The Smith-Lever Act of 1914 provided federal support for land-grant universities to establish Cooperative Extension Services. Cooperative Extension was originally designed to bring vocational, agricultural, and home economics learning opportunities to all residents. Today Nebraska Extension, formerly called Cooperative Extension, provides University of Nebraska expertise in 8 major program areas that impact Nebraskans from all […] Continue reading → 
Soybean cyst nematodes (SCN) are a plant-parasitic roundworm that attack soybeans in Saline, Jefferson, and Gage counties. The pest is not new or unfamiliar to area farmers and agronomists. However, sometimes we get too comfortable with old issues. As a reminder, SCN is the #1 yield-robbing pest in U.S. soybean production. Soybean cyst nematodes or […] Continue reading → 
What risks are there for cutting alfalfa in the fall? When and how long is the alfalfa fall resting period or winterizing period? What impact will cutting alfalfa during this ongoing drought have this fall? The answers to these questions can help you make an informed decision on whether to take another cutting of alfalfa […] Continue reading → 
Winter wheat variety selection is one of the first key management decisions that you make each year as a wheat farmer in southeast Nebraska. The three-year average yield difference in currently planted varieties evaluated at the University of Nebraska Jefferson County trial is 12 bushels per acre. I consider southeast Nebraska to include the 23 […] Continue reading → 
Nebraska Extension released results from the 2022 surveys on farm custom rates, cash rent rates, and real estate values. Jim Jansen, Extension Educator for Agricultural Economics, led the 2022 Nebraska Farm Real Estate Report, and Glennis McClure, Farm and Ranch Management Analyst Extension Educator, led the 2022 Nebraska Farm Custom Rates Report. These are two […] Continue reading → 
It is that time of year when Japanese beetles (Figure 1), grasshoppers, or various caterpillars consume the soybean leaf canopy. It is very easy to overestimate the amount of defoliation that has occurred. Many do not like scouting several locations within a field this time of year either but is it important. We should tolerate […] Continue reading → 
If you own or rent pasture or grass hay ground, there are four Extension publications that you should own a copy of. At the top of my list is the 2022 Extension Circular 130: Guide for Weed, Disease, and Insect Management in Nebraska. This is an over 300-page annual publication, so you can get an […] Continue reading →