FARM WALKS WITH THE SOIL FARMERS OF THE YEAR 2018The winners of the FCCT Soil Farmer of the Year competition opened their gates over four days and provided a veritable masterclass in managing soils. Spanning...
When it comes to cover crops and nutrient management, a lot of the focus is on what cover crops can do for soil fertility. Depending on the species being used, they can prevent leftover nutrients from running...
While there are numerous reasons for using cover crops, a primary one is improving soil health.In fact, it’s the one benefit most farmers using cover crops have experienced: In the most recent Cover Crop...
If you’re a farmer, at some point you’ll likely experience a late harvest, whether it’s due to Mother Nature or an equipment problem. And if you plan on seeding your cover crops after your crops are...
Part 1: Know Your True Cost of Production Why Your TCOP Matters How to Calculate Your TCOP Part 2: Take the Emotions Out of Your Marketing Plan Why You Need a Plan How to Create a Marketing Matrix How to...
Welcome to AgFuse’s fourth year of hosting a 31 Days of Cover Crops Photo Contest! This is a fun time for each of us to share our favorite cover crop photos. There will be three winners with the first...
Mulch is one of the most versatile and cost-effective materials that can be used to improve a property. It is a multi-purpose material that is used to conserve moisture in the soil, keep it cooler, reduce...
As we learn more about what goes on in the world beneath our feet, increased attention has been placed on soil organic matter.And for good reason. While it only makes up a small percentage of most soils,...
Some growers may have had no option but to plant green — as shown above — into their cover crops this year because of poor weather conditions. In this photo by Ted Kornecki, USDA Agricultural Research Service, the farmer is terminating his cereal rye with a roller at the same time he is planting his cotton.
With May 2018 to April 2019 being the wettest 12-month period on record, according to NOAA, many farmers across the nation were forced to delay planting. In fact, for the first time on record, less than...
18 years ago, we bought our first self-propelled sprayer and it revolutionized access to land, it was light and well balanced and made fertilizer and crop protection applications easy. Our timeliness...
Today marks the start of our 31 Days of Cover Crops Photo Contest! This is our fifth year of hosting the contest, which is a fun way for AgFuse community members throughout the world to share your favorite...
When you picture what’s happening below ground in your fields, you probably imagine a web of roots branching out to provide your crops support, nutrients and water. But root growth isn’t the only thing...
Middle Tennessee State University soil scientist Samuel Haruna analyzes a soil sample from his research fields to see how cover crops impact soil temperature. Photo provided by Samuel Haruna.
You can pick the right seed, use the right equipment, apply the right inputs, and plant at the right depth, but without the right soil temperature, your crops are likely to struggle. One practice that can...
When it comes to creating a cover crop mix, the options are endless. You need to determine what kind of species you’ll use, how many you’ll use, and at what seeding rates. For anyone new to cover crop...
Experts warn that growing continuous peanuts or other legumes close in rotation to the peanut crop can have detrimental effects on peanuts — namely soilborne diseases. This includes leguminous cover crops. Photo by Jack Dykinga, USDA Agricultural Research Service
It’s common knowledge among peanut farmers that the farther out you space your peanut crops in your rotation, the better off the peanuts will be. Research backs this up. Jason Sarver, Extension Peanut...
Black oats are an excellent choice for beginning cover croppers.
It's a fact: cover crops tend to make good farmers into great farmers and average farmers into bad farmers. Cover crops work. But, management is key and the learning curve can be steep. If you've been sitting...
Many farmers across the U.S. experienced wet weather last growing season. According to NOAA, the 12-month period between July 2018 and June 2019 set the precipitation record in the U.S. with an average...
A multi-species blend of wheat, vetch, winter peas and clover that was planted in October.
In the past few years, we have made a concerted effort to increase the usage of cover crops and other conservation practices on our farm. I have learned a lot of lessons from this experience but one stands...
A common concern growers may have when they move to a no-till system is nutrient stratification.Without tillage to mix fertilizer into the soil, no-tillers may wonder whether the nutrients applied to the...
