From the MSU News Service Barley producers are invited to attend the Golden Triangle barley update hosted by Montana State University Extension on Thursday, February 13, at the Pondera Shooting Sports Complex in Conrad. This free event, which is held every three years, will feature leading industry professionals and provide updates on production, marketing and trends. One private or commercial pesticide applicator credit will be available those who attend.
Registration is from 8:15 to 8:45 a.m., and the event will run from 8:45 a.m. to 4 p.m. Agenda highlights include the following:
Jamie Sherman, MSU barley breeder, will present updates on barley varieties and the breeding program at MSU.
Representatives from Malteurop, Molson Coors and Anheuser-Busch InBev will discuss industry barley varieties. Hannah Uhlmann from the MSU Barley, Malt and Brewing Quality Lab will explain malt specifications and their applications.
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PRODUCTION SALES
Feb 15, Sparks & 7C Herefords, Plevna MT A8
Feb 17, Big Sky Salers, Dickinson ND A4
Feb 17, Bulls of the Big Sky Simmental, Angus, SimAngus, Billings MT A6
Feb 17 - 19, Lazy D Red Angus, Online A15
Feb 22, Never Sweat Ranch, Ramsey MT A10
Feb 25, Connelly Angus, Valier MT A12
Mar 1, 3C Cattle, Black Angus, Stevensville MT A13
Mar 1, Redland Red Angus & Gelbvieh, Hysham MT A14
Mar 3, Clear Creek Angus & Weaver Herefords, Chinook MT A17
Mar 4, Apex Angus, Valier MT A19
Mar 4, O’Hara Land & Cattle Maine-Anjou, Maine Angus & Maine Tainer, Online A21
Mar 6, Hill’s Ranch Simmentals, Stanford MT A25
Mar 6, Split Diamond Ranch Angus, Dillon MT A23
Mar 7, Sutherlin Farms Red Angus, Stevensville MT A20
Mar 10, Veseth Cattle Co., Red Angus, Glasgow MT A27
Mar 11, Veltkamp Angus, Manhattan MT A26
Mar 13, Fritz Red Angus, Brady MT A29
Mar 15, Gnerer Angus, Olive MT A22
Mar 15, Duncan Ranch Co, Herefords, Joplin MT A33
Mar 17, Whistling Winds Angus, Inc, Hingham MT A28
Mar 20, Malek Angus Ranch, Highwood MT A30
Mar 22, Valley View Charolais, Polson MT A31
Mar 25, Open Gate Ranch, Black, Red, Simmental, SimAngus, Augusta MT A35
Mar 26, Westphal Registered Red Angus, Grass Range MT A32
Mar 26, Peterson Grain & Cattle, Angus, Havre MT A37
Mar 27, Kicking Horse Ranch, Gelbvieh, Online MT A33
Apr 3, Arntzen Angus Ranch, Lewistown MT A34
Apr 26, Eayrs Ranch, Glasgow MT A39
May 8, Koenig Ranch Reds, Glasgow MT A36
May 30-31, Roundup Horse Sale, Roundup MT A22
and Jean Aaberg watch as these boy spin the wheel. Photo by Suzy Benzing
Annual Beef Feedlot Roundtables scheduled across Nebraska
Join Nebraska Feedlot Extension at three locations across the state February 18, 19 and 20 to dive into a series of timely topics relevant to feedlot management. The program will include Managing hairy heel wart in the feedyard with Becky Funk, veterinarian with UNL’s Great Plains Veterinary Education Center
Leveraging cattle implant strategies for greater gains with Jessica Sperber, Nebraska Extension feedlot specialist
UNL Beef Innovation and research update with Galen Erickson, Nebraska Extension feedlot specialist
Feedyard personnel management with Pete Anderson, Midwest PMS Market outlook with Jeff Stolle from Nebraska Cattlemen
Each Roundtable runs from 10 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. local time.
Tuesday, February 18, Bridgeport, Ne-
MDA requesting 2025 Specialty Crop Block Grant applications
The Montana Department of Agriculture (MDA) is now accepting applications for over $3 million in federal funding available through the Specialty Crop Block Grant (SCBG) program.
The purpose of the SCBG program is to enhance the competitiveness of specialty crops in Montana. Specialty crops include fruits and vegetables, peas, lentils, dried fruits, as well as horticulture, nursery crops, and floriculture. State and/or local organizations, government entities, producer associations, academia, community-based
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Spring Fever Machinery, Miles City MT ............. A38 Spring 2025, Musser Bros Auctions & Real Estate, Equipment, Conrad MT .................................................................................................................. C11
The Trader’s Dispatch prize wheel was a popular feature at the 2025 MAGIE. Here Geri Aaberg-Schulz
Golden Triangle barley seminar
Jim Beusekom from Market Place Commodities in Lethbridge, Alberta, will cover the marketing of off-grade barley.
Ashley McFarland from the American Malting Barley Association will share insights on the future of barley.
Steve Scheffels, vice president of the Montana Grain Growers Association, will provide an update on the Farm Bill.
Kera Birkeland, director of policy at the Montana Grain Growers Association, will discuss relevant policy updates.
The seminar will also include a malting barley industry panel discussion featuring Katelin Standley from AnheuserBusch, Cody Shick from Molson Coors, Mark Black from Malteurop, Jeff Farkell from Centrol Crop Consulting, Sam Anderson from Malteurop and Dave Tweet from Tweet Consulting.
Attendees will have the opportunity to ask questions and engage with industry experts. Lunch will be provided courtesy of the Montana Wheat and Barley Committee.
Event sponsors and contributors include Centrol Crop Consulting, Malteurop, Anheuser-Busch InBev, Molson Coors, American Malting Barley Association and the Montana Wheat and Barley Committee.
Beef Feedlot Roundtables
braska, Prairie Winds Community Center
Wednesday, February 19, Gothenburg, Nebraska, Bayer Water Utilization Learning Center
Thursday, February 20, West Point, Nebraska, Nielsen Community Center
Pre-registration is requested by Friday, February 14 at: https://go.unl.edu/2025roundtable
The cost is $20, payable online at registration or at the door via cash or check. Lunch will be provided.
Specialty Crop Block Grants
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organizations, nonprofit organizations, and other specialty crop stakeholders are eligible to apply either as single entities or in combined efforts.
Eligible projects include improving efficiency and sustainability of specialty crop industries, research, education, developing new and improved varieties, improving the capacity of the distribution chain, enhancing food safety, pest, and disease control. For a complete list of guidelines and eligibility requirements, please visit: agr.mt.gov/SpecialtyCropBlockGrants.
Grant proposals are due to the Montana Department of Agriculture by 5:00 p.m. on February 28, 2025. Technical assistance calls will be held on January 22, 2025, at 1:00 p.m. and February 21, 2025, at 10:00 a.m. For more information, please visit agr.mt.gov/SpecialtyCropBlockGrants or email scbg@mt.gov
BigSky Salers
Bill and Floreta Helm Family Box 174 • Angela, MT 59312 (406) 557-6259 • (406) 853-0344
Bill and Floreta Helm Family Box 174 • Angela, MT 59312 (406) 557-6259 • (406) 853-0344
Call Andy and ask about our large selection
NILE Foundation Scholarship Program
A new year brings new opportunities for youth in agriculture! The NILE Foundation is now accepting applications for scholarships for the 2024-2025 academic year.
For over 30 years, the NILE (Northern International Livestock Exposition) has awarded scholarships to deserving FFA and 4-H students who have been leaders in their respective programs, excelled in the classroom, participated in NILE events and are actively involved in their communities.
“Youth in agriculture are our primary focus and the NILE Foundation is dedicated to creating scholarships for young people who aspire to a career in agriculture. To date the NILE and the NILE Foundation have collaborated on over $1 million for youth pursing secondary studies and we seek to increase that amount every year,” said David Allen, NILE Generalaa Manager.
Scholarships will be awarded and announced in April 2025. Similar to previous years, the NILE Scholarship Committee will be awarding five levels of scholarships:
High School One Time Scholarship: Awarded to high school seniors that meet the qualifications listed in the guidelines.
Rolling Scholarship: The rolling scholarships will be offered to a select group of High School Seniors who will have the opportunity to renew the scholarship yearly, up to four years of their secondary education. Recipients of rolling scholarships will be chosen from the pool of applicants that are current seniors in High School.
Secondary One Time Scholarship: A one-time grant, for students already enrolled in College or a Vo-Tech school meeting the qualifications.
Shining Star: All qualified applicants are eligible. This scholarship is for an applicant that stands out in the crowd.
NILE Legacy Award: Offered to students that have been very active in various NILE events from the time they were young!
Hugh F. Miller Memorial Scholarship was created in memory of long time NILE Member, Hugh Miller. Two $500 scholarships will be awarded in his memory.
Needle In The Haystack: This scholarship will be randomly drawn for during the NILE Foundation’s Stetson and Stilettos Fundraiser to be held this spring. All scholarship applicants will be eligible and must be present to win. Scholarship applications and guidelines can be found at www.thenile.orgApplications must be received no later than March 1, 2025. No hard copies will be accepted; Incomplete or late applications will not be considered.
Each year the NILE touches the lives of nearly 10,000 youth and provides over $55,000 in cash and live animal scholarships. Major highlights of NILE Youth Programs are the NILE Merit Heifer Program, 4th Grade Ag Education, Jr. Fed Livestock Show, Scholarship Program, and Internship Program. Live Animal scholarships are donations of heifers to kids in the Merit Heifer Program.
The NILE Foundation was established in 2009 as a supporting arm of the NILE organization, which is dedicated to the promotion of livestock, agriculture education, and respect for the western culture. It is funded through generous donations and the NILE Foundation’s annual fundraiser.
The computer mouse
In the 1960’s computers still operated by having users enter long lines of code, which could be why they were used primarily at academic and research facilities. A Stanford Research Institute engineer named Douglas Engelbart thought computers would be a lot easier to use if they were more interactive. While sitting in a meeting one day, he thought about creating a small wheeled object that would move across a table, and its movements would translate to moving a cursor across the screen.
He wasn’t the first to come up with the idea, but he and fellow engineer Bill English incorporated technology from some other SRI prototypes into his design (including a footpedaled cursor controller) and created a handheld wooden box with two wheels on the bottom and a button on top. After writing software that made the computer able to recognize the device, they wired it into the computer, and as Engelbart wheeled the box around his desk, the cursor on his screen moved accordingly. Engelbart patented it as an “X/Y Position Indicator,” but his coworkers thought I looked like a mouse. So that became its name.
NDSU Extension to host lambing workshop
New and experienced shepherds will have an opportunity to learn more about lambing and sheep production at a clinic hosted by North Dakota State University Extension on Feb. 22 in Tappen, North Dakota.
“Lambing time is the culmination of your breeding program, and it’s an exciting and rewarding time as a sheep producer,” says Travis Hoffman, NDSU and University of Minnesota Extension sheep specialist. “This workshop will focus on providing resources and education to sheep producers wanting to optimize their lambing management.”
Registration begins at 10 a.m., with the clinic starting at 10:30 at Tappen City Hall. The morning will feature several speakers followed by a lamb lunch. The afternoon will include live demonstrations and a barn tour at Brent and Barb Stroh’s farm.
Lambing workshop topics and presenters are the following:
Lambing Barn Management — Brent and Barb Stroh family
Ewe Body Condition
Scoring — Monica Fitterer
Hoof Health and Care — Travis Hoffman
“There has been extraordinary interest in expanding operations with sheep in North Dakota,” adds Hoffman. “This workshop will be a great opportunity for producers to connect and learn from each other.”
The cost of the event is $10 for adults and youth may attend for free. The event will conclude around 3 p.m.
Registration is not required but preferred in case of bad weather and for meal planning.
Registration and event information is available at ndsu.ag/lambingws25.
For more information or to RSVP, contact Monica Fitterer, Extension agent for Kidder County, at 701-4752672 or monica.fitterer@ ndsu.edu.
#####
Two old friends were involved in a match-play event when they found themselves all-square on the 18th. The first friend hit his shot onto a cart path and stated, “I guess I should get a drop.” “Definitely not,” came the reply “We play our shots where they lie.” So the first man dropped his friend off at his ball and took the cart to the path. He took a few practice swings, causing sparks to fly. Finally, he swatted the ball from the path and incredibly it landed just a couple of feet from the pin. “Nice shot,” conceded the second golfer. “What club did you use?” “Your five iron.”
note
HAY FOR SALE
Enrollment periods for crop and dairy safety-net programs
March 4, 2025
with the Montana Pulse Crop Committee and Northern Pulse Growers Association
Shelby, Montana
For times and location contact: Jayson Hauer, General Manager Belle Pulses USA, Hingham, MT
Office Phone: 406-397-3168
Cell: 406-399-4051
Email: Jayson@bellepulsesusa.com
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced the 2025 enrollment periods for key safety-net programs – Agriculture Risk Coverage (ARC) and Price Loss Coverage (PLC) as well as Dairy Margin Coverage (DMC). Agricultural producers can submit applications to USDA’s Farm Service Agency (FSA) for ARC and PLC for the 2025 crop year from January 21 to April 15 and for DMC for the 2025 coverage year from January 29 to March 31.
ARC and PLC provide financial protections to farmers from substantial drops in crop prices or revenues and are vital economic safety nets for most American farms. Meanwhile, DMC provides producers with price support to help offset milk and feed price differences.
“Our safety-net programs provide critical financial protections against commodity market volatilities for many American farmers, so don’t delay enrollment,” said FSA Administrator Zach Ducheneaux. “If you’re getting coverage through the Agriculture Risk Coverage or Price Loss Coverage programs, avoid the rush and contact your local FSA office for an appointment. Even if you are not changing your program election for 2025, you still need to sign a
contract to enroll.”
“And at $0.15 per hundredweight for $9.50 coverage, risk protection through Dairy Margin Coverage is a relatively inexpensive investment in a true sense of security and peace of mind.”
The American Relief Act, 2025 extended many Farm Bill-authorized programs for another year, including ARC and PLC as well as DMC.
ARC and PLC
Producers can elect coverage and enroll in ARC-County (ARC-CO) or PLC, which provide crop-by-crop protection, or ARCIndividual (ARC-IC), which protects the entire farm. Although election changes for 2025 are optional, producers must enroll through a signed contract each year. Also, if a producer has a multi-year contract on the farm it will continue for 2025 unless an election change is made.
If producers do not submit their election revision by the April 15 deadline, their election remains the same as their 2024 election for commodities on the farm from the prior year. Farm owners cannot enroll in either program unless they have a share interest in the cropland.
Covered commodities include barley, canola, large and small chickpeas, corn, crambe, flaxseed, grain sorghum, lentils, mustard seed, oats, peanuts, dry peas, rapeseed, long grain rice, medium grain rice, safflower seed, seed cotton, sesame, soybeans, sunflower seed and wheat.
USDA also reminds producers that ARC and PLC elections and enrollments can impact eligibility for some crop insurance products including Supplemental Coverage Option, Enhanced Coverage Option and, for cotton producers, the Stacked Income Protection Plan (commonly referred to as STAX).
For more information on ARC and PLC, producers can visit the ARC and PLC webpage or contact their local USDA Service Center.
DMC
DMC is a voluntary risk management program that offers protection to dairy producers when the difference between the all-milk price and the average feed price (the margin) falls below a certain dollar amount selected by the producer.
DMC offers different levels of coverage, even an option that is free to producers, minus a $100 administrative fee. The administrative fee is waived for dairy producers who are considered limited resource, beginning, socially disadvantaged or a military veteran.
DMC payments are calculated using updated feed and premium hay costs, making the program more reflective of actual dairy producer expenses. These updated feed calculations use 100% premium alfalfa hay.
For more information on DMC, visit the DMC webpage.
2024 Crop Production Annual Summary
Corn production declined, while soybean production increased from last year, according to the 2024 Crop Production Annual Summary released by the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Agricultural Statistics Service.
U.S. corn growers produced 14.9 billion bushels in 2024, down 3% from 2023. Corn yield in the United States is estimated at 179.3 bushels per acre, 2.0 bushels above 2023 and a record high. Area harvested for grain, at 82.9 million acres in 2024, is down 4% from 2023.
Soybean production for 2024 totaled 4.37 billion bushels, up 5% from 2023. The average soybean yield is estimated at 50.7 bushels per acre, 0.1 bushel above 2023, and 1.0 bushel below the November 1 forecast.
For 2024, all cotton production is up 19% from 2023, at 14.4 million 480-pound bales. The U.S. yield is estimated at 836 pounds per acre, down 63 pounds from last year’s yield. Harvested area, at 8.27 million acres, is up 28% from 2023.
Also released were the Winter Wheat and Canola Seedings and Grain Stocks reports. The Winter Wheat and Canola Seedings report provides the first indicator of this year’s winter wheat acreage. Planted area for harvest in 2025 is estimated at 34.1 million acres, up 2% from 2024.
In the Grain Stocks report, corn stored as of December 1, 2024, was estimated to be down 1% from December 1, 2023. Soybean stocks were up 3% from a year earlier. Corn stored in all positions totaled 12.1 billion bushels, while soybeans totaled 3.10 billion bushels. All wheat stocks were up 10% from a year earlier. All wheat stored in all positions on Dec. 1, 2024, totaled 1.57 billion bushels.
The 2024 Crop Production Annual Summary contains year-end acreage, yield and production estimates for grains and hay; oilseeds; cotton, tobacco and sugar; dry beans, peas and lentils; and potatoes and miscellaneous crops.
The monthly Crop Production report is available online at nass.usda.gov/ publications.
##### A coin toss isn’t a game of luck if you use a penny and call heads. The penny is the only coin with the face of the same person on both sides. A magnifying glass will reveal Lincoln sitting inside the Lincoln Memorial.
##### First drive-in movie theater: opened in Camden, New Jersey, in 1933. (Picture shown: Wives Beware, starring Adolphe Menjou.)
Resources for farms covered under revised produce safety water rule
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has published revised requirements for PreHarvest Agricultural Water [fda.gov] in the Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) Produce Safety Rule (PSR). The revised requirements replace the previous microbial quality criteria and testing requirements with a systems-based, pre-harvest agricultural water assessment.
Under the revised rule, covered farms using pre-harvest agricultural water for covered produce must conduct an annual written agricultural water assessment. This assessment will be used for risk management and decision-making purposes related to pre-harvest agricultural water. The assessment will review your farm’s agricultural water system(s), agricultural water practices, crop characteristics, environmental conditions, and
other relevant factors. Covered farms may be exempt from assessments if they meet specific requirements for their pre-harvest agricultural water. Exemption eligibility requirements are referenced in this FDA factsheet.
Based on the assessment, farms must determine if corrective or mitigation measures are necessary to minimize contamination risks. Documentation of agricultural water assessments and any reassessments is required, including descriptions of factors evaluated and written determinations. If corrective or mitigation measures are used, you must keep documentation of any actions you take. A reassessment is required at least once annually and whenever a significant change occurs in your agricultural water system(s).
The final rule also requires documentation of a
supervisory review of the written assessment and determinations made. Compliance Dates (based on 3-year average of produce sales):
April 2025 - more than $500k in annual sales
April 2026 - $250k to $500k in annual sales
April 2027 - $25k to $250k in annual sales
We encourage all fruit and vegetable producers to take advantage of the produce safety training opportunities provided. Farms that have already received this training may benefit from taking a refresher course to better understand the new rule requirements.
Registration is open for upcoming training courses. Sign up today for a Produce Safety Alliance Grower Training course at agr.mt.gov.
Winter hay worries
By Randy Saner, UNL
Grass tetany and nitrate poisoning are issues that we typically associate with animals grazing. However, both issues can be a problem in winter when animal diets are limited by what they are fed. Is your herd safe from possible hay worries?
Tetany occurs when an animal’s diet doesn’t have enough magnesium to meet nutritional needs. Complications with milk production and increased magnesium demand can make this imbalance even worse during lactation.
Grass, alfalfa, and cereal grains harvested for hay can all be low in magnesium. Getting a hay test with mineral analysis can easily show if this is an issue we need to worry about. If tests come back showing less than 0.15% magnesium, the hay is deficient. Other mineral interactions that can worsen tetany are low calcium (<0.40%) and high in potassium (>2.5%).
If your test comes back with issues, consider switching over to a high calcium and magnesium mineral. Most options use magnesium oxide, which is bitter tasting and can reduce animal consumption. Consider mixing with a protein or energy supplement or mixing with distillers grain or soybean meal to improve consumption if it’s not at target levels (for a 10-13% Magnesium mix, this is 4 oz. per head).
Another concern to keep an eye on is nitrates. Forages high in nitrate that were harvested for hay will not see a significant reduction in nitrate levels after curing. Any hay that we suspect being high in nitrate should be tested and if high, fed as a reduced portion of the diet to prevent an issue with toxicity.
Tetany and nitrates in the winter aren’t problems that often jump right to a producer’s mind, but they can be a serious issue, especially when an animal’s diet is limited to what they are fed. Properly testing hay and adjusting mineral and diets to minimize risk can keep your winter hay worries at bay.
#####
The word “bread” appears 360 times in the bible. If you don’t believe this fact, pick up the Bible and read it.
#####
Matzah is the Jewish bread eaten during Passover.
#####
Breaking bread is a universal sign of peace. And, it is much healthier than smoking a peace pipe.
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2023 & 2024 Grass Seed Hay/Straw
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Trucking available at reasonable rates in 36 or 60 bale loads. Phone/text Jordan at (406) 949-0631
EQUIPMENT FOR SALE
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John Deere 9600 combine, 930 header, with trailer
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New genetic test will help safeguard quinoa from top foe
By Jan Suszkiw, ARS
Quinoa’s grain-like seed offers a flavorful, nutrition-packed addition to soups, salads and side dishes, as well as ingredient for cereals, snacks and pasta. But in order for this versatile seed to get from farm field to table, quinoa growers must be vigilant for signs of downy mildew, a disease that can decimate the crop if left unchecked.
To help growers, a team of researchers led by Agricultural Research Service (ARS) plant pathologist Anna Testen devised a fast new test to genetically detect the pathogen in both quinoa seed and leaf tissue.
as yellow to pinkish lesions on the leaves of infected quinoa plants. Infected leaves can also take on a cupped appearance, among other malformations as well as tissue death and discoloration. Under favorable conditions, outbreaks of downy mildew in susceptible quinoa varieties can inflict seed yield losses of up to 100 percent.
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1970 Chevrolet C60 tandem, 20-ft. grain box $5000
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Located in Roy, Montana
Contact Riley Knerr (406) 366-6788
Ryan Knerr (406) 301-4333
Jess Knerr (406) 464-2138
The advance, reported in the September 3, 2024, issue of Plant Disease, opens the door to countering downy mildew on several fronts—with benefits to U.S. growers hoping to expand the crop and to consumers, who prize the seed’s flavor and offering of protein, fiber, vitamins and essential amino acids.
Caused by the fungus-like pathogen Peronospora variabilis, downy mildew appears
The test—or “assay,” as the scientists call it—uses a laboratory procedure known as quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) to help detect specific segments of the downy mildew pathogen’s DNA—so long as it’s present in a seed or leaf sample.
Additionally, with the qPCR-based test being quantitative, it can determine how much of the pathogen is present based on readings of light emitted by the procedure’s amplification of its DNA. This feature also distinguishes the test from other PCR-based methods that have been developed.
“Quantitative PCR is much more sensitive (meaning, it can detect smaller amounts of DNA) than standard PCR, so there are fewer false negatives,” explained Testen, who is with the ARS Application Technology Research Unit in Wooster, Ohio. It’s also more specific and faster, allowing for more samples to be screened, she added.
Among potential uses is providing quinoa growers with an early warning system. In other susceptible crops, for example, “spore traps that catch airborne spores paired with qPCR assays have been used to detect the downy mildew pathogen early and warn growers to treat their crops,” said Testen.
Another potential use is helping speed the identification of plants from quinoa breeding lines that can resist or tolerate downy mildew. Plant breeders can then pass the genes for that trait into elite quinoa varieties, shoring up their defenses against the disease.
And on the phytosanitary front, the tests could help ensure that commercial shipments or germplasm exchanges of quinoa seed for research purposes are free of downy mildew, preventing new or re-introductions of the disease.
And as quinoa’s U.S. popularity grows, “this tool will also help us track the quinoa downy mildew pathogen in the environment, potentially teaching us more about its epidemiology to improve disease management,” added Testen, whose co-authors on the Plant Disease paper are Scott Shaw (ARS) and Purnima Puri, Evan Domsic, Deirdre GriffinLaHue, Kevin Murphy and Chakradhar Mattupalli—all with Washington State University.
Calving problems: When to intervene
By Lindsay Waechter-Mead, DVM, Nebraska Extension Beef Educator
Calving season can be both exciting and challenging. While most cattle deliver calves without complications, dystocia – or difficult calving – may occur. Reviewing what normal deliveries look like, recognizing the signs of dystocia, and understanding when to call a veterinarian can help to ensure the health of the cow and calf.
Understanding normal calf delivery Labor can be divided into three stages: Preparation, Delivery of Calf, and Delivery of Placenta.
Stage 1: Preparation. Cows may isolate from the herd, show signs of pain or uneasiness, swishing of tail or kicking at her belly. Stage 1 may last 12-24 hours.
Stage 2: Delivery of Calf. This stage begins when the cervix is completely dilated and amniotic sac – or water bag – is visible in the vulva and ends with delivery of the calf. Stage 2 lasts anywhere from 30 minutes to 4 hours. The most common delivery is frontward presentation, right side up, front legs and head extended in the birth canal.
Stage 3: Delivery of the Placenta. This occurs within 12 hours after delivery of calf. Recognizing problems during calving Dystocia occurs when a calf cannot be
delivered without assistance. Key signs to watch for include:
Prolonged Stage 1: Intervention may be needed if a cow has been in stage 1 for more than 8 hours or if the cow is displaying signs of excessive stress or fatigue.
Prolonged Stage 2: Progression is very important in Stage 2. Assistance is indicated if:
There is no progress after 30 minutes of actively pushing.
The cow takes a break greater than 20 minutes after actively pushing.
The producer can visualize that the presentation, position, and posture of the calf is abnormal (backwards, breech, only 1 leg, etc.)
There are visible signs of distress in the cow, including exhaustion.
Stage 3: The placenta is considered retained after 12 hours of delivery of the calf. Treatment may be indicated; however, manual removal of the placenta should never be attempted. This will lead to damage of the uterus and potential reproductive failure for the cow.
When to call the veterinarian
Breeding durable, common sense, moderate-framed, easy-fleshing, lowmaintenance, functional Angus cattle with proven bred-in longevity.
Knowing when to assist the cow during delivery may depend on several factors. Using normal delivery as a guide, producers can establish standards within their operation to identify signs of dystocia. Making the decision to call a veterinarian will be specific to each operation and the experience level among producers. Call a professional if you are unsure how to proceed safely or if it takes more than 20 minutes to correct the problem.
By understanding the normal calving process and being observant of signs of dystocia, you can ensure a successful calving season. When in doubt, do not hesitate to call your veterinarian. A timely call can make all the difference for your herd’s health and productivity.
Nebraska Extension is hosting a webinar series to learn more about successful calving practices. Information on the event, including registration can be found here: https://beef.unl.edu/ beefwatch/2024/fundamental-knowledge-successfulcalving-season
Myth or truth
Myth: Talking on your cell phone while fueling your car at a gas station can cause a fire or explosion.
Truth: Cell phones do give off a very small amount of electricity but not enough to light anything on fire, let alone gasoline. Both the American Petroleum Institute and the Cellular Telecommunications Industry Association have debunked this urban myth, which spread via an e-mail and warning stickers on fuel pumps in the 1990s.
Three grand prizes offered at the MATE
The 48th annual Montana Agri-Trade Exposition (MATE) provides three opportunities to win a grand prize February 20-22, 2025.
Guests use their free tickets to enter the drawings. Once the back of the ticket is filled out and signed, attendees can place them in the drawing drums. The final day of the MATE show, Saturday, February 22, the winners are randomly selected from each corresponding drawing drum. Need not be present to win. Must be 18 years of age or older. Winners are taxed on the retail value of the prize.
The MATE Grand Prize is proudly provided by John Deere C & B Operations. This year the winner will take home a Z370R Electric Zero Turn Lawn Mower with a 42” deck. This mower allows electric performance without compromising the productivity and cut quality of a gas mower. Equipped with a 3.2kWh sealed lithium-ion battery and a 42” deck this allows the Z370R mower to mow up to 2 acres per charge. C & B Operations has John Deere locations in Billings, Miles City, Glendive, Culbertson, Circle, Plentywood, and Glasgow, Montana, as well as Sheridan and Powell, Wyoming. Check them out in the Expo Center building at MetraPark at booth #80.
The Home & Health Grand Prize 2025 is a Queen Sized Serta Superior Excellence Mattress courtesy of Mattress Firm of Montana. Ready to upgrade your sleep? Whether you love the bounce of an innerspring, the hug of memory foam, or the best of both with a hybrid, we’ve got top brands that make better sleep more than a dream—it’s a reality. Come find your perfect match, no matter your budget! Stop by in the Montana Pavilion at MetraPark at booth #632.
The Ag Grand Prize is one ton of SweetPro mineral tubs from AgriBest Feeds. Agri-Best Feeds is the regional marketing arm of SweetPro Feeds based out of Walhalla, ND and Redmond Natural Trace Minerals in Redmond, UT. Their focus is to maximize animal health, forage utilization, and producer profits. SweetPro Feeds is known for its new nutritional technology (6 patents plus a proprietary digestive aide) of taking Distiller’s Grains (by-product of the ethanol process) stabilizing them in block or granular form and making them available to livestock producers across the nation and Canada. Learn about feed programs and enter to win at their booth #501 in the Expo Center.
Along with these grand prizes many businesses have daily drawings and prizes at their booths. To see the full list of vendors and a map of the booths go to www.themateshow.com Free tickets are available at Stockman Bank locations, Vendors’ businesses, the NILE Office, or online.
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In Supai, Arizona, located in the Grand Canyon, mail is still delivered by mule train.
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One in four hazelnuts ends up in Nutella. Nutella is so popular, 25% of all hazelnuts end up in a jar! Since they’re in such high demand, some universities are trying to grow them in labs in order to negate global shortages.
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UW researcher helps develop model to predict invasive weed hot spots
By Brooke Ortel
As many Wyoming residents know firsthand, the introduction of invasive weed species like cheatgrass, medusahead, and Palmer amaranth poses a growing threat to the state’s landscapes and economy.
Despite the efforts of state and federal management agencies and private landowners, non-native weeds are notoriously difficult to control, even when early detection and rapid response (EDRR) strategies are employed.
But, thanks to an innovative model developed by University of Wyoming Extension Invasive Plant Specialist Kelsey Brock and U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) scientists, land managers may soon find themselves armed with a new tool.
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This Rocky Mountain Herbarium specimen, collected in August 2023 by UW graduate student Dan Coles, was found in Laramie County and is the first recorded sighting of Tatarian sea-lavender (Goniolimon tataricum) in Wyoming. At least 21 new non-native plant species form self-sustaining populations in Wyoming per decade. Photo courtesy of Kelsey Brock.
The model uses records of where invasive plants were first spotted outside their typical range to predict future hot spots for new invasive species.
“An intuitive approach is to search for new non-native species in areas where many non-native species have first been detected in the past,” the scientists wrote in a paper published in the journal Ecography in mid-December. “We formalize this intuition via first records distribution models (FRDMs).”
Traditional species distribution models estimate distribution based on where a particular species is currently found and its preferred climatic conditions. FRDMs build on this concept to examine how first occurrence records correspond to human infrastructure as well as environmental conditions. Whether accidentally or intentionally, humans are the primary drivers of species introductions over large distances; an accurate FRDM must take this into account.
While the model developed by UW and USGS scientists is still in the proof-of-concept stage, Brock is hopeful that it can ultimately be applied to invasive weeds newly established in Wyoming.
