Articles
▶ Watch: Considerations for Manure and Cover Crops Following Wheat
Did you just harvest your wheat? Are you looking to maximize the benefits of manure applied to your wheat fields? What about capturing the additional growing degree days and planting a cover crop after your wheat is harvested? Check out our latest Bumper Crop video on essential tips for manure applications and cover crops after wheat harvest!
▶ Watch: July is National Corn Month; Let’s Chat N-Fixing Corn!
July is National Corn Month! Watch this new Bumper Crop video highlighting and appreciating one of America’s most versatile and essential crops and current research exploring the future of corn production.
▶ Watch: Micronutrient Deficiency Considerations
Michael Geissinger and Chris Clark, outreach specialists for the UW-Madison Extension Nutrient & Pest Management Program, meet at the field to talk about micronutrient deficiencies including how to assess if your crops have micronutrient deficiencies and research on whether or not applying foliar micronutrient fertilizer in season can correct them.
▶ Watch: Managing Tar Spot in Corn
Damon Smith, UW–Madison Extension field crops pathologist, and Michael Geissinger, outreach specialist with UW-Madison Extension Nutrient & Pest Management in Northwest Wisconsin, talk about the conditions this year, what that means for tar spot development, and management considerations for controlling it if it shows up in your field.
DON Considerations for Wheat Grown for Livestock Feed
DON (deoxynivalenol or vomitoxin) is a mycotoxin produced by the fungus responsible for Fusarium Head Blight (FHB), a common and economically important disease in small grains. DON is a problem because it is toxic to humans and animals. Grain grown on-farm and fed to livestock should be managed properly to avoid negative effects.
▶ Watch: Cover crop research updates at the U.S. Dairy Forage Research Center
The July 10 Badger Crop Connect webinar featured Jose Franco, a research agronomist with the U.S. Dairy Forage Research Center (USDA). Jose summarized current research efforts at the U.S. Dairy Forage Research Center on cover crops and continuous living cover. Ongoing research includes cover crop breeding efforts, work on alternatives to winter cereal rye following corn silage and some of the benefits of including flowering cover crops, and a whole systems approach to dairy forage systems evaluations.
▶ Watch: Building knowledge about Wisconsin’s cover crops through citizen science
The July 10 Badger Crop Connect webinar featured Dane Elmquist, a conservation cropping outreach specialist in the UW–Madison Division of Extension Agriculture Institute. Dane gave an overview of the Wisconsin Cover Crop Citizen Science network and highlighted project results. He also showcased the project’s interactive data dashboard and provided information on how to participate in the project for the 2024-2025 season.
▶ Watch: Wisconsin Ag Climate Outlook July 10
The July 10 Badger Crop Connect webinar featured Steve Vavrus, the Wisconsin State Climatologist, giving a brief update about weather and climate conditions in Wisconsin July 10, 2024 and onward. Vavrus talks about the climatic impacts of the heavy rainfall Wisconsin has experienced lately, talks about relevant agronomic considerations, and gives outlooks for future precipitation and temperatures.
▶ Watch: Corn and soy situation and outlook
The June 26 Badger Crop Connect webinar featured Dr. Brenda Boetel, Professor and Department Chair of Agricultural Economics, and Extension Agricultural Marketing Specialist at UW–River Falls. The grain markets are off of their February 2024 lows; however, prices still remain lower than what farmers have experienced the previous few years.
▶ Watch: Farm finance and policy update
Dr. Mitchell opens with a quick update on prevented planning options with crop insurance and where we are with crop progress and crop conditions based on USDA NASS data. He then examines various indicators about the current state of farm finances in this year of projected tight margins for corn and soybeans, such as land values, loan repayment rates, interest rates and inflation. Discussion focuses on financial steps farmers can take now as they prepare for fall. Dr. Mitchell closes with some updates on where Congress is with the Farm Bill and some of the changes being proposed for commodity support and crop insurance.
