Robert Pore's Ag Blog

The Nebraska Corn Growers recently recognized six Nebraska farmers for excellent all-around natural resources management with their Husker F.A.R.M. (Farmers Advocating Resource Management) award.

“We believe it’s important to recognize farmers who are doing a good job in being care-takers of our natural resources,” said Scott Merritt, executive director of the NE Corn Growers Association.

Individual farms are reviewed to determine their overall “best management practices” like using reduced tillage methods to cut erosion, fuel and labor inputs, scheduling irrigation to reduce water, fuel and electricity usage, grid sampling and precision application of fertilizers, using corn seed that reduce insecticide use, and planting of grass filter strips along water bodies to capture runoff before it enters the water.

The Husker F.A.R.M. winners for 2006 are:

* Arnie and Brian Hinkson, Cairo, NE. The Hinkson brothers plant their crops either no-till or ridge till, have converted most gravity irrigation to sprinkler systems, manage fertilizer applications, and participate in nitrogen studies with the University of Nebraska.
* Royce Bose, Orleans, NE. Bose grid soil samples for fertilizer rates, uses insecticide reducing corn, has upgraded most irrigation to sprinklers, practices eco-fallow on dry land acres and uses low drift nozzles during herbicide application.
* Rod Zessin, Madison, NE. Zessin uses grid sampling for fertilizer management, varies the rate of fertilizer application to crop needs, no-till plants corn and soybeans, and has grass filter strips.
* Clint Fousik, Central City, NE. Fousik uses grid sampling and field mapping for fertilizer application rates, uses nitrogen scheduling including deep soil sampling and irrigation water testing to determine application rates, and uses no-till on his cropland.
* Dave Ogden, Wood River, NE. Ogden converted some cropland from gravity irrigation to sprinkler systems reducing water application from 30 inches to 9-12 inches per year, grid soil samples and deep soil tests for best fertilizer rates, tests animal manure to determine nitrogen and phosphorous content before applying it to the land.
* Terry Sorensen, Minden, NE. Sorensen converted gravity irrigation to sprinkler systems, no-till plants corn and soybeans, has grass buffer strips along streams, tests irrigated soils for nitrogen needs and plants BT corn to reduce insecticide use.

This is the fifth year the Nebraska Corn Growers have presented the Husker F.A.R.M. award. The USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service, Natural Resources Districts, University of NE-Biological Systems Engineering and NE Department of Environmental Quality are also involved in the program.

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Labels: Ag News: Rural events

With a new Congress at work in Washington, the debate on the 2007 Farm Bill is ready to kick into high gear. Several factors will drive the debate, including economic, budget, trade, and political considerations. The agriculture committees will be working on proposals to fit into a new farm bill in time to replace or extend the 2002 legislation before it expires in September.

Agricultural policy specialists from Kansas State University and the University of Nebraska-Lincoln are teaming up to deliver a series of meetings in both states focused on the issues and options in this year’s farm bill debate.

The 2007 Farm Bill Forums: Issues and Options will be held in Kansas and Nebraska in late February and early March. Dates, locations and contact information include:

Meetings in Nebraska will be held Feb. 26 in Scottsbluff, Feb. 27 in Cozad; Feb. 28 in Hastings; and March 2 in Columbus. More details about the Nebraska forums is available by contacting Brad Lubben at 402-472-2235 or blubben2@unl.edu.

Each meeting will provide an overview of the farm bill debate and will focus on the mechanics and implications of the various proposals put forward at that time.

Specific topics will include potential changes to current farm programs and the mechanics of a proposed revenue safety net to replace part of the current safety net programs. Efforts to shift funding to an expanded Conservation Security Program also will be discussed. Each meeting will also provide an opportunity for producers to discuss the major options and provide feedback that will contribute to the policy debate.

Registration fees will vary at each location, depending on the level of local sponsorship.

Labels: Ag News: Rural events