Two years of drought have forced adoption of new technology and management practices in crop irrigation, according to a Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service specialist in Amarillo. Nich Kenny, AgriLife Extension irrigation specialist, said the key factor moving into the 2013 season will be for producers to concentrate on their irrigation management. “There are new water pumping regulations in place, and we are coming off two years of pretty significant drought,” Kenny said. “What that means is on two fronts, these guys are limited to how much water they have available.”

The National Corn Growers Association has announced that the enhanced Compliance Assurance Program, which includes on-farm refuge assessments, an online survey and IRM education and awareness, is seeing strong success and an increase in the number of growers planting their corn refuge.

Phosphorus in manure is a valuable resource for crop production when applied correctly and has proven to improve crop yield to higher levels than commercial fertilizer. In contrast, inappropriate use of animal manure has been reported to negatively impact the environment. It's important to understand the forms of phosphorus in manure and how manure interacts with soil before improved manure management strategies can be developed.

Established U.S. supplier of generic glyphosate, Glysorita LLC, introduces two dry granular glyphosate formulations based on an ammonium salt, new to the U.S. market.

The new 1017 DARF hay rake made its first West Coast appearance at the 46th annual World Ag Expo, Feb. 12-14.

Herbicide-resistant weeds are becoming more of a problem, forcing growers to alter their weed-control programs. DuPont Pioneer agronomists say management decisions – such as improved herbicide choices, clean seedbeds and careful planning for harvest – can help decrease resistant weeds.