Spring Ag 2020

Inside: SPRING AGRICULTURE MARCH 2020

Le Sueur County News St. Peter Herald Owatonna People’s Press Waseca County News

Nerstrand woman tells Congress about the benefits, needs of farmers markets

 Are your dry cows getting the nutrition they need?  Is managing nitrogen fertilizer for corn getting more difficult?  New ethanol bill touted as good for farmers and the environment  and more!

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Wednesday, March 11, 2020

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USDA launches new pilot program to plant cover crops The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Farm Service Agency today announced a new pilot program that enables farmers in the Prairie Pothole region to receive payments for planting cover crops on their land for three to five years.

The new Conservation Reserve Program Soil Health and Income Protection Program pilot is available to producers in Iowa, Minnesota, Montana, North Dakota and South Dakota. The signup for this pilot starts March 30 and ends Aug. 21.

“We are excited to provide a short-term Conservation Reserve Program option tailored to the unique soil health needs of producers in the Prairie Pothole region,” said FSA Administrator Richard Fordyce. “The number of acres that can be enrolled in the program are limited, and participation will be on a first-

come, first-served basis. Interest- ecosystem that sustains plants, ed landowners should act now by animals and humans. contacting their FSA county office for an appointment to apply.” The SHIPP pilot is the latest option in a full suite of opporThrough SHIPP, producers have tunities available to producers the option of three-, four- or through CRP and other confive-year CRP contracts to es- servation programs offered by tablish cover crops on less pro- USDA. Farmers and ranchers are ductive cropland in exchange encouraged to talk to their FSA for payments. This pilot enables county office soon about whether producers to plant cover crops this pilot fits their operation or that, among other benefits, will consider another longer-term improve soil health and water option such as the CRP General quality while having the option signup that ends Feb. 28 or CRP to harvest, hay and graze during Continuous signup that is ongocertain times of the year. Up to ing.

50,000 acres can be enrolled.

For more information, see the Cover crops, whether used in a fact sheet or visit www.fsa.usda. single crop rotation or over mul- gov/crp and contact your local tiple years, can improve the pro- office. To find your local USDA ductivity of soils and soil health Service Center office, visit www. on a farm for generations and farmers.gov/service-locator. increase the bottom line for the farmer. Soil health, or soil quality, by definition, is the capacity Cover crops growing between rows of corn in northern Rice County. (File photo) of soil to function as a vital living

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Spring Agriculture A special publication of the Le Sueur County News, St. Peter Herald, Owatonna People’s Press and Waseca County News

Look for this section on

LE SUEUR COUNTY NEWS com

Wednesday, March 11, 2020

Halal and kosher meat offers market opportunities

By University of Minnesota Extension

LE SUEUR COUNTY NEWS ST. PETER HERALD

OWATONNA PEOPLE’S PRESS WASECA COUNTY NEWS

Publisher Chad Hjellming

Publisher Steve Fisher

Group Advertising Directory Tom Kelling

Group Advertising Directory Tom Kelling

Media Consultants Kathleen Davies Gayle Stelten

Media Consultants Amber Casterton Sarah Escamilla Jennifer Flowers Crystal Hobart

Spring Agriculture March 2020 is distributed to subscribers and readers of the Le Sueur County News, St. Peter Herald, Owatonna People’s Press and Waseca County News at no additional charge. All rights reserved. ©2020 All advertising contained herein is the responsibility of the advertiser.

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Halal and kosher are faith practices related to foods that are permissible to eat. Both present market opportunities for Minnesota farmers and businesses.

The University of Minnesota Extension Regional Sustainable Development Partnerships (RSDP) recently partnered with the Minnesota Department of Agriculture (MDA), Agricultural Utilization Research Institute (AURI), farmers, business owners and members of the Muslim and Jewish faith communities to explore dietary and processing requirements associated with each practice, and opportunities for market entry in Minnesota.

The report found that demand for Minnesota-produced halal and kosher meats currently exceeds supply.

(Photo courtesy of University of Minnesota Extension) but for Somali communities is a staple food,” explained Serdar Mamedov, a University of Minnesota Extension educator and Central RSDP board member working on the project. “At this time fresh goat meat is not available, and all they have access to is imported frozen meat and the quality isn’t the best. They would like to have something that is raised locally.”

oversights, certifications, meat processing availability and animal welfare rules for both practices. The team looked at opportunities and barriers to market growth, as well as consumer concerns and preferences. Findings included:

in the requirements of religious slaughter standards.

