EPA moves quickly to clear way for dicamba use

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency extended the use of dicamba-based herbicides to July 31 after a federal court had earlier ruled that application of those products should end immediately. (File photo) Federal agency helps ease anxiety on herbicide’s use through July MANHATTAN, Kan. – Farmers and commercial applicators in Kansas and other states will be allowed to use dicamba-based herbicides on soybean and cotton fields through July 31, the net result of a…

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Secretary Perdue Statement on Ninth Circuit Dicamba Decision

(Washington, D.C., June 4, 2020) – U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue today issued the following statement on the United States Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals decision to vacate Dicamba registrations: “Producers need all the tools in their toolbox to produce the world’s food, fuel, and fiber, and USDA re-affirms its support for EPA’s science-based process for assessing and managing ecological risks, balanced against the agricultural and societal benefits of crop protection tools.…

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K-State wheat breeder takes early look at upcoming releases

K-State wheat breeder Allan Fritz says two wheat lines expected to be released this year show promise for leaf resistance and good yields. (File photo) Fritz talks about lines expected out this year during virtual Wheat Field Day MANHATTAN, Kan. – Kansas farmers participating in the first-ever Virtual Wheat Field Day last week got an early report on two hard red winter wheat lines expected for release later this year by Kansas State…

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Precision Technology Systems in Alfalfa

Jason Hartschuh, OSU Extension Crawford County, AgNR Educator (previously published in Progressive Forage on-line) I was recently talking to one of my local farmers who uses precision agriculture to manage his corn and soybean crops. His combine, sprayer and planter are all connected to the cloud, and he uses the data from the last 10 years to manage next year’s crop. We were discussing ways to use the data he collects to better…

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Kansas net farm income rose in 2019; government support again a big factor

KFMA data showed 9% net farm income increase from previous year MANHATTAN, Kan. – Kansas net farm income rose again in 2019, largely owing to government support payments meant to buffer the effect of trade disputes amid lackluster commodity prices, according to the annual summary by the Kansas Farm Management Association. Net farm income among KFMA members averaged $110,380 in 2019, up from $101,274 a year earlier and well above the five-year average…

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Crop Residue, Cover Crops Impact on Soil Health Parameters

David Karki SDSU Extension Agronomy Field Specialist Additional Authors: Anthony Bly Written collaboratively by David Karki, Anthony Bly, Sandeep Kumar and Shannon Osborne. Interest in no-till and cover crops has been on the rise among South Dakota (S.D.) crop producers. In 2019, half of S.D. crop ground was under no-till management and about 900,000 acres were planted to cover crops (U S.D.S-NRCS). Growers have indicated that improvement in soil health is one of…

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OSU Extension offers great gardening resources

By Trisha Gedon STILLWATER, Okla. – As Oklahoma residents continue follow social distancing guidelines, some people are turning to gardening to help pass the time. Although the state has many seasoned gardeners, others are picking up seeds and potting soil for the first time and are getting a little dirt under their nails. Fortunately, novice gardeners have a wealth of information available for free through Oklahoma State University Extension, said David Hillock, OSU…

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K-State researcher looking at ways to boost soybean quality

Kansas State University agronomist Ignacio Ciampitti is leading a project that involves seven U.S. universities that are aiming to maintain the protein in soybeans even as yields increase. | File photo Project aims to maintain protein as yields go up MANHATTAN, Kan. – A Kansas State University researcher is on the hunt for ways to improve the quality of soybean seeds so that the crop continues to maintain high levels of protein as…

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Approaches for Reestablishing Hay Feeding Areas

Chris Teutsch, UK Research and Education Center at Princeton Figure 1. Excessive rainfall and high livestock concentration in and around hay feeding areas has resulted in almost complete disturbance. Wet conditions this winter have resulted in almost complete disturbance in and around hay feeding areas. Even well-designed hay feeding pads will have significant damage surrounding the pad where animals enter and leave. These highly disturbed areas create perfect growing conditions for summer annual…

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K-State makes move to developing canola hybrids

Kansas State University canola breeders have begun developing hybrids that will be well suited for conditions in the southern Great Plains. | Download this photo. New varieties will be suited to the southern Great Plains MANHATTAN, Kan. – Kansas State University is hoping to give a boost to growing canola in the southern Great Plains as it embarks on developing hybrid varieties that are specific for the region. “We’ve traditionally developed open pollinated varieties,”…

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