“The more we introduce, the more we have to manage,” she notes. “As bad as cheatgrass and other current invaders are, there’s probably going to be new ones that are worrisome as well. Thirty-eight percent of newfound species in Wyoming are already managed somewhere in the western United States. If we’re going to experience similar impacts, it could be wise to detect their populations and start managing them now.”
The current proof-of-concept model relies on first records data from the Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF) to predict locations in the continental U.S. at highest risk of invasion by non-native species.
In Wyoming, the next step is to use first records data from UW’s Rocky Mountain Herbarium and other regional sources to create a Wyoming-specific model and verify its accuracy.
“The Rocky Mountain Herbarium curates a list of species known to be in Wyoming and we also have recent records. With our Wyoming case study, we’ll determine whether CONTINUED ON
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UW researcher helps develop model to predict invasive weed hot spots
our model predicts the species we found recently,” Brock explains.
If the model successfully identifies areas most impacted by invasive species, the researchers will investigate whether state-level data can be used to accurately predict countybased invasions. If not, it may be necessary to develop a county-based model using county-specific records, says Brock.
A parallel study, led by USGS scientist Helen Sofaer, will occur in Hawaii.
As the researchers refine their model, Brock predicts patterns may emerge in how particular types of plants travel across the landscape. “Invasive species come in via different pathways—if it’s an ornamental plant that came in through the horticultural trade, that’s a very different pathway than someone getting a tiny seed stuck to their ATV, then coming to Wyoming,” she says. “Our hypothesis is that you’re going to have different high-priority survey areas for these different types of pathways.”
If the new model performs well in case studies, the next step will be to develop a tool that land managers can use to identify areas at highest risk of invasive weed infestations. For example, Wyoming Weed and Pest districts could potentially use the tool to prioritize where to survey for invasive plants.
“Post-border surveillance would be where this tool lies,” Brock explains. “In other words, these species have gotten over the [Wyoming] border and they’re here, so the hope is to identify them and implement a management technique to eradicate or contain them.”
To view the new paper, titled “First records distribution models to guide biosurveillance for non-native species,” visit https://bit.ly/frdm-modeling-wy. Contact Brock at kbrock5@ uwyo.edu or (307) 766-3113 with questions.
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Take care of your muscles and joints this winter
By Julie Garden-Robinson, NDSU Extension food and nutrition specialist
“Take small scoops, and lift with your legs – not your back,” I said to myself.
I was clearing an unexpected snowfall and high winds that led to drifting. The city snow plow had dropped a very generous amount of snow at the end of my driveway. I needed to be somewhere in an hour.
I should have been retrained on the use of our snow blower before my husband’s knee surgery. We ran out of time for my tutorial, so I just hoped for no snow in January. Obviously, wishful thinking was not my friend.
For the past 16 years, I had turned over nearly all major snow removal duties to my husband after he recovered from his previous joint replacement. I had taken care of snow removal prior to the major flooding of 2009, and I retired from that task
I may need to work out with weights before I work with our large snow blower again.
I went in the house and wrapped a large scarf around my head. Wearing layers during extreme cold and taking breaks is always a good plan. I had a glass of water before continuing. Caffeinated and alcohol-containing drinks are not the best options for hydration
My kind neighbors took pity on me and arrived with a snow blower and shovel.
As I drove away, I felt the strain I had put on my muscles, but my knees and hip joints seemed to be working OK.
Most of us know many people who have had hip, knee, shoulder or ankle joint replacements. We are fortunate to live in a time when these medical procedures are available. Diseases such as arthritis and overuse through work or sports can wear away joints. Genetics can sometimes play a strong role. Maintaining a healthy weight is important, because extra weight can put added strain on your joints.
As my husband and I watched the pre-surgery videos to prepare for his operation, I was happy to hear the medical experts talk about eating a healthy diet. The video did not go into detail about nutrition.
Some foods can worsen inflammation and arthritis pain, which often underlies the need for joint replacement. Which foods promote joint health and which foods might make the pain worse? Here are some tips based on arthritis and nutrition research:
Aim for a balanced diet with all five food groups, including two to three cups of fruit and two to three cups of vegetables. Have some vegetable soup or a casserole made with a variety of colorful vegetables as the ultimate winter comfort food. Use lean meats in your food preparation, instead of highly processed meats. Lean meats, poultry and seafood are high in protein that can help nourish your muscles and joints. Add more fish to your diet. Salmon and other fatty types of fish are rich in omega-3 fats, which may reduce inflammation.
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Avoid excess sugar in your diet. Having a candy bar or highly sweetened beverages such as pop may taste good but trigger inflammation. Read and compare nutrition facts labels, which now includes “added sugars” as a component. Consume more whole grains such as oatmeal and wholegrain breads in place of refined grains.
Choose low-fat dairy options, such as fat-free milk. Choose fewer ultra-processed foods and fried foods that may be high in trans fats. Ultra-processed foods have very long, complicated ingredient statements on the food packages.
Cook more often “from scratch” using one- or few-ingredient foods that you can find throughout the grocery store. For example, choose frozen or canned vegetables and fruits without added salt or sweeteners. Budget-friendly dry beans, lentils, split peas and whole-grain rice are other examples. For more tips about eating healthfully for all body systems, visit www.ag.ndsu.edu/nourish and check out the online and face-to-face classes being offered by NDSU Extension. For more tips on snow shoveling, read NDSU Extension’s “The Scoop on Snow Shoveling Safety.”
Facts about bees
Bees have different dialects. A German bee cannot understand an Italian bee.
Honey never spoils.
Bees use ultraviolet vision to see which flowers have the most nectar.
findings on the economic impacts of invasive weeds in Wyoming
Agricultural economists and invasive weed specialists at the University of Wyoming have released a new report on the economic impacts of 10 invasive weeds in Wyoming.
The pilot study, which assesses both current and potential economic impacts, was developed in response to Governor Gordon’s 2020 Invasive Species Initiative Report. Collaborators include all Wyoming Weed and Pest Control districts and the Wyoming Weed and Pest Council Guiding Principles Committee.
“This report represents an important step to better understanding the impacts of invasive weeds on Wyoming’s agricultural economy and gives some insight into how bad it could be if such weeds were left unchecked,” says co-author Brian Mealor, director of the Sheridan Research and Extension Center and the Institute for Managing Annual Grasses Invading Natural Ecosystems (IMAGINE).
To estimate each weed’s statewide and county-level economic impacts on agriculture, the study examined 1) current grazing and crop value losses due to infestation and 2) losses if each species were permitted to spread, unmanaged, into all potentially suitable habitat.
The 10 species analyzed in the new report are cheatgrass, hoary cress, leafy spurge, medusahead, Palmer amaranth, perennial pepperweed, Russian knapweed, Russian olive, ventenata and yellow starthistle.
For each weed, direct economic impacts were estimated as losses in cash rent for agricultural land currently or potentially infested. The authors found that “while current estimated statewide grazing losses are in the tens of millions of dollars annually, county-level impacts vary widely.”
While it may be tempting to focus on cheatgrass and other species currently of
highest concern, the authors advise against this tactic. “Preventing further spread of species with very limited range in Wyoming is a higher-leverage approach than waiting for them to have broad-reaching impacts before implementing a strategic management approach,” the report states.
In addition to direct economic impacts, the pilot study also estimated the “ripple effects” of lost agricultural rent. “Each year, invasive plants reduce the value of both forage and crop values across Wyoming. Beyond this, part of every dollar lost by an agricultural producer to weeds would otherwise be spent at the local feed store, restaurant or doctor’s office,” says Amy Nagler, research scientist in the UW Department of Agricultural and Applied Economics and co-author of the report. “Estimating these economic losses due to weed infestation is an important tool for prioritizing limited funds for control.”
The new report serves as a potential model for future studies, establishing methods for estimating the impacts of individual weeds on Wyoming’s agricultural economy. However, the authors acknowledge that their estimates are likely quite conservative because they accounted only for economic losses due to grazing reduction. Key factors like ecosystem services, recreation, wildfire and wildlife habitat were not incorporated into the pilot study.
Opportunities for further research include consideration of these factors as well as analysis of impacts to specific crops, irrigated versus non-irrigated cropland, parcel-level land area and use, and public versus private rangelands.
To view a free downloadable copy of the report, visit https://bit.ly/invasive-weedreport-2024. Contact Mealor at bamealor@ uwyo.edu or (307) 673-2856 with questions.
Of the 10 weeds included in the study, cheatgrass poses the most economically damaging current and future threat to Wyoming agriculture. The authors estimate that the weed’s future impact may exceed $110 million annually if left unmanaged. Photo by Beth Flowers.
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Western Crop and Pest Management School
North Dakota State University Extension has set the 2025 Western Crop and Pest Management School for March 5-6 at the Ramada Hotel in Bismarck, North Dakota.
The highlight of the school is the line-up of speakers sharing their expertise on weeds, insect and disease management, soil acidity, soil fertility and nutrient management, agronomy, forage and cover crops research, and markets trends and price forecasts for North Dakota agricultural crops.
Additionally, the program schedule allows for more indepth discussion with the instructors regarding crop production issues and concerns from the past growing season.
The hands-on training portion of the program has been expanded to five breakout sessions, each with more time allotted for learning and discussion, shares Charlie Lim, NDSU Extension weed specialist and event co-organizer.
Check in starts at 9 a.m. Central time on March 5, and the program begins at 9:20 a.m.
“Wednesday morning, March 5, will have excellent speakers sharing updates on weed control and management, highlighted by a discussion panel of weed scientists and experts from academia and industry,” says Lim. “During the weeds panel, attendees can share their current weed control challenges and ask questions about viable weed control options and strategies for 2025.”
Lunch will be provided at noon on Wednesday.
On Wednesday afternoon the concurrent breakout sessions begin. This include hands-on training on weed identification, soil management and cover crops, insect identification, crop disease identification, and growth staging, abiotic stress diagnosis, and disease inoculation processes. Attendees will rotate through a round of breakout sessions to mark the end of first day.
The remaining hands-on training sessions will continue through mid-morning Thursday, March 6, followed by a program of speakers who will discuss disease management in broadleaf crops and small grains and the latest agronomy research results.
Lunch will be provided at noon on Thursday.
The event will conclude Thursday afternoon with speakers discussing the latest research in forage crops and soils, including research on alleviating soil acidity in western North Dakota. This will be followed by a soils discussion with a panel of soil experts and an ag economics panel discussion.
The event concludes on Thursday at 3:45 p.m.
A total of 12.5 Continuing Education Units (CEUs) will be offered to Certified Crop Advisors (CCAs) who attend the event.
The fee to attend is $100. Pre-registration is required. The deadline to register is February 14, 2025, or when the school is full. Event attendance is capped at 120. Notepads, pens, handouts and training materials will be provided at the event.
For a detailed agenda, list of presenters and to register online, visit ndsu.ag/cropsschool25.
MFU offers Sentence Grant support to local 4-H clubs
Montana 4-H Clubs can once again receive $100 from Montana Farmers Union as part of the grassroots organization’s Sentence Grant program.
The Sentence Grant program has provided more than $20,000 to 4-H clubs in the state since 2023. This program helps inspire clubs to discuss community projects they can pursue during the year.
Clubs use a brief form to send MFU a single sentence stating what the club will use $100 to do in their communities. If clubs follow up with a public thank you for the Sentence Grant, they receive additional funds. An example of a thank you would be a short article of the project in a local newspaper.
Grants awarded have included money for fairground improvements, food and supplies for community programs, flowers for town beautification, interactive activities with community members, purchasing chicks, and more.
Funding is available through October 1.
To learn more about how to apply, find your regional Membership Ambassador: https://montanafarmersunion. com/about-us/mfu-board-staff/; or apply: https://montanafarmersunion.com/education/scholarships-grants/.
MFU offers scholarships
More than $10,000 is available in scholarships through Montana Farmers Union.
The scholarships are one of the ways MFU supports family farmers and ranchers through education and include the Bud Daniels Memorial Scholarship ($1,000), the John Korsbeck Memorial Scholarship ($1,000), and the Cascade County-wide Farmers Union Local ($1,000) Chouteau County Farmers Union Local ($500), Montana Farmers Union Scholarships ($1,000), and Flathead County-wide Farmers Union Local ($500) scholarships.
High school seniors, current college students, and nontraditional students are encouraged to apply by April 1. Applicants must be MFU members. MFU members also are eligible for several National Farmers Union scholarships. Learn more at nfu.org.
More information and applications are available at https:// montanafarmersunion.com/education/scholarships-grants/.
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Farmers for Soil Health cover crop program
The 2024 Farmers for Soil Health (FSH) enrollment window is closing on February 28.
Farmers for Soil Health is a farmer-driven initiative for farmers aimed at improving soil health through the adoption of cover crops. The collaboration among the Soy Checkoff, Pork Checkoff and National Corn Growers Association in partnership with state commodity groups and conservation organizations seeks to double the adoption of cover crops to reach 30 million acres by 2030. North Dakota State University Extension is coordinating the program for North Dakota.
Through the Farmers for Soil Health program, enrolled farmers receive incentive payments for adopting cover crops on their farms. The incentives are supported by a $95 million U.S. Department of Agriculture Partnerships for ClimateSmart Commodities grant.
“While traditionally farmers first get enrolled into a program then plant after, Farmers for Soil Health allows enrollment both before and after planting cover crops,” says Rutendo Nyamusamba, NDSU Extension conservation agronomist stationed at the Dickinson Research Extension Center. “This unique feature of enrolling after planting the cover crops gives farmers flexibility in their time management and strategizing of operations.”
Farmers for Soil Health is a three-year program. Crop fields in a corn and/or soybean rotation are eligible for the Transition Incentive Payments (TIPs) totaling $50 per new acre of cover crops across three years. This is structured as $25 the first year, $15 the second year and $10 the third year. The program is also offering Signing Incentive Payments (SIPs) of $2 per acre for existing cover-cropped fields.
A field that has a cover crop planted in it for the first time in 2024 is eligible for TIPs. If a field has a cover crop that was planted in 2024, and the same field was also planted with cover crops in the 2023/2024 season, then it qualifies for SIPs.
Farmers for Soil Health can be staked with other programs if those programs are paying for something other than the cover crop practice.
North Dakota State University Extension is coordinating the program for North Dakota.
“When a farmer takes the step to plant cover crops, but the establishment falls behind the expectations, FSH understands that such a farmer will still reap benefits from that cover crop,” shares Nyamusamba. ”Do not let the fear of crop establishment keep you from adopting cover crops. That is the reason for FSH – to help you start the journey of cover cropping.”
Enrollment into FSH is rolling. After March 1, the enrollment year becomes 2025.
Visit FarmersforSoilHealth.com for information on eligibility and how to enroll online for cover crop payments.
Winter cold and insect mortality
By Samantha Daniel, UNL
With forecasted bitterly cold temperatures across Nebraska, producers may be wondering if overwintering insect pests could be killed, and their populations reduced. Although we could see temperatures in single or negative digits with wind chills reaching several degrees below zero, insects have adapted to survive winter’s chill.
Many of our most significant pests, like western bean cutworm and western corn rootworm, spend the winter below the soil surface. While soil temperature is dependent on many factors, it generally does not fluctuate significantly, even during extreme cold snaps. Soil that is covered by crop residue or snow will be further protected from bitter air temperatures. This means that the insects overwintering belowground are protected as well.
Insects that overwinter in more exposed areas have additional cold adaptations. For example, soybean aphids overwinter as eggs and supercool to temperatures as low as -29 degrees F while European corn borer larvae can produce glycerol; a substance which acts as a biological antifreeze. Additionally, keep in mind that not all our insect pests overwinter in Nebraska. Several species including the fall armyworm, black cutworm, and corn earworm spend the winter in warmer climates and migrate to Nebraska during the growing season.
Even though insect pest populations will undoubtedly survive this period of extreme cold, remember that beneficial insects like parasitoids and natural predators will survive too!
Beef producers make decisions about what to feed their animals daily and the answer often depends on the age and sex of the animal and what its job in the herd is. When deciding which type of feed to offer, cost is a consideration, Kansas State University beef cattle nutritionist Phillip Lancaster said.
Speaking on a recent Beef Cattle Institute Cattle Chat podcast, Lancaster addressed a question about feeding cracked corn to steers being raised to the finished stage on the home operation.
“There is a difference in the digestibility of whole corn versus cracked corn,” he said. “Because the steer ration will have a high level of corn, there is a benefit to feeding them cracked corn, and that is about a 5% increase in the net energy of gain from that corn.”
In the case of the steers, Lancaster said the price of corn would guide his recommendation.
“Is it cost-effective to feed cracked corn? If the feed mills are charging $10 a ton to crack the corn, then the price of the corn needs to be about $6 per bushel or higher for that to pay off,” Lancaster said.
As for the cows that are getting a feed supplement along with their high forage diet, Lancaster advised feeding whole corn instead of cracked corn.
“Because it is a lower percent of the diet and the cows will be able to do the mechanical breakdown by chewing their cud, it is more cost-effective to feed them whole corn,” he said.
Lancaster added that even if producers observe whole corn kernels in the feces, it doesn’t mean that the animal did not get energy from the corn.
“Whole corn will be less digested than cracked corn, but bacteria will still penetrate the hull and some starch from the inside will be digested,” he said.
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Calculating the annual cost of cows in 2025
By Aaron Berger, Nebraska Extension Livestock Educator
The 2025 year is starting off with extremely strong prices for calves, feeder cattle, and fed cattle. The Nebraska Extension will host the Calculating Annual Cow Costs webinar series on Monday and Thursday evenings, February 17, 20, 24, 27, March 3, and 6 from 7:30 - 8:30 p.m. CST to assist producers. The interactive program will explain the fundamentals of knowing and calculating annual cow costs.
“Strong prices are creating enthusiasm for purchasing replacement heifers and cows to rebuild the cowherd,” said Aaron Berger, Nebraska Extension Livestock Educator. Part of the decision process of knowing what one can afford to spend for replacements is knowing annual cow costs. Understanding annual cow costs and the factors that impact them is the foundation for evaluating and making management decisions that can improve profitability for a cow-calf enterprise. Calculating costs and breaking them into categories gives understanding of where there may be an opportunity to make changes and improve profitability.
Topics to be covered will include:
Understanding the economic unit cost of production for the cow-calf enterprise.
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Calculating cow depreciation and replacement development costs.
Figuring the cost of equipment and labor utilized in the cow-calf enterprise.
Examining breeding expenses and evaluating the value and cost relationship. Reviewing benchmark cost and production data to see how you compare.
The webinar series is $70 per person and includes a resource workbook. The course is limited to 35 participants. To register, go to https://go.unl.edu/cow_ costs. Registration is requested by Feb. 7 to ensure pre-meeting preparation material is available to participants. A computer and internet connection will be needed to participate in the webinar series.
For questions about the webinar series or more information, contact Aaron Berger, Nebraska Extension Educator, at 308-235-3122 or aberger2@unl.edu.
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English is funny: A near miss. A near miss is, in reality, a collision. A close call is actually a near hit.
##### Extraordinary. If extra-fine means “even finer than fine” and extra-large “even larger than large,” why doesn’t extraordinary mean “even more ordinary than ordinary”?
Grazing crop stubble can extend feed resources
By Lisa Moser, K-State Research and Extension news service
Eating leftovers is a way for people to save money while still getting nutritious food. For beef producers, one way to extend the grazing days is to turn cattle out on crop fields after harvest, according to the veterinarians at the Kansas State University Beef Cattle Institute.
Addressing this topic on a recent Cattle Chat podcast were K-State veterinarians Brad White, Bob Larson and Scott Fritz, who specializes in veterinary toxicology.
“Crop stubble is a great feed resource for cattle, but it is a resource that will decrease in nutrient quality the longer the cattle are in the field,” Larson said. “When cattle are first turned out, there is often a lot of leaves on the plants, but over time cattle will strip those leaves off.”
Larson recommends beef producers monitor the grazing fields and offer supplements to the herd as needed.
White agreed, adding: “The cow herd will likely need to be supplemented with protein later in the winter.”
And while they agree that crop stubble can be a valuable feed resource, there are risks to be aware of, Fritz said.
“In a dry year, droughtstressed forages can accumulate nitrate and can poison the cattle, so it is important to do a field test in arid parts of the country,” he said.
By contrast, Fritz said overly wet fields also pose a risk.
“Cattle turned out on flooded fields can be exposed to mold growth that leads to mycotoxin issues,” he said. Before turning the cattle out on the crop stubble, Fritz recommends walking through the field to assess the quality of the field and look for grain spills.
“One problem a lot of people overlook is a pile of corn that got spilled in the field when loading the grain cart. If a cow eats 20-30 pounds of grain, she will get acidosis, and if it is a pile of soybeans, the (opposite) happens and they can end up with a neurologic disease,” he said.
Along with inspecting the field for spills, Fritz recommends that producers also evaluate water sources and grass strips.
“Make sure that whether it is surface water or a dedicated underground source, it is functioning before the cows are turned out,” Fritz said.
White added: “It is a good idea to give the water source a flush through, so you know the cattle are getting clean, fresh water.”
The last thing to check for when inspecting the field is the grass strips that might be full of weeds. “When putting up the hot wire around the field, make sure there are no noxious plants in the grass strips,” Fritz said.
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Cost. Veseth Cattle Co. is affordable. Our bulls average $3400 at auction. This is a 43% savings per bull under the industry average bull. Only 1 in 3 bulls saved at the ranch makes the cut for our bull sale.
Efficiency. Cows are grazed year-round on native range. Most of our range is 7 acres per animal unit in the Missouri Breaks. These cows must raise good calves, rebreed, and maintain their body condition on minimal inputs.
Focused on the Female. This is where we can make our customers the most money. Our high bred females will produce over 30% more in lifetime production compared to her industry average straight
Nebraska’s Master Irrigator Program
The University of Nebraska–Lincoln is set to launch a new Master Irrigator program, providing Nebraska growers with a platform to connect with the latest agricultural innovations and conservation practices.
The program will begin in February with design summits offering an introduction to the initiative and allowing Nebraska growers to shape its future direction.
The goal of the Nebraska Master Irrigator program is to provide farmers with locally relevant insights into innovations from industry, policy, and research. Each session will highlight resources from UNL’s Testing Ag Performance Solutions (TAPS) program, the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service, Nebraska’s Natural Resources Districts, and other industry leaders. These highlights will be followed by discussions among growers to refine program development, said Crystal Powers, UNL Extension educator and program coordinator.
“We want growers to drive the creation of Nebraska Master Irrigator so it meets their needs,” Powers said.
Nebraska is the epicenter of modern irrigated crop production, with deep roots in the practice’s history and development. Today, Nebraska has more irrigated cropland acres
than any other state. UNL has long been a leader in research, teaching, and extension programs focused on irrigation cropping systems. Combined with USDA NRCS and Nebraska Natural Resources Districts programs, Nebraska growers are already some of the most skilled in the world.
The goal of the program is to meet the needs of the state’s top irrigators, said Derek McLean, dean and director of UNL’s Agricultural Research Division. Nebraska’s Master Irrigator program will cater to those seeking to elevate their fields to the next level. Topics will include leveraging new technologies, implementing conservation and regenerative practices, navigating current events, and managing the complexities of modern farming.
“Nebraska producers are extremely knowledgeable about irrigation and nutrient management,” McLean said. “What we’re hearing is a desire for more opportunities to interact with peers and industry leaders on the latest advances in water management and irrigation technology. In a state like Nebraska, the futures of irrigation management and precision agriculture are inextricably linked, and we have a role to play in shaping what that looks like.”
The need for a high-level program like Master Irrigator was underscored by farmers across the state. The program will also highlight the work of Nebraska’s most innovative producers.
“We are armed with so much intelligence, science, and research that building a trust model is what comes next, and I think that’s where Master Irrigator will reside,” said Roric Paulman, a grower from western Nebraska.
The program will align with UNL’s TAPS program, based at the West Central Research, Extension, and Education Center in North Platte. TAPS allows farmers to experiment with new technologies and cropgrowing approaches in a fun, risk-free environment.
Nebraska Master Irrigator will also support Gov. Jim Pillen’s initiative to expand the state’s bioeconomy, encouraging producers to be efficient stewards of natural resources while maintaining Nebraska’s leadership in livestock, crops, and biofuels production.
“The goal is to prepare producers for success in all areas of their operations,” Powers said. “From precision agriculture tools to regenerative management practices, all with an eye on return on investment. Long-term, Master Irrigator aims to position Nebraska as a global leader in water and irrigation management while fostering the state’s agricultural and natural resource future.”
Meetings, which are open to the public, are scheduled as follows: February 12: North Platte February 13: Central City February 26: Beatrice March 4: O’Neill
March 6: Scottsbluff
For more information or to register, visit go.unl.edu/ master_irrigator.
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Proposed listing of the monarch butterfly as threatened
By Esther E. McGinnis, Horticulturist, NDSU Extension
We take the graceful beauty of the monarch butterfly for granted. This iconic species undertakes one of the world’s greatest migrations from central Mexico to southern Canada and back again each year. Despite its travel endurance, the species is still fragile as reflected by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s (FWS) proposal to list the monarch as a threatened species under the Endangered Species Act.
The two main North American populations have experienced dramatic declines. The eastern population overwinters in high altitude fir trees west of Mexico City and then migrates into the U.S. east of the Rocky Mountains. The much smaller west of the Rockies population overwinters in coastal California, competing with humans for prime real estate.
The eastern population is quantified in terms of area it occupies in Mexican wintering grounds. Since the 1996-97 winter, the population has plummeted over the years from 18 to 0.9 hectares in 2023-24. The tiny western population is individually counted and only 230,000 butterflies were
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found in 2023.
Alarmed by declining numbers, the FWS concluded that the monarch merited listing as a threatened species due to decreases in breeding, migratory and overwintering habitat, insecticide exposure and climate change.
The proposal’s cornerstone is designating 4,395 acres of critical habitat in California where the western monarchs overwinter. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service lacks jurisdiction over the Mexican wintering reserves.
In the past, the Endangered Species Act protections for relatively obscure species have generated controversy amongst different groups. How does this proposal affect gardeners and homeowners in our region?
The FWS seems to understand that an overly rigid approach does not work when the threatened species is dispersed across 49 states and not just a small niche habitat. In order for monarch populations to stabilize and recover, the agency realizes that it needs the general public’s support and participation to aid recovery efforts by planting milkweed and nectar plants.
While it is illegal under the proposal to kill, injure, harass or take monarch adults or caterpillars, numerous exemptions exist to prevent unintended legal consequences. Individuals will not be held liable for hitting a butterfly with a car. Captive rearing of fewer than 250 monarchs is allowed for educational and inspirational purposes. Most importantly, gardeners can still manage and remove milkweed in their gardens.
The proposal to list the monarch as a threatened species is not a done deal. The FWS invites comments from the general public and stakeholder groups through March 12, 2025. If interested, follow the link at the end of the article to review the proposal and submit comments, concerns and suggestions to improve the proposal.
As a horticulturist, I cannot speak on the impacts for the agronomic and ranching communities. However, we all hope for a final rule that conserves monarchs for our grandchildren while avoiding unintended consequences for our region’s agricultural industry. The key to striking a balance is extensive scientific data and submitting comments to ensure feedback from a variety of stakeholders.
To read the proposal and submit comments, visit https://bit.ly/monarchproposal.
To learn how to design a monarch conservation garden, visit ndsu.ag/monarchgarden
Roots of progress: The hybrid wheat journey continues
By Amanda Easterly, UNL Research Associate Professor | Chabella Guzman, PREEC Communications
Wheat growers in Nebraska often wonder if hybrid wheat could lead to increased yield and new beneficial traits like those seen in corn or sorghum hybrids. Recently, hybrid wheat research has seen investment from both the public and private sector including a recent announcement from Corteva on a breakthrough in wheat hybridization technology. While many specifics of the new technologies and approaches are not yet publicized, Corteva is not alone in creating and evaluating wheat hybrids because they may be able to improve agronomic characteristics, from yield potential to drought resistance.
Wheat hybrids have remained out of reach on a commercial scale because creating a hybrid is time-consuming and costly. “Wheat is a perfect and complete flower. That means that the anther where the pollen is produced is in the same spikelet as the stigma, whereas corn has separate tassels and silks. Wheat spikelets are very small, so methods other than physical separation to prevent self-pollination must be used,” said Amanda Easterly, Research Associate Professor at the UNL High Plains Ag Lab. “Most of these methods are based on either genetically or chemically stopping pollen production to control the cross-pollination, and both approaches tend to be expensive.”
UNL and Texas A&M University have had winter wheat hybrid research programs in place since 2014, of which Easterly was a member during her doctoral research. UNL’s Small Grains Breeding program, now led by Dr. Katherine Frels, has been testing hybrids in Nebraska since 2016 across the state. The first results from the 2016 and 2017 tests indicated that some of the 600 experimental hybrids tested showed a yield benefit. These hybrids also showed some yield stability under stressed conditions, particularly drought and heat. An upcoming publication from the Small Grains team shows that the best hybrids are indeed more stable performers under stress than some pureline wheat cultivars.
In addition to universities, companies such as Bayer, BASF, and Syngenta have also worked on hybrid wheat. Many programs were eventually shuttered or reduced due to the cost of creating and testing hybrids. A division of Monsanto, HybriTech, released a few hybrids in the Nebraska Panhandle and surrounding regions in the 1990s. They were marketed under the “Quantum” wheat brand, but the higher seed costs were a challenge for many growers. In 2023, BASF closed its hybrid wheat breeding program in North America due to similar challenges.
The success of hybrid corn is attributed to a biological phenomenon called heterosis. “Heterosis is a situation in which the hybrid performs better, and preferably way better, than either of the parents used to create it,” Easterly said. “Wheat
breeders within a market class often work collaboratively to create new varieties, meaning that there are closer genetic relationships between wheat varieties from Nebraska and Texas or Nebraska and Kansas, and this may be a current limitation in how much heterosis we see in wheat.”
One of the more significant challenges is increasing the scale of hybrid seed production, a constraint for both research and commercialization of hybrid wheat. Being able to create and test hybrids effectively is needed to demonstrate a consistent benefit of hybrids over ‘traditional’ wheat varieties, but then once good hybrids are developed, the amount of seed needed by interested growers grows exponentially. On the research side, Frels and her team can test three to five locations a year with as little as a pound of seed, but farmers require 50-60 pounds of seed per acre planted.
As for the Corteva breakthrough in wheat hybridization, “It will be interesting to see how their innovations impact research and the market. Hybrid wheat may also be an avenue through which other new technologies begin taking off in wheat,” Easterly said.
New insight into Earth’s water cycle
From the MSU News Service
A new study led by a scientist in the Montana State University College of Agriculture provides the first comprehensive global estimates of water stored in plants and the time it takes for that water to flow through them. The research addresses a gap in understanding of the global water cycle and how it is being changed by land use and climate.
Andrew Felton, an assistant professor in MSU’s Department of Land Resources and Environmental Sciences, is lead author of the study, which was published January 9 in the journal Nature Water. The publication culminates research Felton began during a postdoctoral fellowship at Chapman University in California.
Felton found that all of Earth’s vegetation stores about 786 cubic kilometers of water, roughly enough to fill Flathead Lake 34 times. The time it takes for water to flow through plants and return to the atmosphere — referred to as “transit” or “turnover” time — ranges from five days in croplands to 18 days in evergreen forests, the paper states.
Felton said those results underscore vegetation’s dynamic role in the water cycle. The average time it takes for water to travel through plants and back to the atmosphere
is 8.1 days, globally. In comparison, the water in lakes is estimated to take 17 years and the water in glaciers is estimated to take 1,600 years.
“We have known for a long time that most of the water that returns from the ground to the atmosphere does so through plants, but until now, we did not really know how long it took,” said Felton. “Our results show that the transit of water through plants occurs on the order of days, rather than months, years or centuries.”
By combining estimates of the transit of water through plants with the transit of water through the atmosphere (about 8-10 days) and through soil (about 60-90 days), scientists can begin to estimate the total time it takes for a drop of water to move through the entire terrestrial water cycle. They found that the transit time of water through vegetation varied considerably across land cover types, climate and seasons. Transit time through croplands was consistently the fastest, with water transiting through plants in less than a day during the peak of the growing season.