• In Minnesota, there is one dedicated kosher processing plant located in Dawson.

• Minnesota’s halal meat market is concentrated in metropolitan areas, but there is demand for halal meat in small-to midsized towns throughout the state. Willmar, Fairmont and Pelican Rapids, for example, all have halal consumers and small halal grocers that serve these populations.

• The kosher market and growing halal market present unrealized opportunities for Minnesota farmers, meat producers and A team of researchers and com- emerging businesses.

“Goat meat for many of us is munity stakeholders, led by considered a specialty food, Extension, analyzed regulatory • Currently, nearly all of the halal goat meat purchased in Minnesota is imported frozen from Australia and New Zealand.

“These findings show the opportunity for multiple benefits • In Minnesota, both halal and to Minnesota farmers and kosher labeling are protected consumers to create supply under state statute. The respec- chains for local, sustainably tive laws are similar but contain raised meat for a variety of a key difference in labeling re- communities in our state,” said quirements; kosher must have a Kathy Draeger, RSDP statewritten label, while halal can be wide director and the study’s oral or written statements. principal investigator. “The benefits can include build(Photo courtesy of University of Minnesota Extension) • Halal and kosher consumers, ing bridges among cultures, like the Christian and secular providing additional farm incommunity, have demand pat- come and diversification, and terns based on seasonal events import substitution for meat and holidays. Around these hol- that could be produced here.” idays, demand for certain types or cuts of meat increases.

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Are your dry cows getting the nutrition they need? more susceptible to metabolic

By EMILY WILMES University of Minnesota Exten- disorders and mobilize more fat after calving. Late lactation BCS sion should be around 3.25 at dry off.

Every dairy operation has many, many components that must There is research out of Illinois work well together in order to that found overfeeding energy for an 8-week period can lead have a sucto excessive internal fat and be cessful dairy harmful to cows. This is espebusiness. It’s cially true during the transition i mp or t ant period due to inflammation and that nothimpaired liver function. Intering slips nal fat is not always indicated in through body condition score, and when the cracks, thin cows are overfed, they can especially respond as if they were fat. when it Wilmes comes to dry Observe cows regularly and watch cows.

Dry cows do not benefit from a “one for symptoms size fits all” approach when it comes to their nutrition, but There are five key symptoms of there are some common prac- overfeeding or excessive insulin resistance: tices to keep in mind.

in intake in fresh cows.

Excessive body weight or BCS gain during the dry period.

Excessive body weight or BCS loss during early lactation.

Higher incidence of subclinical and clinical ketosis and displaced abomasum.

Key components to dry cow nutrition to help control BCS and body weight

Dry matter intake can be maintained, while energy intake is controlled by formulating diets appropriately for fiber and energy density. Typically corn silagebased diets provide too much energy. want without over-consuming energy.

Controlled-energy diets typically Large decreases in intake as a incorporate low-energy feed- Once dry matter intake is set, Consider body condition score stuffs such as straw, grass hay or the diet can be formulated with cow approaches calving. hay crop silage. These feedstuffs protein feedstuffs to supply at Using the 5-point scale, cows at or above a 3.5 BCS at calving are Low intake or sluggish increases allow cows to eat as much as they least 1100 g/day of metaboliz-

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Wednesday, March 11, 2020

Is managing nitrogen fertilizer for corn getting more difficult?

By JEFF VETSCH University of Minnesota Extension

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If farmers don’t have enough challenges lately with trade issues and low commodity prices, recent wet growing seasons have made nitrogen management of corn more difficult.

While annual precipitation has been trending upward across Minnesota, excessive rainfall during the growing season has been especially pronounced in south-central and southeast Minnesota the last few years.

(Photo courtesy of University of Minnesota Extension) In 2016, when Minnesota set the state’s annual precipitation record, Waseca recorded over 56 inches of annual precipitation. In 2018, Caledonia and Harmony both recorded over 56 inches.

Last year, several weather stations in the region reported 50+ inches. Harmony has recorded 50+ inches in three of the last four years.

What does all of this rainfall mean for agriculture?

For corn growers, greater precipitation means fewer days available for field work, delayed field operations, compacted soils, nitrogen loss and often yellow corn. With all of this rain, farmers and their advisors may be wondering: should I change my nitrogen management practices?

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While I still recommend, first and foremost, following the University of Minnesota’s nitrogen rate guidelines for corn and using the Nitrogen Rate Calculator, recent research in southeast Minnesota suggests that split application of nitrogen may be worth trying.

farm research trials have been conducted in southeast Minnesota. The data are shared with participants and entered into the Nitrogen Rate Calculator, the U of M’s database and are a source for nitrogen rate guidelines for corn grown in Minnesota.

