Minnesota Crop News

By Liz Stahl, Extension Educator - Crops, Phyllis Bongard, Educational Content Development & Communications Specialist, and Anna Cates, Extension Specialist in Soil Health Participants collecting biomass in small research plots during May, 2025 meeting. Register now to reserve your spot with the University of Minnesota Cover Crop Academy! This innovative program is a year-long, hybrid course offered at three statewide locations for those who work with farmers. If you advise farmers as a crop consultant, educator, or agronomist, or work for Soil and Water Conservation Districts (SWCD), Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS), or other agencies, this program is for you. This unique opportunity takes a deep dive into cover crops. The course is tailored to Minnesota cropping systems and conditions, addressing challenges and opportunities with using cover crops in this state.  The academy kicks off with in-person meetings at research centers in Lamberton, Waseca and Westport i...

In the latest University of Minnesota CropCast (#55), hosts Seth Naeve and Dave Nicolai interview Dr. Jochum Wiersma, Extension Small Grain Specialist, about the current status and future of small grain acreage in Minnesota. Jochum reviews how production economics, market potential, and weather trends are impacting acreage for spring and winter wheat, barley, rye, and oats.  The discussion also previews the spring release of the updated University of Minnesota Small Grains Guide, a key resource for selecting varieties and refining production practices. Additionally, Jochum explores the potential for oat production in southern Minnesota.  Finally, the episode covers the 2026 Small Grains Update educational seminars. Sponsored by the Minnesota Wheat Research and Promotion Council, these free, discussion-based workshops cover agronomics, variety selection, soil fertility, and economics. Register for a seminar near you at z.umn.edu/smallgrainsupdate :  Feb 16: Grand Rapids (N...

Anthony Hanson,  Regional Extension Educator - Field Crops Integrated Pest Management Cold winters help prevent many potential pest insects from being an issue in Minnesota. Many questions have been coming in from farmers about how how the January cold-snap might affect insects lately, and even though meteorological winter is not over yet, the recent January cold snap should give us a good idea of how much effect winter had on overwintering insects. Each year, I try to get a rough snapshot of how winter may have helped us out with reducing pest insect populations by using temperatures on the coldest night of the year. So far for most of the state, Jan. 23 was the coldest night during winter 2025-26 with morning low air temperatures near -20 °F in the southern and central portions of the state and below -30 °F in roughly the northeastern quarter of the state (Fig. 1). Most areas in and near Minnesota reached their winter low (so far) the day prior or after Jan 23. The Nationa...