“One important observation is that croplands around the world tend to have very similar and very fast transit times,” said Gregory Goldsmith, another of the paper’s authors and an associate professor of biological sciences at Chapman University. “This indicates that land use change may be homogenizing the global water cycle and contributing to its intensification by more rapidly recycling water back to the atmosphere, where it can turn into heavy rain events.”
To generate the estimates, the team first calculated the amount of water stored in plants using data from NASA’s Soil Moisture Active Passive satellite mission, which provided high-resolution estimates of the water in soils. The mission originally saw plants as interfering with soil moisture measurements and corrected for their presence, but Felton’s team found that those corrections contained valuable information about the amount of water stored in plants.
“Plants are the forgotten part of the global water cycle,” said Felton. “The results suggest that the transit time of water through plants is likely to be very sensitive to events such as deforestation, drought and wildfire.”
The study has implications more locally for Montana, he added.
“Much of Montana is comprised of ecosystems with rapid transit times, such as grasslands and croplands,” said Felton. “A better understanding of the transit times of water flowing through plants in these water-limited ecosystems has important applications for water resource management, including predicting drought vulnerability and managing irrigation.”
MFU Foundation offers $30k in grants
More than $30,000 is available in community grants through Montana Farmers Union Foundation.
Applications are open now for the funding that supports projects which align with the MFU Foundation’s Mission to create new opportunities and contribute to the growth and enhancement of Montana agriculture and rural communities. Projects must include an educational component for youth and/or adults, with priority given to rural communities.
The Foundation has awarded and leveraged more than $60,000 for projects in rural communities since launching the program in 2022.
Montana Farmers Union is a grassroots organization, and the Foundation’s grant program dovetails with MFU’s principles of cooperation and education to buoy rural communities. Previous recipients have ranged from plasma cutters and beef models for high school classes to greenhouses and community gardens to children’s books about agriculture.
Submission deadline is May 1, and the grants are open to anyone from Montana. The application form remains simple to not deter submissions and to be responsive to community needs.
The application is available at https://montanafarmersunion.com/education/ scholarships-grants/.
4WD TRACTORS
2009 Case 485, Iveco engine, S/N Z9F117153, 2806 hours, 5 remotes with oil case drain for air drill, Outback Model STX GPS with AutoSteer, 16 speed transmission, dual tires 710/70R42.
1991 Case 9270, 855 Cummins engine, S/N JCB0006974, 7660 hours, complete engine rebuild at 6000 hours, Outback Model STS GPS with AutoSteer. Has case drain for air drill with 4 remotes, tires 24.5-32 duals, 12 speed PowerShift transmission,
GRAIN TRAILERS
1997 Load King tri-axle 48-ft. trailer, 3 hoppers, roll tarp, spring ride suspension, electric hopper, Ag remote, complete with unloading conveyor, 24.5 tires, excellent condition.
1992 Load King tri-axle trailer, 3 hoppers, new roll tarp, air suspension ride, 24.5 rubber, very clean.
FLATDECK TRAILER
2004 PJ 24-ft. tandem axle dual wheel flatdeck trailer, dual jacks, 2-7000 lb. axles, like new.
COMBINE AND HEADER
2014 Case 8230 combine, S/N YEG223879, 2254 engine hours, 1969 threshing hours, 3016 Series II pickup, standard chopper, DEF delete completed, Pro 700 monitor, auto-fold hopper, tires front 900/60R32, rear 750/65R26, upgraded header lift cylinders, $60,000 work order completed DecemberJanuary 2022/23. Documents available.
MacDon FD-75 flex draper, straight cut header, 35-ft., also has contour buddy wheels, full length pea auger, stored inside. Like new condition.
MacDon 962 25-ft. straight cut header.
ROAD TRACTORS
1997 Western Star 9564 air ride suspension, 905,857 KMS, Cat 3406E engine, 18 speed, full differential lock, sleeper, ProHeat, excellent rubber.
1985 Western Star S/N 2WKPDCG9 GK9113376, 4597 hours, Cat 3406B engine, new liners and rings 2024, recently replaced radiator, alternator and one rear differential, wet kit installed January 2017. Excellent rubber.
AIR DRILL
2010 Bourgault 5710 59-ft. air drill with 6550 ST tow behind air cart, implement hitch, 4 tanks with 3 augers, complete with mid row banders, (recently replaced), new Bourgault points, tank dividers, 9.8 spacing, new 591 monitor, good hoses and good tires.
FIELD SPRAYER
2016 Case 4440 high clearance sprayer, S/N: YFT042208, 1263 hours, 120-ft. booms, 20” spacing (option for 30” spacing) Aim Command Pro, DEF delete completed, 1250 gallon stainless tank, rise tank, foam marker, Pro 700 monitor, pulsating nozzles with auto-overlap shutoff, tires 380/90R46 (on sprayer).
1999 Ford F350 service truck, 4WD, 7.3 litre engine, quad cab, flatdeck with hidden ball hitch, underbody service boxes, toolbox, air compressor, slip tank for
2WD TRACTORS
1983 Case 2290 complete with quick detach loader, 2 remotes with electric directional, valve for more remotes, 12 speed transmission, clutch replaced at 5936 hours, PowerShift replaced at 5000 hours, tires - duals, rear 18.4-38, front 11.00-16.
Web-based app to optimize soil sampling
The USDA’s Agricultural Research Service (ARS), the University of Nebraska–Lincoln (UNL), and the ARS’s Partnership for Data Innovations (PDI) have launched a new webbased application to facilitate digital soil mapping and optimize soil sampling. The Soil Sample Planning Organizer Tool, or SSPOT, can be accessed at https://sspot.scinet.usda.gov.
Effective soil management relies on understanding the various factors that drive soil productivity, including pH levels, nutrient variability and organic soil carbon. Soil sampling has emerged as a valuable tool in advancing precision farming, particularly in today’s changing climate and the growing need to monitor carbon footprint in agriculture.
Land managers and researchers rely on routine soil sampling to monitor soil variability and determine the best practices to increase production while maintaining sustainability. However, they often face the challenge of identifying the optimal number of soil samples and their locations in complex and varied landscapes while managing limited time, resources, and labor.
Selecting a well-distributed set of sampling sites is crucial for effective soil management decisions, and SSPOT aims to simplify this process.
SSPOT is a user-friendly tool with integrated algorithms to help users determine the optimal placement of samples needed to comprehensively understand soil activity in various soil types over time. The integrated algorithms simplify the process for non-experts and ultimately saves land managers, producers, and soil researchers both time and money.
Users can select their specific Area of Interest (AOI) on the SSPOT map and utilize one of two “optimizer” algorithms. The algorithms use the USDA’s Soil Survey Geographic Database and customizable grids to ensure sampling activities are thorough and efficiently capture the full picture of soil health within the selected area. SSPOT enables users to customize parameters for their search and export the results for practical applications in the field.
“SSPOT is an example of collaborative science, where a multidisciplinary team of experts from academia, the federal government, and the private sector worked together to bring a vision to life,” says Virginia Jin, Location Coordinator and Research Leader with the ARS Agroecosystem Management Research Unit. “We are confident that this tool can push forward the advancement of research for the benefit of croplands, grazinglands, and forestry.”
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Furthermore, a version of SSPOT will support the USDA’s National Resources Conservation Services in their conservation evaluation and monitoring activity efforts, including soil sampling needs.
The project began at UNL with Professor Trenton Franz, who developed the initial algorithm and provided the scientific backing behind SSPOT. Consultant Ben Cook developed the original SSPOT prototype with Franz, and both contributed greatly to the new SSPOT interface, which was developed with support from industry partner, Esri, inc. The ARS team led the testing and refining of the software, incorporating valuable feedback from stakeholders throughout the process.
“Every project aiming to understand soil variability across a field faces the same questions: How many samples should I take, and where should I collect them?” Franz says. “While these questions seem straightforward, the answers vary greatly depending on location and project goals. SSPOT was designed as a user-friendly tool to help both producers and researchers make informed sampling decisions.”
SSPOT is part of ongoing collaborations among USDA, UNL and PDI aiming to strategize soil sampling to and improve soil health in the U.S.
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Enhanced support for farmers with increased replant payments
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is bolstering support for farmers facing crop setbacks by announcing an increase in replant payments for most producers beginning with the 2026 crop year. This initiative aims to provide financial assistance to farmers who need to replant insured crops damaged by early insurable causes of loss.
“The enhancement in replant payments underscores the Risk Management Agency’s commitment to sustain agricultural productivity and economic stability,” said RMA Administrator Marcia Bunger. “Replant payments assist farmers with the financial burden of replanting, offering them a pathway to recover more than the insurance indemnity alone potentially would provide.”
Replant payment factors have not been updated since they were established in the 1990s.
RMA reviewed replant payment factors to ensure they reflect current replanting costs. The agency determined most small grains and coarse grains crops will receive a significant
increase. RMA will consider future updates based on new data, further analysis, and stakeholder feedback from these changes.
RMA plans to announce the new replant payments with additional crop insurance improvements in the summer of 2025.
More Information
Crop insurance is sold and delivered solely through private crop insurance agents. A list of crop insurance agents is available at all USDA Service Centers and online at the RMA Agent Locator. Producers can learn more about crop insurance and the modern farm safety net at rma.usda.gov or by contacting their RMA Regional Office.
RMA secures the future of agriculture by providing world class risk management tools to rural America through Federal crop insurance and risk management education programs. RMA provides policies for more than 130 crops and is constantly working to adjust and create new policies based on producer needs and feedback.
Winter water needs
By Ben Beckman, UNL
As the snow flies this winter, keeping a herd well-watered gets a bit harder. Power outages, frozen tanks, and massive drifts can be roadblocks to a steady water source during cold temperatures. It might be tempting at these times to let animals fend for themselves, after all, snow has water, right?
First, we need to consider how much water animals need. As a rule of thumb, a dry cow or bull needs 1 gallon of water per 100 lbs. of body weight on an average day. Growing animals will require more. Lactating animals are usually near the top for need with 2 gallons of water daily per 100 lbs. of body weight.
Often some of an animal’s water comes from its diet, but without fresh forage, almost all water needs must be met elsewhere. This means a cow needs to consume 30-40 lbs. of snow daily to meet it’s needs. When snow is crusted or trampled, consuming an appropriate amount is even more difficult.
The animal itself must also be considered. Eating snow is a learned behavior and doesn’t just happen overnight. Having an experienced cow in the herd to teach others can help, but animals new to the technique can still take up to a week to learn. Additionally, thin cattle (Body Condition Score of 3 or less) should not be forced to depend only on snow. Cattle should have at least a BCS of 4 and should be in good health. While water demands in the winter may be less than summer, keeping water available can be difficult. Having animals eat snow may be tempting, but requires an experienced herd, plenty of fresh snow, and healthy animals.
Pasture lease considerations
By Jerry Volesky, UNL
As pasture grazing leases are getting finalized for the 2025 season, it is important to make sure that some of the key details are clear and in writing.
Traditionally, pasture leases are for 5 or 6 months from April or May through October. Specific starting and ending dates can be used, but there could be exceptions based on spring weather conditions or if there were drought conditions the previous year that might warrant delaying turn-out to allow some recovery of grasses.
A lease clause that provides details on what would happen if drought occurs during the season is a must. Most often, this is handled by reduced stocking rates or a shorter grazing period. Other situations that could affect the amount of pasture available includes severe hail, grasshoppers, or wildfire. In fairness of course, pasture rent owed should also be adjusted accordingly if the grazing period is shortened. Consider pricing leases based on grazing animal unit months (AUM’s) rather than a flat rate per acre or cow-calf pair. This can make it easier when adjustments are made to the length of time grazing occurs. In some cases, an abundance of pasture growth might result in extra grazing.
Other pasture and grazing management details that could be part of a written lease agreement would include fence maintenance and repair, weed control, or any issues associated with the livestock water supply. Some landowners might also have specific preferences in how grazing rotations are done through several pastures.
Start your communications early and make written agreements for fairness and equity. A fillable lease form for pasture can be found online by searching ‘Ag Lease 101’.
Dumb predictions
“The wireless music box has no imaginable commercial value. Who would pay for a message sent to nobody in particular?”
–Associates of NBC President David Sarnoff (responding to his recommendation, in the 1920s, that they invest in radio)
The deadline for advertising in the March 2025 issue of the Trader's Dispatch will be February 26th. Phone (406) 271-5533.
What am I buying? A guide to meat labels
By Jacob Klaudt, K-State Research and Extension news service
“Gluten-free water” – she’s not sure what that means, but it was an actual claim that Kanas State University assistant professor of sustainable meat science Erin Beyer saw on a water bottle in Australia back in 2015.
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While Beyer is not quite sure how a label this “interesting” was approved, she does know that many other claims printed on protein products can be difficult for consumers to navigate. To help clear up confusion, Beyer recently joined the Agriculture Today radio program to discuss the definitions of heavily used terms like “natural” and “certified organic,” and provide context for consumers.
“There is more label information today than I think there ever has been,” she said. “The most basic labeling system for commodity products, though, is the Uniform Retail Meat Identity Standards.”
Commodity markers – usually accompanied by a barcode and scale label – allow buyers to identify a cut of meat’s species, the wholesale area which it originated and whether it’s a steak or a roast. The meat industry classifies cuts thicker than 2 inches as roasts.
“The traditional label that comes on all commodity meat products helps people purchase products for their intended uses,” Beyer said. “So, it’s a system used that helps most buyers know they should not grill their roasts and should have a low, slow-type cooking method instead.”
Outside of commodity labeling, the branded meat sector has become more popular over the past couple decades and now encompasses more than 75% of the market, according to Beyer. Certified Angus Beef stands amongst the most popular brands, and its merchandise must pass through 10 parameters to qualify for CAB status.
“Like with any branded program, you can look those specifications up online and learn more about them,” she said. “A branded meat program usually is associated with premium meat or something in which purchasers have more trust that is higher quality than commodity.”
She added: “Is that always true? Maybe not so much. However, they do separate themselves with their brand specifications.”
However, consumers may find it challenging to discern natural products from “naturally raised” meat. Beyer said the key to understanding the differences lies in the phase of meat production they accompany.
“Natural meat is minimally processed post-harvest, has no artificial preservatives and contains all-natural ingredients like water and salt,” she said. “Naturally raised is about the animal process, meaning it has never experienced antibiotics, growth promotants or additional hormones.
Beyer notes that most meat sold in stores falls under natural classification, however, not all processors take the time to get their goods approved for the label.
On the same note, the USDA prohibits giving certain livestock species – like poultry and swine – additional hormones, which may puzzle shoppers who see the designation “raised without added hormones” on beef and lamb products.
“There are hormones in all animal products,” Beyer said. “We produce hormones as living beings just like animals produce hormones, so nothing is ever hormone-free, yet processors can tag meat as raised without added hormones if they did not receive hormone implants.”
Moreover, a certified organic marker takes the requirements for claims like ‘raised without added hormones’ and ‘natural’ a step further by including that producers must raise meat animals using organic methods while feeding organic ingredients.
“Organic methods are a little vague, but those parameters actually start at the last trimester of gestation for our red meat species and the first day of life for poultry,” Beyer said.
Beyer reminds protein purchasers, however, that certified organic and other claims do not mean that these goods differ in nutritional content nor change in food safety versus products without those labels.
More information about food product labeling is available online through the USDA.
“I don’t get no respect.”
After seeing The Godfather in 19762, comedian Rodney Dangerfield noticed that all the characters did the bidding of Don Corleone out of respect. Dangerfield just flipped the concept.
February is National Avocado and Banana Month
National Avocado and Banana Month is a lively celebration of two beloved fruits, focusing on their versatility and health benefits.
This special month encourages everyone to enjoy these creamy and sweet treats in various creative ways. Avocados bring their rich, nutty flavor and healthy fats, while bananas offer natural sweetness and a wealth of nutrients!
Why Celebrate National Avocado and Banana Month?
National Avocado and Banana Month emphasizes the joy of experimenting in the kitchen. Whether it’s making creamy avocado toast or baking delicious banana bread, there are endless possibilities.
The event shines a spotlight on these fruits, inviting people to explore new recipes and enjoy their many benefits. Sharing recipes and tips with friends and family adds to the fun, making it a communal celebration!
Avocados are packed with fiber, vitamins, and healthy fats, which make them a great addition to any meal. Bananas, known for their high potassium content, also provide essential vitamins and are perfect for snacking.
Together, these fruits promote a healthier lifestyle and inspire culinary creativity. They encourage us to find new ways to incorporate them into daily meals, from breakfast smoothies to savory dishes
History of National Avocado and Banana Month
National Avocado and Banana Month started as a celebration to highlight the benefits and versatility of these two nutritious fruits. Though the exact origin of this celebration is unclear, it likely began as a way to promote healthy eating and support the avocado and banana industries.
Avocados, rich in healthy fats and fiber, and bananas, packed with potassium and vitamins, are both considered superfoods.
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Verbal leases: What happens when someone dies
By Jessica Groskopf, Nebraska Extension ag economist
• Increased early season vigor
• Phosphorus and Zinc to drive rooting & cold start the crop.
• Zinc to help with early season hormone production, ie. Auxin for root and shoot growth.
• Convey Technology to help with early season stresses, such as cool soils and excess moisture. It also improves nutrient use efficiency.
• Other essential nutrients target at each specific crop, ie. Boron for cell wall strength; Manganese for efficient photosynthesis.
• Second chance for a starter fertilizer
• Formulations are targeted at early season root growth (more root = more efficient moisture and nutrient uptake).
• Proactive way of managing the crops nutritional requirement.
• Convey Technology helps with early season stresses such as cool soils, excess moisture, and drought. Also improves nutrient use efficiency.
• Speeds up recovery from herbicide hangover - the correct supply of nutrients helps the crop metabolize the herbicide more quickly.
• Contains novel Phosphorus nutrition, providing increased nutrient uptake and movement within the plant.
• Targeted at the reproductive phse of the plant.
• Proactive way of managing the crops utritional requirement
• Contains other essential nutrients targeted for each specific crop, ie. Boron to aid pollen tube growth, Zinc to help produce Auxin, to ensure healthy pollen tube growth.
At a recent farmland leasing workshop, the question was raised, “I am a landlord with a handshake lease agreement. What happens if I die?” At the time, I gave the simple answer, “The new owners of the land will be subject to the lease.” Although this is technically correct, the situation is more nuanced than it appears. Depending on how the land is owned and passed on, there may be a period of uncertainty regarding who is responsible for the lease after the landowner’s death. Handshake, oral, or verbal lease agreements remain common for leasing agricultural land in Nebraska. When the terms of the lease are not negotiated or written, Nebraska State Statute provides provisions for various scenarios. If the landlord dies during the term of a verbal lease agreement –and no additional verbal provisions related to this scenario were discussed and agreed to – the answer will depend on how the land is owned and passed on.
If the land passes through the owner’s will, the personal representative (executor) will be responsible for carrying out the lease until the probate process is completed. Probate is a court process of retitling assets and can take months or even years. Once the probate process is complete, the tenant will be subject to the property’s new owners (heirs).
If the land is in a trust, the trustee will be responsible for managing the lease. Depending on the terms of the trust, the land may be transferred outright to the beneficiary(s) or held in the trust and managed by the trustee.
If the land is owned by an LLC or corporation, the management of the lease will reside with the officers/owners of the corporation.
In all cases of ownership, someone will be responsible for executing the lease. If the lease is cash rented, the burden on the personal representative, trustee, or entity is light, presuming that they know the rental rate and how much has already been paid.
In a crop-share arrangement, the responsibilities are much more cumbersome: what is the shared percentage, what expenses are shared, who are the suppliers, what has been paid, where is the grain to be delivered, is there any grain currently in storage, etc.?
Regardless of whether it is a cash or crop-share lease, the personal representative, trustee, or entity will have the power to terminate the lease under Nebraska court decisions; see: https://go.unl.edu/verbal for details.
While these scenarios highlight the riskiness of verbal lease agreements, they can be avoided entirely with a clear, written lease. A written agreement that outlines what happens in the event of a landlord’s or tenant’s death provides certainty and ensures all parties understand their responsibilities.
Planning for spring annual forages
By Jerry Volesky, UNL
While we are still early in the new year, it is time to start thinking about any spring annual forages that we might plant. Part of the process may be anticipating a need for extra feed or booking seed early for possible discounts.
For spring or cool-season annual forages, the planting period is typically late March to early April, or when soil temperatures are in the 42 to 45 degree range. Oats is probably the most common cool-season annual forage planted in Nebraska. However, spring triticale or spring barley are two other small grain options that have been found to perform similarly to oats in terms of forage yield and quality.
Also similar is the number of days until ready to begin grazing or hay; so, the different species could be mixed if desired. One could look at seed cost of the different species before making a decision. With the early spring planting date of the cool-season annuals, grazing can typically begin around the 3rd or 4th week of May and last into early July. Haying usually take place around the 3rd week of June.
If grazing is a primary goal, Italian ryegrass could be included in a mix with the cereal grains and this will result in a longer grazing period. Field peas are another species that could be included to enhance forage quality and provide some nitrogen fixation.
Remember to consider the herbicides that may have been used on a field the previous year. Some herbicides may have long residuals that could hinder establishment even into this spring.
Photocopiers
Chester Carlson graduated with a physics degree in 1930 – at the beginning of the Great Depression. Jobs were scarce then, and the only work he could find was as a clerk in the patent department of Bell Labs in New York. The job – handcoping patent applications, along with their included sketches and charts – exacerbated the arthritis in his hands, so Carlson set out to create an automatic document-copying technique. He set up shop on his kitchen table in Queens and started experimenting with photoconductivity, charging metal plates with static electricity to make chemical powders cling to the plate and then applying heat (from his stove) to transfer an image to paper.
In 1938, Carlson made a glass slide with the date on it, rubbed cotton against a sulfur-coated zinc plate, and then pressed the slide to the plate. He held the side up to a light, dusted it with chemical powders, then pressed the slide to paper on the heated plate. The image transferred.
In 1945, after GE and IBM turned it down, the Haloid Company bought Carlson’s technology. They called the process xerography, Greek for “dry writing,” and named the machine that performed it a Xerox. Xerox machines sold moderately in the 1950s, but sales soared when the first fully automated push-button model was introduced in 1960. By 1968, the Xerox Corporation was selling $1 billion worth of copiers a year.
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Teacher tells little Johnny off, “You know very well you can’t sleep in my class, Johnny.”
Johnny admits, “Yes, I know miss. But maybe, if you didn’t speak quite so loud, I could.”
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Grape skins give the wine its color.
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Many farmers in western North Dakota have planted cover crops like cereal rye or triticale this fall, but as dry as this season has been, many of the plants have yet to emerge, say North Dakota State University Extension specialists.
According to the North Dakota Agricultural Weather Network, much of western North Dakota has seen more than 30 days with less than one-half inch of rain, and some areas in the northwestern region of the state have had no significant rain in about four months. Under the current drought conditions, cover crops and winter cereals have been struggling to take in moisture and germinate.
“Even cover crops that were drilled or disked in, and benefited from the seed-tosoil contact, will have poor emergence if soil moisture is not adequate,” says Victor Gomes, NDSU Extension cropping systems specialist at the Dickinson Research Extension Center. “However, most cover crops have the ability to sit dormant in the soil over winter and germinate early in the spring, once they get enough warmth and moisture.”
This process is called dormant seeding and is different from frost seeding, which happens late in the winter after the soil freezes.
“One of the concerns that often comes up when cover crop seedlings do not emerge in the fall is that the “dormancy” won’t be broken in due time with moisture imbibition by the seed, and therefore the seed will die in the ground over winter,” says Chandler Gruener, NDSU Extension soil health specialist at the North Central Research Extension Center near Minot, North Dakota. “In this case, no germination is better than some germination.
If there is enough soil moisture (light rain) to promote seed sprouting but not enough moisture for further seedling growth, the crop will not survive the winter. For successful dormant seeding, farmers should plant seeds after the ground has cooled (35 degrees Fahrenheit) but before it freezes solid or is covered in snow for the winter, recommend the specialists.
If soil temperatures stay below 35 degrees Fahrenheit or the moisture levels are insufficient to start germination, the seed’s activity will stay low, preventing it from germinating. Germination kicks in when the soil temperature rises to around 38 to 40 degrees Fahrenheit and enough moisture is present.
Farmers will still be able to reap the benefits of having a cover crop emerge early in the spring even if they do not see any visible growth in the fall. Nevertheless, a few management practices should be considered:
Cover crop choice is crucial for successful emer -
gence in the spring. Appropriate cover crops like cereal rye, winter camelina, hairy vetch, triticale and winter wheat are winter hardy and have better chances of surviving the winter dormant in the soil and then emerging to protect the soil in the spring. Farmers should determine what to use as their cash crop. The recommendation is to never use cereal rye before a wheat or barley crop. It is important to incorporate seeds into the ground, not broadcast them. If the goal is improving soil health, then simply getting the seed in the ground is the most important factor to consider. Make sure seeds have good soil contact by drilling, not broadcasting, to avoid losing them to snow runoff.
Termination timing is important. Because dormant seeded cover crops will have no growth in the fall, letting them grow as long as possible in the spring will ensure farmers get the benefits they are seeking. If planting a summer crop like corn or soybeans, the cover crops will likely benefit from a longer growth period. If planting a spring crop,
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Grants to support private forestland management and conservation
The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Forest Service announced awards totaling $7.4 million in Forest Landowner Support Grants in the Northern Region. This grant funding supports the Forest Service’s efforts to implement its Wildfire Crisis Strategy by increasing hazardous fuels treatments to reduce wildfire risks on private and tribal lands.
“We are thrilled to announce these grant awards to existing and new partners. The Inflation Reduction Act has given us the opportunity of a generation to support stateendorsed cost share payment programs for forest management on private land and increase carbon sequestration and storage practices,” said Jennifer Hensiek, Deputy Director for State, Private, & Tribal Forestry.
Northern Region Forest Landowner Support projects receiving funding are:
The Climate Trust (Oregon Climate Trust) – The Tribal Reservation and Allotment Carbon Enrollment project will work with the Northern Cheyenne Tribe in eastern Montana. The project will reach out to landowners to develop a strategy to overcome barriers to
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fuels treatments. Key lessons will be shared to demonstrate a model pathway for others.
The Blackfoot Challenge – This project aims to improve forest resilience within the Blackfoot Valley in Western Montana. Reducing fuel loads will work to increase resilience to uncontrollable wildfire, insect and disease outbreaks, and anticipated climatological conditions in the future.
Idaho Department of Lands – Through the Idaho Landowner Assistance Program, the Idaho Department of Lands aims to enhance landscape resilience, reduce carbon emissions from disturbances, and promote collaborative restoration efforts. Proposed practices such as planting, thinning, and establishing fuel breaks will support these objectives, ultimately improving ecosystem health, water quality, and wildlife habitat.
The funded projects work across land management boundaries and property lines to bring together forest management activities that increase forest resiliency to safeguard communities and the resources they depend on.
Planting cover crops
CONTINUED FROM PAGE A42
like a small grain cereal, it is likely that the cover crops will not have much time to produce biomass. Still, some ground cover early in the spring is better than no ground cover. Overall, the recommendation is to terminate the cover crop 10 to 14 days before planting the cash crop.
Planting green is another choice for termination timing that is adequate when lower biomass is present. This practice consists of planting the cash crop into a living cover crop. If this is done, it is best to terminate within a few weeks after planting to help prevent soil moisture from tying up. When terminating, the selection of the right chemical product is key to make sure the cover crop is effectively killed. It is recommended to follow the product and adjuvant guidelines required to ensure the cover crop is fully terminated.
“All things considered, dormant seeding still represents a risky choice and like any other planting event it takes careful planning and attention to weather patterns,” says Gomes. “While good cover crop emergence and establishment in the fall is preferred, when not enough moisture is available, having some ground cover available early in the spring is still better than no ground cover, and could help with soil dry-down, allowing for an earlier planting of the cash crop in floodprone areas in the spring.”
Hoagland, Seven High Ranch, Reynolds Creek, Owyhee Co, Idaho
North Dakota’s top gardening search term
By Emily How, Horticulture agent NDSU Extension – Ward County
Did you know you can explore Google’s top searches of the year? Everything from the most trending search (the election), the top trending recipe (Olympic Chocolate Muffins), and the most searched pickle recipe (dill pickle bread) is available on Google. You can even look at specific state data. According to Google Trends, the most asked gardening question for North Dakota was, “What is my hardiness zone?”
Hardiness zones are a system that categorizes regions. The maps are based on the average high and the average low of an area and then grouped into zones. Gardeners and growers use hardiness zones to determine which plants will thrive in a specific location. The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) creates and maintains the hardiness zone map.
These maps can be incredibly helpful when planning a perennial garden, especially if you are new to an area or new to gardening. For example, my family in Texas grows lantana as a perennial. In North Dakota, lantana is grown as an annual because it is not hardy enough to withstand the winter. The opposite is also true, delphiniums are grown as a perennial in North Dakota, but in Texas they get too hot and do not grow as well.
Hardiness zones are a good starting point to determine a plant’s growing suitability in a region, but other considerations should also be taken. For example, are you planting in a raised bed or in a container? Does the area you are planting get a lot of snow cover? Are you planting in an area surrounded by concrete?
These things can impact how well the plant performs in that area. If you are planting in a container, it will not receive the same insulation from the soil as plants grown in the ground. Snow also provides insulation and can keep a plant warmer through the winter. Concrete also warms an area and can cause the plants to receive more heat during the summer. You could also be in something called a climate microzone or a microclimate. These can be caused due to elevation, nearby water sources, or man-made features. Urban areas tend to be warmer than rural areas, lower elevations tend to be colder and geographical features like water can impact the temperature in a region.
If you are a cautious gardener, selecting plants with a lower zone than your area can be a safe way to make sure the plant survives through a North Dakota winter. I live in zone 4, so with high-value plants I always like to get plant varieties that are hardy to zone 2 or 3.
Sometimes I take a bit of a gamble, like purchasing a weigela that is hardy to zone 5 for the color. It is currently placed in a sheltered corner of my house that gets a significant amount of snow. I just need to wait and see if it survived the winter or if my gamble paid off.
Risk Management Training to farmers, ranchers
The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Risk Management Agency (RMA) announced up to $2 million is available for cooperative agreements for risk management training programs that support American farmers and ranchers.
This funding provides the needed resources for organizations such as universities, county cooperative extension offices, and nonprofit organizations, to develop education tools to help producers learn how to effectively manage long-term risks and challenges.
Since 2021, RMA has funded more than $17.1 million in risk management education, providing information and training to more than 1.25 million producers at more than 2,200 workshops and presentations across the United States. These investments and efforts informed new initiatives, providing better hurricane insurance products and expanding coverage of more commodities, including specialty crops, aquaculture, and controlled environments.
Interested organizations may apply for funding by submitting documentation required as part of the Risk Management Education Partnerships Notice of Funding Opportunity. The applications are reviewed and the organizations that receive funding will enter a partnership with RMA to deliver training.
“Agriculture is an inherently risky line of work, and we want to partner with organizations to provide valuable train-
Risk Management Training to farmers, ranchers
ing, particularly in communities that have historically lacked access to resources, so that they learn how to best manage risks with their businesses,” said RMA Administrator Marcia Bunger.
RMA oversees the Federal crop insurance program and promotes a strong farm safety net to sustain and ensure the success of American agriculture. Federal crop insurance helps farmers and ranchers manage risks, such as catastrophic weather conditions and market fluctuations.
In 2023 alone, RMA provided the largest farm safety net in history, a record $207 billion in protection for American agriculture. The Biden-Harris Administration introduced new RMA programs to better support a broader range of producers, including specialty crop, livestock, controlled environment and shellfish producers. Risk Management Education partnerships are critical to making sure the farm safety net and new programs are effectively delivered to agricultural producers who need them.
A broad range of risk management training activities are eligible for funding consideration, including training on crop insurance options, record keeping, financial management, non-insurance-based risk management tools, and natural disaster preparedness among others. Partners can also train farmers at all levels on risk management options that help secure local food systems.