The optimum nitrogen rate for corn varied considerably among trial locations. For corn following soybean sites, the optimum nitrogen rate ranged from 103 to 203 lbs. per acre and averaged 154 lbs. Corn after corn sites ranged from 100 to 270 lbs. per acre and averaged 186 lbs. For comparison, 71% of the 98 sites in the Nitrogen Rate Calculator database were optimized between 76 to 150 pounds per acre for corn following soybean.

What is causing the wide range and uncertainty in optimum nitrogen rates?

Seventy-five percent of the sites studied had at least one month with excessive rainfall (greater than 150% of normal) and 56% had three or more months of excessive rainfall during the growing season. Excessive precipitaThe University of Minnesota tion during the growing season has partnered with the Minne- is resulting in nitrogen loss and sota Department of Agriculture, inefficient use by corn plants.

Minnesota farmers and their agricultural advisors to conduct re- What can farmers do to minisearch and education on how to mize these losses and maximize optimize nitrogen rate and tim- economic return on nitrogen ing for corn. Since 2015, 16 on- fertilizer?

Farmers certainly can’t stop the rain. However, they can use Best Management Practices adapted to their region and soils to minimize nitrogen loss. Split application of nitrogen fertilizer was one BMP tested in this study. A portion of the nitrogen fertilizer was applied in the spring prior to planting and the remainder was applied when the corn was about 10 inches tall, usually in early June. In 25% of research sites, a split application of N increased corn yield 11 bushels per acre compared with applying all nitrogen prior to planting. Although a 25% success rate is not huge, split application never reduced corn yield, and it occasionally reduced the total amount of fertilizer required when compared to applying all fertilizer prior to planting. Furthermore, split application generally worked best at the wettest sites.

When split-applying nitrogen, the amount of nitrogen applied prior to planting can be as little as 20% of the total with corn following soybean. However, corn following corn and small grains research suggests that applying at least 50% of the total nitrogen rate prior to planting is optimal.

Wednesday, March 11, 2020

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Now’s the time to prune trees and start seeds

Prune trees

By JULIE WEISENHORN University of Minnesota ExtenTrees to prune now: Oaks, apple, sion crabapple, maple, birch, honeylocust, showy mountain ash, There are hawthorne, butternut, walnut, plenty of ironwood, blue beech. things to do for your garNote some trees like birch, maple den, even and walnut may drip sap from when there’s the cuts. That’s ok - it’s a natural still snow on occurrence. the ground.

Late winTools for pruning: hand prunter and earlyWeisenhorn er, lopper, hand saw, polesaw, spring is the chainsaw. Tools with telescoping best time for these activities: handles are handy for reaching branches in the canopy.

Start some seeds

Start seeds that take a long time to germinate or grow to planting size: geraniums, pansies, wax begonias, leeks, onions, alpine strawberry, browallia, clarkia, dusty miller, fountain grass, impatiens, larkspur, lobelia, nem- Clean equipment and tools esia, stocks, torenia, celery.

Pots and saucers: Clean off soil Use peat pots or other biode- residue and wash in hot, soapy gradable pots for starting trans- water, inside and out. plant-sensitive clarkia and nemesia. You can rip off the bottoms Stakes, cages, small trellises, of biodegradable pots and plant pruning tools: Use a rag or old them right in the ground. towel and wipe all surfaces with isopropyl or ethyl alcohol (70Plant tubers like begonias in a 100%). A 10% bleach solution is flat of peat moss or vermiculite fine for non-metal items. Alco-

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Spring is a busy time for the Sharpen pruning tools with University Soil Testing Lab, so a sharpening stone, or have submitting a soil test now can them professionally sharpened. almost guarantee a quicker turnGoogle “tool sharpening” for around. Even though there is still snow on the ground, you may be services in your area. able to collect a soil sample as the Use a file to sharpen the blades of frost is not as deep in the ground spades, shovels, trowels, garden this winter. forks, and other digging tools.

Follow the guidelines for collectTake this opportunity to inspect ing a sample, filling out the form handles for cracks or splits, lose and sending it in to the Soil Testhardware and handles. Repair ing Laboratory. them now before you really need them.

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Nerstrand woman tells Congress about the benefits, needs of farmers markets

By SAM WILMES swilmes@northfieldnews.com A Nerstrand woman described the benefits of local farmers markets and called on Congress to make them easier to operate during testimony before the U.S. House Committee on Agriculture.

