tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-66122731943924374062024-03-05T09:48:38.509-08:00Observations in AgricultureSoil Consulting and Crop Consulting in Illinois. You may call it soil testing, soil sampling, or soil health management, but it is more than that. These are my daily or weekly travels in soil and crop consulting and my observations in the agricultural world.Dave Rahehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17108355853125038353noreply@blogger.comBlogger2233125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6612273194392437406.post-63021391138363739642020-12-26T15:43:00.005-08:002020-12-26T15:43:45.423-08:00In memory of David B. Rahe<p> Thank you all for reading my Father-in Law's blog. David really enjoyed blogging, it was always something he talked about. I'm sad to tell you that David passed away on April 2nd 2020. We have decided not to remove any of his social media presence as a tribute to him. Due to the COVID-19 restrictions, we were finally able to hold a memorial for him and his mother who also passed away at the end of April. If anyone would like to watch the memorial service, please email me and I would be happy to send you the link and pin to do so. I can be reached at rgerstner@yahoo.com</p><p><br /></p><p>Thanks for taking an interest in David's writing!</p><p>Rebecca Rahe</p>Dave Rahehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17108355853125038353noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6612273194392437406.post-64364964372226878412020-02-21T16:03:00.003-08:002020-02-21T16:03:54.502-08:00Soybean Harvest in Brazil <span style="color: #222222;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 28px;">By Eduardo Paim.</span></span><div>
<span style="color: #222222;"><span style="font-size: 28px;"><br /></span></span><div>
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<span lang="EN" style="background: white; color: #222222; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 21.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">Good morning mate! Here in Brazil we already
have a farm closing the harvest in the north of the state of Mato Grosso and
they are reaping high averages. In the south of Mato Grosso we are starting to
harvest soybeans. In the states of Rio Grande on the south, Paraná, Santa
Catarina to the south of Brazil and North and Northeast, we have not yet begun
to harvest soybeans. There is a concern with the states that did not start
harvesting because they suffered from the lack of rain, the south of Brazil was
heavily punished and is still punished with lack of rain. Argentina also had
problems with lack of rain. I do not believe that we will harvest the
125,000,000 tons of soybeans due to these states that had problems with lack of
rain. Also in the north of Mato Grosso the planting of second crop corn begins,
the climate is great and we will certainly have increased planted area. With
the appreciation of the dollar, the multi-nationals are closing many corn
export contracts, this should cause a small shortage of the cereal in the
domestic market in Brazil in the beginning of 2021. </span></div>
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Dave Rahehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17108355853125038353noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6612273194392437406.post-77686597738014157272020-01-16T16:41:00.001-08:002020-01-16T16:41:35.002-08:00Report From Brazil By Eduardo Paim<br />
<br />
We are having a year with irregular rainfall and very hot throughout Brazil. We have typical El Nino scenarios, even weathermen saying the climate is neutral, say it's not El Nino and it's not La Nina. It rains a lot in the northeast and it dries in the south. We have drought and a lot of heat also in Argentina. They are saying 100% in Brazil here, but it is too early to say how many eggs are in the chicken. States of Bahia, Maranhão, Piauí and Tocantins in Brazil will not plant all the area destined for soybeans, lacked rainfall. In the state of Rio Grande do Sul, they think of a reduction in production by about 40%. Southern grapes are dried like raisins and have not been harvested. Jesus bless 2020 for all of you and your family!<br />
In the north of Mato Grosso we started to harvest, is little, so I send more news.<br />
<br />Dave Rahehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17108355853125038353noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6612273194392437406.post-23969600337186471352019-11-26T08:28:00.001-08:002019-11-26T08:28:57.415-08:00Update on Brazil Soybean planting. <span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">By Eduardo Paim: </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">I'm here looking at the weather and wondering
when I should send you news of our soy planting. We still do not know if we will have
a good grain yield, the rains are undefined and the sun very hot. Many farms
are replanting soybeans, it has been planted and due to lack of rain the seeds
will die. Soybean planting is not yet 100% complete and this will make the area
of second crop corn shrink in Brazil. At this moment I can say that we did
not start well! It reminds me of the year 2016/2017, little rainfall and very
hot. "It rains in the living room and not in the kitchen"!<br />
I don't see mud on farm roads, just dust. There is little rain here.<br />
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<!--[endif]--></span>Dave Rahehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17108355853125038353noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6612273194392437406.post-50876987281049038912019-11-18T10:42:00.001-08:002019-11-18T10:42:48.429-08:00Potassium for Crop Production<br />
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Originally written for CCA Soy Envoy Blog </div>
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Having spent
my time as a CCA Soy Envoy writing about micronutrients, sulfur, nitrogen and
phosphorus, it seems appropriate to close out the year focusing on potassium. Of
the plant nutrients, potassium is part of the big 3<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">—</span>nitrogen, phosphorous and
potassium (NPK). When I run soil tests in my area potassium is the most likely
to be low, although some soils I work with can be high and stay high.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></div>
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Potassium helps
plants withstand drought damage. It is also credited with general plant health
and preventing lodging. Potassium helps the plant produce starch and transform
sugars. This nutrient is also essential for photosynthesis. Potassium
deficiency is characterized by yellowing and then tissue death starting at the
edges of leaves in both corn and soybeans. <span style="background: white; color: black;">This </span><a href="http://www.ipm.iastate.edu/ipm/icm/2005/6-20/potassium.html"><b><span style="background: white; color: black; text-decoration: none;">Iowa State University Bulletin</span></b></a><span style="background: white; color: black;"> has more information on potassium
deficiencies. They go into some explanation of causes of potassium
deficiencies other than low soil test.</span><span style="background: white; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-no-proof: yes;">In past years</span><span style="background: white; color: black;"> we have seen some drought-induced
deficiencies in fields. Fields with good potassium levels to begin with seem
to resist that deficiency better. We also thought we saw some compaction-induced
deficiencies because of working and planting in wet soil conditions this spring.
