Crops and Soils

Trying to decide what agriculture enterprise is right for you? An online tool from UW-Madison Extension helps you determine which is the best fit for you.

Limiting the spread of weed seed between fields is a key part of an integrated pest management system. This is especially important, because the weeds present at harvest were allowed to produce seed and have survived other control attempts during the growing season. These weed seeds, if allowed to spread and germinate, have the potential to become difficult to control elsewhere.

The decision to take a late summer or fall cutting of alfalfa should be considered carefully. A farm should evaluate current forage needs, economics, stand health, and timing to make the best decision for their individual situation. Although the need for more forage may override some other factors, the timing of harvest is still critical. […]

While farming in the ‘North’ brings the benefits of growing some of the best forages like alfalfa and cool-season grasses, it also carries the weight of fall decisions that will ‘make or break’ your profit due to risks of winter injury. Fall decisions regarding alfalfa production include proper harvest timing  and providing adequate potassium, leading to strong plants that can survive a severe winter and come back the following year with good yield potential.

Tools are available to help corn growers and dairy and livestock producers negotiate a fair price for corn silage.

Corn silage is unique compared to other multicut forage systems, such as alfalfa, as there is only one opportunity to harvest the crop annually. Therefore, farmers, agronomists, and agricultural professionals must dilligently monitor corn silage acres to identify the optimal harvest time to maximize forage yield and quality, as well as to ensure the proper moisture content for ensiling.