Netafim USA is introducing Protect-T, a new drip irrigation additive that will help manage pest infestation in alfalfa crops.

What does a landowner do when it’s time to convert a field out of fescue and establish a new forage species or an endophyte-friendly fescue? According to Tim Schnakenberg, an agronomy specialist with University of Missouri Extension, the best way to eliminate fescue is to take it out of production by planting a row crop like corn or soybeans for at least one season.

Entries are now being accepted for the 2012 Ozark Empire Fair (OEF) Hay Show. The entry deadline is July 10 and entry forms are available online or at the nearest University of Missouri Extension center.

Eligible hay must be raised in Missouri and harvested in 2012. Both small, rectangular and large, round packages are eligible to enter. 

The dry conditions in March and April have given way to extremely wet areas in some parts of Minnesota. Since alfalfa stands got an early start this year there were a few concerns popping up early in the southeastern part of the state on areas of fields yellowing. While there may have been some effects due to the cool weather in April a couple of nutrients could be of concern.

Valent U.S.A. Corporation announced that RyzUp SmartGrass Plant Growth Regulator has been registered by the EPA for use on corn grown for silage.

RyzUp SmartGrass accelerates plant growth early in the growing season, resulting in more dry matter production and increased silage yield at harvest.

The settlement of a lawsuit against Syngenta related to the herbicide Atrazine ensures that corn farmers who depend on the important product continue to farm efficiently and safely, the National Corn Growers Association (NCGA) said.  While NCGA is concerned about the longer term impacts of unmerited class-action lawsuits against agricultural production, it is important that this case was resolved with an acknowledgement of the safety of atrazine.

An ongoing forage project conducted by Ohio State University Extension offers livestock producers detailed information on how fast pastures are growing statewide to help them make better management decisions.

The Ohio Pasture Measurement Project uses weekly pasture growth reports from more than 32 producers statewide to create a database that can help graziers estimate the amount of forage in their pastures, said Jeff McCutcheon, an OSU Extension educator and co-creator of the project.

The goal is to measure pasture growth to provide producers more detailed and accurate information during the grazing season. This can help them make better feed and pasture management decisions, he said.