</span><span style="background: white; color: black;">Several years ago, University of
Illinois (UIUC) researchers hypothesized that we do not need potassium
fertilizer. Research from other credible sources including the </span><a href="http://www.ipni.net/article/IPNI-3348"><span style="background: white; color: black; text-decoration: none;">International Plant
Nutrition Institute</span></a><span class="MsoHyperlink"><b><span style="background: white; color: black; text-decoration: none;"> </span></b></span><span style="background: white; color: black;">has called the
researchers’ premise into question and disproved some of their findings. </span><a href="http://bulletin.ipm.illinois.edu/?p=1793"><span style="background: white; color: black; text-decoration: none;">Emerson Nafziger</span></a><span class="MsoHyperlink"><span style="background: white; color: black; text-decoration: none;">, Ph.D.,</span></span><span style="background: white; color: black;"> also argues for potassium fertilizer </span><a href="http://bulletin.ipm.illinois.edu/?p=1793"><span style="background: white; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">in this article</span></a><span style="background: white; color: black;">. </span><span style="background: white; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="background: white; color: black;">Potassium is common in our Illinois
soils because it is present in the crystal lattice of a prevalent clay mineral,
illite. The nutrient seems to move in and out of the lattice depending on
moisture. This makes potassium soil testing imperfect, but it is all we have to
establish a scientific basis for determining fertility needs. </span><span style="background: white; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="background: white; color: black;">One reason that we test soils more
often than the university recommendation is that it helps us keep better track
of potassium. It has been my experience that crops do respond to potassium when
soil test levels are below 230 pounds per acres. Ideal levels are
considered to be 300 to 400 pounds per acre in Illinois. Potassium is critical
to help weather a drought. Levels need to be high because availability goes down
when soil is dry.</span><span style="background: white; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="background: white; color: black;">We do have clients with soils that
have not needed potassium fertilizer in twenty years or more. These
growers haven’t had any apparent yield loss and the test levels remain
high. We also have clients who have low potassium test levels who have
benefited from potassium fertilizer. </span><span style="background: white; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="background: white; color: black;">One of my clients raised 80 bu/A
wheat a few years ago after increasing his potassium fertilizer on that field. We
do find that potassium levels sometimes remain low for several years as we
attempt to build the nutrient up. We will then have a sudden and unexpected
rise in soil test potassium. I will sometimes suggest 100 pounds per acre of
potassium fertilizer to prevent wild swings in soil test levels even though
soil tests would seem to indicate we can skip a year.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><br />
<br />
<span style="background: white; color: black;">Iowa State
University has endorsed a moist soil test where they do not let the soil dry
down. I have no problem with using the moist test, but we continue to use the </span><a href="https://www.blogger.com/null" name="_Hlk19685968">Mehlich 3</a> <span style="background: white; color: black;">extraction. I am not ready to give up on potassium testing
even knowing the limitations of the test. We are going to continue to test
frequently and recommend potassium fertilizer on soils that have low soil test
levels, making adjustments as needed.</span><span style="background: white;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<br />Dave Rahehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17108355853125038353noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6612273194392437406.post-66561708633132616642019-11-15T08:28:00.000-08:002019-11-15T08:28:00.828-08:00Brazilian Soybean Planting, November 4, 2019<br />
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By Eduardo Paim<br />
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<span style="color: black; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Here in Mato Grosso we have many farms with little rainfall. We
are looking at the farms being very careful with the soy planting and the
moisture that is in the ground. We are already seeing some farms that believed
that the rains would come and planted the soybean seeds and lost part of what
was planted! I see farms that germination is not good, some seeds are born and
some die. Too much rain in southern Brazil, this can hurt the grain crop there
too. Now we are looking at how much second crop corn we can plant, considering
that soy planting has been delayed due to lack of rainfall! I am also realizing
that we are getting about 15 days without rain and very sunny and intense heat.
If I'm not mistaken in the 2015/2016 crop it was like that, it was raining a
lot and the water didn't enter the ground to retain moisture, soon after there
was an interval of 15 or 20 days without rain and very hot heat and there was a
big reduction in production. of grain from Brazil.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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Dave Rahehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17108355853125038353noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6612273194392437406.post-81253967303996062332019-10-21T16:10:00.002-07:002019-10-21T16:11:48.448-07:00Planting Progress in Brazil. <br />
<h4 style="background: whitesmoke;">
<span lang="EN" style="color: #777777; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-weight: normal;">By Eduardo Paim: </span></h4>
<h4 style="background: whitesmoke;">
<span lang="EN" style="color: #777777; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-weight: normal;">Good afternoon friend!</span><span style="font-weight: normal;">
</span><span style="font-weight: normal;" title="">Today it rained very well here in Mato Grosso!</span><span style="font-weight: normal;"> </span><span style="font-weight: normal;" title="">Surely we will accelerate soybean planting with this rain.</span><span style="font-weight: normal;"> </span><span style="font-weight: normal;" title="">It will not take the worry out of our thoughts if we are going to be
slow to see another good rain like this, but we have to go and ask God to
direct us.</span><span style="font-weight: normal;"> </span><span style="font-weight: normal;" title="">To this day there have been few rains and it
rains in the living room and not in the kitchen.</span><span style="font-weight: normal;"> </span></h4>
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<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN" style="color: #777777; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span title=""><span style="color: rgba(0 , 0 , 0 , 0.87); min-height: 20px;">Many growers in the state of
Paraná will have to replant because the rains were not enough to save the
soybeans planted. In Mato Grosso there was delay for fear of planting and
losing!</span></span></span><span lang="EN" style="color: #777777; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span title=""><span style="color: rgba(0 , 0 , 0 , 0.87); min-height: 20px;"><br style="mso-special-character: line-break;" /></span></span></span><span lang="EN" style="color: #777777; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span title=""><span style="color: rgba(0 , 0 , 0 , 0.87); min-height: 20px;">It's a little bit, but we
need attention!</span></span></span></span></h4>
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<br />Dave Rahehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17108355853125038353noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6612273194392437406.post-77822337856864550262019-10-03T09:40:00.005-07:002019-10-03T09:40:56.125-07:00Managing Soil Phosphorous <br />
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Originally posted as my September blog as an Illinois Soy Envoy Under the title of "Three Phosphorus Tests and Which to Use on
Your Soil"</div>
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Phosphorus
was recently in the spotlight as the American Society of Agronomy celebrated
Phosphorus Week, September 15-21. It seems appropriate to celebrate the
discovery of one of our most important crop nutrients and focus on how to
