John Dobberstein

John Dobberstein is the Senior Editor of No-Till Farmer, Strip-Till Farmer, and Cover Crop Strategies. He previously covered agriculture for the Tulsa World and worked for daily newspapers in Chicago, Milwaukee and St. Joseph, Mich. This is John's second stint with Lessiter Media, the previous lasting almost 13 years.

Contact: jdobberstein@lessitermedia.com

The Secrets of No-Till Yield Champions

No-tillers David Hula and Kip Cullers say spoon-feeding crops at the right time, intensive scouting, healthy soils and even emergence have helped them raise contest-winning corn and soybean yields.

By John Dobberstein posted on April 17, 2015 | Posted in Seeding & Planting, Crop Protection, Nutrient Management

One of the most valuable lessons David Hula learned about farming came several years ago from a towering former NFL player turned DuPont Pioneer agronomist.

Shift Toward Soybeans Continues in 2014

Corn acres slipped in most U.S. regions, while the picture for soybean plantings brightened.

By John Dobberstein posted on April 17, 2015 | Posted in Seeding & Planting, Soil Health

As commodity prices continued their slide last year, no-tillers have continued to shift more of their acreage to soybeans.

7th Annual Benchmark Study

No-Till Acres Hold Their Own in 2014

The percentage of total cropping acres in no-till remained stable last year, while strip-till’s share of acres saw further erosion.

By John Dobberstein posted on April 17, 2015 | Posted in Seeding & Planting, Soil Health

No-till acreage appeared to stabilize among No-Till Farmer readers in 2014, according to data from the 7th annual No-Till Operational Benchmark Study.

7th Annual Benchmark Study

High Yields Help No-Tillers Stay in the Black

Even as grain prices continued their slide, 8 in 10 no-tillers had a profitable 2014, and most plan to keep investing.

By John Dobberstein posted on April 17, 2015 | Posted in Seeding & Planting, Soil Health

Even though commodity prices have fallen from historic highs, it hasn’t stopped U.S. no-tillers from innovating and staying profitable.

7th Annual Benchmark Study

No-Tillers Break Yield Records in 2014

No-tillers set a new high-water mark last year for the No-Till Operational Benchmark Survey by averaging 169-bushel corn and 52-bushel soybeans.

By John Dobberstein posted on April 9, 2015 | Posted in Seeding & Planting, Soil Health

Buoyed by improved weather and planting conditions in most U.S. regions, corn yields rebounded for no-tillers in 2014.

From The Desk of John Dobberstein

Use No-Till Residue to Create ‘Your Own’ Water

By John Dobberstein posted on April 9, 2015 | Posted in Residue Management

There isn’t much you can do to stop a drought. But you can create your own water to fight a drought by parking the plow, covering your soils and using low-disturbance drills, says Jerry Hatfield, lab director for the National Laboratory for Agriculture and the Environment in Ames, Iowa.

From the Desk of John Dobberstein

Mixed Bag For Latest Cover Crop Study

By John Dobberstein posted on March 26, 2015 | Posted in Cover Crops

The latest study about the use of cover crops on the Great Plains has been released, this time focusing on Nebraska. And while the news about their impact on yields and soil-moisture use is mixed at best, that’s only part of the story.

6 Tips to Help No-Tillers Eradicate Yield Robbing Slugs

Establishing diverse plant and insect communities and scrutinizing insecticide use are among strategies that could keep slugs from hurting no-till yields and profitability.

By John Dobberstein posted on March 20, 2015 | Posted in Crop Protection

Establishing diverse plant and insect communities and scrutinizing insecticide use are among strategies that could keep slugs from hurting no-till yields and profitability.

6 Tips to Help No-Tillers Eradicate Yield Robbing Slugs

Establishing diverse plant and insect communities and scrutinizing insecticide use are among strategies that could keep slugs from hurting no-till yields and profitability.

By John Dobberstein posted on March 13, 2015

IT’S GETTING HARD to overestimate the problems slugs pose for no-tillers. The University of Delaware estimates about 20% of no-till acres in the Mid-Atlantic States alone — some 600,000 acres — are affected by slug damage each year. Even mainstream Newsweek magazine recently authored an article on slug damage.

From the Desk of John Dobberstein

Word of Warning On In-Season Tissue Tests For Winter Canola

By John Dobberstein posted on March 11, 2015 | Posted in Nutrient Management

If you’re planning to use tissue testing as a basis for fertilizer recommendations for in-season winter canola, research results unveiled at the No-Till Oklahoma Conference might have you rethinking that idea.

John Dobberstein

ARTICLES

The Secrets of No-Till Yield Champions

Shift Toward Soybeans Continues in 2014

No-Till Acres Hold Their Own in 2014

High Yields Help No-Tillers Stay in the Black

No-Tillers Break Yield Records in 2014

Use No-Till Residue to Create ‘Your Own’ Water

Mixed Bag For Latest Cover Crop Study

6 Tips to Help No-Tillers Eradicate Yield Robbing Slugs

6 Tips to Help No-Tillers Eradicate Yield Robbing Slugs

Word of Warning On In-Season Tissue Tests For Winter Canola

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