Western Kansas Manufacturers Association, sponsor of the annual 3i Show, has announced the return of Vintage Saturday along with a daily display of antique tractors.

George and LaDonna Brown are bringing up to ten antique John Deere and International tractors from their personal collection to be displayed daily at the 58th Annual 3i Show, July 12-14 in Dodge City, Kansas.

Travis Chase of New Plymouth, Idaho, is one of 18 outstanding FFA members to receive a scholarship sponsored by AGCO and AGCO Finance, says Jason Marx, vice president of marketing, AGCO North America. Scholarships were provided through the 2011-2012 FFA Collegiate Scholarship Program.

USDA has announced its decision on Farm Service Agency (FSA) county office consolidations proposed in January. In total, FSA will consolidate 125 of the 131 offices originally proposed for consolidation with other USDA service centers. The move is consistent with provisions of the 2008 farm bill. The six proposed county offices that will continue operating are: Lafayette County, Arkansas; Boulder County, Colorado; St. Mary Parish, Louisiana; Pamlico County, North Carolina; Mayes County, Oklahoma; and York County, South Carolina.

Texas AgriLife Extension Service experts said this week that the recent deaths of 15 cattle in Bastrop County were likely an isolated event and that no further problems are anticipated.

“There’s a lot of information and misinformation that continues to circulate about this recent isolated case of cattle dying after consuming a Bermuda grass hybrid known as Tifton 85,” said Dr. Ron Gill, AgriLife Extension livestock specialist. “It should be known that there is not a widespread problem or concern related to this forage or its use for grazing livestock or the production of hay for livestock consumption.”

Forage Genetics International (FGI), one of the world's leading alfalfa seed providers, and Syngenta have announced the launch of NEXGROW alfalfa. The brand will be managed by FGI and sold through existing Garst, Golden Harvest or NK brand alfalfa resellers. "Growers will see this new brand as a continuation of FGI's 20 year collaboration with Syngenta in coordination with our leadership in diverse genetics and critical industry traits," said Brent Johnson, NEXGROW alfalfa brand manager. "The only change for growers is the new brand name. They will have the same great service through their Garst, Golden Harvest or NK brand alfalfa reseller when purchasing alfalfa for fall planting."

The USDA is preparing to mail the 2012 Census of Agriculture to millions of U.S. farmers and ranchers in late December. Producers are reminded not to miss their opportunity to be counted by signing up for the Census before July 1. The Census of Agriculture is a complete count of U.S. farms and ranches and the people who operate them. A farm is defined as any place that produced and sold – or normally would have sold – $1,000 or more of agricultural products during the Census year (2012).

Forage producers need to preserve any remaining forage as drought tightens its grip on Arkansas, said John Jennings, extension forage specialist for the University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture.

According to the U.S. Drought Monitor, area covered by a drought classification jumped from just below 25 percent to more than 94 percent in late May. “The likelihood of a record-setting dry spring across most of the state is very unsettling for forage and livestock growers,” said Jennings.

In late May, rust on tall fescue was observed in southwest Missouri fields from Preston to Weaubleau in Hickory County, in addition to cases reported in neighboring counties.

“There are several species of rust fungi that attack grass plants,” said Brie Menjoulet, agronomy specialist with University of Missouri Extension.

The recent hot, dry weather combined with poor root development in corn planted in relatively dry, compacted soils may be setting the stage for rootless corn problems. Rootless corn problems are widespread in parts of Iowa and Illinois. Rootless corn, or "rootless corn syndrome," occurs when there is limited or no nodal root development. Plants exhibiting rootless corn symptoms are often leaning or lodged. Affected corn plants may only be anchored in the soil by seminal roots or by a single nodal root.

The western corn rootworm season is progressing at an unprecedented pace, reports University of Illinois professor of entomology and crop sciences extension coordinator Mike Gray.

Reports of severe injury to Bt corn that expresses the Cry3Bb1 protein targeted against corn rootworms have come in from western Cass County. In 2011, similar reports of injury to Bt hybrids expressing this protein surfaced in other North Central states, particularly in Iowa.