1
Feb
2022
In the fall of 2006, I visited a farmer in SE Missouri. He made mention of his West Farm yielding almost 250 Bu./A. I quickly commented about that outstanding yield and how that must be great for him. The conversation paused, before he said something that has stuck with me ever since. “I don’t care if this farm ever makes 250 again if we can’t get the rest of the farms to make 150.”
Categories: CropTalk, 2022
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Nov
2021
Innovate, adapt, and overcome is a term you frequently hear at Beck’s. It has become a motto used in all aspects of our business; a call out to look at things differently, change the way we approach life, and follow through adversity in unique and innovative ways.
Categories: CropTalk, 2021
Tags: CropTalk, rootworm
Aug
As we know all too well, each year of crop production gives us different challenges and opportunities. And as we continue to increase our knowledge and efficiencies of crop production, we continue to be humbled by new pests that rob our fields of yield. Two diseases in particular that have been discovered recently include Red Crown Rot of soybeans and Taproot Decline of soybeans. Both diseases were observed in the early 2000s in the Delta region of the United States. They have since migrated north and have been identified in most soybean growing states of the Midwest.
Tags: CropTalk, soybeans, Soybean Diseases
Dec
2020
German chemist Justus von Liebig is often credited with ushering in the modern era of soil chemistry and plant nutrition. In the mid-1800s, von Liebigs’ research and discovery led to the development of the first nitrogenbased commercial fertilizer. Since then, soil scientists and agriculturalists around the world have endeavored to understand and manage the use of these fertilizers in corn production. Managing nitrogen (N) for corn production is a difficult task due to the complexities of the nutrient and the hundreds, if not thousands, of factors that influence N in the soil and plants.
Categories: CropTalk, 2020
Tags: CropTalk, corn hybrids, Nitrogen, nitrogen utilization
4
2019
The 2019 calendar year is coming to an end and the adverse effects to soils resulting from this crop season will loom for years to come. Heavy rain in the spring meant fields were planted in less than ideal conditions. This was followed by a series of production practices being conducted in less than ideal conditions — leading to soil compaction and surface ruts. The immediate thought is to run out and deep rip to remove compaction and fill ruts, but careful thought should be given to the process to provide benefit to the next crop year, but also avoid lasting issues for years to come.
Categories: CropTalk, 2019