The request for applications is available through Grants. gov and will be open through March 11, 2025.
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Recipe Patch by Geri
Slow-Cooked Swiss Steak
1-1/2 pounds beef top round steak
1/2 tsp seasoned salt
1/4 tsp ground pepper
1 Tbls canola oil
3 medium potatoes
1-1/2 cups sliced carrots
1 medium onion, sliced
1 can (14-1/2 ounces) Italian diced tomatoes
1 jar (12 ounces) beef gravy
1 Tbls minced fresh parsley
Cut steak into 6 serving-size pieces; flatten to 1/4-in. thickness. Rub with seasoned salt and pepper. In a large skillet, brown beef in oil on both sides; drain.
Cut potatos into 8 wedges and slice carrots. In a 5-qt. slow cooker, layer the potatoes, carrots, beef and onion. Combine tomatoes and gravy; pour over the top. Cook, covered, on low 5-6 hours or until meat and vegetables are tender. Sprinkle with parsley.
Apple-Dijon Pork Roast
1 boneless pork loin roast (2 to 3 pounds)
1 can (14-1/2 ounces) chicken broth
1 cup unsweetened apple juice
1/2 cup Dijon mustard
6 Tbls cornstarch
6 Tbls cold water
Ground pepper, optional
Place roast in a 5-qt. slow cooker. In a small bowl, combine the broth, apple juice and mustard; pour over roast. Cover and cook on low for 4-5 hours or until tender. Remove roast and keep warm.
For gravy, strain cooking juices and skim fat. Pour juices into a small saucepan. Combine cornstarch and water until smooth; gradually stir into juices. Bring to a boil; cook and stir until thickened, 2 minutes. Serve with pork. If desired, top with coarsely ground pepper
Cranberry BBQ Pulled Pork
1 boneless pork shoulder roast (4 to 6 pounds)
1/3 cup cranberry juice
1 Tsp salt
Sauce:1 can (14 ounces) whole-berry cranberry sauce
1 cup ketchup
1/3 cup cranberry juice
3 Tbls brown sugar
4-1/2 tsp chili powder
2 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp onion powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp ground chipotle pepper
1/2 tsp liquid smoke, optional
14 hamburger buns, split
Cut roast in half. Place in a 4-qt. slow cooker. Add cranberry juice and salt. Cover and cook on low 8-10 hours or until meat is tender.
Remove roast and set aside. In a small saucepan, combine the cranberry sauce, ketchup, cranberry juice, brown sugar, seasonings and liquid smoke if desired. Cook and stir over medium heat until slightly thickened, about 5 minutes.
Skim fat from cooking juices; set aside 1/2 cup juices. Discard remaining juices. When cool enough to handle, shred pork with 2 forks and return to slow cooker
Stir in sauce mixture and reserved cooking juices. Cover and cook on low about 1 hour or until heated through. Serve on buns.
SlowCooked Stuffed
Peppers
4 medium sweet red peppers
1 can (15 ounces) black beans, rinsed and drained
1 cup shredded pepper jack cheese
3/4 cup salsa
1 small onion, chopped
1/2 cup frozen corn
1/3 cup uncooked rice
1-1/4 teaspoons chili powder
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
Reduced-fat sour cream, optional
Cut and discard tops from peppers; remove seeds. In a large bowl, mix beans, cheese, salsa, onion, corn, rice, chili powder and cumin, spoon into peppers. Place in a 5-qt. slow cooker coated with cooking spray.
Cook, covered, on low until peppers are tender and filling is heated through, 3-4 hours .
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NDSU offers recommendations on postwildfire grazing, rangeland management
North Dakota experienced a higher number of wildfires in 2024, with more than 110,000 acres being impacted. The Ray/ Tioga wildfires burned almost 89,000 acres impacting rangeland, cropland and hay land.
The state has not experienced wildfires of this magnitude since 1999. The 1999 fire occurred on Halloween Day and started in Sidney, Montana, impacting more than 70,000 acres of western North Dakota, primarily range and grazing lands.
“Confounding the impacts of this year’s wildfires on range and grazing lands is the current extreme (D3) drought that western North Dakota and eastern Montana are experiencing,” says Kevin Sedivec, North Dakota State University Extension rangeland management specialist and Central Grasslands Research Extension Center director. “Drought and fire, in combination this fall, will have a negative impact on forage production the next year.”
Forage production impacts in 2025
Fire impacts different types of plants differently. Warm-season grasses usually respond by producing greater biomass after a fire. Cool-season grasses lose vigor after a burn, creating less biomass after a fire. Flowering plants are tricky, with some increasing biomass and some reducing biomass, says Sedivec.
Woody species are even more variable with suckering types, such as buckbrush, willows, sumac, and Siberian elm, having this year’s growth removed but more suckers (basal shoots and creeping roots) next year. Trees or shrubs that die from fire include most conifers (including cedars and pines), lilac, big sage and Chinese elm.
“Because North Dakota is a cool-season, grass-dominated state, ranchers should expect about a 30% to 40% decline in forage production in 2025 due to the fire if normal spring precipitation occurs,” says Miranda Meehan, NDSU Extension livestock environmental stewardship specialist.
In a study conducted by North Dakota State University following the 1999 Halloween fire, forage production was reduced 39% the following year, which had slightly below average precipitation.
“Because these areas are also in a severe drought, cool-season grasses did not develop tillers this fall,” says Meehan. “The fall drought could create another loss of 10% to 20%, even with average spring precipitation. Given these confounding impacts, ranchers should plan for 40% to 60% less forage in 2025 on areas impacted by the fire. If dry conditions persist in 2025, forage production could be further reduced.”
Wildfire impacts on the plant community
“Although wildfires can be very destructive, the impacts of fire to the plant community will be mostly positive in the long-term,” says Sedivec. “Based on research from the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s agricultural research stations in Miles City, Montana, and Mandan, North Dakota, and research conducted by NDSU, native grasses and forbs do not experience long-term negative impacts due to fire. However, introduced invasive grasses such as Kentucky bluegrass and smooth brome can be severely injured and reduced within the population. Many woody species also do not tolerate fire, with most coniferous trees, such as cedar and Rocky Mountain juniper, killed by fire.”
One negative within the grass community is the removal of all above ground plant material, leaving soils exposed to erosion until new plant growth occurs. Based on the research from North and South Dakota,
litter will be significantly reduced for the first year after fire, but back to normal by year two or three.
“Honestly, there is nothing we can do to minimize this impact, especially this coming winter,” shares Sedivec. “We can hope for winter snow to blanket our rangelands to reduce erosion and provide early moisture next spring for rapid grass growth.”
Fire will impact the green ash draws differently than grasslands. Most green ash draws in western North Dakota contain green ash, box elder and American elm. All three of these trees are classified as sprouting types, meaning even when the full canopy is burned sprouts will occur from the base of the tree or from underground rhizomes. If mature trees die, new saplings will fill the draw, but it can take three to five years, or longer, to see 10 foot tall trees.
One negative within the green ash draws will be a new flush of weeds, says Sedivec. Following the 1999 fire, NDSU found Canada thistle and hounds tongue appear in the burned draws in year two. As trees re-established and grass started filling the woodland floor, both Canada thistle and hounds tongue decline significantly by year five.
Recommendations for 2025
The primary concern for ranchers impacted by the wildfires in western North Dakota and eastern Montana will be a significant decline in forage production, says Meehan. The current extreme drought conditions will exaggerate this loss. Grazing recommendations include:
Grazing can occur in 2025, but spring deferment from grazing will be required. Ranchers should delay turn out until midJune if moisture conditions are above average, end of June if moisture is average, and mid-July to early August if dry.
Expect a loss of forage production by 30% to 50% if moisture conditions are near normal.
Stocking rate could be reduced by 50% to 70% if dry conditions continue into spring. Fires will not have any long-term negative effects on the grassland community. If droughty conditions occur next year, expect a flush of annual weeds. However, these annuals will decline in time.
Although litter will be reduced, it will return to normal levels unless overgrazing occurs.
Native grass and wildflower populations will either not change or increase in population.
Invasive cool-season grasses will decline, at least temporarily.
Nutritional value of the grass, flowers and shrubs will be greater, providing a higher quality diet through late summer.
Do not reseed native rangelands or perennial grass pastures.
These fires will alter the woody (trees and shrubs) plant community. Some impacts may include:
Conifer trees will die. This is a positive for rangelands as trees should not be found on our upland grasslands. Herbage production will increase with tree mortality.
Deciduous trees in green ash draws may die if fully burned; however, trees should survive fast fires that only burned the bottom trucks (and did not damage the cambium layer – first section of the tree under the bark). However, they may be more susceptible to disease and pests.
Most deciduous trees and many shrubs burned by these fires will re-sprout, creating new saplings even in year one. The fire
Great American Pie Month
Celebrated Every February
Food days, especially days that spotlight desserts, are a favorite reason that people love to celebrate. And Great American Pie Month is certainly no different – except that it lasts much longer than just a day. Whether a person loves fruity pies or creamy ones, sweet or something a bit more savory, there is room during this month for all of this – and so much more as well!
History of Great American Pie Month
Great American Pie Month has been around for a few decades, getting its start in 1990 with the help of the Crisco brand of shortening. For many years, Crisco has advertised itself as the best ingredient to be used for making the flakiest, most delicious pie crust.
While the skill of making homemade pies may have waned over the past few decades, the enjoyment of eating pie certainly has not. So get on board with Great American Pie Month by showing some love and appreciation for the beauty that comes from a deliciously simple pastry when it is filled with delightful things!
How to Celebrate Great American Pie Month
• Eat Some Pie
Whether it comes from a local bakery or grocery store, or it is a homemade version, eating pie is the most necessary part of this celebration. Perhaps the most dedicated lovers and celebrators of Great American Pie Month would commit to trying a different flavor of pie each and every day. From strawberry rhubarb to pumpkin cream, from cherry to key lime, and so many others – that’s certainly a challenge that would be worth taking!
• Bake a Pie
The great thing about Great American Pie Month occurring during this time of year is that for most people, at least in the northern hemisphere, this is a good time to turn the oven on.
Veteran makers of pie might be interested in coming up with some challenging recipes or creative twists on their usual habits. And those who are new to baking pies can use this as a great motivation to get started with learning.
Recommendations on post-wildfire grazing, rangeland management
may actually promote more deciduous trees and shrubs in the draw.
“Wildfire will negatively impact forage production in 2025,” concludes Sedivec. “However, with proper grazing management these sites will quickly recover forage production. Additionally, fires will likely have positive benefits to the plant community that will improve diversity and the long-term resilience of rangelands to future droughts and wildfires.”
My five year old son: This potato salad makes me sad. Me: Why?
He: All these potatoes could have been fries! #####
At an interview: “So you’d be starting off at $20 000, but later on it can go up to $40 000.”
“Excellent, I’ll start later on.”
The
National Drink Wine Day
Green And Pink
This holiday is always celebrated on February 18th
Livestock, wildlife, and even honey bees prefer Sainfoin over o Alfalfa dealers are despartely trying to get the condensed tann Alfalfa and use high pressure sales to convince you to grow Alf
•
•
Growing best practices:
• Sainfoin establishes itself without a cover crop.
• Best if not mixed with other plants such as barley or wheat. 30 pounds per acre for dryland or 1 cutting, 40 pounds per acre for irrigated or multi-cuts.
• Seed in fall or spring when moisture will be
•
•
Now here’s a day we all can enjoy, assuming you are 21 or older, of course. Go down to the wine cellar, or the nearest liquor store, and select a very fine wine.
Sainfoin leaves naturally contain tannins, allowing the protein ed instead of excreted.
We all know that apples were the first fruit, in the garden of Eden. Grapes were most likely there, too. It was probably soon after, that wine was discovered. Did You Know? Novinophobia is the fear of running out of wine.
Sanfoin’s palability and digestibility provides more return per to Alfalfa. Sanfoin’s ability to be grazed or hayed gives produ to best utilize it’s benefits in your operation.
What it Takes to Make Wine
It takes a lot of grapes to make wine…..
• 1 wine barrel contains 60 gallons of wine.
• 60 gallons of wine makes 25 cases.
Growing best practices:
• 375 cases weigh 5 tons.
• Growers plant 50 vines per acre.
• Sainfoin establishes itself without a cover crop.
• There are almost 1 million acres of grape vines growing in the United States. This includes wine, table grapes and raisins.
• Best if not mixed with other plants such as barley or 30 pounds per acre for dryland or 1 cutting, 40 pounds for irrigated or multi-cuts.
• One vine produces 3 bottles of wine.
• One vine produces 30 clusters of grapes.
• 10 clusters of grapes makes 1 bottle of wine.
• Seed in fall or spring when moisture will be held to the
• 100 grape vines produce 1 barrel of wine.
• Seed 3/4 of an inch deep or less.
Livestock, wildlife, and even honey bees prefer Sainfoin over other forages. Highly digestible and a higher sugar content gives Sainfoin the edge over Alfalfa. Sainfoin leaves naturally contain condensed tannins, allowing the protein to be digested instead of excreted.
Growing best practices:
• Hay/graze when near full bloom.
Today’s Chuckle: “I cook with wine. Sometimes I even add it to the food.” W.C. Fields
History and Origin of National Drink Wine Day
No record or date has been found. It is very likely that a few ladies were relaxing and enjoying some fine wine one evening and conceived this holiday.
MONTANA SEEDS
• Seeding rate: 30 pounds per acre for dryland or 1 cutting, 40 pounds per acre for irrigated or multi-cuts.
For more information,
For more information,
Napoleon Dynamite
Elvis Costello used it as a pseudonym on his 1986 album Blood and Chocolate. Scriptwriter Jared Hess met a street person who said his name was Napoleon Dynamite. Hess like the name and, unaware of the Costello connection, used it for the lead character in his movie.
Seeds 406-278-9951
View our FULL inventory at www.FrontlineAgSolutions.com
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DRILLS & SEEDERS
Spring seeding is coming soon. See our lineup of good used seeders to get that crop seeded quickly. Many others in stock - please call.
2023 John Deere N560 no till drill, 60ft. 10” spacing, double shoot, All Run Blockage, cast serrated closing wheels, spoked narrow gauge wheels, C850 tow behind cart. Stock #88700 $725,000 (1)
2022 John Deere N560 no till drill, 60-ft., 7.5” spacing, Pro Series openers, Truset down pressure, narrow spoked gauge wheels, crumbler closing wheels, JD All Run Blockage, 430 tow between cart with 12” conveyor (KSI flip over hopper), no section control. Stock #90471 $383,000 (4)
2021 John Deere 542C 42-ft. air drill, 7.5” spacing, single shoot, Pro Series spoked gauge wheels, All Run Blockage, 340/60R15 single wing tires, tow behind 1910 cart, SN1A81910HCNF795479. Stock #87427 $258,000 (4)
2002 New Holland SD440 45-ft. 10:” spacing hoe drill, single shoot, 3” spread tip, capped steel press wheels, no blockage, has Flexi-Coil 3450 cart, 450 bushels, 3 tank cart, auger cart SNG50-108422-02. Stock #91713
$39,000 (1)
Case IH ATX5010 50-ft., 10” spacing, SS, tire packers, 3” spread tips, no blockage, 2 tanks - 230 bushels. Has new hoses and points. Stock #85109.....$32,500 (1)
2005 Case IH ATX4812 48-ft., 12” spacing, rubber packer wheels, 1” tips, includes 3380 tow behind air cart. Stock #83627 $26,000 (1)
2015 John Deere 1890 60-ft. with 10” spacing, 90 Series openers, mix of spoked and unspoked gauge wheels, mix of smooth and serrated closing wheels, All Run Blockage (JD), 430 tow between cart with Intelligent Ag section control, 12” conveyor with standard hopper. Stock #88790 $198,000 (14)
2012 John Deere 1890 60-ft. no till drill, 10” spacing, single shoot air package for tow between cart, All Run Blockage system for seed, 430 bushel cart, Uniforce down pressure system. Stock #86592 $168,000 (12)
2010 John Deere 1835 50-ft. drill with 12.5” spacing, 550# trips, 3” rubber press wheels, DBL shoot, drill with midrow banders, rock guards and scrapers, dual wing wheels, primary blockage on seed, no blockage on fertilizer, 430 bushel tow between cart, double shoot, 6 runs, 10” auger, 710/70R38, SN A01910T735486. Stock #89162
$59,000 (14)
New Holland PS2070 60-ft. hoe drill, 10” spacing, PS1060 cart, roughly 25,000 acres. Stock #86634 $40,000 (11)
2010 John Deere 1830 60-ft. hoe drill, 10” spacing, single shoot, steel packers, mechanical depth control, primary blockage, 1910 tow behind air cart.S/N 1A81910HVAG740107. Stock #90380
2015 John Deere 1890 60-ft. no-till drill, 7.5” spacing, SS, All Run Blockage, solid gauge wheel, 430 bushel tow behind cart, 3 tank, 8 run, hydraulic drive (section command), 10” fill auger. Stock #90868
$178,000 (12)
2006 John Deere 1890 36-ft. drill with 7.5” spacing, single shoot, All Run Blockage, solid gauge wheels, 270 bushel tow between cart, 8” fill auger. Stock #85261
$140,000 (11)
#88700
#88790
#89162
4WD, ROW CROP AND UTILITY TRACTORS
Check out our lineup of 4WD and track tractors for spring seeding and
2023 John Deere 9RX640 with E18 tranmission, 36” Camso track, fixed 87” spacing, 110 GPM dual hydraulic pump, 1000 PTO, standard mid rollers, tow cable, Ultimate Comfort air seat plus cab suspension, Ultimate visibility package, Signature Edition, Intelligent Power Management. Stock #88307
2014 John Deere 9560R with premium hiflow, 18 speed PowerShift, 18 forward/6 rear speeds with Efficiency Manager, premium Command View II cab, premium radio package with XM radio, hi-flow hydraulic system, 295 lpm (78 gpm), five deluxe electro-hydraulic rear remote selective control valves, Cat 5 drawbar (2 positions) with heavy duty drawbar support, 520/85R46 triples, weights. Stock #91816 $237,500 (12)
2018 John Deere 9520RX with cab, 18/6 PowerShift, 30” DuraBuilt 6500 (with poly mid rollers), 5 SCVs, no 3-point, 1000 PTO, premium radio, premium CVIII cab with suspension, hi-flo hydraulics, Cat 5 drawbar, electric mirrors, premium lighting, 4600 command center with activation, no SF6000. Stock #89083
$373,000 (12)
2012 Case IH Steiger 500 quadtrac with 30” track, 1000 PTO, 16/2 speed Power Shift, guidance ready with receiver and display, luxury cab, 6 SCVs. Stock #91610 $190,000 (15)
2021 John Deere 9620RX with 30” track, narrow spacing, PTO, display, large hydraulic pump, Performance Package, E18 transmission, 18F/6 R speeds with efficiency manager, 4600 command center with extended monitor, StarFire 6000 receiver, SF1 command center premium activation, Premium Command View III cab with cab suspension, premium radio package, Cummins X15 14.9L (912 cu. in.) 6 cylinder tier 4/ Stage V compliant diesel engine. Stock #91049
$530,000 (12)
2018 Versatile 610DT with 605 hp, 16 speed Power Shift transmission, 36” track, deluxe cab, LED lights, guidance ready with receiver and 10” display, differential lock, 6 SCVs, 2 sets of low pressure couplers. Stock #91193
$400,000 (12)
2014 John Deere 9510R with 4630 hours, high flow hydraulics with 5 SCVs, 1000 PTO, 18/6 Power Shift transmission, premium cab, 800/70R38 tires with duals, full weight package, comes with 2630 display with AutoTrac, tires are 70%, active seat. Stock #91714 $239,900 (15)
1985 John Deere 8850 4WD with 375 hp, rebuilt heads, 20.8R42 duals, 4 hydraulics, Quad Range transmission, 16 speed, GPS not included. Stock #92528 $27,500 (14)
$187,500 (14)
2008 John Deere 9530 with 800/70R38 duals (80%+), Power Shift transmission, 4 rear SCVs, premium cab with active seat, front and rear weights, Case drain, AutoTrac ready, 3000 receiver (SF1), 2630 display (SF2 unlocked). Stock #92107
1997 Case IH 9390 4WD, 450 hp, Trimble guidance, 24 speed synchro shift transmission, air ride seats, LED lighting, 4 SCVs, Case drain, front and rear weights, 20.8R42 triples. Stock #92146
$82,500 (14)
SELF PROPELLED SPREADERS & SPRAYERS
Several used John Deere and competitive self-propelled sprayers and applicators in stock! Variety of boom and widths available. Several units are ready to roll with turnkey GPS!
2024 John Deere 616R with See-N-Spray, 120-ft. steel, 20”, auto solution control, hi-flow pump, front fill, 5 sensorboom level, boom air purge, eductor, ultimate comfort package, active seat II, fence row nozzles, VF420/95R50 tires, Gen4 4600 and extended monitor with 4.0 activation integrated receiver with SF-RTK capable. Stock #91439 $705,000 (1)
#89332
2015 John Deere R4045 with Command View II Plus cab, guidance, section control, 120-ft. boom with auto boom leveling, stainless steel tank, foam markers, RH and LH fence row nozzles, no eductor, 420/95R50 tires. Stock #86591
$169,000 (12)
2012 John Deere 4940 with 120-ft. boom, 15” spacing, 380/105R50 tires, Hi-Flo solution pump, stainless steel plumbing, BoomTrac Pro 5 leveling, SF3000 receiver, AutoTrac and section control activations. Stock #88812......$118,000 (1)
2022 John Deere 412R 120-ft. 20”, CVIII cab, premium radio, high flow solution pump, AutoSolution control, no Exact Apply, eductor, boom level, boom air purge, ultimate visibility lights, fence row nozzles, 380/90R46, Includes 4600 with AT activation, SF6000. Stock #89332
$433,000 (15)
#91133
2023 John Deere 616R with 120-ft. steel, 20”, CVIII cab, Exact Apply, auto solution control, hi-flow pump, front fill, 5 sensor boom level, boom air purge, Ultimate visibility lights, eductor, Ultimate Comfort package, Cat 1 cab filtration, pressure recirc and reclaim, fence row nozzles, 420 skinny tires. Stock #91133
$570,000 (14)
2020 John Deere R4060 with 132-ft. boom, 1600 gallon tank, Exact Apply, 20” spacing, eductor, 5 sensor BT, auto solution control, premium cab/radio, leather seats, includes LSW580/75R46 and VF420/95R50 tires. Stock #92068
$388,000 (14)
2017 John Deere R4045 with 120-ft. steel boom, 20” spacing, No Exact Apply, 5 tip nozzle body, manual solution control, large eductor, 5 sensor BoomTrac, premium cab/radio, wheel slip, LED lights, L/R end nozzles radar, boom air purge, 480/80R50 tires with fenders, 2630 display with AutoTrac and section control and receiver. Stock #91898
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2017 John Deere 4038 with 120-ft. boom, 20” spacing, 1000 gallon tank, 5 sensor BH, boom air purge, VF380/90R46 tires, high flow pump with dual flow meter, premium cab/radio, R/L end nozzles, LED lights, 6000 receiver, 2630 display with AutoTrac and section control and receiver. Stock #91139
$259,500 (14)
2021 John Deere 616R with 132-ft. carbon fiber, 20”, CVIII cab, Exact Apply, premium radio, AutoSolution control, hiflow pump, 5 sensor boom level, boom air purge, ultimate vis lights, eductor, Ultimate Comfort package, Cat I cab filtration, fence row nozzles, skinny tires. Includes 4.0 AT activation, 4600 armrest display, section control, SF6000. Stock #89240
2018 John Deere R4045 with 132-ft. carbon fiber, 20” CVIII cab, premium radio, AutoSolution control, Exact Apply, front fill, 5 sensor boom level, boom air purge, LED lights, eductor, leather, fence row nozzles, 800 float tires (75%) and VF480/80R50s (75%) includes 4600 with Command Center premium activation, SF6000. Stock #86870 $338,000 (1)
$489,900 (1)
2024 John Deere 412R with 120-ft. steel boom with Exact Apply, receiver, 4600 monitor, 1200 gallon SS tank, Ulitmate comfort with Active Seat, VF380/90R46 tires, high flow solution pump, SS eductor, 20” nozzles, air purge, fenders. Stock #90973 $530,000 (14)
2023 John Deere 412R with 1200 gallon SS tank, ultimate comfort package, active seat, receiver and display, VF380/90R46 tires, hydraulic tread adjustment, traction control, high flow solution pump, eductor, 120-ft steel boom with 20” spacing, AutoBoom sensor, air purge, fenders. Stock #92123
$450,000 (12)
2015 John Deere 4038 with 120-ft. 20” spacing steel boom, No Exact Apply, 1000 gallon stainless tank, chemical eductor, boom air purge, BoomTrac Pro (5 sensor), 2630 display with AutoTrac and section control, Starfire 3000 receiver (SF1), automatic solution control, fence row nozzles, premium cab (leather seat and buddy seat), premium radio, LSW680/55R42 tires, 380 tires also available. Stock #91119 $145,000 (14)
A new research initiative by the University of Kentucky Martin-Gatton College of Agriculture, Food and Environment is investigating a natural, probiotic-based solution to combat a common bacterial infection that has plagued horse owners, veterinarians and breeders for decades.
Rhodococcus equi infections cause severe pneumonia in young foals, leading to costly treatments, high mortality rates and long-term health impacts on surviving animals. The research, titled “Novel Therapeutics for the Control of Multidrug-resistant Rhodococcus equi in Foals” and funded by the American Quarter Horse Association, could bring meaningful changes to how these infections are managed—reducing reliance on antibiotics and potentially offering a more ecologically sustainable way to protect foals.
“This infection has been a persistent problem for the horse industry, leading to high costs, complicated treatments and heartbreaking losses,” said Yosra Helmy, assistant professor of infectious diseases and microbiology in the Department of Veterinary Science at the Maxwell H. Gluck Equine Research Center at Martin-Gatton CAFE. “By exploring probiotics as a preventative and treatment solution, we aim to shift away from traditional antibiotic treatments and offer horse owners and veteri-
narians a sustainable approach to protect foals and promote long-term health.”
R. equi impact and challenges
Young foals are highly susceptible to R. equi, typically contracting the bacteria from farm environments. Inhaling particles from soil that harbor R. equi, the foals develop pneumonia, bringing symptoms like fever, labored breathing and lethargy. Without prompt and intensive treatment, infections often become fatal or lead to chronic health issues that can limit horses’ athletic performance as adults.
For horse owners and breeders, R. equi infections present an expensive challenge, with extended treatments, high veterinary costs and economic losses. Compounding the issue, there is currently no available vaccine to prevent R. equi infections—leaving antibiotics as the primary treatment.
Antibiotic treatments, however, come with their own complications. In addition to possible side effects, such as digestive problems, antibiotics are becoming less effective against R. equi due to the rise of antibiotic-resistant strains.
“We’re reaching a point where our options are limited, and R. equi infections continue to have a major impact on the industry,” Helmy said. “Our goal with this study is to develop an approach that improves foal health while reducing the need for antibiotics, paving the way for a healthier future.”
Potential research outcomes
This research project focuses on the potential of probiotics—the “good bacteria” that promote health by balancing bacterial populations in the gut. Widely used for digestive health in humans, probiotics could play a similar role in foals, preventing harmful bacteria from taking hold. The research team has identified specific probiotic strains that appear to offer protection against R. equi and is now conducting laboratory tests to ensure these strains are safe for use in young horses.
“If we can confirm that these probiotics are effective and safe, they could become a valuable tool for horse farms worldwide,” Helmy said. “This would mean fewer infections, reduced reliance on antibiotics and ultimately, a healthier start for foals.”
Antibiotic resistance is very problematic in the fight against R. equi strains, a growing concern in animal and human health as well as other bacterial infections. By offering a natural preventive measure, this probiotic approach could limit the spread of resistant bacteria on horse farms, promoting better health outcomes across the equine industry.
This project’s outcomes are anticipated to have farreaching impacts. Healthier foals would lead to reduced veterinary costs and greater long-term value for horse owners.
“In addition to the obvious health benefits for foals, we’re excited by the potential for probiotics to support farming practices,” Helmy said. “If successful, this study could be a game-changer for the equine industry and set a new standard for prevention and care”
Nodule – Tag Team Bionic Pro Granule
Sterile Peat
Buster Peas” Sunburst Montana
AMBA releases recommended variety list
The American Malting Barley Association (AMBA) Board of Directors annually develops a list of recommended malting barley varieties for U.S. growers for the upcoming crop year. AMBA is a nonprofit trade organization, which represents the interests of end users of malting barley, including maltsters, brewers, distillers, and food processors. Their work seeks to maintain a stable and high quality supply of malting barley for their nearly 50 members throughout the U.S.
The AMBA Recommended List is intended to provide U.S. growers with guidance as to what varieties the industry may be contracting or purchasing in the coming year. It is not intended as a list of approved or certified malting varieties for the use by brewers, distillers, food companies, or maltsters. There may be many suitable malting barley varieties grown domestically or internationally that are not on the list, yet have quality characteristics desired by the industry. Some varieties will be used in large quantities and many others are only utilized in niche markets, so producers are encouraged to contact their local elevator, grain handler, or processor to gauge market demand for any variety grown in their region prior to seeding.
Additions to the 2025 list include CDC Churchill, a variety registered in Canada in 2018; and Firefoxx, a European line that is a non-producer of GN.
CDC Churchill is a spring, two-row, hulled malting barley variety developed by Dr. Aaron Beattie at the Crop Development Centre, University of Saskatchewan. The line was brought forth for recommendation by member company, Malteurop, who has trialed and found success with the line throughout North Dakota and Montana. It is reported to have slightly higher yield than AAC Synergy with a comparable enzyme package to CDC Copeland.
Firefox is a spring, two-row, hulled malting barley developed in Europe and released by Ackerman Saatzucht GmbH & Co. The line was brought forth for recommendation by member company, RahrBSG, who has tested its viability in North Dakota over the past four crop seasons. It exhibits CONTINUED ON PAGE B4
Chemigation certification
By Greg Puckett, Extension Assoc Pesticide
Safety Ed
Producers who use, or want to use, chemigation in their operation can become certified or recertified through faceto-face training or online training offered by Nebraska Extension in 2025.
Who Needs Chemigation Certification?
Under the Nebraska Chemigation Act (Neb. Rev. Stat. §§ 46-1101 to 46-1148), you need chemigation certification before applying any pesticide or fertilizer to a field through an irrigation system in Nebraska. This is true whether you operate chemigation equipment on your own land or do so on behalf of another landowner.
Not sure if your certification expires in 2025? Look up your certification status at https://deq-iis.ne.gov/zs/chemigation/main_search_chemication.php
Landowners must also acquire a permit from their Natural Resources District (NRD) for each chemical injection location they or their operator will use for chemigation.
Face-to-Face Training
Dozens of in-person chemigation training sessions hosted by local extension educators are scheduled to take place throughout the state in the early months of 2025. All training sessions include an opportunity to take the chemigation certification exam. You must pass this exam to become certified or recertified.
Online Training
Online chemigation training for 2025 will become available on Wednesday, Jan. 1 and remain available all year. The online program contains a series of training modules which you must complete to unlock the certification exam. You must pass this exam to become certified or recertified. Visit our chemigation training page for more information about the online training program.(https://pested.unl.edu/ training-and-certification/chemigation/ What
Happens After My Training and Exam?
After you have received a passing score on your chemigation exam, the Pesticide Safety Education Program (PSEP) Office will send the results to the Nebraska Department of Environment and Energy (NDEE). The NDEE will then mail you your chemigation certification card, which is valid for four years.
There is no fee for chemigation training or the issuance of certification cards. However, chemical injection site permits (obtained through your NRD) do have fees associated with them.
If you have any questions about becoming certified to chemigate, please contact the PSEP Office.
AMBA releases recommended variety list
comparable quality traits to check varieties, but provides the unique attribute of being a non-producer of GN, a trait of high interest by the distilling industry.
