Minnesota Crop News

Photo credit: Nancy Bohl Bormann, University of Minnesota Extension It's early / mid October in Minnesota, which means it's time for the fall manure outlook on the Nutrient Management Podcast. Minnesota's manure application rate guidelines have been updated for corn-corn and corn-soybean rotations. What are some of the results of these changes? What was the reason to update the guidelines? What weather conditions might we experience with the predicted 2026 Super El-Nino? Knowing these, are there changes that farmers should make to their fall best practices? ManureDB (the online manure nutrient database) recently had a large data set added to it. What does the new data mean for the end user? Are micronutrients included in ManureDB's data? In the world of on-farm research what’s currently happening - and how can farmers get involved? Important upcoming events for manure technicians, and farmer questions round out today's episode of the Nutrient Management Podcast . ...

Dry edible beans are an important Minnesota crop, and we explore them further on today's Nutrient Management Podcast. We'll talk with four experts from around the Midwest about your dry bean questions; What are some similarities and differences managing for dry edible bean versus soybean, for example? What should farmers keep in mind about growing in the Red River Valley, or Southern Minnesota, or elsewhere in the Midwest? What does recent research indicate pertaining to dry bean? What major yield-limiting factors do farmers need to be aware of when growing dry edible bean? All this plus iron deficiency chlorosis, row spacing, macros, economics and more on today's episode of the  Nutrient Management Podcast . Read the full transcript Guests: Kristin Simons, research agronomist, North Dakota State University Ana Carcedo, broadleaf agronomist, North Dakota State University Bijesh Maharjan, Extension specialist, University of Nebraska-Lincoln Daniel Kaiser, Extension nutri...

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...

Photo credit: University of Minnesota Extension Today on Advancing Nitrogen Smart  we ask an unusual question: What is manure, really? We all know manure is made of the liquids and solids that pass through an animal's digestive system, but what has to happen for manure to become usable? Is all manure created equal, or do differences in animal type - and their feed - result in manure with variable nutrient values? How do factors like handling, storage and animal bedding impact available nutrients in manure? What are some of the long-term benefits of manure application? Is there an optimal time of year to apply manure? Brad Carlson and Melissa Wilson answer these questions and many more on this 39th episode of the Advancing Nitrogen Smart podcast. Read the full transcript here Guests: Brad Carlson, Extension educator (Mankato) Melissa Wilson, Extension manure nutrient management specialist (St. Paul) Additional resources: How to put together a manure management plan Nitrogen ava...

Clockwise from upper left: oat, seeds, wintermax mixture, winter rye, alfalfa Nitrate reduction with perennial plants is the topic on today's  Advancing Nitrogen Smart  podcast. What are some pros and cons of covers like rye, oat and alfalfa for reducing nitrate? How do they compare in terms of biomass or establishment? What sets alfalfa apart as a cover crop candidate? How does our Minnesota climate affect a strategy for perennials? How could cover crop benefits stack up when used in conjunction with a dairy operation for example? Do some areas of the landscape benefit from perennials more than others? All this and more on the 38th episode of Advancing Nitrogen Smart . Read the full transcript here Guests: Brad Carlson, Extension educator (Mankato) Dan Kaiser, Extension nutrient management specialist (St. Paul) Additional resources: Cover Crops Best management for cover crops in unfavorable weather patterns Growing cover crops in Minnesota: 4 great resources...

By: Vasu Sharma, Extension irrigation specialist, Department of Soil, Water and Climate University of Minnesota Extension and the Minnesota Potato Growers Association (MNPGA) are pleased to announce the upcoming 2026 Irrigation and Nutrient Management Field Day. This event will showcase advanced agricultural practices and the latest field research conducted at the Sand Plain Research Farm (SPRF) in Becker, MN. Participants will have the opportunity to learn directly from University of Minnesota researchers and specialists. A complimentary dinner will be provided at the research station headquarters at the conclusion of the field tour. Event Details Date & Time Thursday, July 9th, 2026, from 3:00 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. Dinner immediately follows the tour. Location:  Sand Plain Research Farm, 15003 157th St. SE, Becker, MN 55308 (Map) Cost:  This field day is free to attend, but please register by July 6th for planning purposes Featured Presentations & Research Topics The fi...

By Angie Peltier and Liz Stahl, crops educators, Jodi DeJong-Hughes, water quality educator and Gary Wyatt, natural resources educator, UMN Extension    Throughout much of western Minnesota on May 12, 14 and 15, 2026, dry soils recently disturbed by spring tillage and other field operations combined with sustained 25 to 35 mph winds -gusting as high as 55 mph- led to a staggering loss of topsoil.    One video taken by SWCD staff in western Polk County, MN, illustrates that topsoil loss from Red River Valley fields significantly reduced visibility ( Video 1 ). Shocking soil losses were observed in parts of southern MN as well, with visibility being reduced to almost zero on Highway 15 on the Brown County/Watonwan County line, in a  video recorded by the Brown County Sheriff’s Office on May 12.     Video 1.  This video, taken in Polk County, MN shows poor visibility due to wind-eroded soil. Photo credit: Morgan Torkelson, West-Polk, Minnesota Soil ...

 Liz Stahl, Extension Educator - Crops and Axel Garcia y Garcia, Sustainable Cropping Systems Specialist 

Alfalfa plant at the late bud growth stage. Photo: UMN Extension By Jackie Estrem, UMN Extension Educator-Cropping Systems, Stearns, Benton, Morrison, & Sherburne Counties, and Taylor Herbert, UMN Extension Educator-Crops, Wright, McLeod, & Meeker Counties That’s a wrap! All cooperators for the Alfalfa Scissor Cut Harvest Alert Program finished harvest as of Monday June 1st. Hay harvest was relatively timely this year. With limited precipitation preventing farmers from getting into the field, they were able to time harvest with their ideal forage quality window. Cooperator fields were all harvested somewhere between early to late bud growth stage and we observed limited insect activity across the geography we cover. The goal of the Alfalfa Harvest Alert program is to alert growers to start the first cut of alfalfa when the crop is at a level of quality and yield potential that meets their specific needs. As a reminder, the goal is not to try and name the exact day of harvest. ...

