Dryland No-Tiller

Revolutionizing the World of Agriculture with No-Till

Fri, 20 Oct 2023 10:00:16 -0400

Protecting the environment and production agriculture are not mutually exclusive. All it takes is a little revolutionary thinking—brown revolutionary thinking.

USDA Investments Help Farmers Transition to No-Till

Mon, 09 Oct 2023 15:55:40 -0400

Change is never easy, even when you can see the chance for something better. USDA is helping to make that change a little easier.

Summer Full of Unpredictable Weather Patterns Continues

Thu, 27 Jul 2023 10:29:34 -0400

The general narrative of climate change is that when it comes to the weather, there is no normal anymore. Well, if that is the case, 2023 is playing right to script. This definitely has been the summer of weather surprises.

Risk of Extreme Weather in Wheat Belt Poses Increasing Threat to Growers

Mon, 19 Jun 2023 09:06:39 -0400

A new study published recently in the journal NPJ Climate and Atmospheric Science suggests that heat waves and temperature spikes (and along with them the damage they can cause to wheat crops) are becoming more normal in the central part of the U.S.

Soil Loss Due to Erosion & Rising Carbon Dioxide Levels Are Cause for Alarm

Thu, 18 May 2023 09:47:01 -0400

By 2050 it’s estimated that there will be roughly 9.8 billion people on the globe, more than in the entire history of our species.

Clay Pope: Soil Erosion Costs Money

Thu, 20 Apr 2023 09:15:16 -0400

It still surprises me how many people fail to make the connection between conservation/climate-smart ag/soil health and the positive impact good natural resource management can have on your bottom line.

Clay Pope: Is the 100th Meridian Dryline Divider Moving East?

Thu, 20 Apr 2023 09:15:16 -0400

Things definitely change at the 100th meridian. The question now seems to be if that dividing line is slowly moving east.

Unpacking the Latest UN Intergovernmental Climate Change Panel Report

Thu, 06 Apr 2023 10:00:18 -0400

The most recent report from the United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) is the most strident released by the IPCC yet, saying that it is “unequivocal” that human influence has warmed the global climate system, with observed changes already impacting every region on the planet with some of the changes researchers observed in the climate described as “unprecedented.”

When & How Much Nitrogen to Apply to Wheat

Wed, 29 Mar 2023 00:00:00 -0400

Wheat has already reached green-up across Ohio, so spring N may be applied anytime fields are fit. Keep in mind that research has shown no yield benefit to early N applications as long as the application was made by Feekes GS 6 (one visible node).

Climate Smart Agriculture Requires Flexibility & Ability to Adapt

Fri, 17 Mar 2023 12:24:51 -0400

One size does not fit all when it comes to trying to make changes that help agriculture adapt to our changing climate.

NRCS Ready to Move Climate-Smart Cost Share Dollars

Thu, 02 Mar 2023 09:12:45 -0500

In case you missed it last week, U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack announced that USDA is making available cost-share funds to help farmers and ranchers implement climate-smart agriculture practices in their operations through the implementation of the over $19 billion that was appropriated to the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) as part of the Inflation Reduction Act.

Clay Pope: The Sustainability Train is Still Running

Mon, 20 Feb 2023 16:34:01 -0500

The sustainability train is still running. We need to figure out how to get on board — or at least stay off the tracks.

Drought Continues to Be 'Broken Record' in Oklahoma

Mon, 09 Jan 2023 12:10:13 -0500

The MESONET station in Goodwell in the Oklahoma Panhandle recorded a total accumulation of precipitation in 2022 of just 6.48 inches. That’s all the rain that fell there for the whole year.

How to Select the Right Dryland Wheat Variety

Mon, 09 Jan 2023 10:31:07 -0500

To achieve good crop establishment on deep-placed seed, long coleoptile varieties are essential.

Popular Herbicides No Longer Control Kochia in Parts of North Dakota

Mon, 19 Dec 2022 15:00:00 -0500

For many years, no-till farmers have used Aim (carfentrazone) and Sharpen (saflufenacil) either just prior to planting or after planting to control emerged kochia and other annual weeds.

What Factors Influence Winter Canola Survival?

