As fertilizer prices climb, particularly nitrogen and phosphorus, the economic benefits gained from manure-applied nutrients escalate. The ability to reduce fertilizer inputs to the crop enterprise provides
Fall is the busiest time of year on farms. The “boys of fall” find a heavy load to carry between the planning, persistent day-to-day chores, harvest tasks, application, and tillage added to
Have you ever wondered if there is nitrate in your irrigation water? Irrigation is used to grow specialty crops as well as commodity crops such as field corn, soybeans, and alfalfa
Greenhouse gas emissions — in the U.S. and globally — are dominated by the energy and transportation sectors. Together, these industries account for greater than 75% of total emissions on
Sustainability has long been a foundation on farms of all types and sizes. While sustainability may not have always involved carbon sequestration for the carbon market or goals of reduced greenhouse gas
While a tax discussion this is not, some growers might find the nutrient management plan writing decision to be equally as certain and as cringe-worthy
I had the pleasure of knowing a soil scientist with USDA whose last project was completing the soil survey for Darke County, Ohio, where I live. He retired here, and we became good friends, sharing ou
Has the time finally come? I have worked with all types of livestock and poultry projects over the past 46 years and have come to the following conclusion: Nutrient management determines success or failure
Farming can take on many forms. In the early days, full tillage and “plowing it black” was the law of the land. Then came the early conservation tillage tools
Chickens, hogs, beef cattle, and dairy cows all produce manure. These various kinds of manures are valuable, but are they equally valuable? The answer to that question is absolutely not
If you ever want to “trigger” a group of livestock farm managers, ask them — off the record — to discuss how potentially fraught the relationship is with their custom manure hauling
I assumed to have seen everything of importance after 45 years of nutrient management. That changed in 2022. About a decade ago, I assisted a significant client in siting and permitting a fully i
In the last 20 years, many states have added requirements for record keeping of manure applications on farm fields. This is to make sure that applications are used effectively as plant nutrients and t