Litchfield Agronomy Day

Extension Service put on a local Agronomy program today.  Usually it ends up being a repeat of other programs I have been to during the winter.  I like to go to visit with clients and potential clients.  Today, lots of information was new.  Robert Bellm spent a good bit of time discussing herbicide carry over and shared some products with potential problems.  He is most concerned about Flexstar.  Bellm suggested collecting some soils and checking it indoors by planting some of you potential crop in pots. 

Fabian Fernadez discussed revisions of removal rates for phosphate and potash.  He is lowering removal rates.  WE discussed this issue at our consultants meeting and consensus is that it is a foolish move.  Ad that to the case for soil testing every year.  Then you know.  He also suggested that producers should consider Nitrogen testing next spring to determine carry over. 

The most interesting program was by Carl Bernacchi.  He discussed his research related carbon dioxide use by corn and soybeans as a means to take advantage of high carbon dioxide levels in the atmosphere.  They have proven that it happens.  They are now looking at was to translate the uptake into better yields.  Bernacchi thinks adaptive management is easier than trying to correct the problem.

Darrell Good did his usual good job in looking at the market outlook for the coming year.  He pointed out that a better than average year could easily lead to $4.50 corn prices in the fall.  He also talked about the likelihood of another severe drought.  His point is that this situation does not arise very often.  

Stephanie Porter lead a good discussion on managing aflatoxin.  Nobody would say that it won't be a problem this year, but they appeared to agree that the problem was mostly related to drought stress.