Pivotal Issues Blog

By: Megan Vollstedt If you noticed what looks like spots of tar on your corn leaves last year, you weren’t alone. Known as tar spot, the fungus has continued to infiltrate the Midwest since it was first identified in the U.S. in 2015. As wet, moderate weather persists this spring, farmers should be on the lookout […]

By: Kylene Scott Kansas is the nation’s top sorghum producing state. And sorghum farmers in Kansas and across the Sorghum Belt are starting to get a leg up. The farmer leaders of the Kansas Grain Sorghum Commission, Kansas State University and the United Sorghum Checkoff Program worked together to form the Collaborative Sorghum Investment Program, or […]

By: Industry Voice by Norwood Sales Jerry Overton, farms just north of Minot, ND and is close to the Canadian bounder. “This far north, I’m a wheat, canola and flax guy. I love flax. Lots of soybeans up here too but I don’t raise any. Flax is my choice. I make 30+ bushel flax. Market hasn’t […]

By: Wisconsin Agriculturist In this new video, see how Jeff Frey began planting cover crops and how he partnered with a Penn State professor on a Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education project to share the benefits of cover crops. Frey sees the soil as his livelihood, so he does what he can to protect and […]

By: Willie Vogt The world of crop fungicides has exploded in the past 13 years. And the market continues to rise as farmers find that crop diseases are the latest yield-robbers in their fields. In a media event that offered a little tongue-in-cheek mystery, BASF unveiled a new tool that farmers will get access to for […]

By: Gary Stone Early Detection and Rapid Response is a concept to identify potential invasive species before or just as the establishment of the invasive species is taking place. An integrated pest management plan can be developed to manage, contain and eradicate the invasive species before it can spread further, avoiding costly, long-term control efforts. A […]

By: Tyler Harris At the peak of the flood events in March, more than 75% of Nebraska counties had declared an emergency because of flooding. After the floodwaters receded, they revealed damaged bridges and roads, and sand and silt deposited on fields. But what about equipment? Ron McClain, director of appraisals, pricing and sales support at […]

By: Mike Wilson Around the turn of the last century German chemists Fritz Haber and Carl Bosch advanced a moonshot idea that likely saved mankind: converting atmospheric nitrogen in to ammonia fertilizer. That unleashed the age of synthetic fertilizer leading to higher crop yields and bountiful food supplies for a growing world population. Now, over a […]

By: Kansas Farmer I approached an intersection where a new stop sign was installed and had no trouble spotting it. The octagon shape was outlined in tiny red flashing lights. I noticed a small solar collector behind the sign, powering the lights. Whoever invented these simple solar cells might have been inspired by watching corn […]

By: Delta Farm Press Tired of seeing invasive species invading your field, woodlot or lake? There are several educational events planned during the 20th annual National Invasive Species Awareness Week for you to learn about ridding your property of the alien invaders. “Invasive species are found in every imaginable habitat – from lakes, streams and […]