Kathy Zeman, an occasional vendor at Riverwalk Market Fair in Northfield, executive director of the Minnesota Farmers Market Association and organic livestock farmer, was in Washington, D.C. Feb. 11, at the invitation of a subcommittee to the U.S. House Committee of Agriculture to testify about the value of local farmers markets and how the federal government can enable them to grow.

Nerstrand organic farmer and Minnesota Farmers Market Association Executive Director Kathy Zeman testifies before the House Committee on Agriculture Feb. 11 in Washington, D.C. (Photo courtesy of Kathy Zeman)

She listed the goals of the Minnesota Farmers Market Associaiton, an organization seeking to Zeman said the U.S. House increase the presence of farmers Agirculture’s Subcommittee on markets.

Biotechnology, Horticulture and Research placed a call to various She noted data taken from groups. The National Farmers 11,200 market visitors showed Union reached out to the Minne- farmers market organizers need sota Farmers Union, who asked more data and research on local Zeman. food systems.

Zeman noted the number of farmers markets in Minnesota has significantly increased, from 15 in 1998 to 302 now. She said in the wake of that growth, the federal government needs to strategically invest in local food development. She cited statistics showing farmers gain a far more significant portion of the profit from farmers markets than in stores. She said farmers markets are immune to tariffs and trade, two issues that have impacted retail stores.

food markets that would allow them to utilize professional grant writers to make the application process easier.

“It works good for people who have resources,” Zeman said.

“What about the people who don’t?”

“What I’ve seen in my experience, it takes a savvy person to “If we understand our market get these applications through better, they can better grow the the door.” local food system,” Zeman said.

She added that she was grateful She said farmers markets need Congress obligated permanent more processing grants, comLocal Agriculture Marketing munity kitchens and other amenities. Zeman noted vendors are Program funding in 2018. frequently customers as well.

Some challenges Zeman mentioned include a formidable She requested Congress simplify grant application process local the payment process at farmers food markets face, and she re- markets as the system becomes quested Congress think of ap- more challenging for vendors plicants living in rural areas who due to the growing number of don’t have access to broadband. available payment programs, She suggested funding for local both public and private.

Wednesday, March 11, 2020

n

New ethanol bill touted as good for farmers and the environment

By ANDREW DEZIEL adeziel@faribault.com

A bipartisan group of legislators have introduced a bill that would make Minnesota the first state in the nation to embrace E15, or gasoline with 15% ethanol, as the standard.

The bill was introduced Monday in the House by Rep. Jeanne Poppe, DFL-Austin, and in the Senate by Sen. Torrey Westrom, R-Elbow Lake. Poppe and Westrom serve as chair of the Agriculture Committee in their respective branches of the legislature.

Reps. Todd Lippert, DFL-Northfield, and Jeff Brand, DFL-St. Peter, are among the co-sponsors of the bill. A longtime rural

resident and member of the Climate Solutions Caucus, Lippert said that E15, gasoline blended with 10.5% to 15% ethanol, could provide a crucial boost to farmers while also reducing greenLippert house gas emissions.

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E15 has been commonly sold at Minnesota gas stations since 2018, when the Environmental Protection Agency repealed a regulation that barred the fuel from being sold during the summer months due to concerns about smog. Although retailers were free to sell E15 during other months of the year, most didn’t, because doing so would have forced them to go through the hassle and

Greenhouse gas emissions from transportation have remained stubbornly high in recent years, eclipsing power generation as the state’s largest pollutant. Emissions from transportation Brand fell by just 8% from 2005 to 2018, while emissions from electricity generation fell by 29% in the same time span, according Continued on page 11

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Multi-state, multi-year research project reveals multiple benefits of reduced tillage

Proper tillage warms and dries the soil, assists with weed control, incorporates fertilizer, and o breaks up h compacted layers. Unfortunately, d tillage also breaks apart soil aggregates which LaCanne results in smaller-sized particles prone to a whole host of issues. s s These issues include soil eros sion, soil surface crusting, hard pans, water quality issues, and a , decrease in soil organic matter

PAGE 9

over time. Despite being aware of the potential issues tillage may cause, some row crop farmers are concerned about yield reductions due to cool and wet soil conditions, preventing them from adopting reduced-tillage.

ent depths and aggressiveness levels. This gives farmers more options to address their various concerns about both crop yield and soil health.

