It has often been said that “if you are not moving forward, you are falling behind.” One of the unique ways that soybean farmers in Southern Illinois have been moving forward and thinking differently is in soybean maturity. Twenty-five years ago, it was common to see a lot of Group 5 maturity beans. Today, the trend is shifting to earlier maturities, all the way into the Group 2 maturities. There are a few key reasons this shift is taking...
All Posts from 2021
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April 09, 2021 |
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April 08, 2021 For many producers, utilizing cover crops in their farming system can be a big leap of faith. In several situations, the cover crop has one opportunity to prove itself and it only takes a few hiccups to get kicked off the farm. Now, I know there are several cover-croppers across Illinois that have adopted cover crops into their system and haven’t looked back. When I visit with these producers the common theme is that they had a very good plan... |
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April 15, 2021 In the past five years, it seems like conversations regarding sulfur have increased. And as a result, many farmers are starting to incorporate a sulfur application into their corn fertility program with strong results. Since then, the conversation has moved from corn to soybeans. Do soybeans need sulfur? Simply put, yes. Sulfur is an essential nutrient that is required by all plants - including soybeans. The question is whether or not sulfur... |
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April 06, 2021 The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has completely overhauled the process used to regulate new genetic material, noting it will “reduce regulatory burden for developers of organisms that are unlikely to pose risks.” It also allows regulators to focus resources and oversight on areas with the greatest potential for risk. This win-win will continue to protect plant health while increasing regulatory precision. “We are always... |
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April 01, 2021 In modern production agriculture, research and trials have expanded beyond small strip trials and universities. Many producers are developing their own sophisticated, on-farm research. Technology has come a long way to help producers collect data from a yield monitor at the point of harvest and have the data wirelessly sent to a computer software system for processing. Many producers also partner with Certified Crop Advisers and agronomists... |
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March 31, 2021 The Federal Crop Insurance Corporation is a risk management tool used to mitigate financial losses to U.S. farmers. In 1996, the Risk Management Agency (RMA) was established to administer the Federal Crop Insurance Program. RMA is an agency of the U.S. Department of Agriculture that establishes policy and loss adjustment procedures. Private insurance companies deliver and service individual Federal Crop Insurance policies. Crop insurance can... |