Below is a picture of a spring wheat field in west-central Minnesota with rye plants that have started to head, scattered throughout.  The grower was a bit surprised to find rye already heading in his field. Worried about the spring wheat being contaminated with rye and not making grade, he contacted his seed dealer.   The rye was most likely but inadvertently seeded when the fertilizer was applied this spring, given that the rye plants that are heading out are not in the spring wheat rows and in a field that has not had a winter rye cover crop previously.  But why is it already heading? The difference between a spring growth habit and a winter growth habit in cereals is the vernalization requirement that winter wheat and winter rye have and that spring wheat or spring barley lack. Vernalization is the need for the accumulation of a set amount of cold units that the seedling needs to accumulate after emerging to trigger the transition from vegetative to reproductive ...

Photo: University of Minnesota By Jackie Estrem, UMN Extension Educator- Cropping Systems, Stearns, Benton, Morrison, & Sherburne Counties, and Taylor Herbert, UMN Extension Educator- Crops, Wright, McLeod, & Meeker Counties With warm, sunny days in the forecast, many growers are beginning to cut. For the southern stretch of Alfalfa Scissor Cut territory, harvest is well underway. In the northern reaches, ambitious growers have begun cutting, and given warm conditions, hopefully more fields will reach their respective optimum harvest timing soon. Overall within the scissor cut project, 6 farms have cut, and a majority of the remaining farms have RFV’s below 200. Hay typically loses between 15 and 25 RFV points during harvest and storage. For a fed RFV of 150 or higher, forage should be cut above 165-175 RFV. Please remember to take a moment to fill out the alfalfa pest needs assessment survey at z.umn.edu/alfalfapestsurvey . This online survey lets you voice what issues you are...

Photo: University of Minnesota By Jackie Estrem, UMN Extension Educator- Cropping Systems, Stearns, Benton, Morrison, & Sherburne Counties, and Taylor Herbert, UMN Extension Educator- Crops, Wright, McLeod, & Meeker Counties Choppers have started running and alfalfa harvest is underway, at least in southern and south-central Minnesota. 15 of the 16 cooperators have submitted samples so far this year and five have harvested. Most fields have reached at least 20 inches tall and are transitioning to the bud growth stage. While there is still some variability between fields, warmth and rain over the weekend has brought fields closer to the harvest window across the central region. Meanwhile, farmers are keeping an eye out for insects. While some aphids and a few adult alfalfa weevils were spotted over the last few days in cooperator fields, populations were nowhere near economic impact levels. There were no reports of visible insect damage, and lady beetles are keeping aphid po...

Second-year alfalfa. Photo: University of Minnesota By Jackie Estrem, UMN Extension Educator- Sustainable Agriculture, Stearns, Benton, Morrison, & Sherburne Counties, and Taylor Herbert, UMN Extension Educator- Crops, Wright, McLeod, & Meeker Counties There continues to be a bit of variation in alfalfa progress across the region. We have one cooperator in the south that’s started cutting, while some cooperators in the north are taking their first sample. 15 of the 16 cooperators have submitted samples so far this year. Alfalfa growth among the sampled fields has been modest with most gaining about 2 inches since Monday’s sample. There have not been any reports of insect feeding yet. Moisture over the weekend and warm temperatures next week should encourage good growth during the last full week of May. Please remember to take a moment to fill out the alfalfa pest needs assessment survey at z.umn.edu/alfalfapestsurvey . This online survey lets you voice what issues you are seein...

Photo credit: University of Minnesota By Jackie Estrem, UMN Extension Educator-Sustainable Agriculture, Stearns, Benton, Morrison, & Sherburne Counties, and Taylor Herbert, UMN Extension Educator-Crops, Wright, McLeod, & Meeker Counties For today’s report we finally have results from some of our northern cooperators! 13 of the 16 cooperators have submitted samples so far this year. Fields in Stearns, Benton, and Morrison Counties reached 14-15 inches on Monday. Alfalfa growth among the rest of the sampled fields remained steady with most gaining 3 to 4 inches over the weekend. One cooperator reported lodging after rain and high winds in some fields to the south but for the most part fields remain standing. There have been no reports of any insect feeding yet and all fields have grown through the minor frost damage we observed last week. Moisture over the weekend and more in the forecast later this week should help maintain strong stands coming into Memorial Day weekend. Please ...

Photo: University of Minnesota By Jackie Estrem, UMN Extension Educator- Sustainable Agriculture, Stearns, Benton, Morrison, & Sherburne Counties and  Taylor Herbert, UMN Extension Educator- Crops, Wright, McLeod, & Meeker Counties The Alfalfa Scissor-Cut and Harvest Alert project is moseying along. This year, there is a wide disparity in growth among cooperating fields from south to north. Fields in the south central region are making progress with about two samples so far, while fields to the north aren’t quite ready for sampling as they’re hovering around 11 inches or so in height. Hopefully warm temperatures today and tomorrow will encourage productive alfalfa growth across the region. While we don’t have too much Scissor Cut data to look through, take a moment to fill out the alfalfa pest needs assessment survey at z.umn.edu/alfalfapestsurvey . This online survey lets you voice what issues you are seeing in the field first-hand for alfalfa pests. Participating in the ...