In spite of the multiple potential benefits, there is often some concern that reducing tillage will affect crop yield. To address that concern and explore the effects of various tillage practices, a four year, multi-state effort involving University of Minnesota Extension, North Dakota State University, and the Minnesota and North Dakota Corn and Soybean

But, advantages of less frequent and/or aggressive tillage to the crop producer can include better economics, less wear and tear on equipment, improved biological populations and diversity in the soil, and better water holding capacity of the soil. Fortunately, there has been an increase in tillage options over the past 25 years; there are different configurations of shanks, disks, and shovels that till the soil at differ- Continued on page 14

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In search of wetlands restoration success

By JUNE BRENEMAN species. Wetlands also filter polUniversity of Minnesota Exten- lutants and sediment and lessen sion the threat of floods by storing water.

Frogs croaking. Fish jumping.

Ducks nesting. Wetlands of all Wetlands cover almost 20 perkinds are special places for many cent of the state with about

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The Restorable Wetland Index will be especially valuable to conservation organizations that want to focus their resources on restoring wetlands.

75 percent found in northern and northeastern Minnesota.

Southern and western Minnesota, however, have lost about 95 percent of their wetlands due to drainage and agricultural de-

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velopment, contributing to poor has a finer resolution of just three meters and predicts wetland stawater quality in those areas. tus with a commendable 85 perWhen a wetland is in need of cent accuracy. restoration, choosing areas with the best chance for success can Blue colors in this aerial landbe difficult. And making a poor scape image identify areas with choice can be a costly mistake. high probability of being a About a decade ago, the Min- stream, lake, wetland or a restornesota Pollution Control Agency able wetland. Green is middle, reached out to NRRI for help. while orange is low.

NRRI specialists in wetland science and Geographic Informa- “One of the reasons people tion Systems were asked to de- thought the original Restorable velop a tool that could clear the Wetland Index was useful was muck from the decision-making because it was a consistent map that covered the whole state,” process, so to speak. explained Will Bartsch, NRRI As part of that effort, Natural senior researcher who worked Resources Research Institute on the project. “That didn’t exproduced the first statewide Re- ist before. Different groups and storable Wetland Inventory. It regions with different availability identified areas that were likely of resources had their own tools to be restorable wetlands based and methodologies.” on soil drainage characteristics, topography and existing The upgraded Index pulled wetlands. The digital resolution much of its underlying data from wasn’t great, but it helped man- the Minnesota Department of agers identify a set of potential Natural Resources and their sites that could be candidates for recent update to the National restoration – one of the first steps Wetland Inventory. It includes information on millions of wetin identifying specific sites. lands along with 7,000 groundBecause newer and more de- checked locations throughout tailed data are now available for the state. NRRI Data Scientist Minnesota, NRRI is releasing an Katya Kovalenko used high-perupdated, upgraded Restorable formance computing at the MinWetland Index that can be used nesota Supercomputing Institute with even more confidence. It to apply a statistical model that

can predict the probability of an area being an existing or restorable wetland. The machine learning model is based on 15 predictive variables such as distance to the nearest wetland, elevation, slope, soil type, etc.

NRRI researchers worked closely with Steve Kloiber at the DNR who led the decadelong effort to update the wetlands inventory which accurately identifies existing wetlands as small as one twentieth of an acre.

The Restorable Wetland Index will be especially valuable to conservation organizations that want to focus their resources on restoring wetlands.

Land developers can also use it to identify potential wetland mitigation sites when construction projects will damage an existing wetland.

“Without this tool, people would likely need to spend considerable time reviewing aerial photography, looking at historical wetland records, or physically exploring the landscape to identify suitable areas,” said Bartsch. “The Index will save time and money during the identification process.”

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Continued from page 9 expense of changing their pumps and warning labels annually.

Since the repeal of that rule, the amount of E15 gasoline sold has skyrocketed, nowhere more than in Minnesota. According to the Minnesota Corn Growers Association, 350 gas stations around the state carry the product and last year Minnesota drivers pumped more than 70 million gallons of it, triple the amount three years prior.