manage it better.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Discovered 350 years ago, phosphorus is the 11<sup>th</sup>
most abundant element on earth. Because it is so plentiful, it would seem it
should be one of the easiest to manage for crop production. However, it is not
evenly distributed and not always readily available for plant growth. According
to Emerson Nafzinger, <a href="http://bulletin.ipm.illinois.edu/?p=3967">University
of Illinois Extension</a>, soybeans remove 0.75 pounds of P<sub>2</sub>O<sub>5 </sub>per
bushel of grain. Some of that phosphorus comes from the soil and some comes
from added fertilizer.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></div>
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The first step to better phosphorus management is testing. Over
the years, many tests have been developed to help producers determine if they
need to be adding phosphorus fertility to maximize crop production. One of the
first universally accepted tests was the Bray P1 test. Ideal P1 levels have
been established and the test has been in use since the 1930s, so we have lots
of data on removal and ideal levels. P1 ideal level is 70 pounds per acre. Bray
P2 uses a slightly more acidic extractant. It was developed to help with
application of rock phosphate as a fertilizer. Today, in soils with pH below
7.0, P2 can be used to determine reserve levels of phosphorus in the soil. The
Bray tests are colorimetric, which means the amount of light passing through a
liquid is measured to determine P levels.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span><o:p></o:p></div>
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<a href="https://www.blogger.com/null" name="_Hlk19685968">Mehlich 3</a> is also a commonly used
test for phosphorus. The Mehlich 3 extraction is used to analyze many of our
nutrients including potassium, calcium, magnesium, sodium and the
micronutrients. The test is read by ICP which is a type of atomic absorption
spectrometer. Mehlich 3 readings tend to average a bit lower for P, so ideal
levels could be adjusted higher, although University of Illinois Extension does
not do so. I have run both P1 and Mehlich 3 on many samples over the years and
find that the comparison is not always linear. Use whichever you or your lab prefers
and use the same test every time. Beware that some labs run Mehlich 3 but
calculate a P1 test<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">—</span>this is not ideal.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
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Olsen P is another test I use on
high pH soils. The calcium in high pH soils can tie up phosphorus and make it
less available for plant growth. Olsen gives a better idea about P availability
on high pH soils and you should consider running this test if you are in that
situation. Ideal Olsen Test is 30 pounds per acre. </div>
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<o:p></o:p></div>
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Iowa State University presents a good <a href="http://www.agronext.iastate.edu/soilfertility/presentations/mbotest.pdf">comparison
of the P tests</a>.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></div>
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While low soil phosphorus can have a negative impact on crop
production, high soil phosphorus is associated with high levels of dissolved
phosphorus in our water. When I was matriculating at University of Illinois at
Urbana-Champaign (UIUC), we were taught that phosphorus did not leave the field
except by erosion, and movement was not really a problem because it did not
affect crop production. <o:p></o:p></div>
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We have since learned that about half the phosphorus that
leaves the field is by erosion and the other half is dissolved in runoff and
drainage water. The other problem with phosphorus loss is that relatively low
levels can cause harmful algae blooms as we’ve seen with Lake Erie in recent
years. The phosphorus itself is not harmful for human consumption, but the
toxins produced by the algae are harmful. The algae bloom caused by excessive
nutrients can also remove oxygen from the ecosystem and cause eutrophication,
or the death of animal life due to lack of oxygen. The eutrophication can negatively
affect a lot of aquatic life. Some of our most desirable game fish are the most
vulnerable. Excessive phosphorus can also interfere with zinc uptake.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></div>
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Managing the phosphorus levels in our soils is important to
crops and the environment. Phosphorus is already one of the most highly
regulated nutrients in the United States. Places like the Chesapeake Bay and
Lake Erie watersheds are the most prominent. The regulatory levels of phosphorus
may be reasonable enough, but the problem with regulations is that they remove management
flexibility for the producer. The target now for more regulation is focused on
the Midwest because of hypoxia in the Gulf of Mexico.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Perhaps we can hold back those regulations by
responsible management. <o:p></o:p></div>
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Here is a list of steps to take to better manage phosphorus</div>
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<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]-->Keep phosphorus test levels in the 70 pound per
acre range.</li>
<li><span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]-->Don’t add fertilizer when soil test levels
exceed the ideal amount.</li>
<li><span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]-->Placing fertilizer below the surface can be
effective in managing losses.</li>
<li><span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]-->Keep soil pH in the 6.0 to 7.0 range. </li>
<li><span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]-->Do not apply manure on snow or frozen ground.</li>
<li><span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]-->In manure systems, keep soil test levels below 300
pounds per acre.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]-->Keep soil loss at or below tolerable levels.</li>
<li><span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]-->Keep sediment on the field using structural and
vegetative methods.</li>
<li><span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]-->Soil test often to monitor levels.</li>
<li><span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]-->Use soil tests appropriate for your soils.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]-->Use 4R principles in making decisions about how
much phosphorus to apply and when.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></li>
</ul>
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As we celebrate the discovery of phosphorus, we need to
understand that levels that are too low can have a negative effect on crop
production, but levels that are too high can have a negative effect on our
planet. If you’d like to learn more, Pete Kleinman, U.S. Department of
Agriculture, gives a good overview in his blog on <a href="https://soilsmatter.wordpress.com/2019/09/15/why-is-phosphorus-needed-on-farms/">why
phosphorus is needed on farms.</a> The site also has additional resources for added
context and perspective.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></div>
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<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><br /></span></div>
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Visit <a href="http://rpmsoils.com/">rpmsoils.com </a>to learn how we can help you manage your phosphorous. </div>
<br />Dave Rahehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17108355853125038353noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6612273194392437406.post-56769426974485977792019-10-02T05:17:00.001-07:002019-10-02T05:17:23.304-07:00Heat in Brazil By Eduardo Paim<br />
<br />
<br />
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<span>I waited with good expectations to tell you about the start of our soy planting. It is not happening so far, the heat is very strong, far beyond what I remember. Our planting did not start well. Who is planting is risking a lot because the rains are irregular. I believe it will be a difficult year if the heat continues like this!</span></div>
Dave Rahehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17108355853125038353noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6612273194392437406.post-14489673771308103272019-09-24T11:10:00.003-07:002019-09-24T11:11:25.548-07:00Cover Crop Selection <br />
Cover crops are being widely promoted and slowly adopted.
