Sorted by date Results 176 - 200 of 247
Producers will be able to learn more about grazing cover crops and forages during a workshop North Dakota State University's soil health team is holding on March 4 at the Astoria Hotel and Event Center in Dickinson, N.D. "This workshop is designed to show the latest research findings on grazing cover crops and the impacts on the soil and livestock, while incorporating alfalfa management in western North Dakota and using precision agriculture to help map lands using these alternative land...
Planning for the future can be a very frustrating process especially in times of tariffs and market volatility. Planning typically pays high dividends. For most farm and ranch managers, developing realistic commodity price expectations is one of the most difficult and complex tasks of the planning process. To make the planning process easier, North Dakota State University Extension has released its 2019 short- and long-term agricultural planning price projections for North Dakota, says Ron...
The seventh annual North Dakota Reclamation Conference, "Reflecting on Reclamation," will spotlight the progress in reclamation policies, soil remediation and vegetation establishment. It will be held Feb. 25-26 at the Astoria Hotel and Events Center in Dickinson, N.D. "When we talk about reclamation, we often focus on the improvements needed to achieve successful remediation of lands impacted by energy development while losing sight of the strides that have been made in terms of knowledge,...
A calculator developed by North Dakota State University Extension to help producers estimate the Agricultural Risk Coverage (ARC) and Price Loss Coverage (PLC) payments they may receive in 2019 is available online. Visit https://www.ag.ndsu.edu/farmmanagement/farm-bill or search for “NDSU farm bill.” The payments are for the 2018 crop year, but final determination and issuance of actual payments are not made until the last three months of 2019. Producers face a challenging profit environment for 2019 and any source of revenue will be important...
Agricultural producers should do tax planning before the end of the year. "In tax planning, it is best to start with year-to-date income and expenses, and estimate them for the remainder of the year," says Ron Haugen, North Dakota State University Extension farm economist. "Estimate depreciation and include any income that was deferred to 2018 from a previous year." Haugen adds, "It is best to try to spread out income and expenses so producers don't have abnormally high or low income or...
Farmers and ranchers in the Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education Program's North Central Region (NCR-SARE) have until Dec. 6 to submit grant proposals to explore sustainable agriculture solutions to problems on the farm or ranch. "Proposals should show how farmers and ranchers plan to use their own innovative ideas to explore sustainable agriculture options and how they will share project results," says Karl Hoppe, a North Dakota State University Extension livestock systems specialist...
If you love gardening and sharing your knowledge with others, you are encouraged to enroll in the Master Gardener course offered in McKenzie County through an online program with North Dakota State University Extension. Application deadline is October 29. The NDSU Extension Master Gardener Program is a volunteer service organization that beautifies communities, educates the public about gardening, works with youth and encourages conservation of natural resources. This year’s Master Gardener online training program will run for 10 weeks b...
Soybeans can be used as a protein supplement for beef cattle, as long as the beans are a small part of the cattle's diet. North Dakota producers having trouble selling soybeans for the export market this year should consider feeding the soybeans to beef cattle, North Dakota State University Extension livestock experts say. Soybeans can be used as a protein supplement for beef cattle, as long as the beans are a small part of the cattle's diet, according to Karl Hoppe, Extension livestock systems...
U.S. agricultural producers, including those from North Dakota being impacted by ongoing trade disputes, will get some relief. The Trump administration and the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) have announced a program to aid those farmers. The USDA's Market Assistance Program is a $12 billion aid package intended to provide relief for the 2018 crop marketing year. The Market Assistance Program will include the Market Facilitation Program (MFP), using the Commodity Credit Corporation to prov...
This summer's high temperatures are taking their toll on humans and cattle. Extreme heat actually is a mix of temperature and humidity, and when both are high, the effort to stay cool can be stressful, according to Karl Hoppe, North Dakota State University Extension livestock systems specialist at the Carrington Research Extension Center. Cows will look for shade to provide some relief from heat radiating from the sun. They'll also seek a wind or breezy location to provide some evaporative...
Determining the risk of severe fusarium head blight, also known as scab, for a particular area is as easy as going to North Dakota State University Extension's Small Grain Disease Forecasting Model website, selecting the nearest town and the crop's estimated growth stage, then tapping the "Get Forecast" icon. The website (https://www.ag.ndsu.edu/cropdisease) provides forecasts for scab and other diseases such as tan spot, Stagonospora (Septoria) blotch and wheat leaf rust; maps showing the...
The average net income of farms in the North Dakota Farm Business Management Program dropped 30 percent to $88,026 in 2017, compared with $126,752 in 2016, according to Andrew Swenson, North Dakota State University Extension farm and family resource management specialist. In 2017, one-half of the farms had net farm income less than $50,996, compared with a median net farm income of $83,683 in 2016. In 2017, the average farm size was 1,937 crop acres and 490 pasture acres, the age of the...
North Dakota's drought-stressed pastures, especially pastures stressed during the fall of 2017, should receive special care this spring to help them recover from the drought, North Dakota State University Extension Service grazing experts advise. "It is critical that these pastures are given adequate time to recover," says Miranda Meehan, livestock environmental stewardship specialist. "Grazing too early in the spring can result in decreased total forage production for the entire grazing...
