July 29, 2024

A recent report shows China’s drop in dairy imports is because they have rapidly become more self-sufficient. Mary Ledman with RaboResearch tells Brownfield China took steps around four years ago to increase stocks of milk powder but pulled back dramatically after stocking up.  She says China has also been working to become more self-sufficient with […] The post China’s dairy self-sufficiency affects dairy exports appeared first on Brownfield Ag News. View Full Story

A south-central Kansas farmer says a lack of moisture has caused his dryland crops to struggle. Rick Schlender tells Brownfield.. “The better soils aren’t looking too bad, but the lighter soils, even a week ago we were seeing stress in them,” he says. “That’s probably the biggest concern right now.” According to USDA’s weekly report, […] The post Kansas corn conditions decline appeared first on Brownfield Ag News. View Full Story

Farmers trying to control weeds through a wet first half of the growing season have faced several dilemmas. University of Minnesota Extension crops educator Dave Nicolai says weed emergence and growth have been unpredictable. “Giant ragweed is typically a really early emerging (weed), but it seemed to carry on and we had giant ragweed even […] The post Farmers face weed management dilemmas appeared first on Brownfield Ag News. View Full Story

A crop protection specialist says tar spot is one of his biggest concerns for the rest of the growing season. Dan Waldstein, technical marketing manager with BASF, says reports of the disease have been variable across the Corn Belt. “You really have to be proactive. If you wait until you see the symptoms, you’ve already […] The post Growers continue spraying for tar spot appeared first on Brownfield Ag News. View Full Story

Missouri’s crop conditions stayed the same or moved slightly lower in the last week with help from below normal temperatures and some rain. USDA says the state’s corn condition is rated 78% good to excellent with 3% of the crop dented and 62% at dough stage. Soybean conditions are 75% good to excellent, a slight […] The post MO soybean, cotton conditions decline slightly appeared first on Brownfield Ag News. View Full Story

South Dakota’s corn and soybean condition ratings improved slightly in the last week and are now rated 72% good to excellent. USDA 18% of the corn in dough stage and 26% of the soybean crop is setting pods. Spring wheat harvest is underway at 8% complete, behind last year’s pace and the crop is rated […] The post Slight improvement in some SD crop conditions appeared first on Brownfield Ag News. View Full Story

It was a mostly-dry week in Wisconsin, but most crops had plenty of moisture.  Statewide, topsoil moisture is still 11% surplus and 80% adequate, with 17% of the subsoil moisture having surplus water and 78% with adequate amounts. Fifty-eight percent of Wisconsin’s corn is silking, a day ahead of the five-year average.  Fifteen percent has […] The post Wisconsin crops doing well as farmers focus on making hay appeared first on Brownfield Ag News. View Full Story

A northeast Nebraska farmer says she’s had plenty of precipitation up until now and her crops have benefitted. Anne Meis says they are heading into what could be an extended, hot dry period.  But, she’s prepared.  “We are turning to our center pivots and we are getting the water on the corn and soybeans that it needs and filling out […] The post Nebraska crops performing well as heatwave sets in appeared first on Brownfield Ag News. View Full Story

Beck’s Hybrids has been looking into the impact roots have on the performance of the corn crop. Beck’s corn lead Craig Moore says the company’s root boxes allow researchers to take a closer look at root volumes.   “Corn is claustrophobic, it doesn’t like root-to-root contact,” he tells Brownfield, “I’ve had a lot of growers come to […] The post Growing just roots, in a large tote appeared first on Brownfield Ag News. View Full Story

Rain and slightly cooler temperatures have benefitted Kentucky’s crops. Corn is rated 64 percent good to excellent, steady on the week.  Eighty-three percent of the crop is silking, 30 percent is in the dough stage and 10 percent has dented.  Soybeans improved to 64 percent good to excellent with 66 percent blooming and 42 percent […] The post Kentucky crops conditions benefit from recent rains appeared first on Brownfield Ag News. View Full Story