You probably know that having a crop rotation is a good thing. Growing different crops back to back provides several benefits, such as preventing pests and disease, improving soil health and reducing fertilizer...
Grasses like cereal rye are a good species for beginning cover crop users as they grow fast and have fibrous roots. Photo by Stephen Ausmus, USDA Agricultural Research Service.
In 1995, Pennsylvania farmer Steve Groff was speaking at an event when he asked the audience the question: Do cover crops pay off?His thinking at the time was that he had been no-tilling since 1982, and...
This article is part of a series on biological control and Integrated Pest Management written by UAV-IQ (www.uaviq.com). In agriculture, input distribution companies are essential stakeholders for their...
It can be read here and you will see it has grown to 100 pages, which is where we expect it to stay going forward. Direct Driller Issue 3 Issue 3 Of Direct Driller magazine. The conservation agriculture...
AgFuse is excited to announce our third year of hosting a fun photo contest and we want you to be a part of it. There will be three winners with the first prize being a $200 gift card to Amazon! The second...
Photo Credit: Jay Brandt
Our 31 Days of Cover Crops Photo Contest has now come to a close. We want to thank everyone who participated in this year’s contest including those who submitted entries and those who voted for their...
If you’ve considered using cereal rye as a cover crop in front of corn, you’ve probably been warned that your yield would suffer.And the truth is it might. Research has shown that corn yields can take...
Pea, used as a weeding tool, besides its effectiveness, progressively shows all its agronomic advantages in a rotation
From Direct Driller Magazine: Issue 2Written by Frédéric ThomasLike many farmers, Michel Mercier first got into direct drilling based on the economic savings it offered. He first worked with an SE Horsch...
Here's the first-place entry from the Accidental Agronomist.
The 2019 edition of our “31 Days of Cover Crops Photo Contest” has ended. We received many great entries and want to thank everyone for their participation. As previously detailed, we will award three...
Direct Driller Magazine Issue 4 Direct Driller Issue 4 is out now! You can read the digital version here: Direct Driller - Issue 4 - January 2019 The first 3 issues have had a great reception and we hope...
Wet conditions across the country forced many farmers to forgo their plans for the season and take prevented planting payments instead. The USDA says that as of July 8, 2019, its paid roughly $184 million...
A 1031 Exchange is a tax-deferred swap program in which farmers and others in the agriculture industry can participate. Farmland, vacant land, and certain agriculture assets are considered real estate assets...
Technology has been an integral part of agriculture since at least 5,000 years ago, documented through the use of ploughs in ancient Sumeria. Today, drone and GPS farming is old news.Still, some in the...
Despite the fact that there is near-guaranteed job security, thanks to booming population growth, many beginning farmers face seemingly insurmountable obstacles to bringing a product to market. In this...
On December 19, 2019, Treasury released the final regulations for the much-discussed Opportunity Zone program. Overall, these final regulations did a great job of answering most of the open farming & agribusiness...
There is no shortage of great apps to help farmers in 2020. As farming gets more digital, tech savvy farmers are craving tools that can help them do their jobs more efficiently and better. This list compiles...
The decision to retire is often met with either enthusiasm or fear. Some farmers are counting down the days until retirement, and others are scared to retire because they aren’t sure what they will do...
Farmers and Agribusiness Companies are granted certain tax breaks and industry-specific deductions from the IRS. The service understands both the complexities and constraints of farmers as well as their...
The tax consequences of selling a farm or agribusiness should be at the top of the mind of every landowner. For many life-long farmers, selling their farm or business is one of the most difficult decisions...
On the Hardwick brothers' Somerset Plantation, they do a lot of variety trials with seed companies, which helps them determine which hybrids to plant next year. In this photo they are finishing planting their corn variety trials. Photo from the Hardwicks.
With last year’s season completed and this year’s yet to begin, now is a natural time to reflect on your farm’s performance and how you can improve in the future. One way to make your decision-making...
The Delaware Statutory Trusts (DST) is a newer investment vehicle that allows real estate property owners, including farmers and ag landowners, to purchase tenants in common ownership in passive investment...
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