Farmers don’t doubt the benefits covers play in soil health, but often question
the economic prospects of planting one and if there will be a return. <br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
Since cover crops are still the exception, here are seven
reasons to plant cover crops.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><br />
<br />
<div style="margin-left: .25in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">1.<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span>Cover
crops can help you implement a no-till system.</div>
<br />
<div style="margin-left: .25in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">2.<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span>Cover
crops can help reduce erosion by improving aggregate stability.</div>
<br />
<div style="margin-left: .25in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">3.<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span>Cover
crops support soil microbial activity.</div>
<br />
<div style="margin-left: .25in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">4.<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span>Cover
crops can help with weed control.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin-left: .25in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">5.<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span>Cover
crops help build soil organic matter.</div>
<br />
<div style="margin-left: .25in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">6.<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span>Cover
crops can reduce the need for commercial fertilizers. </div>
<br />
<div style="margin-left: .25in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">7.<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span>Cover
crops can extend the grazing season for livestock.</div>
<br />
<br />
<br />
As with any new practice, you want to do everything
possible to make it successful. Selecting what will work best with your
operation will support your decision to use cover crops. Often, we hear
suggestions that you should first decide what you want the cover crop to do,
but that may be difficult as one of my clients said, “I want it to do everything.”
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
One of the big things to focus on is to increase soil
microbial activity. Soil microbes drive the soil system.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The more microbes we have, the more we
release nutrients, and the more we promote aggregate stability. There are many microbial
products on the market, but why not grow your own? Multispecies mixes will best
support microbial activity. Each species added to the mix promotes different
microbes.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Five or more species would be
considered ideal. Nitrogen-fixing species should be part of the mix, too. There
can be pitfalls to growing a lot of different crops so you might want to
consider something simpler to start with. <br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
Extending your grazing season sounds simpler. Lots of
producers like to graze turnips in the wintertime.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This a good choice because the cattle love
them. Ideally, turnips should be planted by early September.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>How do you do this? Fly them on or use a high
clearance applicator adapted to seeding. Sounds expensive? Maybe you can start
with cereal rye or triticale drilled after harvest. Both are suitable for winter
grazing and both are also suitable for green chopping in the spring. <br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
Maybe you want to start by growing your own nitrogen.
Legumes are the way to go. Crimson clover, red clover and hairy vetch are
popular choices. One traditional way to use clover is to plant it in a small
grain crop in spring. Then after harvesting the grain, let it grow out for hay.
Next spring, once again it needs to grow into May to maximize nitrogen
production. Hairy vetch or clover may be planted into soybeans aerially or by
high clearance equipment by September 1. It should also grow into May to
maximize nitrogen fixed and stored in the soil for the next corn crop.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
If you want to open your no-till ground to increase water
infiltration and improve root penetration, you may want to try oilseed radishes
or annual ryegrass or maybe both. Radishes experience winter-kill, so that is a
bonus. Annual ryegrass can be difficult to kill, so work out how you plan to
terminate it in spring. <br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
Some producers like to keep it simple by planting cereal
rye or triticale after corn. Soybeans can be planted or drilled either before
or after termination. A simple cover after soybeans is oats and radish. It
winter-kills and can be easy to plant into in spring. Oats and radish should be
flown on or planted into early maturity beans after harvest.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
Consider soil health testing to provide yourself with
some scientific data to prove that you are accomplishing what you want to with
cover crops. Run a before test and another maybe two or three years down the
road, and notice the difference you will see.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
There are way too many options to cover them all in this
short blog. Michigan State University maintains the <a href="http://mccc.msu.edu/covercroptool/covercroptool.php">Midwest Cover Crop
Tool</a>, which is a good place to start when
picking your species of cover crop to plant. Don’t be afraid of choosing a more
complicated mix, but do your homework on how to make it work.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> Contact us at <a href="https://rpmsoils.com/">rpmsoils.com </a></span><br />
<br />
<br />
<b></b><i></i><u></u><sub></sub><sup></sup><strike></strike>Dave Rahehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17108355853125038353noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6612273194392437406.post-50064310667522808512019-08-14T18:03:00.000-07:002019-08-14T18:03:36.311-07:00Road trip EffinghamI made a short road trip to Effingham today to do a septic tank evaluation. Most of the corn along the way was pollinating or past pollination, although not in some of the uneven parts of fields. Some fields are starting to run out of nitrogen. <br />
<br />
Soybeans looked better than corn. We had a lot of rain earlier in the week and the soybeans were putting on a lot of top growth. Two issues that will cut into yields at this point are weeds that were starting to show through, and poor stands. Dave Rahehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17108355853125038353noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6612273194392437406.post-4258695050509893292019-08-07T15:00:00.000-07:002019-08-07T15:00:59.352-07:00Zombie Weed Apocalypse<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">By: </span><span style="font-size: 12pt;">W Kevin Nelson, CCA 4R NMS</span><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Senior Agronomist, Prairie
Agronomics, LLC </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12pt;"><br />The growing
season of 2019 just keeps on giving. Without going over all the morbid details,
let’s just say that it’s been challenging from the very beginning, and looks
like the challenges will continue on through to harvest and beyond.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12pt;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12pt;">As we get
into the latter part of summer we are still contending with weeds that have
refused to die. For lack of a better term, zombie weeds. These weeds have had
burndown herbicide treatments, pre-emergent residual treatments, one or more
post treatments, and still refuse to die. Some are newly emerged, some have
just not succumbed to the programs we had planned before the spring weather
went off the tracks. And now they have gone to seed, or soon will.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12pt;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12pt;">At this
