Minnesota Crop News

This month's episode of the Nutrient Management Podcast is all about sulfur. Fertilizer guidelines go through changes periodically, but are there any upcoming changes to the sulfur fertilizer guidelines specifically? What does current research tell us about managing sulfur for Minnesota crops?  Were there any surprising results? Should growers proactively add sulfur to crops out of caution, or is that practice unnecessary? What are some final takeaways that our panelists want Minnesota farmers to know about?  TRANSCRIPT Guests: Jeff Coulter, Extension corn agronomist (St. Paul) Jeff Vetsch, U of M researcher (Waseca) Seth Naeve, Extension soybean agronomist (St. Paul) Daniel Kaiser, Extension nutrient management specialist (St. Paul) Additional Resources: Sulfur for Minnesota soils Is it worth applying sulfur to your soybean crop? Sulfur fertilizer application: Does S carry over from one year to the next? Video: What source of sulfur is right for you? Fertilizing Corn in ...

In 1960, the number of farmers raising dry beans in Minnesota and North Dakota could be counted in single digits. The 2025 USDA Dry Bean Planting report showed 320,000 acres (22% of US production) in Minnesota and 630,000 acres (43% of US production) in North Dakota, thus placing Minnesota in 2nd place in US production ahead of Michigan and several other states. In this episode Dave Nicolai and Seth Naeve chat with Minnesota Independent Crop Consultant, Darrol Ike and Mitch Coulter, Northarvest Bean Growers Association Executive Director, about the production and market expansion of dry beans in Minnesota. Farmers in the Northarvest (Minnesota and North Dakota) region grow a wide range of dry bean types including pinto, navy, black, dark red kidney, light red kidney, white kidney, Great Northern, pink, small red, and cranberry beans. Darrol reviews some best management practices of successful dry bean growers concerning planting dates, populations, weed control and crop inputs. Mitch C...