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Showing posts from March, 2018

March 2018 Sauk Centre Hay Auction Summary

by Dan Martens, Extension Educator, Stearns-Benton-Morrison Counties, Crops Focus, 320-968-5077, marte011@umn.edu Click on links to items 1 2 3 4 1. March 1, 2018 Summary - All tested loads sold, groups based on hay and bale type and quality.  2. March 15, 2018 Summary - Same format as 1 3. History of Selected Lots . Averages from recent years, and summer and fall sales so far. 4. Graph of Selected Alfalfa hay groups . The 2017-18 season is the RED line. MORE HAY MARKET AND OTHER RELATED INFO:

Respirator Requirements for Engenia® and Lorsban™

There are many agricultural pesticides that require respirators, and selection of the correct respirator can be complicated. This guide highlights respirator selection for products that we expect to see widespread use of this year.

Nutrient Management Podcast: Soil Sampling & Testing

This month's podcast episode is all about soil sampling and testing. Have a listen to hear how you can ensure a representative sample and what outside factors could affect the soil sample. We also cover how to decide which test to use and what to do with those test results to make your operation more profitable. Dan Kaiser, Paulo Pagliari and Melissa Wilson cover what you need to know heading into #plant18.

Spring Soil Sampling & Testing

On this episode of the podcast, Dan Kaiser, Paulo Pagliari and Melissa Wilson share considerations for taking representative soil samples, outside factors that can affect results, options for testing and applying to the farm. Hear how this affects decision making with manure and fertilizer in the 2018 growing season. For more the latest on nutrient management, follow us on facebook at facebook.com/UMNNutrientMgmt or Twitter at twitter.com/UMNNutrientMgmt .

Join Us for Nitrogen Smart Workshops Next Week

Join us next week for Nitrogen Smart in Foley, Perham and Ada, MN. Nitrogen Smart is a training program for producers that presents fundamentals for maximizing economic return on nitrogen investments while minimizing nitrogen losses. The workshops deliver high-quality, research-based education so producers can learn:

How to Get the Most Out of Spring Soil Sampling

Dan Kaiser, Extension Nutrient Management Specialist The purpose of a soil test is to provide guidance in fertilizer application. Soil test results help you fine-tune your nutrient management practices based on real data, and ultimately protect your bottom line. However, there are a few key components to getting the soil test right.

Respirator Fit Testing Opportunities

Willmar, Fargo/Moorhead, and Crookston Are you planning to use a product that requires a respirator this year (some examples include *Engenia™ , Lorsban™  -4e and Advanced , or Dipel ™ Pro DF )? Fit testing is mandated by the Worker Protection Standard and the labels. It is also critical for ensuring that your respirator will protect you from exposure.

Managing Insecticide-Resistant Soybean Aphids: A New Multi-State Extension Publication

By Robert Koch (Assistant Professor & Extension Entomologist) Insecticide-resistant soybean aphids have emerged as a new challenge to growers in Minnesota and neighboring states. In a new Extension publication, we suggest strategies for managing soybean aphids resistant to pyrethroid insecticides. A few key points for managing insecticide-resistant aphids are: Apply insecticides only when needed (i.e., scout soybean fields and use the economic threshold of 250 aphids/plant to determine when to apply insecticides),  Apply insecticides correctly (i.e., proper rates, good coverage, etc.) and check efficacy of insecticide 3-5 days after application, and  Alternate insecticide groups if fields need to be retreated.  To assist with alternation (rotation) of insecticides, we summarize the different insecticides (and their corresponding insecticide groups) available for soybean aphid management. This new publication, entitled “Management of Insecticide-Resistant Soybean Aphids,”

Should you use an in-furrow starter this year?

Should you apply an in-furrow starter fertilizer this year? Starter fertilizer can mean more costs, but can have huge benefits in certain operations. Crop rotation, soil type, tillage and application practices all play important roles in your decision to use a starter. Soil Scientist Jeff Vetsch and Extension Nutrient Management Specialist Dan Kaiser share their advice in a recent article in The Farmer. Click here to read the full article >>  https://z.umn.edu/3ccd

Dicamba: tips for complying with buffer and spray drift requirements in 2018

Buffers are one important tool in reducing off-target movement of pesticides  to neighboring crops and sensitive areas . Given the high number of dicamba off-site movement complaints in 2017, applicators need to take special care this year. T he following guidelines help to explain the label-mandated dicamba buffer requirements for 2018.

Aphid-destroying wasps found throughout much of Minnesota: Seeking fields for 2018 wasp survey

By Jonathan Dregni (Graduate Student), Robert Koch (Assistant Professor & Extension Entomologist), and George Heimpel (Professor), Department of Entomology, University of Minnesota Cooperators are needed for a U of MN survey of soybean field for a parasitic wasp of soybean aphid.  These wasps (called  Aphelinus certus ), which do not sting people, are working to prevent soybean aphid outbreaks. First detected in 2005, this parasitic wasp spread quickly across the North American range of soybean aphid, arriving in Minnesota in 2011. Larvae of the wasp live inside and eventually kill the aphids leaving dark-colored “mummies”, which look like inflated black aphids attached to soybean leaves and stems. Adult wasps emerge from the mummies, mate, and immediately begin laying eggs in nearby aphids. Many generations of this wasp occur over the course of the summer.

Webinar on minimizing spray drift

As off-target movement of pesticides becomes an increasingly important topic, we need as many tools as possible to reduce drift. The EPA office of Pesticide Programs will host a webinar on March 15 about strategies for minimizing spray drift. Dr. Greg Kruger, a weed scientist and application technology specialist at the University of Nebraska, Lincoln, will lead the webinar. The webinar will run from 10:30am-12pm CDT. Sign up at: https://register.gotowebinar. com/register/ 1526938365731023875