point, another spray trip becomes little more than an attempt at revenge. The
plants are way above label size restrictions, and have hardened off with the
dry conditions of the last few weeks. The chances are they won’t die, and the
seed on them is probably already viable to bring on the next generation.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12pt;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12pt;">Am I going
to give you the solution to the zombie weed apocalypse? Probably not. But I’ll
point out that this weed control disaster isn’t a failure in any one program or
system. We can find fields under all types of management that is experiencing
problems, owing mainly to the conditions of the growing season. What I will say
is this: start right now addressing the weed problems that will probably be
coming our way in 2020.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12pt;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12pt;">Since many,
though not all, weed control systems now combine seed traits with herbicide
products, now is the time to start putting those combinations together. These
systems must start with variety and hybrid selection, and seed companies will
be on your doorstep early this fall. Choose a system that fits your needs from
a production standpoint as well as weed control ability.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12pt;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12pt;">Consider
cover crops to suppress weeds this fall. Some cover crop mixtures are better
than others at keeping weeds down, and the consideration on how to terminate
these crops needs to be factored in. Seed supplies may be an issue, as well.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12pt;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12pt;">Talk to your
retailer about a fall burndown treatment. This can make a tremendous difference
in weed pressure in the spring. With what looks like an extended harvest, it is
crucial that you make your plans and let your retailer know with plenty of time
what you intend to do.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12pt;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12pt;">So as you
look out over your fields, frustrated with the zombie weeds poking through your
crops or covering your Prevented Planting acres, remember that they aren’t
coming after your brains, but you will need to put your brain to work now to
prepare to hold them in check in the coming seasons.</span></div>
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<br />
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<br />Dave Rahehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17108355853125038353noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6612273194392437406.post-14118137553843203482019-07-26T04:57:00.000-07:002019-07-26T04:57:00.694-07:00Corn Harvest in Brazil <span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">By Euardo Paim:</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"> Here in MT we are
harvesting corn and the yields are very good! In an average harvest we harvest
90 bags of corn per HA, this year the yields are at 135 bags of corn per HA. In
some regions we had rain breakdown, but it won't be a big problem</span>Dave Rahehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17108355853125038353noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6612273194392437406.post-11114416829552495522019-07-15T05:52:00.000-07:002019-08-07T15:02:08.583-07:00Managing Micro-Nutrients in Soybeans,<br />
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Written for IL SoyAdvisor, </i></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Are you paying enough attention to all the
nutrients your crops need?<o:p></o:p></i></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Byline</b>: Dave
Rahe<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Topic:</b>
Nutrient Management<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
There are <a href="https://www.blogger.com/null" style="mso-comment-date: 20190627T1608; mso-comment-reference: JF_1;">18 essential nutrients </a><span class="MsoCommentReference"><span style="font-size: 8.0pt;"><!--[if !supportAnnotations]--><a class="msocomanchor" href="https://d.docs.live.net/d97c8facd021d906/Documents/Soy/DR_Managing%20Your%20Micro_6061819%5b3543%5d.docx#_msocom_1" id="_anchor_1" language="JavaScript" name="_msoanchor_1">[JF1]</a><!--[endif]--><span style="mso-special-character: comment;"> </span></span></span>in
plants: Nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium are the most likely to be added as
fertilizer. Water, carbon and oxygen come from air and water. Calcium, magnesium
and sulfur are needed in large amounts as well, and in Illinois we generally
take what we get from nature.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Sulfur now
commonly needs to be added along with the big 3. We add calcium and magnesium
when we lime, although in Southern Illinois we generally come up short on
magnesium in our liming materials. And micronutrients are also essential, but
needed in smaller amounts. Boron, iron, manganese, zinc, copper, chlorine, molybdenum
and cobalt are generally considered essential micronutrients and round out the
18. Some would add silicon to that list as well.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></div>
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</v:shape><![endif]--><!--[if !vml]--><!--[endif]-->The first step in
getting your micronutrient levels in order is to get your soil pH right. Soil pH
affects the availability of all plant nutrients, but in order to keep
micronutrients available, pH needs to be in the sweet spot between 6.0 and 7.0.
The chart above is from Michigan State University.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Once soil pH is corrected, the next step is to soil test
for micronutrients. It is surprising how many people still say that testing is
not needed for micronutrients. In the modern world, it costs very little to get
the extra data. Another rub is, micronutrient testing is thought to be
unreliable in determining a plant or yield response to soil test levels. My
response is that you need to start somewhere.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
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If you still want more data, I have found tissue sampling
to be useful in determining whether micronutrient deficiencies exist. Last
year, I had some soils with relatively low manganese test levels, but by tissue
testing, I found that manganese wasn’t an issue. Tissue sampling in soybeans is
done at R-1 or R-3 growth stages. North Central States has a publication on <a href="https://soil.msu.edu/wp-content/uploads/2017/11/Micros-for-Soybean-in-the-NC-Region.pdf">Managing
Micro-Nutrients for Soybean Production in the North Central Region</a>.<o:p></o:p></div>
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A few cautions are in order concerning tissue testing:<o:p></o:p></div>
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</span></span></span><!--[endif]-->Time of day sampled can make a difference.<o:p></o:p></div>
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</span></span></span><!--[endif]-->Sometimes dust on the plant can skew results.<o:p></o:p></div>
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</span></span></span><!--[endif]-->Don’t test when the crop is stressed. Of course,
it will show deficiencies, but the plants are unlikely to respond to treatment.<o:p></o:p></div>
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After collecting your data and determining you have a
problem, what do you do about it? First off keep in mind that micronutrients
can be toxic if over applied. Soybeans are especially sensitive to boron.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Copper can be toxic at as little as 10 ppm. I
work on some soils where copper is over 100 ppm caused by industrial pollution,
which is very difficult to manage.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Many researchers report that a blanket application of
micronutrients without some indication they are needed isn’t economically wise.
