Pivotal Issues Blog

By: Sonja Begemann Before finalizing your nutrient plans, carefully consider the impact big yielding crops has on phosphorus and potassium levels in fields. While nitrogen might typically be the first nutrient you think about when it comes to high yields, it’s important to consider other nutrient needs as well. “When guys have 200-bu. corn and […]

By: John Hart As 2018 draws to a close and farmers plan for 2019, the adage “no two crop years are the same” certainly applies. For the most part, farmers are glad this crop year is over, with hopes, prayers and optimism the year to come will be much better. Hurricanes Michael and Florence brought heartbreak […]

By: Southeast FarmPress Videos from the second National Conference on Cover Crops and Soil Health have been released. The meeting served as an opportunity to learn how cover crops are being used by innovative farmers across the country and gain important insights on improving soil health from producers, conservation leaders, and scientists. Headliners for the […]

By: Carl A. Bradley The soybean cyst nematode causes greater annual yield losses in Kentucky than any other pathogen of soybean. The last time a formal survey was conducted by the University of Kentucky in 2006 and 2007, approximately 76 percent of soybean fields in the state were infested with SCN. Although above-ground symptoms (stunting and […]

By: Hembree Brandon Over the last several years, Mississippi Delta farmers have invested a considerable amount of capital, time, and energy in the purchase, installation, and use of soil moisture sensors — which have primarily been used during the growing season as a part of irrigation scheduling. But, says Paul Rodrigue, Natural Resources Conservation Service Delta […]

By: Ron Smith Cover crops will pay for themselves, according to speakers at the annual Milan No-Till Field Day — but maybe not every year and probably not the first year. Several factors affect how well crops planted into a cover perform, including the cover crop mix, weather, and planting date.   Brian Kozlowski, research associate […]

By: Ron Smith “Erosion,” says Mike Hubbs, “is a symptom of poor soil health, the soil’s ability to function.” Hubbs and Greg Brann, specialists with the Tennessee Association of Conservation Districts, discussed and demonstrated how cover crops and crop rotation improve water infiltration, reduce erosion and runoff, and improve or maintain soil health at the recent […]

By: Ron Smith The day after Thanksgiving, I typically sit and regret the overindulgence of the previous day, abetted in my lethargy by hours of college football games in which I have little interest. This year I made a different plan. Jeff Aiken, Tennessee Farm Bureau president, farms just a few miles from where we live. […]

By: Forrest Laws Most university recommendations call for terminating cover crops three to four weeks before planting the commercial crop. That’s to encourage pests like the pea leaf weevil and the Southern corn rootworm to leave the area before seeding, according to Dr. Scott Stewart, professor at the University of Tennessee. See also: Threecornered alfalfa hopper […]

By: Forrest Laws “We let the cover crop get as tall as it can,” says Adam Chappell, a no-till corn, cotton, rice, and soybean farmer at Cotton Plant, Ark. “We’ve learned that the bigger the cover crop gets, the more biomass we get, and the more diverse the cover crop the bigger the benefits.” He plants […]