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Phytochemicals, seed and forage from purple coneflower

Craig Sheaffer, Extension Agronomist, and Katrina Freund Saxhaug, Research Scientist, Department of Horticultural Science A field of purple coneflower grown in monoculture Production of purple coneflower ( Echinacea purpurea Moench) in mixture with native grasses and forbs on agriculture landscapes has potential to supply ecosystem services such as pollinator habitat, carbon sequestration, and soil stabilization. Ecological uses could be promoted by revenue streams from phytochemicals, seed, and biomass. Purple coneflower is a native perennial plant widely distributed in prairies throughout the Midwest. It is also grown as an ornamental plant in gardens. Medicinal use Purple coneflower was used as a medicinal plant by Native Americans and knowledge of its benefits was passed on to colonists. It was used to treat snakebites, wounds, toothaches, and respiratory illnesses. A product containing purple coneflower, Meyers Blood Purifier, was marketed in the late 1800’s as treatment for
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MN CropCast: Soybean processing for oil with Gordon Denny

It is easy to deliver soybeans to a local elevator, receive a check, and not put another thought into where those soybeans go. But, the demand for those soybeans is what creates the price. Understanding who buys our soybeans and what they are used for helps us all better understand what direction prices may go in the future.  Gordon Denny has been a farm kid from southern Indiana, a Marine, and a long-term employee with Bunge. Today he is a knowledge center for the radical changes occurring in the global demand for soybeans and other oilseeds. With increased demand for vegetable oils for renewable diesel, a rapid increase in soybean processing is occurring in the U.S. A near-term increase in soybean processing of around 25% will have radical implications for the supply of oil, soybean meal, and whole soybeans for both domestic and international utilization. In this episode of Minnesota CropCast, Gordon helps us to better understand how the soybean world got to this place, and where it

Save the Dates - 2024 Research Update for Ag Professionals

Bob Dylan’s ‘The Time They Are a-Changin’ was released sixty years ago. The Research Update for Ag Professionals has been one of the University of Minnesota Extension’s key programs for agricultural professionals for at least half of those sixty years. Nevertheless, Dylan’s anthem for the sixties rings as true today as it did then. The 2024 edition of the Research Update will be different; shorter talks, more topics, and online options to allow you to stay abreast of the latest research findings at the University of Minnesota.   The in-person meetings will be at the following locations, times, and dates: Owatonna: January 3rd in the Morehouse Room at Owatonna Public Utilities (208 Walnut Ave South, Owatonna) from 9:00 AM  to 1:30 PM.  Willmar: January 4th in the Willmar Convention Center at the Best Western (2104 US-12, Willmar) from 12:30 PM to 5:00 PM. Crookston: January 11th at the Auditorium at the Northwest Research & Outreach Center (2900 University Ave, Crookston)  from 12:3

MN CropCast: Evaluating the 2023 University of Minnesota corn and soybean varietal trials

In this episode, CropCast hosts Dave Nicolai and Seth Naeve visit with Tom Hoverstad, Researcher at the Southern Research and Outreach Center, Waseca, MN. Tom is one of the authors and researchers of the 2023 Corn Grain Field Crops Trial Results. The Minnesota Corn Evaluation Program is conducted by the University of Minnesota Agricultural Experiment Station to provide unbiased information for corn growers when they choose which brand of corn to purchase and grow. The program is financed in part by entry fees from private seed companies that choose to enter their hybrids and varieties for testing. Tom reviewed the 2023 growing season, corn yields and corn variety selection criteria that he has followed over the years.  In addition, Seth Nave, University of Minnesota Extension soybean agronomist discussed the Minnesota Agricultural Experiment Station performance testing of appropriately adapted public and private soybean entries. Seth reviewed the 2023 soybean growing season as the yiel

Sulfur fertilizer application: Does S carry over from one year to the next?

By: Dan Kaiser, Extension nutrient management specialist Can elemental sulfur (S) supply available S to crops for a longer period of time compared to sulfate sources? An ongoing study is looking at how different sources of sulfur fertilizer behave over time. The sources we are looking at are potassium (K) sulfate, K-MST (Micronized Sulfur Technology), and Tiger 90. Data from 2023 shows some interesting results. Background Sulfur (S) is contained in many forms in the soil but mostly in organic forms that are not plant available. Only sulfate forms of sulfur can be taken up by plants. Similar to nitrate, the sulfate anion is negatively charged, and many consider sulfur to be highly leachable. While movement of sulfur can be rapid in some soils, studies have shown that sulfate can be taken up by a crop one or more years after application. Elemental sulfur has to be oxidized, a process by which microorganisms in the soil convert elemental sulfur to sulfate. Since this process is controlled

Strategic Farming: Let's talk crops! is back for 2024

Photo: Liz Stahl Pull up a chair and join in or bring the conversation with you as you go about your day. Whatever works best for you, join us this winter to discuss some of the key issues and questions around commodity crop production facing Minnesota farmers today through the “Strategic Farming: Let’s Talk Crops” webinar series. This live, online program will provide up-to-date, research-based information to help optimize your crop management strategies for 2024. Sessions will be held over Zoom, which can be accessed via your computer, phone or other mobile device, and run from 9:00 to 10:00 am Wednesdays, January 10 through March 27, 2024. Sessions will be very informal and open to all interested. Each session will start with a brief presentation by the discussion leaders for the day, followed by discussion framed around farmer/participant questions on the topic. Topics and speakers: January 10: Grain prices and marketing strategies given current geopolitics & soybean crush cap

2023 University of Minnesota variety crop trial results available now

The Minnesota Agricultural Experiment Station (MAES) and the College of Food, Agricultural and Natural Resource Sciences (CFANS) have published the 2023 Minnesota Field Crop Trials. Visit varietytrials.umn.edu/2023 to see variety trials for 8 different Minnesota crops. Crops included in this year’s trial include barley , canola , corn grain , oat , soybean , spring wheat , winter rye , and winter wheat . About the Crop Variety Trials When farmers are ready to make seed choices, the University of Minnesota field crop trials offer unbiased and trustworthy information. The annual Field Crop Trials are one of the key ways MAES works to bring valuable research into the hands of farmers and ultimately help improve farm profitability, improve the economy and overall quality of life in Minnesota. Since the late 1880s, MAES has published reports of crop variety trials but it wasn’t until 1948 that the trials were combined into a single annual publication. Today, the annual field crop trials