Minnesota has traditionally been a leader in encouraging biofuel use. The state was the first in the nation to require that fuel carry at least 10% ethanol content, and today over 98% of gasoline sold in the United States contains ethanol, according to the U.S. Department of Energy. Ethanol is also a rare issue that brings legislators from both sides of the aisle together in Minnesota. Last October, U.S. Rep. Jim Hagedorn, R-Blue Earth, joined colleagues from both sides of the aisle in

SPRING AG raising concerns over the EPA’s decision to grant waivers to the However, not all environmentalists are on board with the rule renewable fuel standard. change. After all, the EPA preThis week, Rep. Angie Craig, viously put the brakes on E15 DFL-Eagan, sent a letter to the because mixing gasoline with Select Committee on the Climate a greater percentage of ethanol Crisis, urging the Committee to increases the overall volatility of include biofuels as a part of its the fuel, which can result in adclimate plan. It was signed by ditional air pollution and smog.

11 of Craig’s colleagues, including Nebraska Republicans Jeff Others worry about the environmental impact of the additional Fortenberry and Don Bacon. corn production necessitated by The bill just introduced in the the new policy. In a joint letter legislature has the strong backing to EPA Administrator Andrew of the Minnesota Corn Growers Wheeler, the Sierra Club and Association, which has launched other environmental organizaits “Better Fuel Initiative” to tions claimed that as a result, the campaign for the measure. For- E15 rule could violate the Clean mer Corn Growers Association Air Act. President Brian Thalmann said that E15 provides a better fuel in Thalmann also argued that E15 is likely to be a better quality, cleanmany different respects. er burning fuel for most engines.

Thalmann argued that replacing With an octane level of 88, E15 some petroleum with corn-based is a slight upgrade compared to ethanol could be a healthy move standard gasoline, and is priced for the environment. Accord- slightly lower than traditional ing to an analysis by the USDA, gasoline. greenhouse gas emissions are about 40% lower for corn-based However, the EPA doesn’t recethanol than traditional gasoline. ommend using E15 in vehicles

PAGE 11

E-15 gasoline is currently available at hundreds of gas stations throughout Minnesota. It’s slightly cheaper than E-10, but provides slightly less energy per gallon. (Andrew Deziel/Faribault Daily News) older than 2001, motorcycles or boats. Ethanol can have corrosive effects, and critics have argued that it could still pose long-term damage to newer cars. E15 also contains slightly less energy than either pure gasoline or E10, so cars running on E15 would get slightly lower fuel economy. Although the difference is slight, it does mean that E15, like E85, needs to be sold at a lower price

to be cost efficient for consumers.

According to the Corn Growers Association, Minnesota’s EthaOne group that would certainly nol Industry currently supports benefit from increased ethanol more than 20,000 full-time jobs use are Minnesota’s corn farm- and generates more than $1.7 ers, who are currently reeling billion in income. Many ethanol from several years of difficult plants are cooperatively owned, weather and low commodity ensuring farmers get a chance to prices. Minnesota is the fourth share in the profits. largest ethanol producing state in the nation.

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Wednesday, March 11, 2020

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How farmers are using drones

(Metro) The farmers of yesteryear might not be too familiar with their surroundings if they were to visit a modern farm.

While the men and women who made their livings as farmers decades ago would no doubt still recognize certain farm features that have withstood the test of time, they might not understand the inner workings of the modern farm, particularly in regard to the role technology now plays within the agricultural sector.

Technology has changed agriculture in myriad ways. The methods farmers employ to produce food and improve the efficiency of their operations has changed as technology has evolved. One of the more noticeable changes that’s hard to miss on modern farms is the use of agricultural drones.

ways that can save farmers mon- of their crops at various stages of growth. Such information ey and protect the planet. can prevent overfertilization • Monitor crops: According to and overwatering, thereby resenseFly, the commercial drone ducing waste and runoff, bensubsidiary of Parrot Group, efitting the planet as a result. drones can help farmers effectively monitor their crops. With • Planning: Drones can be used a drone flying overhead, farmers to collect data on crop growth can spot and quickly identify is- and health at various times sues affecting their crops before throughout those issues escalate into some- the growing season. That can help farmers develop accurate thing larger. predictions regarding harvest • Soil analysis: Another potential quality and crop yield, makbenefit of agricultural drones ing it easier for them to plan highlights their role in analyzing ahead. soil. Agricultural drones utilize complex mapping functions to Agricultural drones are one gather data about the soil, in- of the many examples that ilcluding areas where it might be lustrate how technology has stressed. That enables farmers changed and will continue to to develop accurate soil samples change the ways modern farmthat can be used to guide deci- ers conduct business. sions in regard to irrigation and fertilization.

Drones have been around for decades. Sometimes referred to as • Reduce waste: SenseFly notes “unmanned aerial vehicles,” or that data gathered by drones can “UAVs,” drones can be utilized in help farmers determine the vigor

Wednesday, March 11, 2020

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What do last year’s low aphid numbers mean for the 2020 growing season?