If treatments are needed during the growing season, foliar applications can be effective
in treating symptoms. I have also found that soil applied micronutrients can be
effective in treating low soil test levels. Sometimes soil test levels remain
at desired levels for several years after treatment. I suspect we are
stimulating microbes who will consume and then recycle micronutrients back into
the soil.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></div>
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This leads to the question about biological treatments
for micronutrients. One of the reasons that pH between 6 and 7 is so important
is that it is ideal for microbial activity. But the big question is, can I
improve micronutrient availability by using one of the new biological seed
treatments? I think biological treatments can work, but it seems to be on a farm
by farm and year by year basis, so if you want to try biologicals, you should
also be prepared to do some strip trials to see what works on your farm.<o:p></o:p></div>
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There are also some farmers using silicon as a
fertilizer. Silicon is one of the most abundant elements.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The building framework of our soils is
alumno-silicate clays. There should be enough available in most soils, however
some trials have shown a good response to fertilizer silicon. The downside is
that we have little idea on response or economics and currently there is no soil
test for available silica. To learn more about this element click <a href="https://www.dtnpf.com/agriculture/web/ag/news/article/2017/12/15/silicon-fertilizer-gaining-ground">Silicon
Fertilizer Gaining Ground</a>.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></div>
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In summary, micronutrient deficiency isn’t a common
problem in soybean production, especially when pH is maintained between 6 and
7. Soil and tissue tests can be useful in identifying micronutrient issues, and
microbial treatments may be useful as well. Finally, keep your eye on silicon
as an emerging fertilizer.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></div>
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Dave Rahehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17108355853125038353noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6612273194392437406.post-39696823765988096992019-07-12T14:16:00.000-07:002019-07-12T14:16:23.150-07:00Crop Condition I have read recently that we should expect the third largest soybean crop ever this fall. I realize a 30 mile loop through Montgomery County is not the whole midwest, but at least in this area, there is no chance for an above trend line crop. The picture below is showing an average looking crop at best. Soybean growth stages almost all look like they were planted as double crops. To make matters worse, stands are very spotty as well. Yes, some people will be patching some in, but that will not make the yields jump much. <br />
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The corn crop is showing stress as well. the wet yellow areas from las week are now showing as green and rolled up. All the corn I saw looked like it could use a little shower. I would venture the moisture is there, but shallow rooted crops are not getting through the compacted soils to get what they need for vigorous growth. The picture below shows the gamut of corn condition. Stands are very uneven and we know that cuts into yields. We are still seeing yellow corn in ponded areas that will not recover. </div>
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Also, it is now pretty easy to see the prevent plant acres. While we know that the Mississippi and Missouri River Bottoms will not get planted in many areas, we can now see upland areas that will not get planted too. The windows for planting were just too small. </div>
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<br />Dave Rahehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17108355853125038353noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6612273194392437406.post-50856949783880097122019-06-18T12:58:00.001-07:002019-06-19T12:04:19.496-07:00Spring Soil Sampling<br />
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Soil sampling has traditionally been done in the fall,
after crops are harvested. The objective is to know how much fertility the soil
already has to produce next year’s crop.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
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But in my business, more than half my sampling is done in
the spring. We usually begin sampling when fields are planted or ready to plant
and continue until crops are no more than 12-inchs tall to minimize damage to
the crop. I have found ATV damage to be minimal at this stage. The photo below
shows corn has recovered a day after sampling.<o:p></o:p></div>
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One of the reasons for spring sampling is that the soil
moisture and temperature conditions are usually more consistent in the spring. Moisture
and temperature when soils are sampled can affect soil test results. That is
the reason that experts agree you should sample at the same time of year every
time you sample. In fall, soils can be dry and/or cold. I have seen potassium
results as much as 75 pounds per acre lower when sampled dry as opposed to
sampling later after soil is moistened by rain. I have not been able to find
any problems with sampling wet soils if you are not cutting ruts.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></div>
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Another advantage to sampling in spring is that results
and recommendations can be ready before harvest to allow for earlier fertilizer
purchase and more timely application. Application can follow the combine. With
fall sampling, there is usually a delay between harvest and getting
results.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></div>
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Frequency of sampling is also an issue in the fall. The
Illinois Agronomy Handbook says that once in four years is enough. The problem
is that variations in crop yields because of dry or wet conditions may be
difficult to account for when sampling only once in four years. We sample every
year or two to take the guesswork out. If you base your fertilizer application
on removal rates, keep in mind that your crop does not read the removal charts
and removal is often more or less than the charts say.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></div>
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No matter when you sample it is important to use proper
techniques to assure consistent results. A soil probe and bucket are essential
tools. Sample depth should be 7 inches in order to assure that your pounds per
acre of nutrient is calculated correctly.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
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I like to sample in management zones, but the zones can
be difficult to define for some people. Using USDA SSURGO data can be a place
to start, but I find that about half the time it does not suit my needs.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I like to use the five factors of soil
formation to help me determine where the lines are between the zones. The
factors include<span style="color: #404040; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"> </span><span style="color: #404040; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;">climate, organisms including vegetation, relief (or
topography), parent material, and time. Yield maps can sometimes be used to
determine zones. Some scientists like to use a Veris to measure electrical conductivity,
which can define zones. I usually divide the field into major landforms and
then subdivide to get 8- to 11-acre zones. I pull 10 to 15 cores over the zone
to put less weight on old spread gaps and overlaps. Zones can be smaller if
needed.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #404040; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;">If you grid sample, you
should still make sure the grid point defines the part of the field sampled. Avoid
waterways or anomalies. Also, to avoid the old spreading gaps and overlaps, be
sure to go 10 to 15 feet from your ATV and maintain that distance as you walk
in a circle pulling 8 to 10 cores. There is a good bit of research that
supports the need to pull many cores.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #404040; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;">This illustration from </span><span style="color: black; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;">Michael Dunn of Anez Consulting, LLC in Little Falls,
Minnesota, shows how grid sampling can distort what is in the field.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It is used by permission.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #404040; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;">Samples should be air dried.
