Minnesota Crop News

Beatriz Bizzuti, UMN Assistant Professor and Forage Extension Agronomist; Marta Kohmann, UW Assistant Professor and Extension Specialist; Brian Luck, UW Associate Professor and Extension Specialist This article originally appeared in the Midwest Forage Association’s Forage Focus newsletter, August 2025 edition. During harvest season, alfalfa fields experience frequent traffic from multiple pieces of equipment. Typically, four types of machinery (mowers, mergers, choppers, and trucks) enter the field, each contributing to soil disturbance and plant stress. Repeated passes of equipment across fields can significantly impact forage production, reducing both productivity and long-term stand health. Gaining a better understanding of how and why traffic affects alfalfa performance can lead to more effective management practices and improved productivity and persistence over time. More harvesting, more traffic Most alfalfa fields in the Midwest are harvested three to five times annually, dep...

By Gary Sands, University of Minnesota Extension For a quarter-century, the Tri-State Drainage Research Forum has served as an essential venue for connecting agricultural producers, drainage contractors, agency personnel, consultants, and researchers across Minnesota, Iowa, and South Dakota. This year marks a major milestone as we host the 25th Annual Tri-State Drainage Research Forum on October 1, 2026. The event is brought to you by South Dakota State University, Iowa State University, and the University of Minnesota, in partnership with the Minnesota Department of Agriculture. 25 Years of Drainage Innovation Agricultural drainage has evolved from basic field water removal to sophisticated, precision water management designed to optimize crop yields while safeguarding soil health and downstream water quality. Gary Sands (University of Minnesota) will kick off the forum with a presentation reflecting on 25 years of research updates, policy shifts, and technology adoption that have sha...

  In Episode #72 of MN Cropcast, hosts Seth Naeve and David Nicolai sit down with Tony Licht from Premier Crop Systems to discuss how turning raw crop field data into actionable economic insights can support farm profitability and risk management. Founded in 1999 and based in West Des Moines, Iowa, Premier Crop Systems operates as an independent agronomy and software company. Unaffiliated with seed, chemical, or equipment sales, Premier Crop works behind the scenes with ag retailers, co-ops, and independent advisors across the Midwest to power precision ag programs including crop variety selection. Episode Highlights Tying Economics to Agronomics: Premier Crop integrates soil sampling, application records, weather data, and yield monitor layers to better visualize return on investment. Farmers can analyze cost per bushel and evaluate hybrid performance based on profit margin rather than yield alone. Targeted Input Strategies: Rather than applying flat-rate strategies across all acr...

Like their spring counterparts, the ideal seeding depth for winter wheat and rye is right around 1.5". It is the sweet spot between good seed-to-soil contact (and with that, access to moisture) and quick emergence. Seed shallower, and you risk the seed not imbibing enough water to germinate, or the seedling not rooting deep enough quickly enough to sustain itself. Seed deeper and you delay emergence, or worse, the coleoptile does not reach the surface, resulting invariably in a reduced stand.  Soil moisture is a rare commodity across much of Minnesota. The drought monitor has 95% of the state rated as abnormally dry or worse. That begs the question: Do I stick with the ideal seeding depth of 1.5"  or do I dare seed into moisture? There is no simple answer, but I tend to lean towards seeding into moisture rather than sticking to the ideal seeding depth and hoping for rain. After all, September is drier than the preceding three months, while any soil moisture reserves were depl...

Photo: University of Minnesota Extension How do soil health practices—such as minimizing disturbance, maintaining ground cover, and promoting biological activity—interact with the 4Rs of nitrogen management to reduce runoff and nitrate leaching into water sources? How does nitrogen release (mineralize) or become tied up (immobilize) in residue depending on soil moisture, temperature, and microbial activity? Are biological soil tests (like the Haney test and Solvita CO₂ burst) precise tools for calculating exact fertilizer rates, or should they be considered general risk indexes? What role do strong soil structure and expansive root systems play in maximizing nitrogen uptake? Brad Carlson, Anna Cates and Dan Kaiser discuss this and much more on the 41st episode of the Advancing Nitrogen Smart  podcast.  Read the full transcript here Guests: Brad Carlson, Extension educator (Mankato) Dan Kaiser, Extension nutrient management specialist (St. Paul) Anna Cates, state soil healt...

  By: Extension climate educator Katie Black, Extension soil health educator Bailey Tangen, and Extension soil health specialist Anna Cates Drought has defined five of the last six growing seasons in Minnesota, with below-normal precipitation and above-normal temperatures contributing to the spread of D1, D2, and D3 drought conditions across more than 75% of the state this summer. August is normally one of Minnesota's wettest months, but rainfall totals have continued to fall short. Drought is expected to persist  in much of the state through the end of the growing season. While impacts on corn yield are expected to be minimal across much of the state, seeing fields across the state recently had us wondering – beyond looking dry and cracked, what happens to our soils during a drought? Drought and soil health Healthy, productive soils have good soil structure, can cycle nutrients, can filter and retain water, are easily penetrated by plant roots, and support a variety of orga...