Today just happens to be one of my favorite days of the year. Why is that, I hear you ask? Is it because I realize the November general election is about to end in a month and I won’t have to put up with a seemingly endless trail of campaign ads much longer? (By the way, cast your vote for President right here.)

While he doesn't pretend to be an expert on no-tillage, Jim Budzynski has been around agriculture a long time. As a result, the Carmel, Ind., agronomist and soil scientist has developed four “E” barriers to the adoption of any major change in agricultural practices.

Sterling Liddell, vice president of food and agricultural research for Rabo Agri Finance, says some rationing is occurring in livestock and ethanol production as prices rise, and soybean prices remain strong and could hold that strength through spring 2013.

Updates from Day One of the Farm Progress Show

Watch Real-Time Updates from No-Till Farmer at Farm Progress 2012

Corn plants in many fields are turning red and that is not a good sign. The red color is coming from a build-up of sugar in the leaves and stalks. The build-up of sugar is a result of too few kernels being developed on the ears.