billion bushels, up slightly from August but down 1% from last year.

5 Agriculture stories to read, Sept. 11, 2015

Sat, 12 Sep 2015 00:51:00 +0000

In the 5 ag stories to read this week, get tips for calibrating your yield monitor and help identifying different stalk rots in your corn fields. Learn about a possible reduction in ARC payments and read some questions and answers about cutting $100/acre in 2016. Finally, enjoy a harvest-time parody from Peterson Farm Bros.

Midwest crop progress update

Fri, 11 Sep 2015 20:46:00 +0000

What's happening in corn and soybean fields around the Midwest? Here are crop conditions, growth stages, disease reports and more from agronomy experts at WinField.

Harvest and post-harvest tips for corn and soybeans

Fri, 11 Sep 2015 20:15:00 +0000

Harvest is starting, and we want you to get the most out of your corn and soybean fields this fall. Here are our best stories, tips and ideas for optimal corn and soybean harvesting, as well as ideas for after harvest, including grain bag use, cover crops and storage tips.

USDA info provides tailwinds for corn prices

Fri, 11 Sep 2015 19:42:00 +0000

Corn has rallied a bit this week ahead of what some inside the trade are thinking could be bullish adjustments by the USDA. Technically I still see heavy resistance up in the $3.85 to $4.05 range and believe it will be tough for corn prices to stay above this area until more harvest details become available

Grain Market Viewpoint

Sweeten soybean yields

Thu, 10 Sep 2015 19:03:00 +0000

Neighboring beehives may boost soybean yields, reduce some pest pressure.

Alabama soybean grower Annie Dee is working with nature on her 2,500 acres. The United Soybean Board member has seen the benefit of beneficial insects in her own fields and is supplementing native populations with honeybees.

Here’s how you can maximize your cotton fertility management

Thu, 01 Oct 2015 15:32:00 +0000

Achieving ideal soil fertility levels for efficient cotton production takes more than a prescription approach based on what has always worked.

INCYMI: Top 10 stories in September 2015

Wed, 30 Sep 2015 21:07:00 +0000

In case you missed these stories from Southwest Farm Press for September 2015, here is a recap!

Managed Pollinator Protection Plan seeks to reverse honey bee decline

Wed, 30 Sep 2015 19:58:00 +0000

Honeybee losses can’t be tied to one factor. “It’s a complex problem,” said a TDA spokesman during a recent presentation to the West Texas Agricultural Chemical institute annual conference in Lubbock.

Scott Irlbeck left regular paycheck, benefits, to return to family farm

Wed, 30 Sep 2015 17:31:00 +0000

So, one just has to ask Irlbeck, who left a job with a regular paycheck, insurance, and paid vacation to return to the family farm near Tulia, Texas: “What were you thinking?”

Twenty-three Oklahoma and Texas counties designated natural disaster areas by USDA

Wed, 30 Sep 2015 14:22:00 +0000

U.S. Department of Agriculture recently designated multiple counties in Texas, Oklahoma, Louisiana, and Arkansas as primary disaster areas due to damages caused by recent drought.

Here’s how to reduce stocker calf mortality rates

Tue, 29 Sep 2015 16:02:00 +0000

Kay Ledbetter, Texas AgriLife

Stocker calf health has always been a critical issue, but the challenge has increased over the years and producers may need to beef up their management plans

Drought spreads and intensifies across Southwest

Tue, 29 Sep 2015 15:32:00 +0000

Fingers of severe drought extend from East Texas well into the Southern Blacklands and across Southwest Texas to the Mexico border.

Peanut harvest gallery: Fall weather brings excitement of peanut harvest to Southwest

Mon, 28 Sep 2015 16:45:00 +0000

Peanut wagons and semi trucks will soon line buying points to unload and move the 2015 peanut crop to markets across the country and around the world.

What happens to agriculture if U.S. Government shuts down?

Mon, 28 Sep 2015 14:28:00 +0000

Lawmakers have until Midnight Sept. 30 to prevent another shutdown similar to the one they caused in October two years ago.

Can improved production bring back tomatoes to Texas?

Thu, 24 Sep 2015 22:10:00 +0000

Kay Ledbetter, Texas AgriLife

Tomato production is target of high-value vegetable research