The Natural Resources Conservation Service’s Conservation Stewardship Program will provide about $175 million in funding for up to 12.6 million additional acres enrollment this year.

This springs cool, wet weather is making it difficult for Iowa farmers to plant their soybeans and making it easier for a well-known pest to affect this years crop. Sudden Death Syndrome (SDS), a soil-borne fungus, is a disease that is highly dependent on the weather and the resistance level of the planted soybean varieties.

Eco Agro Resources is proud to announce its formation and launch on May 1, 2013. Eco Agro Resources is an agriculture and chemical producer and marketer of the next generation of urease inhibitor and patent pending flagship product, N-YieldTM. "Eco Agro Resources is made up of 30 team members with over 100 years of agriculture and chemical experience," says CEO David McKnight. "We have multiple lab and manufacturing locations with a home base in High Point, N.C."

With the variation in conditions we have seen this spring there are a few issues that may show up in fields related to cool and wet soils. Purpling of corn leaves due to phosphorus (P) deficiency and early season interveinal striping due to sulfur (S) may occur if temperatures remain cool and we continue to have frequent rains.

Prolonged wet periods often disrupt the normal sequence of field operations.

A significant portion of Ohio was planted and some (soybean) fields were planted right before this cold period.

Matt Madsen, Ph.D., of the USDA’s Agricultural Research Service (ARS) and representatives from Aquatrols Corporation of America recently presented new findings on a patent-pending surfactant seed coating technology at the International Symposium on Adjuvants for Agrochemicals (ISAA).

The warmer, drier conditions of the last couple of weeks have allowed producers to start spring planting operations in many states.

As we get into May, a reminder is in order about possible slug problems in no-till crops, especially in fields with a history of slug issues.

Dr. Guy Lafond, a champion for zero-till causes in Canada, passed away at age 59.