According to the last USDA crop progress report, 48% of soybeans are blooming, in addition to 29% of corn silking in the week ending July 12, 2020.

The decision whether to mix species or plant a single species as a cover crop depends on your goals, time of the year, and costs. Planting a mix can increase biodiversity on a farm and can also insure against weather extremes, since different species will thrive in different weather conditions. Read more in this article from the University of Nebraska.

Whether your crops get hit with drought or hail, challenging weather during the growing season increases the potential for feed contaminants such nitrates or molds which cause mycotoxins. This article from South Dakota State University focuses on mycotoxins and how to manage them.

Delay caused by concerns over Bayer’s plan to create an independent panel of scientific experts to help assess whether glyphosate-based weedkillers such as Roundup caused cancer.

Elwyn Taylor, Iowa State University climatologist, reported that 200-bushel corn needs 19 to 23 inches of water during the growing season. For 200-bushel corn at 75 degree F (soil temperature), corn needs 1-acre inch of water per week, doubling to 2 inches at 85 degrees F, and doubling again to 4 inches at 95 degrees F. Read more in this article from Ohio's Country Journal.

Several different summer annual weed species populate wheat stubble fields and are capable of producing large amounts of seed if allowed to reach maturity. Follow these tips from the University of Illinois to implement effective control.

The latest Crop Progress report from USDA shows 31% of soybeans were reported blooming in the week ended July 5, almost four times the 8% reported blooming in the same week last year.

Phosphorus that leaves agricultural fields in runoff or drainage water can end up in water bodies like lakes, streams and rivers, compromising their quality, fueling algal blooms and imperiling aquatic life as well as recreational activities. A new system that removes phosphorus from runoff or drainage water as it leaves a field could help deal with these issues.