The lone variety to be removed from the list is Quest, a spring, six-row variety released by the Minnesota Agricultural Experiment Station in 2010 by Dr. Kevin Smith. It joined the list in 2011 and was grown until the industry transitioned to primarily two-row varieties.
To access the entire list and the full press release, visit the AMBA website
CONTINUED FROM PAGE C3 Folks
Photo by Suzy Benzing
Large selection of 2008 Wabash dry van
2006 Wabash 35-ft. dry van. liftgate trailer $7500
1986 Hobbs 48-ft. dry van storage trailer $3800
2) Single axle converter dollies $2500 ea. Call Randy for more information (406) 855-5994
Central Grasslands REC to host prescribed burn workshop
Implementing prescribed burns in a livestock operation and how burning can improve a plant community are a few of the topics that will be discussed at a prescribed burn workshop hosted by NDSU’s Central Grasslands Research Extension Center on February 25.
The one-day workshop, held at the Baymont Inn on 25th Street in Jamestown, will begin at 9:30 a.m. and conclude at 4 p.m. A buffet lunch will be provided.
“This workshop is a great opportunity to learn about the role of prescribed burning to enhance ecosystem services and livestock performance,” says Kevin Sedivec, NDSU Extension rangeland management specialist and CGREC interim director. “Although fire is often viewed as dangerous due to the catastrophic impacts of wildfire, planned prescribed burns are designed to be safe and strategic to achieve a positive outcome.”
This event is free and open to the public, and anyone interested is encouraged to attend. The topics of discussion may be especially interesting to livestock producers and rangeland managers.
“We will have speakers provide the latest science on burning and grazing in the Northern Plains, including the role of burning with grazing on wildlife habitat, plant community composition and forage quality, and cattle performance,” says Ben Menapace, CGREC research specialist and
workshop organizer. “Attendees can expect engaging talks from agency representatives, livestock producers, researchers and conservationists from across the Northern Great Plains.”
Attendees will have scheduled opportunities to ask questions and discuss the issues involved with implementing prescribed burns on rangelands in North Dakota.
Topics addressed at the workshop will be:
General introductions to the logistics of implementing prescribed fire
The role of the North Dakota Prescribed Fire Cooperative
How fire promotes floral expression
Impacts of patch burn grazing on grassland birds
How fire can improve livestock performance and forage nutritional value
Optimizing fire return interval and time of year for prescribed burning
How burning can improve a plant community
Rancher perspectives: Implementing prescribed burns in a livestock operation
Building and sustaining a “burning culture” in the Dakotas
Preregistration is highly encouraged in order to provide sufficient meals and seating. Register online at ndsu.ag/prescribedburn.
Canada’s oddest museum?
Have you ever dreamed of seeing a gopher dressed as a Mountie? Or maybe you’ve fantasized about gophers working as hairdressers and styling each other’s locks. How about a gopher dressed as a preacher or an angel gopher with a halo and harp floating in the air above his head? At the Gopher Hole Museum in Torrington, Alberta (just north of Calgary), these visions are all on display for you to behold and admire. About the size of a garage, the museum displays
MACHINERY FOR SALE
Melroe 24-ft. chisel plow with Noble harrow
Gysler 24-ft. chisel plow with Noble harrow, no wing lift
International 810 24-ft. header
International 810 13.5-ft. header with Sund pickup
International pull-type V-ditcher $1300
International 1480 combine. Salvage parts. International 1440 combine. Salvage parts. International draper header, 24-ft., fits 4000/5000 $250
to 48-ft.
International 19.5-ft.draper header, pickup reel, fits 4000/5000
Friggstad Force V air cart, ground drive, deep banding
Farmhand F226 loader
F236 loader
2) John Deere 500 rod weeders, 14-ft. with
44 dioramas with 71 stuffed gophers (really Richardson’s ground squirrels, to be accurate) elaborately dressed as townspeople doing a wide range of activities, including bank officer, robber, and firefighter. Don’t miss: The gopher smith hammering at his anvil; the clown gopher clutching his balloons; a ‘50s-style female gopher showing off her poodle skirt while holding hands with a young male gopher in a leather jacket.
Lux Surveyor Cab, Power Adjusting Mirrors, 120 ft boom, 7 section, 20” spacing, Case IH AFS Pro 700, Deluxe H.I.D./LED field lights, Accuboom section control, Autoboom Height Control 5 Sensors, Single beacon light, Trelleborg 710 Floaters
English is funny: The announcement was made by a nameless official. Just about everyone has a name, even officials. Surely what is meant is “The announcement was made by an unnamed official.”
#####
I received another letter from some lawyer yesterday. It had “Final Notice” written on the envelope. Good. They won’t be bothering me anymore.
#####
Where do we get virgin wool from? Ugly sheep.
##### What do you call it when a 4’9’’ woman dates a 6’5’’ man? A long-distance relationship.
#####
English is funny: Put your best foot forward. Now let’s see…. We have a good foot and a better foot — but we don’t have a third — and best — foot. It’s our better foot we want to put forward. This grammar atrocity is akin to May the best team win. Usually there are only two teams in the contest. Similarly, in any list of bestsellers, only the most popular book is genuinely a bestseller. All the rest are bettersellers.
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2024 New Holland CR8.90 combine, full automation, autoguidance, chopper & spreader, electric folding covers, DFR rock trap, twin pitch rotors. $539,900
2018 New Holland CR8.90 combine, duals, autoguidance, electric folding covers, chopper and spreader, DFR rock trap, twin pitch rotors
$249,900
2013 Case IH 8230 combine, auto guidance, chopper, AFX rotor, very clean.
Allis-Chalmers 7060 tractor, cab, 2WD with duals.$2900
$145,900
1998 Case IH 2388 combine with 36-ft. 2042 header $34,900
1995 Case IH 2188 combine with 1010 15-ft pickup header. $19,995
2006 John Deere 9760 STS combine....REDUCED $10,000 to $39,900
USED HEADERS
2013 MacDon D65 40-ft. windrower
USED AIR DRILLS
John Deere 1830 hoe drill with 1910 air cart, 60-ft., 10” spacing, 3” steel packers, standard JD blockage. Just Traded
2021 New Holland SP310F self-propelled front boom sprayer, 120-ft. steel mono boom, 1200 gallon stainless steel tank, 650 tires, Intellispray (hawkeye) nozzle control, Intelliview 4 display, stainless steel inductor, XRT auto-boom, auto rinse, premium lighting, low hours.
Morris Contour II drill with tow between 8450 cart, 61-ft., 10” spacing, precision (independent hydraulic trips), single shoot, 3 tank, 450 bushel, variable rate, TopCon X35 monitor.
2008 New Holland SD550 drill with SC430 tow-between cart, 12” spacing, 60 ft., single shoot, 4.5” steel packers.
$47,500
2001 Flexi-Coil 5000 57-ft., 12” spacing, 3.5 inch steel packers, single shoot, 3450 tow between tank, variable rate $42,500
National Almond Day
Every February 16th Almonds, a bite-sized little nut common in trail mix and other breakfast and snack recipes. More likely
than not, you’ve tried an almond before. But, did you know there is an entire day devoted to the celebration of almonds?!
It’s generally believed and agreed by historians (and food historians in particular) that almonds were one of the earliest cultivated foods by mankind. Almonds are mentioned as far back in history as the Bible! Although their first place of origin is debated, almonds were
thought to have first been cultivated in China and Central Asia.
While traveling the Silk Road between Asia and the Mediterranean, explorers were said to snack on almonds during the long travel times. As explorers settled in the Mediterranean region, the trees began to grow in the area. As the trees spread throughout Europe, many of them clustered in Spain and Italy.
MARCH 18 • 1:00
Almonds eventually made their journey to the United States in the mid-1700s. Historians believe they made their appearance on the trade ship brought to the US from Spain by the Franciscan Padres. The trees died out in the United States quite quickly as the soil and cultivation knowledge to keep the trees alive was inadequate. It was not until the 1800’s that almond trees were successfully grown and harvested in the States. By the end of the 1800s, the Sacramento and San Joaquin areas of California became the United State’s biggest almond producers. Today, almonds symbolize a variety of things. The Bible tells the story of the rod that blossomed and bore almonds, making them a divine religious symbol. The early Romans gifted almonds to family and friends as fertility charms. These gifts were typically given at weddings. Today, sugared or frosted almonds are often given at American weddings to guests as a sign of happiness, wealth, and good fortune.
If you are still on the fence about enjoying almonds, you’ll be pleased to know they have a wide variety of health benefits. Almonds are high in fiber, which means they promote digestion and can give you extra good gut bacteria. Almonds, outside of their edible form, are great for your skin. If you suffer from dry, flaky, or irritated skin, you can apply almond oil or almond lotions to hydrate your skin and give you a dose of vitamin A. If your hair needs a little bit of shine, consider adding an almond-based shampoo or conditioner. Almonds have also been studied for their benefits in lowering your risk of heart disease! If you are dieting, this little nut can help to provide you with a quick snack to curb cravings, as it is high in plant proteins. The nutrients in almonds have also been proven to help lower blood pressure and your risk for diabetes! They are also known for their high vitamin E content, their effectiveness at reducing cholesterol levels, and helping with weight loss, as well as being a vegan and lactose food alternative.
Barriers to adoption of digital agriculture in Nebraska
By Guillermo Balboa - Nutrient Management Specialist,
Joe Luck - Extension Precision Agriculture
Engineer,
Laila Puntel - Extension Soil Fertility and Precision Ag Specialist, Pablo Paccioretti - Post doctoral associate
This CropWatch article is part of the digital agriculture series (DA), “How Digital is Agriculture in Nebraska?” If you missed our first articles, you can check them on the links provided at the end of this article.
The Digital Farming Lab, led by Dr. Guillermo Balboa, conducted a statewide survey to assess the status of DA in Nebraska. For more resources about DA in Nebraska, visit our UNL Digital Agriculture website, which aims to centralize all UNL efforts in teaching, research and extension on digital afgriculture.
We want to start by refreshing the concept of digital agriculture. Digital agriculture (DA) can be defined as the use of new technologies, combining multiple data sources and advanced analytical methods, and integrating systems that allow farmers and stakeholders of the agricultural value chain to improve the food production system. Digital agriculture includes the Internet of Things (IoT), precision agriculture, blockchain, big data, digital platforms and artificial intelligence.
The first article in the series introduced the survey, defined digital agriculture and how farmers perceive it, and summarized 10 facts about DA in Nebraska (10 facts flyer). Our second article highlighted the level of adoption of 33 different technologies in the state of Nebraska. This third article presents the barriers identified for the adoption of DA tools.
Farmers were asked about different levels of barriers to the adoption of digital agriculture. They categorized them as no barriers, moderate barriers, high barriers or just not sure category (Figure 1). The ranking combining high and moderate barriers is:
Lack of information about digital agriculture value: 75%
Lack of qualified labor to manage digital agriculture: 65%
Lack of time: 63%
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Barriers to adoption of digital ag
Overwhelming number of technologies: 60%
Number of service providers: 58%
Technology cost: 56%
Available training: 53%
Not enough field days 44%
The lack of information about DA value was rated as the highest barrier category. This was followed by a lack of qualified labor to manage DA technologies and a lack of time (63%). The barrier of not having enough field days to be in contact with technology was the only barrier, with less than 50%. Technology cost, historically associated as a main barrier to adopting DA, ranked six out of eight.
A recent literature review (Dibbern et al., 2024) shows that barriers to the adoption of DA include farmers’ economic constraints, lack of infrastructure and technological knowledge, the perceived usefulness of technology, willingness to innovate and risk-taking. Academic training was included in this review as a barrier to adoption.
The barriers identified to the adoption of digital agriculture in Nebraska provided critical input for the University of Nebraska’s current research and extension efforts.
Stay tuned for our fourth article in the series, briefly describing the top five DA tools most used in Nebraska and their benefits associated.
This research was supported by the Precision Nitrogen Conservation Innovation Grant (CIG — USDA NR203A750013G014). The survey was conducted in cooperation with the UNL Bureau of Sociological Research.
#####
If you have a strong magnifying glass, you an see the initials of the sculptors who designed the pennies. Since 1959, the initials of Frank Gasparro have been near the shrubbery to the right of the Lincoln Memorial. Pennies dated 1918 to 1958 have the initials VDB (Victor David Brenner) under Lincoln’s shoulder.
#####
The princess on the Indian Head penny was neither a Native American nor a princess. She was, in fact, the sculptor’s daughter, Sarah Longacre.
Figure 1. Barriers to adoption of digital agriculture in Nebraska. Numbers below the barrier name combine moderate and high barrier categories. Nebraska, USA.
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MT Cowgirls Association annual scholarship
The Montana Cowgirls Association presented their annual $1000 scholarship to Payton Levine of Wolf Creek and a runner-up scholarship of $500 to Kate Wiening of Lewistown, Montana at the State High School Rodeo Finals held in Kalispell on Thursday, June 6, 2024.
Payton graduated from Augusta High School, May of 2024 and is the daughter of Jason and Christi Levine of Wolf Creek, Montana. Payton was the 2023 State champion in Breakaway Roping and back to back State Champion in Barrel Racing, this allowed her to compete at the National High School Rodeo in Rock Spring, Wyoming, July 14 through July 20, 2024 where she won the Barrel Race average, but she was also the Valedictorian of her class and she held a 4.0 all throughout high school and is coming into the college with 24 college credits. Payton will be studying psychology and minoring in anthropology at NMSU in Las Cruces, New Mexico. She will be competing on the rodeo team in barrel racing, breakaway roping and team roping.
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Kate Wiening is the daughter of Chase and Amy Wiening of Lewistown, Montana. Kate graduated from James Madison High School, an online program, with a cumulative GPA of 3.6. This afforded her the ability to move around while continuing to participate for Montana High School Rodeo. Kate competed in Pole Bending, Light Rifle, Cutting and qualified for National High School rodeo all 4 years, including Rock Spring, Wyoming, July 14 through July 20, 2024 in Reined Cow Horse where she was 4th in the average. Kate was a member of Gallatin County 4-H in the horse and sheep programs. Shewas the National Anthem singer for MSU athletics; MSU Spring Rodeo 2018 to 2022. Kate is attending New Mexico State University in Las Cruces, New Mexico studying Animal Science and will also be on the NMSU Rodeo Team.
2024
Payton Levine and Kate Wiening received the scholarships from Montana Cowgirls Association at the High School Rodeo Finals in Kalispell, Montana this past June.
2025 MATE Show and Home & Health Expo
Montana’s largest agricultural trade show is back! The Montana Agri-Trade Exposition (MATE) and Home & Health Expo will take place February 20-22 at MetraPark in Billings. Since 1976 this show has drawn farmers and ranchers from throughout the region, to see, hear and learn about the latest in agricultural practices – just in time for the busy spring season.
The MATE features implement dealers showing the latest models of equipment, seed companies with new varieties, animal health companies with products designed to optimize cattle productivity and more. Attendees are able to test new equipment, investigate new technologies, and learn the best practices to take back to the farm or ranch to improve their bottom line.
Show Dates and Hours:
February 20 - Thursday, 10 a.m. - 6 p.m.
February 21 - Friday, 10 a.m. - 6 p.m.
February 22 - Saturday, 10 a.m. - 5 p.m.
1099 tax forms for ag producers
By Shannon Sand, UNL
Farmers and ranchers regularly pay for services from individuals who are not their fulltime employees. Typical compensation includes wages or other payments to selfemployed workers and contractors, and rent paid to landowners. Under IRS regulations, a 1099 form should be issued to certain non-employees who perform services and are paid over $600 in a calendar year.
Reporting this information to the IRS helps ensure the receiver pays appropriate taxes on the income. This requirement can be broken down into three elements: (1) $600 or more paid during the calendar year; (2) to someone who is an individual, LLC, partnership, or trust; and (3) for services. These forms are sent early in the calendar year, so recipients have adequate time for tax preparation. For additional information about this topic and more you can go to cap.unl.edu
Charlo
rancher
wins YF&R Discussion Meet, takes home a Polaris Ranger
Nick Courville, a rancher from Charlo, topped three other competitors to win the Montana Farm Bureau Young Farmer and Rancher Discussion Meet. He received the keys to a Polaris Ranger® and will be eligible to compete in the national competition which will be held during the American Farm Bureau Convention in January in San Antonio.
The three other contestants were John Walker from Nashua, Tienna Canen from Circle and Jeremiah Peterson from Bozeman. The Final Four competition of the Discussion Meet was held November 19 during the 105th Montana Farm Bureau Annual Convention at the Northern and DoubleTree Hotels in downtown Billings.
The Discussion Meet, which is open to Farm Bureau members ages 18-35, is meant to simulate a committee meeting with ideas discussed and solutions developed. The question for the final round: Succession planning is often a tough subject not only for individual farms and ranches but also within county Farm Bureaus. Some younger members may find it challenging to become involved in their county Farm Bureau beyond the YF&R committee. What are some ways that county Farm Bureaus can encourage involvement from young members and how can actively engaged young board members help their county Farm Bureaus plan for the future?
Courville serves as chair the MFBF Young Farmer & Rancher Committee, raises beef cattle and horses with his wife on their ranch in Charlo, and serves as a CHS animal nutrition consultant.
“To put in the time and effort for the Discussion Meet and coming away with the Polaris is fantastic,” said Courville. “You always learn so much when preparing for the Discussion Meet and it’s wonderful to develop solutions to the question posed to us with other young farmers and ranchers. We are all very passionate about agriculture.”
The young rancher added, “Our young farmers and ranchers are honored that Polaris has partnered with Montana Farm Bureau for the past 10 years to offer this prize as a great incentive.”
As for plans with the Ranger, Courville said as soon as he hauls it back to the ranch, he will, “Put my dog kennels and dogs in the back and head out to gather cows and see what it can do.”
Cady Brown, a student at UM-Western, won the Collegiate Discussion Meet which was held November 20 during the MFBF Convention. The four other contestants were April Ramthun, UM-Western, Hattie Bumgarner, Miles Community College, and Raegan Nansel and James Malchow, Montana State University. Brown receives an all-expense-paid trip to compete during the American Farm Bureau FUSION Conference in March in Denver.
Thanks to these participating Polaris dealers for supporting our Young Farmers and Ranchers: Beaverhead Motorsports – Dillon; Pure Bliss Cycle – Conrad; Basecamp Gallatin – Bozeman; Basecamp Billings – Billings; Helena Cycle Center – Helena; Kurt’s Polaris – Seeley Lake; Lewistown Honda & Polaris, Lewistown; Redline Sports, Inc – Butte; Riverside Marine & Cycle – Miles City; Russell Motorsport – Missoula; Sports City Cyclery – Great Falls.
For more information on the MFBF YF&R Committee, the YF&R Discussion Meet and more, visit mfbf.org or contact Sue Ann Streufert, sueanns@mfbf.org.
Winner of the 2024 YF&R Discussion Meet and a new Polaris Ranger 570 is Nick Courville, center, with Kyle Hoover, Polaris and Jeff Evans, Lewistown Honda and Polaris.
Finetuning fertilizers to boost crop yields
By Greg Basky, Light Source, CA
Worldwide, many agricultural soils are deficient in the nutrient zinc – despite the fact that farmers use fertilizers enriched with the element. This limits crop yields and reduces food quality. It’s estimated that roughly a third of the global population consume foods low in zinc, which can increase sickness and death in early childhood, as well as impaired growth and cognition.
Using the Canadian Light Source (CLS) at the University of Saskatchewan (USask), researchers from the University of Adelaide in Australia investigated how to manufac-
ture more efficient zinc-enriched fertilizers. The HXMA beamline at CLS enabled the researchers to examine at the molecular level what happens to the water solubility of zinc (its ability to dissolve in water) when it’s added to ammonium phosphate fertilizer.
“Going in to the project, our group thought the type of zinc compound would be a good predictor of a fertilizer’s solubility” says Rodrigo da Silva, from the University of Adelaide. “However, the CLS beamline
CONTINUED ON PAGE B22
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Finetuning fertilizers to boost crop yields
enabled us to understand that the agronomic performance cannot be predicted based on what form of zinc is present in the fertilizer granules. Instead, the pH drives the fertilizer zinc solubility and availability to the crops.”
Dr. da Silva and colleagues found that when zinc is added to phosphate fertilizer, it forms a range of different zinc phosphate compounds. However, its solubility was not related to the relative abundance of these compounds, but to fertilizer pH. This means that zinc added to more alkaline phosphate fertilizers such as diammonium phosphate will have very low solubility and hence low agronomic effectiveness for crop uptake.
The University of Adelaide team found that lowering fertilizer pH by spraying the granules with an acid solution further increases the solubility and availability of zinc compared to current commercial products. The researchers also showed an additional method to increase Zn water solubility by putting a barrier coating on fertilizer granules, to separate the zinc from the phosphate. They showed that there was more uptake of zinc by plants treated with the barrier-coating fertilizer.
The Mosaic Company, which funded this research, has already patented both of these new technologies in conjunction with the University of Adelaide’s Fertilizer Technology Research Centre. Mosaic is the world’s leading producer of concentrated phosphate and potash. The findings are published in the Soil Science Society of America Journal.
“It is crucial to improve zinc fertilization practices, to maximize yields and produce more nutritional food,” says da Silva. “This research can help the industry produce more efficient fertilizers.”
Death Customs
The Navajo feared being haunted by the dead, so the body was burned and the deceased’s house was destroyed. On the way back from the funeral, relatives took a long, circuitous route to confuse the spirit into not following them.
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Rainy Day Funds critical
By Jessica Groskopf, UNL ag economist
The first week of November, the Center for Ag Profitability at the University of Nebraska – Lincoln and Nebraska Extension celebrated “Ag Smart Money Week.” Throughout the week, we held several webinars and workshops. In preparation for the week, I was reminded how often Americans don’t have a rainy-day fund. According to the Federal Reserve, one-third of Americans cannot cover a $400 emergency with cash, savings, or a credit card paid off in full the following month. Could you?
Rainy-day funds, commonly called “emergency funds” by financial experts, are critical to your financial success. While most financial advice works for folks with a 9 to5 job, I think there are some specific things to consider as a farmer or rancher
I wholeheartedly agree with personal finance experts that building an emergency fund should happen before paying down debt or participating in long-term investing. An emergency fund allows you to handle unexpected expenses without taking on additional debt or withdrawing from accounts that may trigger additional taxes or penalties.
There is some debate about how much families should have set aside. Some experts recommend starting with $1,000, while others advise having 3-6 months of living expenses. Even a small amount of savings can be helpful in a time of need. Given the unpredictable nature of cash flow in farming and ranching, I recommend aiming for 3 to 6 months’ worth of living expenses for farm and ranch families.
Place these funds in a separate, yet accessible account. It can be tempting to leave these funds in your everyday bank account. However, to help decrease the likelihood of spending these funds on non-emergencies, consider putting them in a separate money market, or high-yield savings account. These accounts not only provide separation but also earn a higher interest rate while allowing funds to be withdrawn quickly.
Building an emergency fund can take a lot of time. Many experts recommend automating transfers to this account until you have met your savings goal. Automated contributions may be difficult without a steady stream of income. However, it is still important to transfer these funds when they are available.
Finally, not enough financial experts are talking about rebuilding your emergency fund. If you withdraw funds from this account, your top priority should once again be rebuilding this cushion.
Building an emergency fund is critical for farmers and ranchers to protect themselves from unexpected financial challenges. By taking these steps, you’ll be better equipped to weather the literal and financial storms that come your way.
Special needs for old cows
By Lisa Moser, K-State Research and Extension news service
While a young person who turns 10 is considered an adolescent, cows at that age are considered old, according to the experts at the Kansas State University’s Beef Cattle Institute.
Speaking on a recent Cattle Chat podcast, K-State veterinarian Brian Lubbers and beef cattle nutritionist Phillip Lancaster offered management tips for caring for older cows and factors that should be considered in making a culling decision.
“At some point, a cow’s reproductive ability will wane and at 10 years of age I’m going to be really critical if she does not have a calf every year and get bred on time,” Lubbers said. “Just because she is 10 years old or older, it doesn’t mean she can’t be a productive cow.”
A cow’s metabolism changes as they age, Lancaster said.
“Cows that are 10 years or older have trouble keeping their body condition and their milking ability tends to drop off, so they typically will wean a smaller calf than they have in the past,” Lancaster said.
He added that older cows often require more supplementation.
“Giving them extra feed to maintain body condition isn’t a big expense, but if you are feeding them more to help with their lactation now you are feeding the cow to feed the calf and that isn’t efficient. In that case, you’d be better off just letting her produce a calf with a lower weaning weight and then feed the calf more once it is weaned,” Lancaster said.
As cows age, it is important to check their mouths, Lubbers said.
“It is important to check their teeth as they age because an older cow with no teeth is going to require a lot more care to keep her body condition,” Lubbers said.
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Planning and self-evaluation key to sire selection
For many North Dakota cattle producers, winter and early spring is prime bull-buying season. Considering that a single bull may sire a few to hundreds of calves, depending on an operation’s breeding strategy, the impact of the bull on the genetic basis of the herd cannot be ignored, says Lacey Quail, North Dakota State University Extension livestock management specialist at the North Central Research Extension Center.
Selecting sires that complement a cow herd and contribute to the goals of the operation, both genetically and phenotypically, is of the utmost importance, says Quail. However, the large amount of performance data that is available to buyers can make selection decisions difficult.
Before sale day, Quail recommends buyers take time to consider their priorities and set some goals for their operation. Answering questions related to how calves are marketed and how replacement females are acquired will go a long way in identifying a bull that will benefit the operation.
For example, if a rancher retains replacement heifers, they will likely want to select sires that contribute maternal traits to calves; however, if all male and female calves are marketed, maternal traits will likely be less significant to the operation.
Additionally, producers should consider their production environment and how it may support or limit the genetic potential for any particular trait. For instance, pounds of weaning weight due to milk production is often considered in sire selection. However, milk production requires feed inputs. If the production environment does not support additional milk production, it may be unrealistic to emphasize that trait as significantly in sire selection.
When looking through a sire directory or sale catalog, it is important to know what EPD and ACC stand for. Expected Progeny Difference (EPD) and Accuracy (ACC) are key to understanding which bull may fit the operation. An EPD is a prediction that combines the individual genetic potential of a particular bull and the genetic potential of existing relatives to that bull (such as sire, dam, progeny and siblings). An EPD can be either positive or negative. For example, a bull with a birth weight EPD of +7 would be expected to sire calves that are 7 pounds heavier, on average, than a bull with birth weight EPD of zero within the same breed. A bull with a birth weight EPD of -5 would be expected to sire calves that are 5 pounds lighter, on average, compared to a bull with a birth weight EPD of zero within the same breed. Accuracy is a measure of reliability or how likely it is that an EPD may change as more relatives of that bull get added to the system. Simply put, the more data points (relatives) for which there is data, the more certain (accurate) a producer can be that an EPD will not fluctuate as more progeny are added. An EPD with an ACC of 0.9 is expected to change very little (90% accurate), while an EPD with an ACC of 0.7 or below may change more drastically as progeny data are added.
Quail says it is important to note that not every trait is measured in the same units. Weight traits (such as birth weight, weaning weight and yearling weight) are measured in pounds. Scrotal circumference is measured in centimeters. Rib-eye area is measured in square inches. Calving Ease Direct (CED) is measured as the percentage of unassisted births when mated to 2-year-old heifers. This information, along with other abbreviations, is listed on a breed association’s website and often in sale catalogs.
Take two bulls, for example: one with a CED of 15 and another with a CED of 10. The bull with a CED of 15 is expected to have 5% more unassisted births compared to the bull with a CED of 10 in 2-year-old heifers. Where CED is concerned, a higher value indicates greater calving ease. Someone selecting a new herd sire is likely to look for a bull that excels in multiple areas, not just one. Considering the number of EPDs they may want to prioritize and the correlations that exist between genetic traits, sire selection can quickly become overwhelming. An economic selection index may be helpful to consider here. A selection index includes multiple individual EPDs and gives an overall economic value associated with those traits as a single dollar value; however, it is important to consider which individual traits are included in an index and if they are important to current goals. Additionally, the individual traits in an index are not weighted equally when calculating an index value, so two bulls may have the same index value while having different values for individual EPDs.
Depending on the operation and their goals, a selection CONTINUED ON PAGE C5
Planning and self-evaluation key to sire selection
index may be used as a first criterion to identify sires within a breed that warrant a closer look. Individual EPDs can then be used to fine-tune the selection process to make the most genetic progress toward the operation’s goals. For example, if a preweaning growth index value is high, but upon further investigation, the individual weaning weight EPD is not favorable to the operation’s goals, that bull may not be the best fit. Like EPDs, a selection index should only be used to compare sires within the same breed.
To complement genetic merit, Quail says to evaluate phenotype when buying a bull.
“Conformation, feet and leg structure, muscling and frame are important to the breeding success of a sire,” says Quail. “These phenotypic traits, along with the udder structure of a bull’s dam, can indicate lasting impacts for your herd.”
The marketability of calves, soundness and performance in the feedyard and the long-term functionality of any females that are produced by a sire are to be seriously considered when it comes time to purchase a new herd sire.
Inevitably, says Quail, there is no one-size-fits-all bull. Instead, producers should balance their operation’s priorities when it comes to opportunities for income (such as weaning weight, carcass weight, ribeye area and marbling) with opportunities to improve longevity and reduce expense (such as stayability, heifer development/pregnancy, feed efficiency, docility and structure).
Knowing how a herd is currently performing, as well as being realistic about the areas that need improvement will help tremendously in finding a bull to help bridge that gap, concludes Quail.
National Champagne Day
1891 - Treaty of Madrid restricts the use of the name “Champagne.” In an effort to maintain control over the use of their regional name, the French seek to limit the use of the name only to those sparkling wines that are actually produced in the Champagne region of France. This will eventually be affirmed by the Treaty of Versailles in 1919.
Avoiding prussic acid poisoning in grazing
By Mary Drewnoski, Nebraska Extension Beef Systems Specialist and Daren Redfearn, Nebraska Extension Forage and Crop Residue Specialist
Annual forages like sorghum, sorghum x sudangrass, and sudangrass can accumulate nitrates, which should be evaluated before grazing. However, another potential risk is prussic acid poisoning (cyanide), which can be lethal if ingested. Photo by Troy Walz.
Is My Forage Sorghum, Sorghum x Sudangrass, or Sudangrass Safe to Graze?
Annual forages like sorghum, sorghum x -sudangrass, and sudangrass can accumulate nitrates, which should be evaluated before grazing. However, another potential risk is prussic acid poisoning (cyanide), which can be lethal if ingested.
Forage sorghum (also known as cane) and grain sorghum (commonly referred to as milo) pose the greatest risk, with sorghum x -sudangrass having a reduced risk, but still a concern. Sudangrass has the lowest risk of the sorghums, but it is not a negligible risk. Prussic acid poisoning can occur in certain scenarios, such as new growth or following a frost. If these plants are fertilized with high rates of nitrogen fertilizers, the risk of prussic acid increases further. Shoots shorter than 15 to 18 inches are especially dangerous, particularly for the sorghums.
To minimize risk, wait until sorghum and sorghum x sudangrass plants are at least 24 inches tall and sudangrass is at least 18 inches tall before grazing. If you have regrowth in late summer that does not meet these plant height thresholds, you can either wait seven days after a killing frost before grazing or test the plants to assess prussic acid levels.
Frost poses a significant risk because prussic acid forms in plants when cell membranes are damaged by freezing. This allows chemicals within the plant cells to combine and produce cyanide. After seven days, any cyanide generally dissipates into the air. However, each freeze that does not completely terminate plant growth results in an additional seven-day countdown. A killing frost is typically considered to be around 24°F. However, dense stands may require a longer, sustained cold period to achieve a full termination of growth.
To mitigate this risk, one strategy is to pull cattle off pastures when frost is forecast and then wait seven days after a killing frost before grazing. However, the period between the first frost and a killing frost can sometimes be prolonged, with frost-free intervals where grazing might seem feasible. During these windows, testing the forage for cyanide can provide valuable information, helping producers determine if it is possible to safely graze before the final killing frost occurs.
