Providing global access to knowledge for sustainable land management, the LandPKS app from the USDA's Agricultural Research Service aims to promote an understanding of how soils and topography determine the land's potential to support crop production.

The latest Crop Progress report from USDA showed 92% of corn silking in the week ended Aug. 2, surpassing the 72% of corn reported silking in the same week last year, and the 5 year average of 87%.

In case you missed them, here are the items that have garnered the most interest from farmers in the month of July.

For this episode of the No-Till Farmer podcast, brought to you by Pivot Bio, West Union, Iowa, no-tiller Loran Steinlage sat down with Jay Baxter, who no-tills more than 2,000 acres of corn, soybeans, wheat, sweet corn, and more in Georgetown, Delaware, in a conversation that was moderated by Jen Nelson of Resource Smart.

When faced with a crop failure due to severe weather, or conditions prevent planting in the first place, seeding cover crops on these acres can help control weeds and protect soil from erosion as well as provide other soil health benefits. Trials from the University of Minnesota reveals which covers grow the most biomass the quickest.

For the week ended July 26, USDA's latest crop progress report showed 82% of corn silking, more than the 51% reported silking this time last year and the 5 year average of 75%.

Late summer can provide a window of opportunity to seed perennial forage legumes and grasses, whether you want to establish a new forage crop or need to fill in bare and thin spots in an existing forage stand. To help improve the chances for a successful late summer seeding of forages, consider these tips from Iowa State University.