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Showing posts from December, 2019

Register soon for the 2020 University of Minnesota Research Updates for Ag Professionals

by David Nicolai, Institute for Ag Professionals Program Coordinator Register soon to reserve your space to attend one of the 2020 Research Update sessions scheduled for these locations: Waseca, Rochester and Lamberton (Jan 7, 8 and 9 respectively) and Willmar, Morris, and Crookston (Jan 14, 15 and 16 respectively) from 12:30 pm–4:40 pm for each location. Registration fee is $55 through 1/3/2020, $60 beginning 1/4/2020 or at the door. Online registration and session abstracts are available on our website at z.umn.edu/research-updates or on-site registration begins at 11:30 a.m. at each location. The program will feature research-based strategies to deal with today's changing pests, diseases, varieties, nutrient and environmental recommendations. Continuing Education Units (CEUs) for Certified Crop Advisors have been applied for, including: 1 in Nutrient Management and 3 in Pest Management, (additional 1 in Crop Management at Crookston).  Registration Register here for a s

Pennycress Picks Up After Sweetcorn

Sarah Moore, M. Samantha Wells, Melissa Wilson, Russ Gesch, and Roger Becker Pennycress at physiological maturity Overview: Thirty-seven percent of sweetcorn in the US is produced in the upper Midwest. In order to meet quality standards, sweetcorn requires high nitrogen fertilization. It is also harvested as a fresh vegetable rather than a grain, meaning there is a large quantity of nitrogen in the residue that is left on the field after harvest. As a result, sweetcorn systems are particularly susceptible to nitrogen loss. Planting a cover crop after sweetcorn can help to keep this nitrogen in the field and out of waterways. Additionally, sweetcorn is harvested earlier than grain corn, allowing more time in the fall for a cover crop to establish and grow. However, cover crop adoption is low in the upper Midwest due to a lack of incentives. Outside of forages, such opportunities for cover crop profits are limited. Research at the University of Minnesota through the Foreve

Gopher Coffee Shop podcast: Celebrating Tim Arlt's Extension career

In this installment of the Gopher Coffee Shop podcast, Extension educators Ryan Miller and Brad Carlson sit down with Tim Arlt, who has a long history with Extension serving in roles as Extension Agent, Extension Educator, Regional Educator, and Program Leader. We learn how Tim got his start working in the ag industry as a crop consultant and how a pesticide poisoning while scouting potatoes led him to a career with Extension. Tim talks about how Extension and agriculture have changed over his long and bountiful career with Extension in Minnesota. We both had the pleasure of working with Tim and wish him well in his retirement. Enjoy! Listen to the podcast The Gopher Coffee Shop Podcast is available on Stitcher and iTunes . For a chance to read about various crop management topics, please see our Minnesota Crop News blog: https://z.umn.edu/cropnews Sign up to receive Minnesota Crop News: https://z.umn.edu/CropNewsSignup For more information, visit University of Minneso

2020 Research Updates for Ag Professionals - January 7-9 & 14-16

by Dave Nicolai, Institute for Ag Professionals program coordinator The 2020 Research Update sessions are scheduled for six locations: Waseca, Rochester and Lamberton (Jan 7, 8 and 9 respectively) and Willmar, Morris, and Crookston (Jan 14, 15 and 16 respectively) from 12:30 pm–4:40 pm for each location. The program will feature research-based strategies to deal with today's changing pests, diseases, varieties, nutrient and environmental recommendations. Continuing Education Units (CEUs) for Certified Crop Advisors have been applied for, including: 1 in Nutrient Management and 3 in Pest Management, (additional 1 in Crop Management at Crookston). Who should attend? Agronomists, ag salespeople (seeds, chemicals, fertilizers), crop consultants, crop production specialists, Extension educators, agriculture government agency personnel, farm managers, and anyone else who would benefit from some professional training. Registration Registration fee is $55 through 1/3/2020, $60

NDSU offers advice on grain drying and storage after drastic outdoor cooling

by Kenneth Hellevang, Ph.D., PE, Extension Engineer, North Dakota State University The drastic outdoor cooling that has occurred may create some grain storage and drying problems. Dr. Ken Hellevang, Extension Engineer at North Dakota State University, answers several questions that he received in the paragraphs below. The questions are italicized and his answers immediately follow. "With the sudden change in air temps, what is the best management strategy for running aeration fans on bins to cool grain without freezing the bin?" The kernels will not freeze together if the corn moisture content is below 24%. There is extensive experience with cooling corn to well below freezing and the corn still being able to flow normally. The acceptable moisture content decreases with more foreign material in the corn. I recommend that corn moisture be less than 24% to hold it until outdoor temperatures are above freezing and at or below 21% to hold corn until spring. Some people ar

2019 University of Minnesota's variety crop trial results available now

The Minnesota Agricultural Experiment Station (MAES) and the College of Food, Agricultural and Natural Resource Sciences (CFANS) have just published the 2019 Field Crop Trials Bulletin.  Visit  https://z.umn.edu/2019croptrials  to see variety trials for 11 crops, including red clover, which returns after several years. Follow these links to find the  corn , soybeans , spring wheat , winter wheat , barley , oats ,  and  alfalfa  trials directly. Because of the late harvest, the U of M Corn Silage Crop Variety Trials are delayed. Data and results for the Corn Silage Trials will be available soon on maes.umn.edu . Successful crop production begins with variety and hybrid selection. Whether selecting a corn hybrid for grain or silage, a soybean variety or small grains cultivar, choose hybrids and varieties that consistently perform well over a wide range of soil and weather conditions. Yield stability is critical for minimizing risk, since growing conditions can’t be predicted ah

Can precision agriculture help growers with nutrient management?

In this episode of the Nutrient Management Podcast, the group discusses precision agriculture and nutrient management. What is the current state of precision agriculture? Which areas can growers benefit the most from incorporating precision ag technologies into current farming systems? Is precision agriculture part of the answer for reducing nutrient loss to ground and surface waters? Listen to the podcast View the podcast transcript Subscribe to the podcast and never miss an episode on  iTunes  or  Stitcher ! For the latest nutrient management information,  subscribe  to Minnesota Crop News email alerts, like UMN Extension Nutrient Management on  Facebook , follow us on  Twitter , and visit our  website . Support for the Nutrient Management Podcast is provided in part by the Agricultural Fertilizer Research & Education Council (AFREC).