Using a Quick Field Test to Assess Prussic Acid Risk
Producers looking to assess risk in situations where plant growth is borderline or to confirm safety after a killing frost can perform a simple in-field test for prussic acid. This test screens for the presence of cyanide but does not provide exact concentrations. It can, however, give an indication of potential risk.
To perform the test, you can purchase Cyantesmo paper from CTL Scientific Supply (Item 90604), which can be used for multiple tests and has a shelf life of about two years. You will also need disposable gloves, tape, and ziplock bags. Alternatively, Ward Labs offers kits that include everything needed for three tests.
How to Perform a Quick Field Test:
Collect the forage: Take a large handful of leaves or other plant material that animals will likely consume. Young shoots and leaves are more likely to contain prussic acid than stems. Collect multiple samples from across the field for a representative assessment.
Prepare the sample: Place the forage in a ziplock bag until it’s about half full. Tear the leaves into small pieces, mashing them slightly to increase cell injury.
Attach the test strip: Tape a one-inch strip of Cyantesmo paper to the inside of the bag, near the top, without directly touching the plant material. Always wear gloves when handling the paper.
Moisten the sample: If the sample is dry (little plant juice), add about one tablespoon of water to the bag, just enough to make it damp.
Seal and warm the bag: Seal the bag and place it in a warm location, such as on the sun-warmed hood of a vehicle. The heat will help release any cyanide gas present in the plant material.
Avoiding prussic acid poisoning in grazing
Check the test strip: After 10 minutes, check the color of the test strip. If it turns dark blue, the sample is positive for cyanide, indicating a potential risk. If there’s no color change, the sample is negative for cyanide. Some color change indicates some cyanide is present. If only slight color change occurs, wait another 20 minutes and reassess.
Final assessment: After 30 minutes, a sample causing little or no color change in a sufficiently moist environment likely poses minimal risk of prussic acid poisoning.
Safety Tip: Do not breathe the fumes when opening the bag, as cyanide gas is released.
For more details on this process, you can watch a helpful how-to video on quick field tests at https://www.youtube. com/watch?v=Beb1lDlL4BQ
William Boeing
When he wasn’t working for his father, a timber and iron barro, Boeing and a friend named Conrad Westervelt built seaplanes as a hobby. In 1916 the pair founded Pacific Aero Products. When the U.S. entered World War I in 1917, the Navy bought 50 of his planes. He never worked for his father again.
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This Day in History - February
February 10 - France cedes Canada to England, ending the French and Indian War. (1763)
• Glenn Miller receives the first-ever gold record for selling a million copies of a song. And the song is…..”The Chattanooga Choo Choo”. (1942)
February 11 - Robert Fulton patents the steamboat. (1809)
• The Vatican becomes a sovereign nation. (1929)
• Roosevelt, Churchill, and Stalin sign the Yalta Agreement. (1945)
February 12 - Women in the Utah Territory win the right to vote. (1870)
February 13 - U.S. Supreme Court Chief Justice John Marshall declares that any act of Congress that conflicts with the Constitution is void. (1826)
• The American Temperance Society forms in Boston, MA. (1826)
• President John Knox Polk becomes the first sitting president to have his photograph taken. (1849)
• Jesse James robs his first (of many) banks. (1866)
• French authorities arrest Dutch exotic dancer Mata Hari on suspicion of being a German spy. (1947)
• The last original “Peanuts” comic strip appears in newspapers one day after the death of Charles M. Schulz, its creator. (2000)
February 14 - The Saint Valentine’s Day Massacre occurred. Mobsters, dressed as policemen, gunned down seven members of a rival gang. (1929)
• The original film “Dracula” starring Bela Lugosi is released. (1931)
• Presper Eckert and John W. Mauchly demonstrates the first computer, called the Electronic Numerical Integrator and Computer (ENIAC) computer at the University of Pennsylvania. (1946)
• Sugar Ray Robinson becomes the world middleweight champion by defeating Jake LaMotta. (1951)
• President Richard M. Nixon installs a secret taping system in the White House. (1971)
February 15 - Philosopher Socrates is sentenced to death in Athens for corrupting the minds of the youth in the city. (399 B.C.)
• The Post Office uses adhesive postage stamps for the first time. (1842)
• Adolph Hitler announces the construction of the Volkswagen Beetle. (1936)
• Asteroid “2012 DA14” at 150 feet across, is the closest approach to Earth of any object its size in history, passing less than 18,000 miles from Earth, within the orbit of geostationary satellites. (2013)
February 16 - Pope Gregory the Great declares “God Bless You” is the proper response to a sneeze. (600)
• Benevolent and Protective Order of the Elks is formed. (1868)
• The “Ladies Home Journal” is first published. (1883)
• Nylon is patented. But it won’t become popular for a few more decades. (1937)
• NBC TV begins its first nightly newscast. (1948)
February 17 - Myles Standish is elected the first commander of Plymouth Colony. (1621)
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• President James Madison signs the Treaty of Ghent, ending the War of 1812. (1815)
February 18 - Jefferson Davis is inaugurated as President of the Confederate States of America. (1861)
• Mark Twain’s The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn is published. (1885)
• A ninth planet is discovered in the solar system and is named Pluto. The discoverer is Clyde Tombaugh. Note: To the dismay of many, in 2006, scientists reclassified Pluto as a “dwarf planet”. (1930)
• A prize is inserted into a Crackerjacks box for the first time. (1913)
• Snow falls in the Sahara Desert. (1979)
February 19 - Thomas Edison is granted a patent for his Gramophone (Phonograph). (1878)
• Prizes begin to be inserted into Cracker Jack boxes. (1913)
• Mister Rogers Neighborhood debuts on television. (1968)
February 20 - Congress bans dueling in the District of Columbia. (1869)
• Golfers in South Carolina are arrested for violating the Sabbath. (1927)
• Batman and Robin comic strip premieres in newspapers. (1944)
• John Glenn becomes the first U.S. astronaut to orbit the Earth. (1962)
Peanut butter can polish leather, remove gum from hair, and even be used as shaving cream in a pinch! Its oils make it surprisingly versatile for these unusual uses. However, stick to the smooth variety for these purposes!
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This Day in History - February
February 21 - John Greenough receives a U.S. patent for the sewing machine. (1842)
• Alka Seltzer is first sold. (1931)
• Richard Nixon becomes the first U.S. President to visit China. (1972)
February 22 - Frank Woolworth opens the first “Five Cent Store in Utica, N.Y. (1879)
• John Reid, the “Father of American Golf”, demonstrates golf in a cow pasture in Yonkers, NY. (1888)
• Inaugural Daytona 500 race is run. (1959)
February 23 - The Battle of the Alamo begins. It lasts 13 days. (1836)
• Walter Wingfield of Pimlico, England, patented the game of lawn tennis. (1874)
• Rudolf Diesel receives a patent in Germany for the oilburning diesel engine. (1893)
• Tootsie Rolls roll into stores across America. Created by Leo Hirshfield. (1896)
• Walt Disney releases Pinocchio to movie theaters. (1940)
• U.S marines raise the American flag over the Pacific island of Iwo Jima. (1945)
February 24 - William Otis of Philadelphia, PA patents the steam shovel. (1839)
• The first parade with floats is held for Mardi Gras in Mobile, AL. (1868)
• The Hudson Motor Company is founded. (1909)
• Britain’s Prince Charles announces his engagement to Lady Diana. (1981)
• Elton John is knighted by Queen Elizabeth II. (1998)
• Final launch of the Space Shuttle Discovery. (2011)
February 25 - The 1st Bank of the United States is chartered. (1791)
• Samuel Colt patents the revolver. (1836)
• Thomas Davenport patents the first electric printing press. (1837)
• The first tunnel under the Hudson River opens. (1908)
• Glacier Bay National Monument in Alaska is established. (1925)
• Muhammad Ali (Cassius Clay) wins his first World Heavyweight Title, defeating Sonny Liston. (1964)
February 26 - Congress creates the Grand Canyon National Park in Arizona. (1919)
• Michael Jackson’s “Thriller” album is #1 on the charts and stays there for 37 weeks. (1983)
• A bomb explodes at the World Trade Center killing 6 people. (1993)
February 27 - Ludwig van Beethoven’s 8th Symphony in F premieres. (1814)
• Mardi Gras is celebrated in New Orleans for the first time. (1827)
• The U.S. Men’s Olympic hockey team defeats the U.S.S.R. to win Olympic Gold. (1960)
• Paul McCartney and Stevie Wonder record “Ebony and Ivory”. (1981)
February 28 - The Han dynasty begins a four-hundredyear rule with the coronation of Liu Bang as Emperor Gaozu of Han. (202 B.C.)
• The Salem Witch Hunts begin. (1692)
• Evangelist John Wesley charters the Methodist church. (1784)
• The California Gold Rush begins as the first boatload of prospectors arrive in San Francisco. (1849)
• The final episode of M.A.S.H. is aired. (1983)
February 29 - In Salem, Ma. several girls are the first to be accused of witchcraft after exhibiting strange behaviors. (1692)
• Yellowstone becomes the first National Park. (1872)
Myth or truth
Myth: You have to completely drain a battery before charging it up again, or else the battery will “remember” the point at which it started to charge as its “dead” spot.
Truth: It used to be true, but it’s not anymore. In the olden days (the 1980s and 1990s), cell phones were powered primarily with nickel-metal hydride (NiMH) and nickelcadmium (NiCD) batteries, which had to be completely drained and then completely recharged. If they weren’t, the batteries experienced a “memory effect” – the point at which it started to charge up again as its “zero” point. Result: it would lead to poor battery life. Today, cell phones use lithium-ion batteries, which aren’t subject to the same confusing requirements. You can safely recharge them at any time, regardless of whether they’re partially charged. #####
Green City: Reykjavik
Population: 130,000
How Green is it? In the 1970s Iceland relied on imported coal for 75 percent of its energy. Today all of its electricity is produced from hydroelectric and geothermal power. The hydropower source is flowing water from melting ice that turns turbines to make electricity. The geothermal power uses the heat and steam of Iceland’s volcanoes to do the same. The only fossil fuel the city uses is for its cars and fishing fleets.
But Icelanders even consider that to be too much: To get down to zero use of fossil fuels, Reykjavik is working on a changeover to cars and ships fueled mainly by electricity and hydrogen. In 2003 a hydrogen filling station opened in Reykjavik to service hydrogen-powered public buses. By the mid21st century, Iceland plans to have most of its fishing fleet running on hydrogen and all of its cars and buses powered by alternative fuels.
Tootsie Rolls were the first candy to be individually wrapped. #####
Inoculation is the process of adding sugar and yeast to grape juice to initiate fermentation.
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Nebraska Extension commercial pesticide training dates
Nebraska Extension will offer commercial pesticide training for applicators who are seeking to recertify at the West Central Research, Extension and Education Center in North Platte. The training program will offer a variety of dates for initial training and recertification for those interested in participating. All sessions will begin at 8:30 a.m., but it is recommended to arrive in a timely manner to check in.
There are several options for applicators that wish to recertify. They can attend an in-person training session, complete an online recertification training program, or attend a Nebraska Extension program or an industry-sponsored meeting such as the Nebraska Extension Crop Production Clinics, the Nebraska Turf Conference, the Nebraska Mosquito and Vector Association Conference, and the Nebraska Aviation Trades Association Convention.
The difference between a commercial applicator and a noncommercial applicator is important to recognize while considering commercial pesticide training.
A noncommercial applicator is a licensed applicator who applies restricted-use pesticides only on lands owned or controlled by their employer or for a governmental agency or subdivision of the state. This type of applicator also includes any person using restricted or general use pesticides for community-wide outdoor vector control on behalf of a political subdivision of the state.
A commercial applicator is a licensed applicator who uses any restricted-use pesticides on a contractual or for hire basis. This type of applicator also includes any person using restricted or general use pesticides for hire or compensation for lawn care, structural pest control, or community-wide outdoor vector control.
The registration fee for in-person training and online recertification training is $95. To register for the training programs and order educational materials, please register by contacting pested@unl.edu.
For questions or additional information, please contact Dave Boxler at 308-696-6721.
Initial Training
Dates
Categories Offered
March 6 00, 01, 04, 07, 08, 08w
April 8 00, 01, 04, 05, 11, 14
Recertification
Training Dates Categories Offered
February 18 00, 01, 07, 08, 08w, 11
March 13 0, 01, 04, 05, 09
March 25 00, 04, 07, 10, 11, 14
Spice Up Your Life Day
This holiday is always celebrated on February 17th
Vermeer
Get off of the couch and go have some fun. Get your heart pumping and your blood circulating. Stretch and use those muscles before they begin to atrophy. Despite what you might think, the goal of this day IS NOT to spice up the food you eat. Rather, the objective of this holiday is to create fun and excitement in your life. We especially need some excitement in the middle of February when we are indoors during cold, wintry weather. Go and do something really fun and exciting. This holiday will likely leave you tired and perhaps with a few sore muscles. However, it also sends you to bed with a smile on your face and some great new memories.
You don’t have to leave your house to enjoy this holiday. What you choose to do today could be small, like taking a winter hike. Or it can be big, like traveling to some exotic place. While this day encourages you to get off the couch and turn off the television, that’s not the main objective. The main goal of this day is to incent you to do something wild and exciting; try something that is out of character. Do something you’ve never done before. That’s the real spice of life.
History and Origin of Spice Up Your Life Day
Spice Up Your Life Day was created in 2023 by Bob Matthews from Rochester, NY. Matthews is the owner of HolidayInsights.com. The date for this holiday occurs during an otherwise dull and boring time of the year. With spring still weeks away, we need something to spice up our lives.
In February the weather is lousy, and people are stuck indoors. We are often lying on the couch watching television. Matthews created this day to get us off of the couch and do something interesting and perhaps a little wild and crazy. It breaks the monotony of those long winter days and nights. And importantly, it helps to make winter go by just a little faster.
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Ever Wondered How Many Birds Collide with Windows?
By Brooke Ortel
Thunk! As you peer out the window, a small feathered object hits the glass and bounces to the ground. It’s another birdwindow collision. But do you know what kind of bird it is? And how many of its kind bonk into windows annually?
These are the questions driving Katie Schabron’s research. An undergraduate researcher in the UW Department of Zoology and Physiology, she became involved in the UW Bird-Window Collision Project1 in 2023.
With funding from the Wyoming Research Scholars Program (WRSP) and NASA, Schabron has developed and implemented data collection protocols for observing and recording bird-window collisions on UW’s Laramie campus.
Window strikes kill approximately 300 to 900 million birds annually, and Schabron hopes that her research will ultimately help reduce fatal collisions on campus.
Bird behavior and mortality
In summer and fall 2023, Schabron monitored 82 building facades (some of which were different sides of the same building) on UW’s Laramie campus. She visited 28 locations daily, observing bird movement and behavior at each site. She also counted the number of dead or injured birds present.
Schabron selected data collection sites that maximized the number of facades she could safely observe for five minutes without interruption by vehicle traffic. At each site, she recorded the date, time, species, starting height, and final height of every bird observed in a five-minute interval.
Heights were estimated in the field2 by comparing a bird’s flight path to the height of a nearby facade. If a bird struck a window, Schabron also noted whether it flew away, was injured, or died.
While she’s still working on statistical analysis, her data looks promising so far, with far fewer collisions and mortalities than predicted. This might be because there are fewer high-rise buildings in Laramie compared to other university campuses, because there are simply fewer birds passing through campus, or some combination of factors.
fewer mortalities because birds can’t achieve higher speeds,” Schabron adds. “If they do strike, they can recover from that.”
Environmental factors
Schabron is also tracking various environmental factors that could potentially affect the number of collisions in a particular location. These factors range from a building’s color and the number of windows on a facade to the presence of different tree species. The goal is to determine whether building features, nearby plantings, or other environmental conditions can be modified to help reduce collisions.
“Ideally, I’d like to find the drivers behind window strikes, specific to species, and determine if there are different deterrents to put on buildings,” Schabron says. “I would love to see UW have zero bird mortalities.”
Citizen science
As she gathered data over the summer, Schabron also helped test and refine an app designed to facilitate citizen science. The app allows students and community members to monitor bird-window collisions as they walk around campus.
“If you see a bird that you think may have struck a window, you can go through stages on the app and send data to us,” Schabron explains. “It’s a new part of our project and we’re hoping to get more people involved.”
To get started, download the Epicollect5 mobile app (available for both Android and Apple devices) and search for “UW Bird Window Collision Report.” Anyone can report a collision, and it only takes a minute or two!
To learn more, contact faculty advisor Patrick Kelley at patrick.kelley@uwyo.edu.
This article was originally published in the 2024 issue of Reflections, the annual research magazine published by the UW College of Agriculture, Life Sciences and Natural Resources.
Notes
1The UW Bird-Window Collision Project is part of WYOBIRD, the Wyoming Bird Initiative for Resilience and Diversity. To learn more, email wyobird@ uwyo.edu.
“One of my personal predictions is that if buildings are closer together, there will be
2During data analysis, heights approximated in the field are validated using the exact dimensions of campus buildings.
A map of UW’s Laramie campus overlaid with bird movement patterns observed between June 15, 2023, and October 4, 2023. The thick magenta lines outline the facades monitored in the study and the yellow location markers are data collection points. Flight paths are color coded by species. For example, red lines represent pigeon movement, while yellow lines represent turkey vulture movement and green lines represent house sparrow movement.
Cornstalks grazing during late gestation
By Randy Saner, Livestock Extension Educator University of Nebraska - Lincoln
Cornstalk residue is a good source of nutrition for the beef cow. When grazing cornstalks, we want to use about 15% of the residue. This 15% includes any remaining corn and 50% of the husk and leaf. Those parts are the most palatable and the highest quality nutrition for the cow. For every bushel of dry corn the husk makes up 3 lbs. per bushel, the leaf makes up 14 lbs. per bushel. The highest nutrition out in the field is the corn that was left in the field. A cow’s intake and diet quality declines as she is left in the field. When cattle graze corn residue they select corn first, husk and leaf second, cob and stalk last. When cows are forced to eat cob and stalk, they can’t meet their nutritional needs. A general rule of thumb is that for every 100 bushels of dry corn produced a cow can graze for 1 month. To calculate how much feed is available in each field you can use the corn stalk grazing calculator found at https://cap.unl.edu/ livestock/tools/. However, in recent studies we have found high yielding corn ( 200 bu/ac or greater) has less leaf and husk per bushel and that the quality is generally lower than lower yielding fields. We suggest reducing the grazing days by 10% in higher yielding corn hybrids. This can be accomplished by changing the utilization rate to 45% instead of 50% in our grazing calculator.
NOVONESIS BIOLOGICAL SOLUTIONS FOR MONTANA FARMERS
When grazed properly pregnant cows can meet their energy and protein needs without supplementation when grazing corn residue. However, they do require supplementation of minerals and vitamin A. We suggest that a 4 oz free choice mineral contains at least 300,000 IU per pound of Vitamin A, 4 to 5% phosphorus, 1500 to 2500 parts per million copper and 3000 to 5000 parts per million zinc.
However, corn residue, especially husk is susceptible to losses from trampling and wind. Monitor husk availability is a great way to ensure cows are receiving the nutrients they need. When they are hard to find, either move cows to a new field or start feeding a supplement. Bred and first calf heifers have hinger energy and protein requirements and need to be supplemented. During mid gestation 2 to 3 lbs. of distillers dried grains or 4 to 6 lbs. of modified distillers and during late gestation 3 to 5 lbs. of distillers dried grains or 6 to 10 lbs. of modified distillers grain per day will meet their needs.
In conclusion:
If high yields around 200 to 250 bushed yield cut back to 40% utilization
Monitor availability of husk in the field is a great way to gauge utilization
Heifers require supplementation with a protein and energy source
All cattle need access to a mineral source with vitamin A
If cows are losing weight supplement or move to another field
During the Korean War, the military packaged Tootsie Rolls in ammunition boxes sent to
as a
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You could plant “Plowdown” as a one year only crop. Great for a bean crop, for example, next growing season.
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Vehicles
*1950-60s GMC truck cab & frame, Spicer gear box.
*1968 Dodge CT700 bridge/snooper/M137556, 6x4, no crane, 413 engine, air, tandem axle.
*1992 Cadillac Deville, 4dr sedan, V8 PFI engine.
*1976 Chrysler Cordoba
*1977 Dodge Daytona Charger
*1987 GMC bus, 36-ft. oal, 23-ft. from front axle to rear axle.
*1968 Chevrolet C20 pickup 3/4 ton, 283 engine, manual transmission, 2WD, 6 cylinder, 8-ft. box.
*1962-64 Dodge 330 sedan, blue, no engine.
Construction Equipment
*1960s Adams scarifier motor grader, 220 Cummins, manual.
*1968 CAT DW21C Scraper, cable, engine #58C315 Series C, electric start.
Drone-based imaging can detect soil health issues like nutrient deficiencies and compaction, enabling farmers to address these problems before they affect crop yields. This technology enhances precision farming by providing detailed, real-time insights into soil conditions. (Graphic created with Adobe Firefly)
Technological advancements in soil health monitoring and management
By Amelia Escalante - School of Natural Resources Environmental Science Program Undergraduate Student
|
Carolina Córdova
-
Department of Agronomy and Horticulture Assistant Professor and Statewide Soil Health Specialist
Let’s not forget that healthy soil is the foundation of a thriving ecosystem, supporting diverse life forms and significantly influencing water and air quality, which ultimately affects our health. In recent years, technological innovations have revolutionized our approach to understanding and managing soil health. Traditional methods of soil assessment have given way to sophisticated, data-driven technologies that provide unprecedented insights into soil conditions. Historically, we focused primarily on soil fertility and nutrient levels, guided by Liebig’s Law of the Minimum and its bucket analogy. However, the concept of soil health broadens our perspective beyond just promoting plant growth. It emphasizes the importance of sustaining diverse organisms and maintaining the soil’s functional capacity to provide essential ecosystem services, such as nutrient cycling, carbon sequestration, water quality regulation and biodiversity conservation. Thus, assessing soil health requires examining a complex interplay of physical, chemical and biological factors, including soil structure, aggregate stability, pH, organic matter content and microbial activity.
Modern Soil Health Monitoring
Technologies
Farmers in the 21st Century are focused on managing their fields efficiently and committed to adopting innovative practices that enhance and sustain soil health. This shift has increased the demand for monitoring and assessing soil health parameters. Technology advances have introduced various tools for soil health monitoring nutrients through digital soil mapping by using remote and adaptable field sensors, spectroscopic tools and drones. These tools facilitate immediate insight into soil conditions sometimes directly in the field, allowing farmers to make informed decisions based on real-time data.
and https://pulsegrow. com)
Sensors
Numerous sensor types are employed in the U.S. farming industry for comprehensive soil health monitoring: Location sensors: GPS devices that help track the precision location of agricultural assets, and very useful when building soil and yield maps.
Optical sensors help assess plant health by measuring albedo (sunlight reflectance and absorption, which can help us determine the global warming potential of a plant canopy). Electrochemical sensors: Devices that can measure soil pH and nutrient levels and detect pollutants.
ID and Deerfield, WI
Figure 1. Time Domain Reflectometry soil probe. Source: https://soilsensor.com/articles/time-domain-reflectometry-tdr/
Registration open for 2025-2026 SowBridge educational series
SowBridge, the distance educational series for those who work with sows, boars and piglets and who work with genetic and reproductive issues, begins its next program year in early February.
Registration is already underway for the series, which is provided online through Zoom and recorded for later viewing.
“SowBridge is a great opportunity for participants to hear from experts on relevant topics and network to assist in solving on-farm problems as they arise,” says Taw Scaff, North Dakota State University Extension swine specialist.
Sessions generally are held on the first Wednesday of the month and run from 11:15 a.m. to about 12:15 p.m. The fifth session moved up one week to May 28 to avoid conflicts with the World Pork Expo.
During each session, participants can ask questions of the industry expert presenter from their home, office or swine unit. Each registration provides access to one Zoom connection per session and all program materials provided by presenters.
A flyer with information and a registration form is available at ndsu.ag/sowbridge25.
The 2025-2026 program session dates and topics are as follows:
February 5 — H5N1 as it Relates to Pigs
March 5 — Feeding Frequency Pre-Farrow: Impact on Farrowing Duration
April 2 — Your Farm Broke with PRSS/PED: Now what?
May 7 — Overcoming Barriers and Understanding the Psychological Impact of Pig Euthanasia
May 28 — Iron Status of Sows: Impacts on Farrowing Duration
July 2 — How to Manage Gilts not Cycling
August 6 — Diagnostic Testing
September 3 — Depopulation Preparedness
October 1 — Where’s the draft coming from?
November 5 — Farrowing Stall Environment Management
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Pennies have become a popular souvenir thanks to the penny-press machines at museums, amusement parts, and family vacation spots. These machine, introduced at the Chicago World’s Fair in 1893, flatten and elongate a penny between two rollers and imprint a new image–anything from an octopus to the Liberty Bell to Mickey Mouse. Each year these machines roll out more than 12 million pennies into fun oval shapes.
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English is funny: I got caught in a big traffic bottleneck. The bigger the bottleneck, the more freely the contents of the bottle flow through it. To be true to the metaphor, we should say, I got caught in one of the smallest traffic bottlenecks of the year.
December 3 — Heat Synchronization Protocols
January 7, 2026 — Treating Sows According to Farm SOP
The cost is $200 for the first registration and half that amount for each subsequent registration from the same entity.
For more information on the sessions or registration, contact Scaff at 701231-4292 or taw.scaff@ndsu.edu.
SowBridge is provided through a cooperative effort of 15 colleges and universities from the nation’s major swine-producing states.
Technological advancements in soil health monitoring and management
Mechanical sensors evaluate soil compaction through penetration resistance (e.g., penetrometer)
Dialectric soil moisture sensors monitor moisture levels in real-time. For example, Time Domain Reflectometry (TDR) Probes measure moisture, temperature and electrical conductivity at varying soil depths (Figure 1). This allows you to analyze the interaction between these variables in different soil conditions.
How it works? TDR soil moisture sensors use parallel rods as transmission lines. A voltage pulse is sent along these rods and reflected back to a sensor for analysis. The pulse’s velocity through the rods correlates with the soil’s apparent permittivity. Wet soil slows the pulse, while dry soil allows faster transmission.
gold-sciaps-z300)
Overall, these sensors can transmit data in real-time, allowing farmers to make immediate decisions based on current soil conditions.
Spectroscopic Methods
Innovative spectroscopic methods have transformed soil analysis and are very powerful, providing valuable information about the molecular composition and structure of materials like soil. Nowadays, these methods can potentially make soil analyses less costly, more accurate, and high throughput with less sample preparation. This makes them highly versatile and ideal for real-time monitoring of soil health. Laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS) Infrared spectroscopy (e.g., Vis-NIR, NIR, MIR) All of these spectroscopic methods rely on the interaction between electromagnetic radiation and matter. When infrared light interacts with the soil, specific frequencies are absorbed, corresponding to the vibrational energies of molecular bonds within the soil.
Infrared spectroscopy, for example, laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS, Figure 2), has been employed since the early 2000s to measure total soil carbon and nitrogen, along with soil nutrients and heavy metals, and just recently measures soil texture. Analyzing light absorption at specific wavelengths provides a unique “spectral signature” that correlates with soil properties such as organic matter, texture, moisture content and mineral composition. LIBS uses a focused laser to ablate soil samples, creating plasma that emits light with elemental fingerprints.
Near-Infrared (NIR), Mid-Infrared (MIR), and VisibleNear Infrared Spectroscopy are particularly efficient for rapid field use, enabling the simultaneous estimation of multiple soil parameters in seconds. Both analyze soil properties by measuring light absorption at specific wavelengths (MIR from 2.5 to 25 µm, NIR from 780 to 2500 nm, and Vis-NIR from 400 nm to 2500nm).
production being done in Montana. Our printing is done by another family-owned business in Iowa, just the way we like it!
Technological advancements in soil health monitoring and management
CONTINUED FROM PAGE C20
These methods are invaluable for assessing soil organic carbon levels, a key indicator of healthy soils that enhance structure and fertility. Advances in these technologies also support efficient monitoring of carbon sequestration efforts, contributing to climate change mitigation. Their portability and ability to provide rapid results make them excellent alternatives to traditional laboratory analyses for field applications. One of them is the inclusion of these spectroscopic sensors into soil probes like the one developed by the ChrysaLabs company (Figure 3).
Drones and UAVs:
Drones equipped with various sensors are increasingly used for high-resolution data collection across extensive ag landscapes. These unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) provide rapid assessments of soil health and plant nutrition parameters, aiding farmers in managing their fields more effectively during this era of digital agriculture. For this, ag professionals use drones with specialized cameras to capture images across various light wavelengths, including visible and near-infrared spectrum (Figure 4). This technology allows farmers and ag professionals to create high-resolution soil and plant canopy maps, detect early signs of crop stress, nutrient deficiencies, or diseases, and track changes in soil and plant health over time. The data collected is analyzed using advanced algorithms and GIS techniques to produce detailed digital field maps. These maps offer valuable insights for precision agriculture, enabling targeted interventions and more efficient resource management.
This technology provides a powerful tool for agriculture decision-making, surpassing traditional satellite imagery in resolution and accessibility. If you want to learn more about drones in ag, contact our Statewide Digital Ag Extension Educator Dirk Charlson, (402) 460-0742.
Future Trends in Soil Health Management
As awareness of the importance of soil health grows among farmers and stakeholders, the integration of soil health parameters into agricultural practices is expected to increase. Concerns over sustainability, climate variability and food security drive this trend. The ongoing development of affordable monitoring tools will likely enhance accessibility for farmers, promoting shifts towards data-driven agricultural practices that prioritize soil health.
In this article we did not talk much about AI and machine learning, which are revolutionizing agriculture and soil health management. These technologies are powerful tools for analyzing big data more efficiently to provide insights into soil conditions and guide farming practices. Their scalability allows for quick applications across small or large fields, benefiting diverse farming operations. AI and machine learning are now part of the engine that enhances precision agriculture, enabling data-driven decision-making for improved management.
In brief, the convergence of sensory technology, spectroscopic methods, and UAVs represents a significant advancement in the management of soil health. These tools not only facilitate better agricultural outcomes but also support environmental conservation efforts essential for sustainable farming practices.
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Teacher tests Little Johnny, “OK, Johnny, create a sentence which starts with ‘I’.”
Little Johnny confidently starts, “I is...”
Teacher snaps, “No, Little Johnny. You must always say, ‘I am’.”
Little Johnny sighs, “Yes ma’am. ‘I am the ninth letter of the alphabet.’”
Figure 4. Drone with a 65R ultra-high resolution aerial RGB sensor. (Source: MONOPOLY919/Shutterstock)
Frozen in time
In Petrified Forest National Park, prehistoric fossils and remnants of ancient civilizations reveal what life was like thousands–even millions–of years ago.
In prehistoric times, the area of northeastern Arizona where the Petrified Forest is located was closer to the equator and was not a desert. It was a floodplain swollen with streams and rivers. Cycads horsetails, and ferns dominated the landscape. Coniferous trees were plentiful and large–as much as 200 feet tall and nine feet in diameter. When those trees fell, rivers carried them away, and before they could decompose, some were buried under clay, mud, sand, and volcanic ash. Gradually, minerals in the water leeched into the wood, filling the cracks and crevices of the logs and forming the vivid fossilized logs we have today. Different minerals, of course, made different colors: quartz produced white; manganese oxides made blue, purple, black, and brown; and iron oxides turned the wood yellow, orange, and red. As the trees fossilized over hundreds of millions of years, they turned to stone, and today, many of the logs lie where they fell eons ago. They’re better preserved and more colorful than those found anywhere else in the world. Petrified Forest also includes part of the Painted Desert. It’s 7,500 square miles of cliffs, hills, and hardened sand dunes that are “painted” with bright red, green and yellow banks; many of the rocks also become red, purple, or blue at sunrise and sunset. The colors are the result of mineral deposits left behind by fossilized trees and animals and shaped by wind and water. As the cliffs erode, the fossils and minerals are exposed, changing the desert’s colors. Southwest historian Charles F. Lummis described the Petrified Forest as “an enchanted spot…to stand on the glass of a gigantic kaleidoscope over whose sparkling surface the sun breaks in infinite rainbows.”
