CropWatch is written by Nebraska Extension specialists and educators from across Nebraska to provide timely, research-based information to help you make your farm decisions. During pesticide education sessions and other programs, I remind producers about the vast amount of resources available. We continue to reach more people each year, but we still have many producers that are not checking it on a regular basis. I hope you’ll all make it a goal or resolution to do so in 2018! Just a sample of some CropWatch information I included in this week’s column.
Nebraska Crop Budgets
The Nebraska Crop Budgets have been updated for 2018 costs and conditions, and include five new budgets relative to corn-soybean rotations. In total, there are 78 crop production budgets for 15 crops, as well as information on crop budgeting procedures, machinery operation and ownership costs, material and service prices, and a crop budget production cost summary. The 2018 crop budgets are available at cropwatch.unl.edu/budgets.
NE Extension Successful Farmer Series
The Nebraska Extension Successful Farmer Series returns January 5 with the first of six workshops to be held at the Lancaster Extension Educator Center in Lincoln.
These Friday morning workshops, held from 9 to 11:30 a.m., are organized by topic so individuals can zero in on the topic most pertinent to their needs, he said.
The cost is $5 for each session or $15 to attend all six. Handouts and materials will be provided at each workshop and CCA credits will be available. For more information, see the program brochure. To preregister, call 402-441-7180. Refreshments will be provided.
Visit lancaster.unl.edu for the link to program live-streaming.
Dates & Topics
January 5: Weather and Crops with Justin McMechan, extension cropping systems specialist; Tyler Williams, extension educator; Al Dutcher, associate state climatologist; and Brian Barjenbruch of the National Weather Service
January 12: Soil Fertility with Aaron Nygren, extension educator, and Rick Koelsch, extension livestock environmental engineer
January 19: Farm Economics with Al Vyhnalek, extension educator, and Brad Lubben, extension ag policy specialist
January 26: Corn with Bijesh Marajhan, Extension soil and nutrient management specialist; Tamra Jackson-Ziems, extension plant pathologist; and Tom Hoegemeyer, corn breeder and former professor of practice in the Department of Agronomy and Horticulture
February 2: Wheat and Equpment with Paul Jasa, extension engineer; Nathan Mueller, extension educator, and Stephen Baenziger, wheat breeder and researcher in the Department of Agronomy and Horticulture
February 9: Soybeans with Stevan Knezevic, extension weeds specialist; Loren Giesler, extension plant pathologist; and a representative of the Nebraska Department of Agriculture.
Private Pesticide Applicator Trainings
Private pesticide applicators holding licenses that expire in 2018, as well as anyone seeking first-time private applicator certification, can contact the Extension office for information on pesticide safety education training sessions. About 200 statewide sessions will be held January-April. Letters to producers with a listing of the trainings should be in your mailbox soon if you need to recertify, but you can check the pested.unl.edu website for a complete listing.
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