KIERSTEN WISE
LEXINGTON, KENTUCKY
Although it is only the first week of June, corn across western Kentucky will be tasseling before we know it. Many fields are at V10 or beyond, prompting questions about fungicide applications and favorable disease conditions.
Frequent rainfall...
LINDA GEIST
COLUMBIA, MISSOURI
Frequent rain and unseasonably cool weather this May are creating favorable conditions for tar spot to develop in Missouri cornfields in June.
“We’ve detected tar spot in June in each of the last three years, and I anticipate...
ERICK LARSON
STARKVILLE, MISSISSIPPI
Mississippi’s corn crop is already tasseling or quickly approaching, which is the beginning of the important reproductive stages. This year’s weather has been exceptionally dry and completely opposite of last year until recently, so how might this...
UNIVERSITY OF ARKANSAS EXTENSION
JONESBORO, ARKANSAS
May’s World Agricultural Supply and Demand Estimates, or WASDE, report is shining a biofueled ray of light as it forecasts higher average prices for soybeans and corn.
Each month, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s World Agricultural Outlook...
LINDA GEIST
COLUMBIA, MISSOURI
University of Missouri Extension specialists are urging farmers, gardeners, hunters, fishermen and other outdoor enthusiasts to take precautions against ticks by treating clothing with permethrin, a highly effective repellent that both repels and kills ticks.
The reminder comes...
GIOVANI PREZA FONTES
URBANA, ILLINOIS
April ended with temperatures averaging 4 to 8 degrees above normal in Illinois, and despite several rainfall events across the state, planting progress continued to advance. Conditions have generally allowed for steady fieldwork, with USDA-NASS reporting...
KANSAS STATE AGRONOMY DEPARTMENT
MANHATTAN, KANSAS
If corn has been planted, standing water or saturated soil conditions in parts of a field can affect corn now or later. Periods of early-season water saturation can cause immediate problems for small corn plants...
BRUNO PEDREIRA
KNOXVILLE, TENNESSEE
A year ago, I wrote in this column about the importance of correcting acidic soils to make sure our forages grow green and fast in Tennessee pastures. However, in the last few months, I have been receiving...
JAKE MCNEAL
JACKSON, TENNESSEE
Planting progress in 2026 has progressed (and in some cases finished) much faster than any year in my recent memory. While early planting has certainly increased in the last several years (particularly with soybean) this year still...
MARY HIGHTOWER
FAYETTEVILLE, ARKANSAS
Farmers grappling with difficult risk management choices now have a powerful new online tool that’s born from years of data collection and months of refinement.
The Arkansas Crop Decision Support Tool was developed by Eunchun Park, assistant professor of agricultural economics and agribusiness and researcher for the Arkansas Agricultural Experiment Station. The experiment...
MARIANNE STEIN
URBANA, ILLINOIS
Conservation tillage practices, such as no-till and reduced till, are critical for sustainable agriculture, and they are gradually becoming popular with farmers across the Midwest. Monitoring tillage usage can provide insights into soil health, water levels, and...
LINDA GEIST
NOVELTY, MISSOURI
Heavy rainfall is becoming more frequent across Missouri, leaving producers dealing with saturated soils, ponded fields and flooding even before the 2026 growing season began.
Understanding how excess water affects crops – and what steps can help in...
MARY HIGHTOWER
LITTLE ROCK, ARKANSAS
While interest rates have declined from post-pandemic highs, higher input costs related to oil prices may add to farmers’ interest expense burden, said Ryan Loy, extension economist for the University of Arkansas Division of Agriculture.
The Federal Open Market Committee of the Federal Reserve met March 18, voting...
ERICK LARSON
MISSISSIPPI STATE, MISSISSIPPI
Corn vegetative growth stages are designated by a V followed by a number representing fully emerged leaves. Only those leaves which have a leaf collar visible and are fully developed count as an appropriate growth stage. ...
JOHN LOVETT
FAYETTEVILLE, ARKANSAS
Electricity and water don’t usually mix, but technological advancements in floating solar arrays open the potential to generate electricity while decreasing impacts on farm irrigation reservoirs and agricultural land.
Michael Popp with the Arkansas Agricultural Experiment Station is...