English is funny: Preplan, preboard, preheat, and prerecord. Aren’t people who do this simply planning, boarding, heating, and recording? Who needs the pretentious prefix? I have even seen shows “prerecorded before a live audience,” certainly preferable to prerecording before a dead audience.
•
• If you are
and only need one let us know! We don’t check the obituaries so if someone was receiving the paper and has passed let us know! With postage
steadily we’d like to know our postage
are justified. Contact us at: (406) 271-5533 or email us at info@tradersdispatch.com
Advancing hydrogen as a replacement for carbon fuels
By Joanne Paulson, Canada Light Source
While the notion of using hydrogen for energy has been around since Sir William Grove first invented the fuel cell in 1838, the idea started to get more traction after the first use of fuel cells in space for NASA’s 1965 Gemini V mission.
More recently, researchers like Tess Seip, a PhD candidate in the Mechanical and Industrial Engineering Department at the University of Toronto (UToronto), have been investigating hydrogen as a green energy source to mitigate carbon emissions.
Seip and a team led by Dr. Aimy Bazylak are working to improve the efficiency of a device that uses electricity—preferably from solar and wind sources—to convert water into hydrogen and oxygen gases, which can then be stored and used for energy. The device is called a polymer electrolyte membrane water electrolyzer, or PEMWE for short.
The UToronto team was focused on a specific layer inside the PEMWE, called the porous transport layer (PTL), which controls the flow of water inside. Water passes through the PTL before it reaches a catalyst layer, which splits the water molecule.
The research team at the BMIT-ID beamline at the Canadian Light Source. L-R: Tess Seip, Lijun Zhu, Chaeyoung Tina Ham, Dr. Alexandre Tugirumubano, and Prof. Aimy Bazylak.
However, the reaction—known as electrolysis—can cause excess gas to accumulate, which prevents water from reaching the catalyst. Seip and her colleagues were testing a new design they developed, which has extra channels in it, to improve water flow. Better water flow means less energy is needed to drive the process.
With the help of the Canadian Light Source (CLS) at the University of Saskatchewan, the team found that their simple modification did in fact improve the efficiency of a PEMWE. Seip and her colleagues were particularly interested to see if there were changes in membrane thickness and PTL hydration. “If it’s not hydrated, it slows the reaction rate and reduces the efficiency,” says Seip.
The ultra bright light produced by the CLS synchrotron was critical for their work: “The BMIT beamline at the CLS has a resolution of around 6.5 microns per pixel, so this lets us characterize these microscopic changes in the membrane,” says Seip. For reference, the typical human hair is 65 microns thick. “The most important factor is that we are able to do this while the cell is operating.”
While some electrolyzers are already in use at an industrial level, “they’re too expensive for transportation applications right now,” she says. Getting more water to flow freely and evenly across a PEMWE is important, to scale up the technology for use in larger cells, says Seip.
“If we gain a little bit of efficiency and multiply it at scale, that could have meaningful impacts down the line.”
Polar Bear Day
This holiday is always celebrated on February 27
Polar Bear Day, celebrates the world’s largest carnivore. These hardy bears can grow up to nine feet tall when standing and 1400 pounds. They are a favorite at zoos around the country. Polar bears live in the North Pole region and are native to Alaska, Canada, Greenland, Norway, and Russia. They also live in Antarctica.
Did you Know? It is believed that all polar bears are lefthanded.
Polar Bear Trivia
• They are considered marine mammals because they spend a lot of time in the ocean.
• Polar bears are the world’s largest carnivores.
• They survive in one of the harshest environments in the world.
• A heavy layer of blubber under their skin keeps them warm.
• They are excellent swimmers.
• The skin under their fur is black.
• Seals are the majority of their diet.
• They have a great sense of smell. They can smell a seal from over 16 kilometers away.
• There are an estimated 20,000 in the wild.
Top vegetable varieties in 2024
By Tom Kalb, Horticulturist, NDSU Extension
The first step to growing a great vegetable garden is to select the best varieties.
Which varieties grow best in Dakota gardens?
The answer is simple. To identify the best varieties for gardeners in the Dakotas, we need to test the varieties in the gardens of the Dakotas.
That’s why we started the North Dakota Home Garden Variety Trials in 2008. Every year I have worked with over 200 families to evaluate promising vegetable varieties in their home gardens.
This year we assembled a team of 365 families. Let me share with you a few of the highlights from 2024.
The spring of 2024 was cold and wet. That made it a great year to test super sweet corn. Most super sweet corn varieties struggle to germinate in cold, wet soils.
Under these stressful conditions, we tried a new variety called Bolt. True to its name, the Bolt seedlings jumped out of the ground and produced an early and bountiful harvest of quality corn. It was our highest-rated super sweet corn variety this year. Kate was another strong performer this year.
Good performance in the garden is important, but good performance on the kitchen table is just as important. For the last two years we have tested red carrots. Red carrots may be nutritious, but our team told us that red carrots taste bitter. What good is a nutritious vegetable if nobody wants to eat it? Forget about red carrots.
Fortunately, we found two great orange carrots this year. I encourage you to try Caravel. Our team loved its sweet and crunchy roots. Naval is another great carrot for the Dakotas. It has roots that are beautiful, straight and delicious. Naval roots can be pulled out of the ground easily without breaking. Asian and snack cucumbers did well in our trials again this year. Summer Dance will delight you with its crisp, bitterfree fruits. Green Light produces an abundance of delicious cucumbers that you eat when 6 inches long and do not need peeling.
This year, we have identified lettuce varieties that tolerate heat and produce a bumper crop of crisp leaves. These “Summer Crisp” lettuce varieties include Muir, Nevada, Magenta and Chrystal. Grow these varieties and you will enjoy salads all summer long.
I always thought romaine lettuce was hard to grow. My team and I discovered it is easy to grow romaine lettuce if you pick the right variety. Great varieties include Fusion, Newham, Bluerock and a new variety called Sunland. These varieties can tolerate heat and produce thick, crunchy, flavorful leaves.
Maybe okra isn’t your favorite vegetable. I understand completely. My wife tells me it is an acquired taste. Okra is difficult to grow in the Dakotas because it demands hot weather and a long growing season. This year we had 15 brave families evaluate okra varieties. We found a new variety, Buffalo Bill 91, which every family liked. A 100% recommendation percentage for any variety is impressive. For okra, it is shocking. It must be a winner.
Other new and notable varieties this year include Abominable pumpkin, which produced stunning, pure white pumpkins. The fruit quality of Butterfingers yellow summer squash was tremendous. The yield of Madonna orange winter squash was truly amazing.
The highest-rated variety we tested in 2024 is not a new variety, but it may be the most dazzling vegetable you have ever seen. The leaf stems of Bright Lights Swiss chard come in brilliant shades of red, orange and yellow. Even if you don’t like the taste of Swiss chard, try Bright Lights. You don’t have to eat it. Just look at it. You will be awed by its beauty. What I just described is a small sample of what we discovered this year. To learn more about the best varieties for North Dakota, do a Google search of North Dakota Home Garden Variety Trials or go to ndsu.ag/homegardentrials. On this webpage, we list our recommended varieties for all vegetables grown in North Dakota.
If interested, you can sign up to receive our online 2025 seed catalog. We have a tremendous team of gardeners now, but I know your participation in our project can make our team better. All gardeners are welcome to join. Happy Holidays!
For more information about gardening, contact your local NDSU Extension agent. Find the Extension office for your county at ndsu.ag/countyoffice.
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• Sales & Circulation departments located in MT Call today to place an ad or to subscribe! Office - (406) 271-5533
Idaho ag record
Idaho agriculture achieved record earnings during 2024, according to a new University of Idaho Extension economics report, though the gains weren’t enjoyed by most food producers who raise crops.
Propelled by the strength of the livestock sector, Idaho farmgate cash receipts rose 4% from 2023 to all-time high levels of $11.3 billion, according to “The Financial Condition of Idaho Agriculture: 2024” by U of I agricultural economists Brett Wilder and Xiaoxue “Rita” Du.
Net farm income for the year rose 12% to $3.3 billion — the second highest total ever.
Thanks to exceptional beef prices, Idaho ranchers earned $2.9 billion in revenue during 2024 from cattle and calves, which posted a third consecutive year of record revenue.
Contrary to the national beef inventory, which has been contracting, Idaho grew its beef herd by 2% from 2023 to 2024, though the state’s herd rebuilding may be slowed by the loss of range to wildfires last summer. Milk prices that were up 10% from 2023 contributed to milk revenues rising from $3.5 billion to $3.8 billion.
Revenue from other livestock — including trout, sheep, goats, chickens and eggs — was up by 12% at $321 million.
Feed prices, however, plummeted. Hay cash receipts during 2024 were estimated at $448 million, down 27%.
Furthermore, revenue from wheat dropped 7% to $564 million, and barley revenue dropped 5.5% to $398 million. Potato revenue dropped by 7% to $1.25 billion. Sugarbeet revenue rose by 1% to an all-time high of $470 million, though Amalgamated Sugar Co. reported that 18% of the crop had to be replanted, raising production costs for many growers.
Livestock represented 62% of the state’s cash receipts in 2024.
Agribusiness is one of the state’s major industries, responsible for one of every six dollars in sales in Idaho.
“Agriculture seems strong, but as a whole there are going to be winners and losers. It’s going to be a pretty tough year for those in the crop sector,” Wilder said. “Only a few small sectors of the industry are actually doing well, and within those sectors it’s only a few individuals — legacy folks who aren’t overleveraged and have economies of scale. Let’s say you’re a young hay farmer — you had a bad 2024.”
Federal government payments to Idaho producers fell 13% in fiscal year 2024 to $111 million.
Researchers to relocate parasitoid wasps in battle with wheat stem sawfly
By Chabella Guzman, PREEC Communications, UNL
The Nebraska Extension held a Crop Production Clinic on Wednesday, January 8, at the UNL Panhandle Research Extension and Education Center in Scottsbluff. The clinic featured presentations and research updates on crop issues and grower interests.
Among the topics for the day was ongoing research in battling the wheat stem sawfly. A native to Nebraska, the insect has become a big problem for wheat growers in the Panhandle. The High Plains Ag Lab (HPAL) has spent many years and extensive research on the sawfly done by Team Sawfly and Vinicius Zuppa, a graduate student.
“One of the bigger findings we’re seeing under sawfly infestation is smaller wheat heads. So, not only are we losing yield to lodging and the inability to harvest. We’re also seeing that it’s actually taking a toll on photosynthate going up to the grain,” said Amanda Easterly, Nebraska Extension dryland cropping specialist.
A bright spot in the research is the increase in Bracon spp., a parasitoid wasp and
SHORT ON WATER ?
Two Alfalfas in One
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Never a Report of Winter Kill
natural predator of the sawfly, is beginning to make a dent in the infestation problem. In the Sidney area and southern Panhandle, the wasp has begun to show a measurable impact on protecting the grain yield. “The (wasp) is able to paralyze and incapacitate the sawfly larvae early enough to reduce damage,” Easterly said.
Team Sawfly is investigating a new project that involves transporting the wasps in bales of straw to areas with sawfly infestations. The straw bales will come from the High Plains Ag Lab, which Team Sawfly considers a parasitoid wasp nursery.
“We want to move those wasps, who will be in bales of straw. So that we can release those good guys into fields infested by sawfly,” said Pin-Chu Lai, Nebraska Extension Entomologist. “It’s a big project that involves a lot of collaboration and expertise. So, we’re excited and we’ll be doing a lot of monitoring and moving straw around this coming season.”
The European corn borer was another insect pest discussed at the Crop Production Clinic. This pest has not been a problem since 1996, when BT crops, including corn, were introduced, and the borer’s populations decreased. However, the insect is back on the Extension radar as it has developed some resistance to BT crops in Canada and the northeastern U.S.
This Alfalfa has been called a tetraploid anomaly by alfalfa breeders. On the market since 1979, and being improved twice, It remains the highest yielding, low water alfalfa on the market!
HERE’S WHAT GROWERS ARE SAYING: (More testimonials available on our website)
When Planting Dryland Alfalfa always use coated seed! (Let us prove it!)
“We normally plant dryland alfalfa the third week in May, but spring moisture allowed us to plant April 23. By 1st cut the 360-D was up to my shirt pockets.”
Steve Garrett - Casper, WY
“We get 2 Ton in a bad water year and 4 Ton in a good water year on dryland with 360-D.” Cal Oliveras - Albin, WY “The best dryland alfalfa ever raised. The leafiness was surprising.”
Fred Walters - 40 Mile Colony / Lodge Grass, MT
“We love that alfalfa! We get 2 cuts on dryland, and we are ordering for the fourth time.”
Skip Ahlgren, Rocking TS Cattle - Winnett, MT
“We planted 2200 lbs of 360-D. Considering the ‘not so good’ soil we planted 360-D on, and our high altitude, and less than needed rainfall, the 360-D did well enough that we will de nitely plant it again”
Marlin Geier - Osage, WY
√ Will produce AT LEAST 80% of crop with 50% of water
√ Will produce a subsequent cutting after water is gone
√ Plant on dryland/ guaranteed to out yield Ranger or Ladak
√ Plant under pivots that only pump 400 gal/
√ Plant on elds that have only early season creek water
√ Plant under end guns on pivots
√ Plant in the late fall with your dormant seeded grasses
*Plant in your pivot corners. Two ton bonus per acre per year.
“Modern Forages Sold Nationwide and Canada”
“The European corn borer is a small light-colored moth with small whitish larvae who have shiny black heads and some dark spots on them,” said Julie Peterson, Nebraska Extension Entomologist. “There are two generations a year, so for the first generation, you’re going to be looking around June in your vegetative stage corn.”
The borer caterpillar has a distinct feeding pattern that looks like small hole punches in a line across the corn leaves. As the caterpillar eats, it tunnels into the corn plant. The second generation appears at tasseling or just past tasseling, burrows into the corn stalk or the ear, and feeds, damaging the stalk or ear and decreasing yield.
Peterson said that while BT resistance by the European corn borer has not been detected in Nebraska, growers should be aware of it and be on the lookout for the pest.
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Little Johnny is making faces at school. The teacher catches him at it and says, “You know when I was little and made faces, my dad told me a secret. And that is that when you keep making faces, your face finally can’t go back and you end up really ugly.”
Little Johnny quiets and says, “Well, at least you were warned…”
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Winter forage snow cover
By Samantha Daniel, UNL
So far this year, much of Nebraska has yet to receive measurable snowfall. Hopefully this pattern doesn’t last too long as the benefits of snow cover to winter forages, especially alfalfa, are significant.
The most significant roles snow cover has in protecting winter forages is to provide insulation and prevent evaporation from the soil. By trapping heat energy, snow cover limits the depth of the frost layer which protects forages from the damaging freeze-thaw cycle and mitigates winter kill. The effectiveness of this protection is dependent on how early in the season the snow cover is established. Late fall and early winter snowstorms collect and insulate the ground before too much heat is lost from the soil.
Having some stubble at the end of the growing season is a great way to catch this much-needed snow. If a late season harvest is unavoidable, cut high to ensure snow trapping stubble can still function. In an ideal situation, this snow insulation, winter hardy variety selection, and giving forages the chance to properly winterize in the fall will keep winter kill to a minimum.
Snow is a great insulator and can help forages survive the winter. While snow may not always be a welcome sight, it can help to ensure your winter forage crop survives and thrives next season.
Falling Petals
The petals will fall off this Rose. You know This already, so about these things I didn’t say. My feelings for you get stronger, while at The same time, the life of this rose will fade away.
As the petals fall on the table, hitting ever so softly, The same ever so softly, I fall more in love with you. The giving up of one life to better another is what This silent rose is saying for us, it chose to do.
Copyright by Robert Lee Ridgway robertleeridgway@hotmail.com
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Impacts of beef hot carcass weight on steak palatability
Christina Bakker, Assistant Professor and SDSU Extension Meat Science Specialist
The U.S. beef industry is constantly evolving, with producers striving for maximum efficiency and high product quality. Since 1991, the average beef hot carcass weight (abbreviated as HCW) has increased from approximately 760 pounds to just shy of 900 pounds in 2024. This large increase in HCW has created hurdles for the meat industry, as meat processors must modify equipment and practices designed to handle lighter carcasses. Additionally, branded beef programs, such as Certified Angus Beef, have increased the upper limit on HCW the programs can accept. While it is clear that increased HCWs are here to stay, little research has been done to determine if increased carcass weights impact steak palatability.
(Courtesy: U.S. Department of Agriculture)
Research at South Dakota State University
South Dakota State University recently published a research article titled Influence of Beef Hot Carcass Weight on Sensory Characteristics of Strip Loin, Eye of Round, and Denver Cut Steaks in the open access journal Foods. This article evaluates the impact of HCW and product aging (the time between animal harvest and consumption) on steak palatability. This article will summarize the impact HCW had on sensory characteristics.
METHODS USED
Beef carcasses at a commercial packing plant with marbling scores of Slight (USDA Select) or Small (Low Choice) were categorized by HCW into one of three groups: Lightweight (650 to 750 pounds), Middleweight (850 to 950 pounds), and Heavyweight (1,025 to 1,155 pounds). These carcasses were tracked through the plant, and the research team collected strip loin (New York Strip steak), Eye of Round, and Denver Cut subprimals. Steaks were cut from each subprimal and used in a consumer sensory panel to evaluate the characteristics of overall liking, flavor liking, texture liking, toughness, juiciness, and off flavor. Liking ratings were rated on a 120-point scale with 0 meaning greatest imaginable disliking and 120 meaning greatest imaginable liking. Toughness, juiciness, and off flavor were evaluated on a 20-point scale with 0 meaning none and 20 meaning extremely intense for off flavor, extremely tough for toughness, and extremely juicy for juiciness.
FINDINGS
Hot carcass weight did not impact any sensory characteristics for Low Choice, Denver Cut steaks. However, scores for overall liking, texture liking, and juiciness were lower, and juiciness was increased, for Lightweight Select Denver Cut steaks compared to Middleweight Select Denver Cut steaks. Minimal differences were seen among weight groups for Select New York Strip (abbreviated as NYS) steaks, but Low Choice NYS steaks from Lightweight carcasses had decreased flavor liking and increased toughness scores compared to Middleweight carcasses.
The most differences were observed in Low Choice Eye of Round (abbreviated as EOR) steaks, where Lightweight steaks had decreased overall liking, flavor liking, and
CONTINUED ON PAGE C31
Impacts of beef hot carcass weight
texture liking as well as decreased juiciness and increased toughness compared to Middleweight carcasses. The increase in toughness was also mirrored in Select EOR steaks. Conclusion
These data suggest that HCW differentially impacts steak palatability. New York Strip steaks were less impacted by HCW than Denver Cut or Eye of Round steaks. Select Denver Cut steaks were more impacted than Low Choice steaks, and Low Choice Eye of Round steaks were more impacted than Select steaks. Overall, it appears that when sensory characteristics were impacted, steaks from Lightweight carcasses had less desirable traits compared to steaks from Middleweight carcasses, and few differences were observed between Middleweight and Heavyweight carcasses.
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New explorations of wheat stem sawfly management
By Reagan Cotton, MSU News Service
Two graduate students in Montana State University’s College of Agriculture have published new research on two aspects of management for one of the region’s most damaging agricultural pests.
Wheat stem sawflies cost agricultural producers millions of dollars in losses each year, according to the Montana Wheat and Barley Committee. Surveys conducted by the National Agricultural Statistics Service found that nearly a quarter of respondents in Montana had lost up to 10% of their yield to the pest, and total losses statewide for 2024 were estimated at $66 million.
Doctoral student Jackson Strand and master’s student Lochlin Ermatinger in the Department of Land Resources and Environmental Sciences worked alongside MSU professor David Weaver to explore two aspects of sawfly management. Their novel approaches help better understand the pest’s impact and vulnerabilities.
Strand’s research has examined the impact of smooth brome, a common grass in Montana, on sawfly populations in wheat. Ermatinger applied remote sensing techniques to develop a model predicting sawfly infestation. Both students published their findings this fall, Strand in the Journal of Economic Entomology and Ermatinger in the journal Remote Sensing.
“There’s a strong demand for solutions other than pesticides — which don’t work for wheat stem sawfly — and finding a solution that’s sustainable for growers who may not have a lot of time or resources to do things like plant different crops,” said Strand of his research. “We’re trying to figure out if smooth brome is beneficial and if we can help promote populations of parasitoids that otherwise sometimes fluctuate across seasons and regions.”
fertilizing it to maintain stands, you can make brome more valuable to sawflies, and also valuable to the parasitoids that help control them,” said Strand, who completed his master’s degree in entomology this fall and will continue at MSU to begin his doctoral studies later this month.
While Strand’s research focused on managing known infestations of sawfly, Ermatinger explored new ways to identify and predict infestation in the first place.
Ermatinger, who is originally from Missoula, arrived at MSU in 2016 and completed a bachelor’s degree in environmental science with a focus in geospatial and environmental analysis. He found himself drawn to remote sensing and GIS, or geographic information systems, which uses data from satellites, drones and other technology to create advanced mapping programs.
True to the many complications with their management, wheat stem sawflies spend most of their life cycle within the stem of a wheat plant, Ermatinger said. That means that seeing their damage from the outside is much more difficult than with other pests.
“Truly understanding what infestation looks like requires a lot of stem dissection,” he said. “We started exploring the use of remote sensing with satellite images and combining that with stem dissection to try and produce a map.”
Ermatinger collected data on three scales: spatial, spectral and temporal. By measuring the spectrum of light reflected by wheat fields across a large area and over time, then comparing that data with where sawfly infestation was confirmed through physical analysis of wheat stems, he built a model that could use small variations in reflected light to estimate infestation across an entire field.
“You can’t manage something that you can’t measure. Our hope is that we can use this to objectively make better estimates,” Ermatinger said. “We’re able to estimate now, to a degree of statistical significance, what the infestation rate is. It really showed us that capturing images across the life of these plants is important.”
Parasitoids are insects that act as biocontrols, in this case against wheat stem sawflies. Parasitoids can go about this in different ways, but the ones Ermatinger focused on operate by paralyzing and then eating the sawfly larvae that feed inside wheat stems. Because parasitoids are native insects, they show potential as a natural management tool to mitigate damage, Strand said. He found that if smooth brome is present near wheat fields, both the sawflies and the parasitoids may gravitate to it.
Through greenhouse experiments and laboratory analysis, Strand sought to identify why that might be by measuring and comparing the volatiles released by smooth brome and wheat. Volatiles are naturally occurring chemicals released by plants, increasing in intensity when they are under stress.
Both Ermatinger and Strand worked onfarm with Montana agricultural producers while conducting their research, noting that those relationships helped them to gain a deeper perspective of the direct applicability of the work they were doing.
They have also both progressed to more advanced degrees than they initially planned at MSU: Strand from a master’s degree on to a doctorate, and Ermatinger from his undergraduate studies to a master’s. They credited the collaborative and supportive environment of the Department of Land Resources and Environmental Sciences for encouraging their continued exploration.
“The plants that were exposed to sawflies expressed different compounds than the ones that weren’t,” said Strand, who completed his undergraduate degree at the University of Minnesota before arriving at MSU in 2021 to begin graduate studies. “Smooth brome produces the same compounds as the wheat, but in higher quantities. The sawflies are triggering a stress response in the plant, and then the parasitoids are keying in on those compounds and finding their hosts.”
“I never saw myself as someone who’d go on to get a graduate degree. I thought that was out of reach. But MSU has been a great community,” said Ermatinger. “It’s shown me that you can explore anything you want to, it’s all about who you have around you and what you’re interested in. It’s made me understand my home state in a new way.”
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Smooth brome is not a native plant, Strand said, but is widespread around Montana, particularly near roadways, where it was once used to mitigate erosion. While intentionally planting brome isn’t recommended, he noted that fostering what already exists could provide an appealing alternative for sawflies, consequentially protecting nearby wheat crops.
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Pulse grains in wheat rotations can increase profits for farmers
By Clain Jones, MSU Extension soil fertility specialist and professor in MSU Department of Land Resources and Environmental Science
An analysis by Montana State University researchers has shown that replacing summer fallow with a pulse grain crop, even in dry regions, can increase profits for farmers.
Farmers in regions with low precipitation, such as Montana’s Golden Triangle, know there is an economic risk to continuous small grains cropping, according to Perry Miller, professor of sustainable cropping systems in MSU’s Department of Land Resources and Environmental Sciences.
However, leaving fields fallow in summer is not ideal for soil health and generates no revenue, he said. So, alternatives to fallow are being tried and have demonstrated economic success.
In a 2015 study, Miller found that, in relatively wet southwest Montana conditions, pulses harvested for grain, in rotation with wheat, provided higher net returns compared to wheat in rotation with wheat, fallow or legume cover. Further research continued to test the results in dry regions.
Meanwhile, Miller and his colleagues conducted an eight-year study in Big Sandy,
a dry region where the annual precipitation is close to 14 inches. The study focused on no-till winter wheat managed in rotation with fallow, spring wheat, pea cover crop and a pulse crop harvested for grain. The researchers managed the wheat with four different nitrogen rates: zero, 75%, 100% and 150% of the MSU guideline of nearly 3 pounds of nitrogen per bushel.
Pulse-wheat rotations had equal or greater net returns than fallow-wheat rotations during this eight-year study, Miller said. Cover-wheat and continuous wheat rotations had the lowest net returns.
Continuous wheat had no net loss if no nitrogen was added during years with a low price penalty for low protein wheat. It also had no net loss when less than 100% recommended nitrogen was supplied during years with a high price penalty.
In all rotations, net returns were greatest at 100% of recommended nitrogen under a low protein discount. Under a high protein discount, net returns were greatest at 150% of recommended nitrogen.
However, Clain Jones, MSU Extension soil fertility specialist, cautioned against using more than 3 pounds of nitrogen per bushel, especially on winter wheat.
“The small profit gains between 100% and 150% nitrogen might not offset the negative effects of soil acidification caused by higher nitrogen fertilization,” he said.
Jones and others have found that soil acidification due to applying more ammonium-based fertilizer than plants need can lead to yield losses.
“The yield of legumes, such as pea, decline below soil pH 5.7,” Jones said. In the Big Sandy study, soil pH was 5.8 in the continuous wheat and fallow-wheat plots. Soil pH in the pulsewheat rotation was around 6.1.
According to Jones, soil acidification is a growing issue occurring in wet and dry regions of Montana. Due to yield loss and the high costs of mitigating low pH with lime, the short-term benefits of greater nitrogen rates might be partly or fully negated.
“Alternating pulse crops with wheat not only provides an income in what would be the fallow year but also reduces the amount of nitrogen fertilizer required for the wheat rotation,” Miller said. Nitrogen fertilizer rates were reduced by 22 pounds per acre after the first pulse rotations in the site’s sandy loam soils.
More information about including pulse crops in wheat rotations can be found in Montana State University Fertilizer Facts No. 76 and 82 at https://landresources. montana.edu/fertilizerfacts/ index.html.
MBC promoting culinary education through beef grants
The Montana Association of Family and Consumer Sciences (AAFCS-MT), in collaboration with the Montana Beef Council (MBC), launched a successful educational initiative during the 2023-24 academic year. By awarding mini-grants to schools, the program aimed to enhance culinary education and nutrition awareness through hands-on activities centered on higher value cuts of beef. This effort, “Beef: A Healthful Choice to Build a Stronger Montana,” impacted over 850 students and educators across the state, helping students explore culinary techniques, nutrition, and the value of beef.
The program awarded $2,500 in gift cards to 23 educators, enabling the purchase of various beef cuts for use in culinary and nutrition labs. Participants included Family and Consumer Sciences (FCS) educators and community extension agents. The program reached 857 individuals, fostering not only student engagement but also community involvement.
Key Activities and Outcomes
Educators integrated beef into their curriculums through diverse activities, including cooking competitions, beef cut analysis, meal planning, and recipe experimentation. Highlights from participating schools included:
1. Beaverhead County High School: Students practiced cooking filet mignon and prime rib, mastering pan-frying and basting techniques.
2. Big Sky High School: Participants learned about beef anatomy and fabricated cuts under the guidance of local butchers.
3. Flathead High School: Students smoked beef jerky, prepared fajitas, and made rich stock from roasted marrow bones, exploring advanced culinary techniques.
4. Fairfield Schools: A field trip to a local butcher shop and feedlot provided students insights into the beef production process before heading back to the classroom for hands-on beef preparation.
The grant allowed students to work with premium beef cuts typically outside their schools’ budgets, fostering confidence and skills in handling high-quality ingredients. One student remarked, “I didn’t believe I could cook Country Fried Steak at home until I successfully prepared it in class.”
Broader Impacts
Teachers reported that hands-on labs not only enriched culinary skills but also imparted lessons on nutrition and the sustainability of beef as a protein source. Teachers leveraged the MBC website resources and incorporated them into expanded lesson plans. For many students, this was their first exposure to higher-end
cuts, igniting curiosity and excitement about cooking and meal preparation.
Furthermore, the program’s benefits extended beyond students. Families were indirectly influenced as students brought newfound knowledge and enthusiasm into their homes. Several educators emphasized the importance of financial support, noting that these experiences would not have been possible without the MBC grant.
Conclusion
The Montana Beef Mini-Grant Project has proven to be an invaluable tool for enhancing culinary education and promoting beef’s role in a nutritious diet. By encouraging students to explore diverse cuts and preparation methods, the initiative has laid a foundation for lifelong culinary skills and informed food choices. As one educator put it, “This grant was a game-changer for our culinary classes,” underscoring its transformative impact on Montana’s FCS program. Check out more information about the Montana Beef Council throughout the year on Facebook, Instagram, or by visiting www.montanabeefcouncil.org.
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Family
Take the Arctic Cold Quiz
By Julie Garden-Robinson, NDSU Extension food and nutrition
“These blocks would be great for snow forts,” I thought to myself.
When I was a little kid, I would have been wearing kneehigh boots lined with bread bags as we built snow forts. All of the moms used the bread bag trick to help prevent our tender feet from getting wet and cold from leaking boots.
Back then, my mittens were attached with strings to keep them inside my coat. I was not exactly a fashionista back in the day. Actually, I was not looking very fashionable on this particular day, either.
I probably need to attach strings to my mittens because I keep misplacing them.
I was trying to distract myself from a difficult job as I took a trip down memory lane. I had cleared the driveway the previous evening.
A brisk wind had blown thick drifts onto our driveway during the night, and sub-zero temperatures had frozen the drifts into an impenetrable wall of snow. I was using an ice chipper to cut large blocks of snow and ice from my driveway. I cut large chunks then I carried them to the side of the driveway. A snow shovel would not pierce the snow, and a snowblower did nothing but cement the snow drift in place. My eyelashes had become miniature icicles so I went inside.
As the recent temperatures dipped to be minus 20 to 25 degrees Fahrenheit, we were experiencing the extreme cold of January weather, which newscasters called an “arctic plunge.”
Let’s try an “Arctic Cold Quiz” to see if you have been paying attention to all the news alerts about dangerous cold weather. We have plenty of winter left, after all.
How far apart should a space heater be placed from fabric that could ignite, such as bedding, drapes or furniture?
In electricity outages, what is the danger posed by using camp stoves, grills or generators in a garage?
How much clean water per person should be on hand in a winter survival kit?
What types of foods should you keep in a winter survival kit for use at home?
Why should you allow water to drip in sinks during extreme cold?
What groups of people are particularly at risk of health issues when sleeping in cold rooms?
Name two types of beverages that should be avoided because they may cause your body to lose heat more rapidly. What existing health conditions are particularly worrisome when you remove snow in the extreme cold?
What term refers to an abnormally low body temperature?
What term refers to an injury to the body that causes loss of feeling and color and commonly affects the ears, nose, cheeks, fingers and toes?
These are the answers, based on Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidelines:
Keep space heaters at least 3 feet (36 inches) away from materials that could catch on fire.
