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August 31, 2020 Growers are learning that planting earlier soybeans can bump yields, but the last several years in Illinois have been wet and cold and that comes with a cost: the risk of infection from Sudden death syndrome (SDS) and other early infecting fungal diseases.
We see soybeans start to yellow too early and want to automatically assume we have SDS in our fields, but that’s not always the case. There are a few other... |
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August 30, 2020 We all see plot data coming from every direction in the fall. You don’t have to look hard to find a mailbox full of plot data from universities, industry, third party testers, farm management agencies or even from your or your neighbors’ farm. There are so many ways to evaluate plot data, but for the purpose of this article I am going to focus on how plot data can help with placement decisions. What am I looking at?... |
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August 28, 2020 Over the years I have had several growers ask me “Do cover crops work?” Usually, my follow-up statement is “It depends.” Cover crops are a broad subject that can be somewhat complicated to understand at times. So it’s never too early to start doing your homework for 2021.
But first and foremost, a grower must ask themselves “Why am I using a cover crop?” and “Is the selected species of cover crop going to... |
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August 26, 2020 The third week of the Agribusiness Management Program (AMP) Summer Webinar Series featured University of Illinois faculty members who presented on two important topics as we move through the rest of this unprecedented year. Todd Hubbs kicked off the double webinar with his outlooks for soybeans and corn over the next two marketing years. Paul Stoddard then gave some helpful tips on how to handle adversity, stay positive and work through... |
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August 24, 2020 Here in late August 2020, the days are getting shorter and we’ve been waking up to unseasonably cool morning temperatures that remind us fall is around the corner. For an ever-increasing number of fields, there will be a quick turnaround before they get seeded to their next crop. In traditional crop rotations, still common in Southern Illinois, fall is when next summer’s wheat crops are seeded. It is a common practice across much of... |
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August 21, 2020 Past University of Illinois President Andrew Draper once said, “The wealth of Illinois is in her soil and her strength lies in its intelligent development.” I couldn’t agree more. Our Illinois farmland is some of the richest and most productive in the country and world, and we continue to enhance our land. While we’re certainly lucky to have tremendous soil in our backyards, it comes with responsibilities to serve the land and employ... |