The USDA is predicting a record soybean crop for 2014 with a total of 3.8 billion bushels, up 16% from last year. Also another big world soybean producer Brazil saw their record production during this year.

Soybean iron deficiency chlorosis (IDC) is a major problem in the easternpart of North Dakota and northwestern Minnesota, says Hans Kandel, North Dakota State University Extension Service agronomist.

Environmental groups seeking federal protection for monarch butterflies blame the use of genetically modified crops for the insect’s steep decline.

Traditionally, the recommendation has been NOT to harvest alfalfa 4 to 6 weeks (critical period) before the first killing frost. That is still very safe advice.

Over the last two weeks, many growers have seen rapid increases in soybean aphid populations. This is similar to the late outbreak seen last year, when aphids infested during the R5 to R6 growth stage transition.

Some places have received significant rainfall over the summer and the last week, causing soil moisture to be high in some areas. Soil moisture content can lead to the threat for soil compaction.

The U.S. Enviornmental Protection Agency and U.S. Army Corps of Engineers jointly released a proposed rule earlier this year to clarify protection for streams and wetlands under the Clean Water Act.

In recent years, sulfur (S) deficiency in wheat has become common in many areas, particularly in no-till wheat. Classic S deficiency symptoms, confirmed by soil and plant analysis, have been observed in many no-till wheat fields during periods of rapid growth in the spring.

The majority of the 2014 wheat crop was very good, but ergot was a widespread problem. Many of the ergot-infested fields seemed to be those that matured later than most, such as some of the spring wheat, later-planted and later-maturing winter wheat varieties, and fields with thin stands. In at least one field of winter wheat, many of the heads containing ergot bodies were late tillers.

Looking at current field research and the literature available on the topic of minimizing losses of phosphorus at the edge of the field, the following recommendations are a starting point to maximizing productivity while minimizing environmental impacts on water quality.