It is OK to use a fan but avoid heat over 125 degrees Fahrenheit.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #404040; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;">Many people are considering
switching corn acres to soybeans. One consideration is crop insurance.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Check with your agent for help sorting it
out. You may have a soil consideration with saturated soils if you have applied
nitrogen for corn. Denitrification can occur fast on saturated soils. If there
is nitrogen left, you may want to plant corn. You should soil test to see how
much nitrogen remains in the soil. Your pattern for nitrogen sampling should
assure that some of the cores are from the knife track and some are from the in-between
areas. I get good results sampling a foot deep, but the University of Illinois
says to sample 2 feet deep. Samples need to be spread out and fanned so they
dry in 24 hours. You can also use an in-field nitrate tester, but they will
miss the ammonium form of nitrogen. If you know you are not wasting nitrogen
applied, you may not feel bad about switching to soybeans. If herbicides have been
applied, make sure they will not cause a problem either.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #404040; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;">The bottom line when growing
soybeans is that you need to make sure that your fertility levels and
fertilizer applied will support the high yields desired. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br />Dave Rahehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17108355853125038353noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6612273194392437406.post-40058344445483528092019-06-17T05:43:00.000-07:002019-06-18T12:52:54.114-07:00 Friends Don’t Let Friends Work Wet.By W Kevin Nelson - Senior Agronomist <a href="https://www.facebook.com/Prairieagronomicsllc/">Prairie Agronomics LLC</a><br />
<br />
2019 A Year We’ll Remember<br />
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Though the year isn’t even half over, 2019 will go down as a milestone year for anyone involved in agriculture. Every year is different, but some remain more memorable than others. We got off on somewhat of a wrong foot by finishing off ‘18 without getting as much work done as we would have liked. Fertilizer applications and tillage were not completed in many areas last fall, putting farmers behind before the crop year even started.<br />
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Then the rains came. When we would have liked to have been catching up on those things left uncompleted, soil conditions kept getting wetter, and time kept on ticking. Several of my colleagues and I were talking about images and posts we were seeing on social media of people working ground in less than optimum conditions, and in the second week of April, we didn’t feel there was any need to feel rushed. There was plenty of time to get the #plant19 crop in the ground. I even created a meme: Friends Don’t Let Friends Work Wet.<br />
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And still the rains came. Most of Illinois, and much of the middle part of the country continued to receive above average precipitation. My colleagues and I continued to counsel patience and stress levels of growers continued to mount. April turned to May, then May was fast fading, June was in the windshield, approaching fast. Patience was nearly gone, and growers began looking at getting something in the ground, even if soil conditions weren’t ideal.<br />
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And the rains continued. The end of May and first few days of June brought a flurry of discussion surrounding Prevented Plant options, corn hybrid maturities, drying costs, black layer, the dreaded “F” word (frost) and MFP ”Trump Money.” Patience flew out the window. Planters rolled on corn, seedsmen were asked to find earlier maturing hybrids, and any window of sunshine brought the machines to the fields.<br />
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But the rains stopped. Now it’s starting to become apparent that those decisions made earlier may not pan out the way we hoped. Seed slots not closed, crusting, mud balls turned to dry clay balls. This crop is far from in the bin. The remainder of the growing season will challenge everyone. Even far from the farm gate. I have said that the ripples on these ponds in the fields will spread wide, and will touch everyone.<br />
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So 2019 is going to go down as a milestone year. Young people today will say to their grandchildren in 2049, “I remember ‘19. That was a terrible year in farming.” Much as my grandfathers talked about 1934 (drought and heat), my father talked about 1970 Southern Corn Leaf Blight and Texas Male Sterile seedcorn) and I talk about 1988 (drought.) We all have milestones in our lives, some personal, some shared with the broader community. The challenge before us is to not let the negative milestones become millstones around our necks, but to find positive milestones to balance the negative and keep us looking forward to the future<br />
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W Kevin NelsonDave Rahehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17108355853125038353noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6612273194392437406.post-27214421950017179352019-06-15T14:11:00.001-07:002019-06-16T06:05:36.164-07:00Corn Harvest Continues in Brazil<br />
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<span style="color: black; font-size: 12.0pt;"><o:p> By Eduardo Paim:</o:p></span></div>
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<span style="background: #f8f9fa; color: #222222; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">Here
in Mato Grosso we are beginning to harvest second harvest corn, in the state we
have 15% harvested. In the northern region in the first harvests we had corn
burned due to excessive rains during development. Farmers are not handling corn
to make the blending of corn harvested with corn that they are harvesting good
at the moment. The situation will get regularized and I do not believe that we
will have problems of too much corn fire. At this moment the quality is
excellent and the productivity between 130 bags per ha and 150 bags per ha. In
two weeks we will have more farms starting to harvest corn and I send you
message. In the south of Mato Grosso we have not started yet. </span></div>
Dave Rahehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17108355853125038353noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6612273194392437406.post-13685953086559879452019-05-30T04:13:00.002-07:002019-05-30T04:14:02.531-07:00Corn Harvest in Brazil By Eduardo Paim:<br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #212121; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">Here in Brazil we are beginning the harvest of the second crop maize. Some states are realizing that corn will get its quality compromised due to excessive rains. In the north of the state of Mato Grosso, the producers at this beginning of the harvest have already identified maize with 30% of damage. This week some farms had difficulty harvesting because they received rains. We still do not know if this is going to be a major loss. </span>Dave Rahehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17108355853125038353noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6612273194392437406.post-86117858058626456172019-04-29T09:20:00.000-07:002019-04-29T09:20:32.266-07:00Honda of Illinois DeceitfulWe have been searching for a new car for several weeks. We test drove a number of very nice vehicles and my wife decided she would like to drive a Honda Odyssey. It has many good safety features we like and passenger seating is very comfortable compared to other vehicles we looked at.<br />
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We first test drove one at Roy Schmidt Honda in Effingham. The nice young man we talked to was up front and said we would get the internet price. We were travelling at the time so we went on our trip to Indiana.<br />