Fri, 16 Dec 2022 12:00:00 -0500

Canola winter survival will depend on the ultimate cold temperature, the duration and fluctuations of those temperatures, and the variety selected, among other meteorological factors.

Drought Affects Holiday Celebrations, Despite Some Rain in Drylands

Thu, 15 Dec 2022 12:00:00 -0500

Before we move on to holly, candy canes and visions of sugar plums, I want to remind you that we are still struggling through an overall historically dry period and a rare triple-dip La Nina weather event, and this dry weather is having a measurable impact on our holiday celebrations.

Camelina Eligible for Higher Crop Insurance Coverage in Montana

Wed, 14 Dec 2022 15:00:00 -0500

The USDA Risk Management Agency raised its maximum contract pricing for camelina from $.18 to $.45 per pound during the 2023 crop year.

National Sorghum Producers Announce 2022 Yield Contest Winners

Mon, 12 Dec 2022 14:00:00 -0500

In December, National Sorghum Producers announced the winners of the 2022 Sorghum Yield Contest.

NDSU Publishes Broadleaf Crop Variety Data

Fri, 09 Dec 2022 11:27:59 -0500

Researchers from the North Dakota Agricultural Experiment Station annually conduct variety evaluations at the Research Extension Centers and cooperating producer’s fields. Through these trials, data about flax, canola, field pea, dry bean, sunflower and soybean yield, and quality traits is generated and published.

Livestock Producers, How Has Drought Affected Forage Production?

Wed, 07 Dec 2022 15:47:56 -0500

How has the 2022 drought affected your forage production in the Southern Plains? That’s the question the USDA Southern Plains Climate Hub and the National Drought Mitigation Center (NDMC) are asking agriculture producers in the region to help answer.

No-Till’s a Better Dryland Investment Than Irrigation

Thu, 01 Dec 2022 00:00:00 -0500

No-till wasn’t the solution, at least, not the first one they tried, nor the most obvious. When Dwayne Beck and a few other growers gathered in western South Dakota in the 1970s, they were trying to solve a problem.

Native Grasses Provide Forage, Moisture Retention in Southwest

Mon, 28 Nov 2022 13:40:44 -0500

Both warm- and cool season native grasses provide benefits that are vital to the Southwest desert ecosystems such as lowering soil surface temperature, reducing soil erosion, decreasing soil compaction and improving water infiltration.

Cold Temperatures Have Potential for Wheat Injury

lollato@ksu.edu — Fri, 11 Nov 2022 14:20:29 -0500

The sudden sharp drop in temperatures across Kansas this week will cause the wheat crop to go into dormancy. Whether it will injure the wheat to any degree depends on several factors.

Dryland Drought Keeps on Rolling

Tue, 25 Oct 2022 17:00:00 -0400

The conditions in Oklahoma and Kansas especially continue to deteriorate. Wish I could say something positive. I guess we don’t have to worry about flooding at the moment.

National Sorghum Producers to Lead $65 Million Climate Project

Wed, 21 Sep 2022 00:00:00 -0400

Rather than focusing on soil carbon sequestration alone, the NSP project will create a pathway for the impact of all practices to be quantified, tracked and verified with the intent to monetize these practices in ecosystems services markets of all kinds with an initial focus on low carbon fuel markets.

Pope: USDA Programs Shot in the Arm for Climate-Smart Ag

Wed, 21 Sep 2022 00:00:00 -0400

Another month, another announcement on a major climate smart ag initiative from USDA.

Consider Cover Crops Even in Dry Conditions

Thu, 15 Sep 2022 00:00:00 -0400

Crop response differs depending on the soil and weather conditions, so it is important to choose a mix that works for your operation and crop rotation.

Blog: Get Your Farm in the Fight, 10 Billion People are Coming

Tue, 06 Sep 2022 09:36:58 -0400

In his latest blog entry, Clay Pope writes, "I truly believe that history teaches that every single one of us has a role to play in what is happening now and that our actions will help shape the future."

Focus on No-Till, Soil Health Puts Farm Problems Out to Pasture

Tue, 06 Sep 2022 00:01:00 -0400

My soils were on the verge of giving out on me when I finally made the switch to no-till. I’m a first-generation farmer.