Generators, grills and similar items can emit carbon monoxide gas, which can be deadly. These items should be used in well ventilated areas.
Allow 5 gallons of water per person in a winter survival kit if water pipes freeze.
Keep nonperishable food on hand that does not require cooking, such as bread, crackers, cereal and dried fruit and dried meat such as jerky.
A slow drip of water can help prevent pipes from freezing. Infants and older adults are particularly vulnerable to low temperatures.
Caffeinated and alcohol-containing beverages should be avoided in extreme weather conditions. Warm beverages such as herbal tea or cocoa will do a better job of warming you.
High blood pressure and heart disease could lead to sudden heart attacks during snow shoveling.
Hypothermia means your body is losing heat faster than it is being produced. It is more common in extreme cold but it can happen when a person gets chilled from rain, perspiration or falling in water, even when temperatures are above 40 degrees Fahrenheit. Look for shivering, exhaustion, drowsiness and red cold skin. Move the person to a warm area, remove wet clothing and cover with blankets. Get medical help.
Frostbite can be very serious. Move the person to a warm area. Feet or hands can be submerged in warm, not hot, water. Avoid having the person walk on frostbitten feet. Seek medical help.
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Now that’s rural: Clint Brauer, Greenfield Robotics
By Ron Wilson, director of the Huck Boyd National Institute for Rural Development at Kansas
State University
Who is running through my fields and cutting down the weeds? Or maybe I should ask, what is running through my fields and cutting down the weeds?
Today we’ll meet a rural entrepreneur who has founded a business producing autonomous robots that use mechanical means to cut down weeds close to the ground on broadacre crops across the Midwest.
It sounds like science fiction, but it’s happening in rural Kansas.
After graduating from K-State, he worked as a technology executive in Los Angeles. During that 14-year career, he was a data systems pioneer at Sony, launched a Sony e-book system in North America, and was vice president of marketing for Fox Interactive Media.
When his father developed Parkinson’s disease, Brauer moved back to Kansas.
“When he got sick, I started to run the farm -- which is still going strong – and around then was when the initial idea for Greenfield Robotics was germinated,” Brauer said.
“When my dad passed away from Parkinson’s disease, I wanted to create a way to reduce reliance on chemicals in farming, and ultimately remove them altogether,” Brauer said.
In 2018, he launched Greenfield Robotics. “We aim to create regenerative, herbicide-free farming solutions through the use of autonomous robots, which are built right here in Kansas,” Brauer said.
These robots look like yellow metal boxes on wheels with a short antenna on the top. The chassis is approximately two feet wide and five feet long.
The robots are autonomous and leverage artificial intelligence in the forms of machine vision and learning. The chassis can attach to various types of attachments, such as blades for cutting weeds, and be programmed to go through a field cutting down weeds, for example.
With other modular attachments, these robots can be used to plant cover crops, add nutrients such as sea kelp to crops, and more.
In practice, the robots are deployed by the company, rather than purchased by the farmer. “We deploy the robots, retrieve them when the job is done and handle any potential maintenance,” Brauer said.
When used for cutting weeds on broadacre crops, the robots greatly reduce the need for herbicides.
“These robots are capable of navigating between rows of crops like soybeans, cotton and sorghum with less crop damage than a traditional spray rig,” Brauer said. “They cut down weeds close to the ground, with spinning blades attached to the front of each robot, and are capable of running day and night.”
Each robot can weed one-half to one acre in an hour. The robots are deployed as a fleet.
“The primary benefit of our technology is that it allows farmers to greatly reduce their reliance on herbicides, which has positive implications for both human health and the environment,” Brauer said. “By reducing reliance on chemicals to kill weeds, farmers can improve soil integrity, reduce their input costs, control herbicide-resistant ‘superweeds’ and produce cleaner, healthier crops for consumers.”
This cutting edge technology has caught the eyes of others. “These wins helped us get financial backing from major players in the industry, including Chipotle, MKC – a major grain co-op with 11,000 farmers as members – and ILS, one of the nation’s largest beef producers,” Brauer said.
More advances are ahead. Greenfield Robotics is working with Rock River Laboratories to conduct field trials where the sensors on the robots will detect nutrient deficiencies in crops and provide actionable data to the producer.
“We hope this can revolutionize crop nutrient management,” Brauer said. “We continue to develop new services to help write a new chapter in agriculture.”
How remarkable to find this high-tech company in Cheney, population 2,181 people. Now, that’s rural.
For more information, go to www.greenfieldrobotics.com.
MFB announces 2025 ACE Leadership Class
The Montana Farm Bureau Federation announces their ACE (Advocate. Communicate. Educate) Leadership Program class for 2025. This is the ACE Leadership Program’s eighth year of empowering Farm Bureau members to become confident and effective leaders in their local communities, for Montana agriculture and for their county Farm Bureaus. The program provides its participants with skills to communicate industry issues and represent Farm Bureau interests at the local, state and national level. ACE successfully does this by focusing on leadership development, engaging local communities and issues advocacy.
“Montana Farm Bureau is committed to developing strong leaders for our rural communities and our state’s numberone industry,” said MFBF ACE Program Co-Coordinator, Sue Ann Streufert. “We have another high-caliber group of leaders in our 2025 ACE Class. We look forward to delivering six seminars packed with the skills these Farm Bureau members need to effectively advocate for agriculture and to become increasingly active in their county Farm Bureaus.”
The year-long program kicked off in January in Bozeman and will be followed by five more seminars across Montana. During these trainings, ACE participants will hear from agriculture advocates, media professionals, communications specialists and policymakers. In between seminars, they’ll also participate in virtual one-on-one coaching with an expert in leadership and personal development.
The 2025 ACE Class
Kayla Christians, Helena
Lauren Kett, Livingston Riley Larson, Lewistown Kasydi Lucas, Helena
Amanda Martin, Ulm
Makae Reed, Twin Bridges
Andy Schwab, Billings
Mackenzie Serrano, Dillon
Cody Shick, Choteau
Kim Woodring, Cut Bank
To learn more about the ACE Program, visit: https://mfbf. org/Programs/ACE-Program.
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What are the current drought conditions?
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Widespread drought conditions persist across the upper Great Plains into the beginning of 2025 (Figure 1). Nearly threefourths of the region is experiencing abnormally dry conditions, while a third of the region is experiencing severe drought. Some areas in the western Dakotas and Nebraska have shown extreme drought conditions for several months now, while Wyoming has experienced widespread severe and extreme conditions. In general, conditions throughout the Great Plains region have steadily worsened with the lack of precipitation in the last three months. In South Dakota, much of the state has received 50% or less than normal precipitation since October 1, 2024 (Figure 2).
to promote plant recovery and provide armor for the soil. Figure 3 shows an example of grass that was grazed short (no snow cover) compared to leaving adequate standing plant material (good snowpack).
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Plant residue acts like a sponge to absorb moisture and maintain those stores far longer than bare soil in which moisture quickly evaporates. Additionally, for producers relying on overwintered crops, such as winter wheat, a good snow cover of at least 3 inches can prevent a substantial amount of winterkill on those plants (NDSU & USDA).
What are current climate outlooks predicting?
Current seasonal precipitation outlook shows equal chances to above normal probability of receiving precipitation in
1/9/2025
from October 1, 2024, through January 8, 2025. It is important for producers to assess fall precipitation, because it is very impactful for next year’s growing conditions. Especially in northern and mountainous states, snow can make up a significant amount of annual precipitation. In general, 10 inches of snow only equals 1 inch of rainfall. Snow can play a significant role in increasing soil moisture levels and providing an insulating layer over the soil surface. It is important to leave pastures with adequate plant residue going into the dormant season
Figure 1. U.S. Drought Monitor of the High Plains as of January 7, 2025.
Figure 2. Percent of normal precipitation in South Dakota
Figure 3. Comparison of plant residue amount with ability to capture snowfall moisture.
Generated
at HPRCC using provisional data.
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Figure 5. NOAA Seasonal Drought Outlook for January through March 2025. the upper Great Plains region (Figure 4). However, seasonal drought outlooks predict a persisting drought in the region, with no expected improvements in the coming few months (Figure 5).
Regardless of how dry your area is, regular monitoring of precipitation and pasture conditions should still occur. With a lack of fall and winter precipitation thus far, it will be extremely important to receive adequate spring precipitation before the growing season begins.
The South Dakota Mesonet website is a comprehensive resource that includes drought monitors, climate predictions, and current and historic local weather data. However, any producer can easily access up-to-date climate outlooks and weather data for their region through the U.S. Drought Monitor, the High Plains Regional Climate Center, and local Mesonet stations. What are your plans for spring?
Although green grass is still far away, there are things to consider and plan for now. Given the current conditions and weather outlooks, delayed spring turnout and reduced stocking rates could be a very real possibility later in the year. If dormantseason precipitation is scarce, soil moisture can be quickly depleted, and the spring
green-up can be severely compromised. If so, are you prepared to feed livestock until adequate forage growth occurs? If spring precipitation is scarce, forage growth could be limited. If so, are you prepared to reduce stocking rates?
The beginning of a new year is a good trigger date to investigate the following questions and plan ahead for spring conditions.
Moisture/Climate
• How much precipitation was received during last year’s growing season?
• How much precipitation was received during the fall?
• Are there chances of precipitation in the upcoming weeks?
• What drought conditions are being indicated now and predicted in the coming months?
Forage
• How much forage production occurred during last year’s growing season?
• When was the last grazing event in your pastures?
• What is the current condition of your pastures (how much residual forage, soil cover, etc.)?
• What are your current feed resources?
Figure 4. NOAA Seasonal Precipitation Outlook for January through March 2025.
Winter Pasture Report: What’s your plan for spring?
Livestock
• Are you maintaining herd flexibility (do you know which animals will be the first to go)?
• How long are you prepared to be able to feed livestock if new forage growth is limited?
• What is your plan if drought persists?
Unfortunately, drought conditions will periodically occur and cannot be avoided. However, your management decisions can determine the impact of the drought on your business. Proactive decision making and regular monitoring are the key to drought management. Often it is the decisions made during the “good times” that determine success during the “bad times.” It is better to make decisions early, while you still have options, than to be forced into a decision. Thus, it is extremely important for producers to regularly assess precipitation and forage resources so they can manage livestock inventory accordingly. Hope for rain, but plan for drought!
Additionally, a written drought plan can be helpful to reduce emotion and make more-logical decisions. See Managing Drought Risk on the Ranch for a decision-making guide and example drought plans. For more information on climate and weather outlooks, contact SDSU State Climatologist, Laura Edwards. For more information on pasture monitoring and drought planning, contact SDSU Extension Range and Natural Resources staff.
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The teacher was trying to put to use her recent psychology education.
She asked everyone in her class, “Alright, if any of you think you are stupid, please stand up!”
A few seconds pass by and then Little Johnny stands up. Startled, the teacher says, “Oh, do you think you’re stupid, Little Johnny?”
“No, Miss, but I didn’t want to leave you standing all alone!”
Alfalfa Hay For Sale
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At 55 million square miles, Antarctica is the fifth largest continent (only Europe and Australia are smaller).
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First flea circus performance: took place in New York City in 1835.
NDSU Extension projects commodity prices for 2025
Planning for the future can be a very frustrating process particularly in times of market volatility. Planning typically pays high dividends. For most farm and ranch managers, developing realistic commodity price expectations is one of the most difficult and complex tasks of the planning process.
To make the planning process easier, North Dakota State University Extension has released its 2025 short- and longterm agricultural planning price projections for North Dakota, says Ron Haugen, NDSU Extension farm economist.
The publication shows 2025 price projections for crops and livestock produced in the state and price estimates for future years. Price projections are given for the major crop commodities, including wheat, durum, oats, feed barley, malting barley, oil sunflowers, non-oil sunflowers, corn, soybeans, canola, flaxseed, winter wheat, dry beans, dry peas, lentils, alfalfa hay and mixed hay.
Price projections for livestock and livestock products include beef steers and heifers at various weights, cull cows, slaughter steers, slaughter hogs, slaughter ewes, slaughter lambs, feeder lambs and milk. The publication also provides historical prices as a reference.
“Livestock price projections are hitting new highs, but crop price projections are lower than a year ago, estimating short-term planning crop prices is more important than ever. Price projections should be used as a guide in setting expectations for the 2025 production,” says Haugen. “These planning prices can be used for preparing annual enterprise budgets and annual whole-farm cash flow projections. Cash flow projections are very critical with today’s tight margins.”
Haugen cautions, “Short-term prices should not be used for planning capital purchases or expansion alternatives that would extend beyond the next production year.”
The “Plotting a Course 2025” publication (EC1090) is available online at ndsu.ag/plottingacourse, or by contacting your NDSU Extension county office.
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Foot Scoring Beef Cattle
By Taylre Sitz, MS in Animal and Range Sciences from MSU; Tim DelCurto, MSU Professor and Nancy Cameron Endowed Chair; Megan Van Emon, MSU Extension Beef Cattle Specialist
Due to various selection pressures, beef cattle have been transformed in size and shape over the last 75 years. Increased demand for cattle performance may have inadvertently put extra stress on foot and leg structure. While some research has been performed in the dairy industry, limited work has been conducted in extensive beef production systems on foot and leg structure. Currently, the American Angus Association (AAA) is the only breed association that has established expected progeny differences (EPDs) for foot angle and claw set. The American Simmental Association, Red Angus Association, and American Gelbvieh Association are currently developing EPDs related to feet and leg structure as well. Therefore, information provided on foot scoring in this document will be based on the AAA guidelines.
Both the foot angle and claw set traits are critical to structural soundness, which can have long-lasting impacts on production and longevity in a herd. Structural soundness is important for cattle locomotion when grazing extensive rangeland systems. Therefore, the objective of this MontGuide is to provide information about scoring foot angle and claw set in beef cattle, which can be used to assess structural soundness.
The Bovine Foot
Cattle are even-toed ungulates, and each foot is comprised of two distal phalanges (medial and lateral) attached to the middle phalanx bone. Important anatomical points on the foot include the two toes (distal phalanges) collectively referred to as the claw set, the bulb (which is also referred to as the heel), and the sole or bottom of the foot (Figure 1).
The bovine hoof is made up of horn tissue and consists primarily of keratin. Hoof tissue grows approximately five millimeters per month in mature animals and slightly faster in calves. A 1986 study measured hoof growth and wear rates of Holstein cattle and concluded that front hooves grew and wore less than the rear hooves presumably due to greater weight distribution on the hind feet. Generally, keratin tissue production is impacted by season and nutrition, with the greatest rates during the summer months and lowest growth during winter.
Optimal Foot Conformation
Proper conformation is a function of many different, complex, anatomical parts working in synchronicity to allow an animal the ability of locomotion. Structural soundness and free locomotion are important for animals to cover acres of pasture for nutrition and breeding and are considered important factors in animal performance. When viewed from the rear, the legs of cattle should be equally as wide at the hocks and the pasterns (Figure 2) and animals should be able to walk straight forward, flexing at the hock. Joints of the animal should be well defined, and the feet should face straight forward with toes of even size and appropriate depth of heel. The idea is for the hooves to be straight enough to bear
weight on the wall of the hoof and to have enough heel depth for the bulb to act as an appropriate shock absorber.
Ideally, the slope of the pastern joint is 45° to 47° and animals deviating significantly from a 45° angle from their toe to the pastern joint can face structural consequences. Straightlegged, or post-legged animals often have a short, choppy stride resulting from restricted mobility and are at a greater risk of injury (e.g., lameness, stifle, bone fractures), especially during breeding. Alternatively, animals that are referred to as sicklehocked or weak-pasterned have an anatomical condition where the feet are forced further under the body, thus putting more strain on the muscle and bones of the stifle and hip region (Figure 2), at least in the case of the hind legs. This could result in hoof growth exceeding wear in regions with softer terrain surfaces, thus overextending the coffin joint and tensing the deep digital flexor tendon. This alteration in foot angle results in a greater weight-bearing load on the navicular bone, often causing pain and lameness. It is important to remember that conformation of the limb is affected by various joint angles and conformation of the body as a whole as well as selection pressures placed on these animals. Ultimately, producers strive to select animals with ideal foot and leg structure (Figure 3).
Foot conformation and structure are impacted by several factors, such as infection, trauma, age, nutrition, environment and genetics. Foot structure changes as animals age, so as data is submitted to breed associations, age adjustments are included. Previous research has determined that foot conformation is moderately heritable for yearling-age Angus cattle (0.16 to 0.37, where a score of 1.0 is completely heritable).
Foot Angle and Claw Set Scoring
The AAA developed a foot scoring guideline for members to score both foot angle and claw set on a 1–9 scoring system (Figure 4). A score of 5 for both claw set and foot angle indicates ideal conformation:
Figure 1. Cross section of bovine foot (Ashwood, 2011); courtesy of Zinpro Corp.
Figure 2. Bovine body parts for complete structure (Diagram: Ohio State University Extension)
Figure 3. Examples of ideal claw and foot angle. Note the symmetry in the claw set and the 45-degree angle of the pastern joint. (Diagram: American Angus Association)
Figure 4. Foot score sketches characterizing claw scores (left) and pastern angles (right). A score of 5 for both claw set and foot angle indicates ideal conformation. (Diagram: American Angus Association)
Selecting alfalfa varieties
By Jerry Volesky, UNL
Are you considering establishing a new alfalfa stand this coming spring? Site selection, proper weed management, good fertilization and seedbed preparation are all crucial steps for a successful stand. Whether it’s Roundup Ready or conventional alfalfa, selecting the right variety will dictate yield, quality, potential, degree of insect and disease resistance, as well as longevity of the stand.
Remember several important factors when choosing an alfalfa variety for a specific site. These include winter survival, fall dormancy, disease resistance, persistence and yield potential. Winter Survival and fall dormancy ratings are typically based on a numerical scale. For Nebraska, a winter survival score of 3 or 4 is desired, but a score of 2 may be suited for the northern most areas of the state. For fall dormancy, a score of 3 or 4 is desired for Nebraska.
For disease and insect pest management, a good strategy is to select varieties resistant to the most recurring pests and diseases specific to your location, especially those that have been problematic the last several years. Resistant varieties will save money and time by eliminating or drastically reducing the need for chemical control.
An alfalfa variety that can keep consistent yields up to its fourth and fifth year is considered a persistent variety. Persistence is closely related to winter hardiness, specific weather conditions, past management as well disease and insect pressure. Similarly, yield potential of alfalfa varieties is dictated by its genetics, but actual forage yield that each variety can achieve is limited by field conditions and management practices.
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Biochar reduces the risks of DDT-contaminated soil
DDT soil pollution is still a major problem in many parts of the world. Researchers at Chalmers University of Technology, Sweden, have developed a new method to manage ecological risks from the toxin by binding it with biochar. When they mixed biochar into contaminated soil at a former tree nursery, DDT uptake by earthworms in the soil was halved. This method may enable the growing of certain crops on land that is currently considered unusable due to the environmental risks.
The legacy of previous generations´ use of the insecticide DDT still affects us today. During the 50s and 60s, the substance was used to control pests in forestry and agriculture, and although it has been banned for over 50 years, in Sweden alone there are thousands of sites where the soil is still DDT-contaminated. Many other countries around the world have the same problem.
The toxin has been linked to a variety of negative health effects in humans and animals, and it breaks down very slowly. It poses an ecological risk because it can be taken up by terrestrial organisms such as earthworms. When these are in turn eaten by birds and other animals, DDT begins to accumulate within the food chain, which means that the top predators are affected by the highest toxin concentrations.
For three years, researchers at Chalmers University of Technology have been testing a new method to reduce the ecological risks of the toxin, at a DDT-contaminated former tree nursery in southern Sweden.
“In our field experiment, we mixed the soil with biochar and grew different plants. We found that biochar binds DDT efficiently, so that it is not taken up by soil organisms,” says Paul Drenning, postdoctoral researcher at the Department of Architecture and Civil Engineering at Chalmers, and the first author of the study.
Cheap and environmentally friendly solution on site
Biochar – which is similar to charcoal – is an environmentally friendly product that is cheap to produce. It binds contaminants and can improve soil health when added to soil. This practice can also be useful for climate change mitigation since it can contribute to long-term storage of carbon in the soil.
The researchers found that the amount of DDT taken up by earthworms in the soil decreased by an average of 50 per cent when the soil had been mixed with biochar. This indicates that the bioavailability of DDT to soil organisms had been reduced – meaning that the soil had become less toxic, with a lower risk of DDT spread via bioaccumulation in the food chain of animals, or by leaching into water.
This reduction in environmental risks could, in turn, lead to landowners being able to start farming again on land that is currently unused, pending decisions on how to manage the contaminated soil.
“Treating contaminated soil in large volumes is costly and complicated. A common solution is to dig out the soil and then transport it to a landfill for hazardous waste, but that means destroying good quality soils and is not a reasonable solution for large contaminated areas”, says Paul Drenning.
“Treatment with biochar on site could thus make the land useful instead of being left uncultivated or degraded, and also at a significantly lower cost for both the landowner and for the environment.”
Long-term effect expected
Examples of crops that could be grown in the treated area are saplings of pine and spruce, hay for animal feed or bioenergy
crops such as willow trees (salix). The treatment with biochar means that plants may take up less DDT from the soil as well, but they accumulate very little even without treatment.
“The reason why the contaminated land is left unused today is not that there would be health risks with crops, but that the landowner is obliged by regulation to address the ecological risks with DDT. While awaiting an investigation and decision on this, the land has remained unused”, says Jenny Norrman, Professor at the Department of Architecture and Civil Engineering and the leader of the research project.
Biochar decomposes very slowly in soil, and the researchers expect the effect of the treatment to last for a long time – perhaps for decades. They will continue sampling at the site for several years to follow the development. In parallel, they will explore how to scale up the experiment, to be able to mix biochar into the soil without having to dig out large volumes.
Great potential for the method Using biochar for treatment of contaminated soil is uncommon today. As far as the researchers know, the method has not been tested before at forest nurseries in Sweden, or internationally in the same soil type and climate.
“There is a great interest in using biochar for stabilisation of both DDT and various other contaminants in soils, such as metals and polyaromatic hydrocarbons. Therefore, it is positive that we have been able to see a good effect in our experiment,” says Paul Drenning.
Soil is a valuable resource with a very slow rate of regeneration – a single centimetre of soil can take hundreds of years to form. In the European Union, 60-70 per cent of the soils are considered unhealthy due to degradation, with soil pollution being a major driver. Active work is now underway within the EU to better control soil pollution. The European Commission´s upcoming Soil Monitoring Law contains new, stricter rules for sustainable land management and remediation of contaminated areas, where consideration of soil health is expected to play a significant role.
The Chalmers researchers have also investigated several other aspects of soil health – such as different treatment effects on soil functions like nutrient cycling, water cycling and carbon storage – with positive results, in addition to the effect of biochar on DDT. Their field experiment is a demonstration of a general methodology which they have developed for evaluating the effects of gentle remediation options on soil health. It is designed to also be accessible for practitioners and decision-makers, such as landowners.
More about: the scientific study
The three-year study was conducted on a 23-hectare DDT-contaminated former tree nursery in southern Sweden. The research
Biochar binds DDT effectively, so that the toxin is not taken up by soil organisms. Photo: Anja Enell, the Swedish Geotechnical Institute.
USDA invests in additional clean energy projects
U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Secretary Tom Vilsack announced that USDA is funding 516 projects, including three in Montana, to expand access to clean energy systems. USDA is providing nearly $180 million through the Rural Energy for America Program (REAP).
In Montana, the following awards are announced:
Two Bear Farm in Whitefish will use a $68,458 grant to purchase and install a 42.2 kilowatt (kW) solar array with battery storage. This project is expected to save $4,439.12 per year. It will replace 55,489 kilowatt hours (kWh) per year, which is enough energy to power five homes.
A & E Rentals LLC in Helena is receiving a $92,340 grant to purchase and install a 67.00 kilowatt (kW) roof-top solar system.
A&E Rentals provides commercial rental space to a real estate office and a private co-working space in the heart of Helena. The project is expected to save $13,437 in annual energy costs and generate 84,502 kilowatt hours (kWh) or enough energy to power eight homes.
KJO Enterprises dba Specialty Woodworks in Hamilton will use a $152,575 grant to purchase and install a 71. kilowatt (kW) net metered solar array. Specialty Woodworks Co. is a specialty cabinet making company. This project is expected to save $16,112. 2 per year. It will replace 94,890 kilowatt hours (kWh) per year, which is enough energy to power eight homes.
As part of a national announcement, USDA is awarding $120 million total in REAP grants for the 516 projects in 39 states, Guam, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands. This program helps farmers and small business owners make energy efficiency improvements and expand their use of wind, solar and other forms of clean energy.
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Foot Scoring Beef Cattle
CONTINUED FROM PAGE C46
claw set is symmetrical with proper length of toes, and pastern angle is approximately 45 degrees with appropriate heel depth. For the claw set, as the score moves toward 1, the animal’s claw set becomes more divergent. As it moves toward 9, the claws are becoming more curled and “scissor” like, perhaps with variations in claw size and claws even crossing over one another. With foot angle, as the score moves toward 1, the animal’s pastern angle becomes more obtuse, resulting in “post-legged” animals. Moving toward a foot angle score of 9, the pastern angle becomes more acute, resulting in animals with their hooves set further forward and becoming weak-pasterned or sickle-hocked.
Guidelines for Foot Scoring
The current guidelines from the AAA are:
• Scores should be taken prior to foot trimming, if foot trimming occurs.
• Cattle must be at least 320 days of age at the time of scoring.
• Identify and score foot angle and claw set on the combined worst foot on each animal.
• Cattle should be scored on a hard, flat surface where the feet can be easily visualized. Scoring should not take place while cattle are in a chute as they do not stand naturally.
• Scoring on females is recommended annually.
• The same technician should score the entire scoring event or contemporary group to reduce bias.
Foot Scoring Resources: How-To’s and More Information
• AAA Foot Scoring Guidelines and Recommendations www.angus.org/performance/Documents/ footscorebrochure.pdf
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• AAA Foot Scoring YouTube videos www.youtube.com/@AngusAssoc/featured Tips for Adding Foot Scoring to Already Scheduled Cow Working Events
• Look through the foot scoring resources and learn about the process. Videos can provide helpful practice at foot scoring alongside the experts.
• Consider designating a foot-scorer. Give the scorer the time, space, and a hard, flat surface to score feet for the most representative foot scores for the cow herd.
• Ensure there is a place to conduct foot scoring on a flat and even surface. This could be a concrete or dry dirt/ gravel alley, or even rubber mats in front of the chute.
• Prepare a list or a notebook and predetermine the format for collecting foot scores. Consider how the scores will be utilized.
General Considerations
Foot angle and claw set EPDs are two relatively new progeny measurements. The most accurate EPDs have both phenotypic and genomic data submitted on progeny. Many breed associations are developing EPDs for feet and leg structure. The success of this EPD will depend upon acceptance by commercial cattlemen as a selection tool and the continued collection of foot scores by breeders. Foot angle and claw set scores can be taken on both commercial and seedstock cattle. Livestock producers of any breed can use the information provided from the AAA to assess the foot and leg structure of their animals. Utilizing pastern angle and claw set EPDs and collecting annual foot scores in a herd should be a central part of management for improved feet and leg conformation in a cow herd.
Biochar reduces the risks of DDT-contaminated soil
CONTINUED FROM PAGE C48
ers dug out soil from a 50x5-metre section, divided the soil into piles and mixed biochar into half of them. They set up 24 experimental plots and distributed the soil randomly to the plots, half of which with biocharamended soil. The plots were planted with four different plants: pumpkin, grasses, legumes and willows. The researchers then used physical, chemical, and biological indicators to evaluate soil health and examine the effects of the plants and the biochar.
The article A method for evaluating the effects of gentle remediation options (GRO) on soil health: Demonstration at a DDXcontaminated tree nursery in Sweden has been published in the journal Science of The Total Environment.
The study was conducted by Paul Drenning, Yevheniya Volchko, Anja Enell, Dan Berggren Kleja, Maria Larsson and Jenny Norrman. The researchers are affiliated to Chalmers University of Technology, Örebro University, the Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences and the Swedish Geotechnical Institute.
The research has been funded by Formas, COWIfonden, the Swedish Geotechnical Institute and the Swedish Geological Survey, with help also from SveaSkog.
More about: biochar
Biochar is a soil improvement material with great potential for a variety of applications. It is similar to charcoal and barbecue charcoal, but biochar is produced specifically to be added to arable soil and
has special properties that make it suitable for stabilising contaminants in the soil. It is produced by incinerating organic waste, such as residues from forestry and agriculture, in a process without oxygen, so-called pyrolysis.
The ability of biochar to bind pollutants is similar to that of activated carbon, a substance used for example to purify water and as a treatment when people have consumed certain toxins.
Through its porous structure, biochar can also help retain water, air and nutrients in the soil. Increasing soil fertility with coal is a technique that has been used for thousands of years around the world, for example through slash-and-burn farming.
More about: DDT
Dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane (DDT) is an insecticide introduced in 1942. It has now been banned for over 50 years, but it still remains in relatively high concentrations in soils around the world. An example of how it was used in the 50s and 60s to control pests in Sweden was dipping the cuttings in DDT, often in combination with DDT spreading on the ground.
DDT is an endocrine disrupting environmental toxin that has been linked to health effects such as cancer, cardiovascular disease and reproductive problems in animals and humans. Because it decomposes very slowly, it accumulates in the food chain of animals, thus affecting large predators the most – a group that can also include humans.
A New Year’s resolution for bull buyers: Know your herd
By Matt Spangler, Professor and Beef Genetics Extension Specialist
Spring bull buying season is near. The question that all potential bull (and semen) buyers need to ask is, “What do I need?”
The operative word is need, not to be confused with want. To objectively answer the question, producers need to know how their herd currently performs. This includes, but is not limited to:
Current rates of dystocia
Current pregnancy rates
Current age distribution of the cow herd
Primary reason(s) for cows exiting the herd
Weight of calves at the point of sale
Post-weaning performance of calves
Weight of mature cows
Annual (variable) cow costs
Knowing the answers to the questions above helps identify the areas that require the most attention to improve profitability.
After a breeding objective has been formed and the answers to the questions above are in hand, bull selection can begin. The sometimes complex process of select-
be in relation to the degree you experience dystocia problems now.
If you retain replacement females, keep an eye on mature cow weight EPD if available.
If you retain replacement females, do not ignore female fertility. Sustained cow fertility (stayability, functional longevity) EPD represent the ability to remain productive in a herd.
If you use economic selection indexes, use the ones that fit your breeding objective. Do not use terminal indexes if you intend to retain replacement females.
Know, or ask, what certain EPD/indexes mean and what breed average is. Do not buy a bull assuming he excels for a trait only to later discover that he ranks towards the bottom of the breed.
There are numerous articles on how to interpret and use genetic selection tools.
For those wanting to learn more, I’d suggest visiting www.eBEEF.org and looking over the Sire Selection Manual. ing bulls can be reduced to a few simple steps.
Choose vendors that sell the product you need and that you trust.
Choose bulls based on what is “under the hood”. In other words, the goal of bull selection is to improve genetics so select bulls based on genetic potential using Expected Progeny Differences (EPDs).
Select for more than one trait given more than one trait impacts profitability. Utilize economic selection indexes to do so.
Value bulls (or semen) based on the potential to generate a return from the investment. In other words, if the “best” bull sells for more money than he could generate for your enterprise (based on genetic value and number of cows he would be exposed to, and cull value), then pass on him and buy a different bull that does have the potential for a positive return on investment.
Not everyone who raises cattle is profit-motivated, but for those who are, utilizing proven tools such as EPD and economic selection indexes seems logical. With that in mind, here are pitfalls to avoid.
Avoid over-emphasizing calving ease (direct). The emphasis on this trait should
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You can roll or wad up a piece of bread and use it to erase graphite. This “eraser” was used before rubber erasers were invented.
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English is funny: The bus goes back and forth between the terminal and the airport. Again we find mass confusion about the order of events. You have to go forth before you can go back.