By CLAIRE LACANNE Guest columnist

tense storms. The temperatures last winter got low enough that there was potential for aphid We saw lower populations of mortality, and because the snow soybean aphid throughout Min- was patchy, it is likely that aphids nesota during the 2019 growing were exposed to the freeing temperatures instead of insulated by season. the snow. Very heavy rains like we experienced last spring can Some possometimes knock aphid popusible exlations down by literally knockplanations ing them off the plants. These for those weather factors can temporarily low soyreduce aphid populations. bean aphid numbers It was nice to have lower aphid include exnumbers last year, especially treme cold LaCanne knowing that we are starting combined with inconsistent snow cover, and the to have fewer insecticide opwet spring conditions with in- tions with which we can manage

aphids. However, entomologists at the University of Minnesota are curious if these lower populations of aphids will result in lower populations of one of aphid’s natural enemies.

Natural enemies can help control pest insects by eating the pests or killing them in other ways, which decrease their numbers and can help keep pests in check.

The soybean aphid’s most devoted natural enemy is a tiny parasitoid wasp called Aphelinus certus. This diminutive aphid-sized wasp may be especially useful as a biological control agent against soybean aphid because it uses the aphid as a host for its offspring,

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so it tracks the aphid very closely. soybean aphid numbers increase in 2020, but it will be necessary The wasp actually lays its eggs to scout for the wasp this suminside of aphids. The eggs hatch mer to be sure. There’s a good inside the aphid and the wasp chance that we might see aphid larva lives inside the aphid, kill- numbers increase again this year, ing it from the inside. When because we’ve had relatively mild the wasp is fully developed, it winter conditions and enough emerges from the aphid’s corpse snow cover that could insulate as an adult. This whole process the aphids and keep them above results in just a husk of an aphid lethal temperatures. As of now, left behind, known as an “aphid this winter may end up favoring mummy.” soybean aphids for 2020.

With the generally low aphid numbers throughout Minnesota in 2019, researchers didn’t find Aphelinus certus in many counties. They assume that Aphelinus certus numbers will rebound if

However, the snow cover may also be good for our little wasp friend. Studies indicate that Aphelinus certus overwinters in soybean fields, while the soybean aphid overwinters on buckthorn.

Reduced tillage or plenty of plant residue may improve the parasitoid’s chance of surviving winter, which in turn could help control the aphids. There is ongoing research that examines these relationships and will hopefully inform future management recommendations.

If you are interested in having University of Minnesota researchers visit your soybean fields to monitor populations of soybean aphid and parasitic wasps as part of future surveys, please contact Jonathan Dregni at dreg0005@umn.edu.

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Wednesday, March 11, 2020

The role of technology in agriculture

agricultural sector become more profitable and efficient while also improving safety and making agriculture more eco-friendly.

In addition, the NIFA notes that the modern agricultural industry employs technology such as robots, temperature and moisture While agriculture might not be sensors, aerial images, and global the first industry people think of positioning systems. when reflecting on the changing nature of industry, The National If it sounds complicated, that’s Institute of Food and Agricul- because it is. For example, modture notes that modern farms are ern sensors can detect soil convastly different than those from a ditions, potentially producing hundreds of readings per second. few decades ago.

These sensors help farmers know Farmers have long relied on the best possible time to plant technology to make their opera- seeds so they can reach their full tions as efficient, productive and potential. That improves both profitable as possible. Precision the efficiency of modern farms agriculture, which refers to tech- as well as their output. nological advances designed to propel agriculture into the mod- The NIFA also notes that agriern, computerized and informa- cultural technology has reduced tion-based world, is helping the waste. For instance, thanks to ag(Metro) Modern industry is driven by technology. Advancements in technology have changed how business is conducted, with some industries undergoing dramatic changes since the dawn of the 21st century.

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TILLAGE

Continued from page 9 associations evaluated which tillage practices maximized earlyseason soil warming and crop yields while simultaneously improving soil health.

The farms in this study ranged in soil series with sandy, loamy, and clayey textures, providing local farmers with a realistic picture of low-tillage impacts on their own acreage. Full scale equipment was used in farmers’ fields.