Pulse crop producers have a new tool to help them identify insect pests that attack chickpeas, field peas and lentils in the major pulse-growing areas of the U.S. The new "Pulse Crop Insect Diagnostic Series" from the North Dakota State University Extension Service summarizes insect pests of the northern Plains (Montana, North Dakota and South Dakota) and the Palouse area of the Pacific Northwest (Washington, Idaho and Oregon). The series was a collaborative effort among NDSU, University of...
Farmers, crop scouts, agronomists and other agricultural professionals will have an opportunity to enhance their pest identification and management skills at the North Dakota State University Extension Service’s 2018 Western Crop and Pest Management School. The school will be held March 6-7 at the Williston Area Recreation Center on the Williston State College campus. Participants also will be able to hear about current research results on topics such as weed control and pulse crop disease management. This is the first time the school has b...
Soil samples in North Dakota indicate low levels of overwintering wheat midge larvae (cocoons) for the 2018 season, according to Janet Knodel, North Dakota State University Extension Service entomologist. A total of 201 soil samples were collected from 21 counties in the fall of 2017 to estimate the regional risk for wheat midge in 2018. The distribution of wheat midge is based on unparasitized cocoons found in the soil samples. "Less than 1 percent of the soil samples had economic population...
Keeping stored grain cool is important as outdoor temperatures fluctuate and eventually start to warm this spring, a North Dakota State University Extension Service grain storage expert advises. "Not only will daytime temperatures be increasing, but the bin works as a solar collector," Extension agricultural engineer Ken Hellevang says. More heating occurs on the south wall of a grain bin on March 1 than during the middle of the summer. "This heats the grain next to the bin wall to temperatures...
Farmers, crop scouts, agronomists and other agricultural professionals will have an opportunity to enhance their pest identification and management skills at the North Dakota State University Extension Service's 2018 Western Crop and Pest Management School. The school will be held March 6-7 at the Williston Area Recreation Center on the Williston State College campus. Participants also will be able to hear about current research results on topics such as weed control and pulse crop disease...
Five Best of the Best in Wheat and Soybean Research and Marketing meetings have been set for Grand Forks, Moorhead, Minn., Dickinson, Williston and Minot. The first series of meetings will focus on recent issues that impact wheat and soybean production. They will be held at the Alerus Center in Grand Forks on Jan. 31 and at the Courtyard by Marriott Hotel in Moorhead on Feb. 1. Both meetings will begin at 8:30 a.m. Joel Ransom, NDSU Extension agronomist and one of the meeting organizers,...
Rural Leadership North Dakota's eighth class includes farmers, a rancher, farm assistance program representatives, business owners, city and county officials, health care and bank personnel, a consultant and communications specialists. They are among 26 people selected for the North Dakota State University Extension Service's leadership development program that started in November. They will spend 18 months developing skills to help them shape the future of their organization, community and...
Each year brings challenges for crop production, and this year's drought and cool August will have a big impact on North Dakota's corn production, North Dakota State University Extension Service grain drying expert Ken Hellevang warns. Much of eastern North Dakota is 100 to 200 growing degree-days behind normal, according to the North Dakota Agricultural Weather Network. This is reflected in the National Agricultural Statistics Service crop production report showing that on Oct. 1, only 47 perce...
Six years ago, about the time Vawnita Best gave up a 15-year career involving extensive travel to stay at home to raise her then-2-year-old son and help her husband build their registered Angus herd, she was accepted into the North Dakota State University Extension Service's Rural Leadership North Dakota program. "I was excited to find a leadership program structured for people with a passion for North Dakota, agriculture and community," the Watford City rancher says. The 18-month leadership...
Anthrax could be a risk to livestock in North Dakota this year, North Dakota State University Extension Service veterinarian Gerald Stokka warns. Very dry conditions, which North Dakota experienced this year, or high rainfall can cause it to be a health issue. "Anthrax is a disease caused by a bacteria known as Bacillus anthracis," Stokka says. "This bacteria has a special survival mechanism called spore formation. This characteristic allows the bacteria to produce spores with a very hardy,...
To maintain the North Dakota 4-H program in the face of budget cuts, 4-H will implement a $20-per-year state-level program fee for participation. The fee helps fill the gap left by declining state funding, according to Brad Cogdill, chair of the North Dakota State University Extension Service’s Center for 4-H Youth Development. The decision to implement the fee came after a $4.1 million reduction in state funding for the Extension Service for the current biennium and a recommendation from an ad hoc committee the State Board of Agricultural Rese...
Stored grain needs to be cool and dry during summer storage, a North Dakota State University Extension Service grain-drying expert says. “Cold or cool grain has been safely stored through the summer for many years,” notes Ken Hellevang, an Extension agricultural engineer. “Keeping the grain as cool as possible should be the goal of summer grain storage.” Allowing grain to warm to average outdoor air temperatures during the summer can lead to insect infestations and mold growth. The optimum grain temperature for insect activity is approxi...