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On our return on Monday, my wife checked the Honda of Illinois website and found the exact same vehicle for $500 less. That evening we went and test drove it and indicated we would take it. The nice young salesman in Springfield named Dustin Morris brought us a price that did not match the internet price, I asked him if it was correct and he said yes, so because of the fact that dealers play with numbers and we thought the price included dealer prep and other stuff and that we were still getting the internet price.<br />
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He took us to the "closer" whose name escapes me. When the closer told us the payment, I said it was higher than I expected. He also pressured us to get the extended warranty which I did not want, It turned out the the extended warranty also committed us to dealer added extras. I did not realize this. The closer used the tactic of lowering the payment by extending the term.<br />
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It has been so long since I purchased a vehicle from such a deceptive dealer that I was not cautious about what I was signing. Over the next weekend I reread the paperwork and found that they had cheated me out of the internet price by about $2500. That is not to mention the warranty and the extras. I stopped by Honda of Illinois on my way home from a job on Monday and raised the issue with them. They offered me 5 oil changes which I refused. I have since been promised $1000 and $750 which I have not received. <br />
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I am a little embarrassed to post this, but I decided that since they did not own up to their deception with at least a partial refund, I would put it out there as fair warning. I promised I would do this if they did not give me a refund, so here it is. It has been 3 weeks. <br />
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We do like the vehicle, but if you want a new Honda, beware. Dave Rahehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17108355853125038353noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6612273194392437406.post-70200332484766895662019-04-24T16:09:00.000-07:002019-04-24T16:09:09.426-07:00How late is late? When I was in High School, someone asked my dad, " When do you plant corn" I was getting ready to jump in and say we like to start in early April. My Dad's wise but simple response was " when the soil is ready." Of course he was right then, and that is still correct today. We are hearing about lots of farmers stressing over planting dates, but in my opinion, we are still in a position to have a good to excellent crop year. I heard many top corn producers say that their best corn was not their earliest. <br />
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Early soybean planting has been an emphasis of many people in the past few years. The thought being that increased yields of very early planted soybeans may offset the risk of freezing. I have seen some compelling research data that favors early planting, but I have also been told by some reliable sources that the best soybean yields in my part of South Central Illinois come when soybeans are planted between May 25 and June 7. <br />
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Another thing to consider is Crop Insurance Planting Dates for <a href="https://www.countryfinancial.com/content/dam/cfin/pdfs/insurance/InteractivePDF_CropMeetings_FinalPlantDateCorn.pdf">Corn </a>and <a href="https://www.countryfinancial.com/content/dam/cfin/pdfs/insurance/InteractivePDF_CropMeetings_FinalPlantDateSoybeans.pdf">Soybeans</a>. The crop insurance people are not in business to lose money and they have more data than anyone to support their dates. Corn date in my area is June 5 and Soybean date is June 20. We have all seen good to excellent yields in soybeans that are planted in late June especially first crop beans. <br />
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And what is the cost of compaction created by getting on fields when they are too wet? A quick google search today gave me information from all across the Midwest. Universities say that yield losses related to compaction is 10 to 30%. One of the problems with compaction is that it can last for several years. So in the end, my father's advise from 50 years ago is still relevant. Plant when soil moisture conditions are right. <br />
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If you still cannot come to terms with the fact that you may end up planting corn in June, maybe you should see a clergyman or mental health professional to help you deal with the stress. Patience is certainly a virtue when you can't take care of business like you normally do. Dave Rahehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17108355853125038353noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6612273194392437406.post-91817244410423690662019-03-27T05:57:00.003-07:002019-03-27T05:57:42.378-07:00Soybean Yield Challenge 2019 The Illinois Soybean Association will be holding a webinar on April 4 to present the Illinois Soybean Yield Challenge for 2019. The yield challenge is a good way to challenge yourself to test higher levels of inputs to see if you can beat your normal management practices and learn what your return on investment might be. <a href="https://register.gotowebinar.com/register/3873099375623294467?source=Invitation">Register</a> now for the webinar and tune in next week.Dave Rahehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17108355853125038353noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6612273194392437406.post-19188278211528717612019-03-02T08:19:00.000-08:002019-03-02T08:19:16.841-08:00Agent Orange in VietnamMy friend Dr. Ken Olsen has released his study of <a href="https://aces.illinois.edu/news/toxic-byproducts-agent-orange-continue-pollute-vietnam-environment-study-says">Agent Orange Residues in Vietnam</a>. This is a followup to his studies of tunnels in Vietnam. Agent Orange is made up of 2-4D and 2-4-5T. Neither chemical is persistent in the environment, but the mixture sprayed in Vietnam did not have toxic dioxin removed. He has found that the dioxin is still persisting in the environment and in places around some of the airports, the dioxin is still found in very high levels. I wrote a term paper on Agent Orange for my Weeds Class at U of I, so I am very familiar with the issue. Dave Rahehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17108355853125038353noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6612273194392437406.post-71090386776615703722019-02-14T12:39:00.002-08:002019-02-14T12:40:21.440-08:00Burn Workshop Burn management is a great way to enhance natural areas and CRP plantings. Hickory Hills Chapter of Illinois Audubon Society and Illinois Chapter of Soil and Water Conservation Society are hosting prescription burn workshop next week to help teach people what steps are needed to plan a prescribed burn. CCA Credits are available.<br />
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<br />Dave Rahehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17108355853125038353noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6612273194392437406.post-46086354997516043992019-02-02T11:02:00.001-08:002019-02-02T11:02:38.375-08:00How Much Better Do You Need to Be<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
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David Kohl of Virginia Tech was one of the only Farm Futures speakers I have heard before this year. His advice and guidance is excellent. I think it was one of the other speakers who share 2 slides. One showed farm profits prior to 2013. Top Producers were making excellent money. Average producers were doing well. The bottom tier was still showing a profit. Now, Top Producers are still doing well, although maybe not as good as 6 years ago. Average producers are above break even, but the Bottom tier is in trouble. Kohl says that producers need to be 5% better than average in order to succeed. He says the businesses a that are a little better at production, marketing, cost control, and asset and capital efficiency are going to stay in business. </div>
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<br />Dave Rahehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17108355853125038353noreply@blogger.com0