The tillage systems included:

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1. Chisel plow 2. Vertical tillage

3. Strip till with shank 4. Strip till with coulters

ricultural technology, farmers no longer have to apply water, fertilizers and pesticides uniformly across entire fields. Technology has shown that farmers can simply target specific areas or even treat individual plants differently. That saves time and allows farmers to use only minimal quantities of water, fertilizer and pesticides. In addition, according to the NIFA, employing agricultural technology in this fashion leads to higher crop productivity and reduces runoff of chemicals into rivers and groundwater, thereby reducing the farm’s impact on local ecosystems.

Modern farms are technological marvels where various technologies are being employed to produce crops more efficiently and safely than ever before. farm during one year. At that farm, both strip till treatments yielded more, on average, than the chisel plowing and vertical till. Yield difference trends were observed in corn in some years, but these differences were not consistent.

There were no trends year-toyear, farm-to-farm, or among the tillage practices.

As far as moisture and temperature, the researchers found that the chisel plow and strip-till treatments consistently had the driest and warmest soil conditions. These were followed by strip-till and vertical till. Those conditions were tested in spring The research shows that crop producers can do less tilland early summer. age and leave more residue Interestingly, trends in soil mois- on the soil surface, while still ture and temperatures did not maintaining their crop yields. correspond to any differences in Research was a collaborasoybean or corn plant popula- tion of UMN Extension, (Dr. tions, growth, or yields. Soybean Aaron Daigh), and the Minyield was not affected by tillage at nesota and North Dakota Corn any of the farms during the four and Soybean commodity groups growing seasons, except for one

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Farmers talk sustainability, solutions with U of M and SFA

By CARSON HUGHES we’re going to move forward next chughes@lesueurcountynews. season, what our successes and com failures were and how we can build to make next year better,” Heavy rains hit Minnesota farm- said Bill Carda. ers hard over the last year, but local fruit and vegetable growers Carda is the co-owner of Under are looking to turn their fortunes the Sun Herbs in Madelia and around. was one of around 30 farmers to attend the farmer-to-farmer Producers from across the region gathering. Networking opportuwere given a rare opportunity to nities don’t come along often for meet with fellow farmers Feb. local producers, but in partner11 when the University of Min- ship with the SFA, the U of M nesota Extension Office and the Extension Office debuted a pilot Sustainable Farming Association program to bring local farmers of Minnesota held a farmer-to- together. The event, hosted at the farmer gathering in St. Peter to Nicollet County Health and Hushare insights on building a bet- man Services Office in St. Peter, attracted growers from not just ter harvest.

St. Peter and Mankato but all the “I was excited to get together way up to Northfield. with fellow farmers, talk about how the past season went, how “Having a community and re-

connecting with other farmers is helpful for all of us,” said Natalie Hoytle with the U of M Extension Office. Hoytle was one of the lead organizers of the event.

“We’re just here to connect, learn from each other and talk about different issues that people have been having and try to learn from each other about the strategies people have been using and innovative solutions.“ Of particular concern at the gathering was the rainy seasons which had plagued farmers throughout 2019. Weeks of heavy precipitation and flooding in the Spring led more and more growers to plant their crops later in the year, which put their produce at risk of being killed by an early frost. Growers were bitten again by hefty showers in the fall, dam-

Cover crops growing between rows of corn in northern Rice County. Farmers learned about implementing cover crops to protect their fields from erosion at the farmer to farmer gathering hosted by U of M Extension and SFA. (County News file photo)

aging what was already expected big rain events, the water doesn’t a lower than average yield. just wash everything away, it seeps down into the deep soil.

One solution to Minnesota’s wet That’s an area of opportunity and weather that’s gaining popularity probably an area that needs to be around the state and among lo- studied as well. So I think that’s cal growers is cover crops. These something that a lot of people crops, which include species like were interested in expanding on.” rye, clover and vetch are seeing more use to improve water infil- Another much talked about solution was growing fruits and vegtration and prevent erosion. etables in raised beds.

“I think there’s a lot of opportunity with cover crops,” said Dan “That really helps with water Zimmerle, both a producer who management and mitigation beworks on Cedar Crate Farm, cause raised beds give water an south of Kasota, and as an SFA area to go and they dry out faster associate. “They can help im- because they’re raised up,” said prove soil and soil water infiltra- Zimmerle. tion so the soil can store more water so when they have these The whole event appeared to be

a hit with the farmers who attended, including Carda.

“We learned a lot about cover crops and different regenerative and sustainable practices to control weeds and pests,” said Carda. “That was one of the biggest takeaways. I also got a lot of ideas on marketing and how we can sell our crops in the future based on what other people were doing.”

“I definitely got to meet a lot of new people, network and learn from others’ successes and failures.”

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