Drinking water containing a common no-till herbicide could pose a greater public health risk than previously thought because regular municipal monitoring doesn't detect frequent spikes in the chemical's levels, according to a report released Monday by the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC).

The U.S. Secretary of Agriculture took his argument for climate-change legislation to farmers through a column in the Omaha World-Herald on Sunday, Aug. 23.

Farmers enrolled in a program that rewards them for reducing greenhouse gasses are finding the market for their carbon credits has shrunk amid the recession and uncertainty about climate legislation being crafted by Congress.

Farm values dropped for the first time in 22 years, according to the USDA's Agricultural Land Values and no-till Cash Rents Annual Summary.

Fertilizer application and no-till soil sampling during fall months can be efficient and time-saving practices, and are often the first step to developing an appropriate nutrient management strategy, report AgriEnergy Resources and the Potash and Phosphate Institute.

High-yielding varieties coupled with ideal no-till growing conditions can turn an average crop into a record season.

The spring rush of planting is catching up to the soybean crop in some fields, says University of Kentucky grain crops specialist.

The risk for soybean rust on Ohio's soybean crop and Eastern Corn Belt states is low and, once again, the crop may escape the disease.

Corn prices have settled into a relatively narrow trading range, with December 2009 futures trading between $3.20 and $3.50 per no-till bushel over the past 3 weeks. The relatively low price level reflects the anticipation of a large harvest in 2009, says Darrel Good, University of Illinois economist.

Innovative farmers who provide their communities environmental benefits and who operate profitable farms will host a conservation tour in the Chesapeake Bay area of Virginia on Aug. 3