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Is your equipment investment profitable?

September 28, 2012

When does equipment pay for itself? Determining when a capital investment moves from breakeven to profitable is tricky. Since the useful life of the equipment is longer than one year and is often financed for a period of years, it’s a question that every producer or service provider should ask. There is a certain peace of mind knowing that your investment actually does pay.

Overview of noxious weed-free forage and straw programs

August 14, 2012

Dan Safford

The United States Forest Service (USFS) and National Park Service (NPS) enacted a requirement in the mid-1990s in many Western states that required all forage and straw possessed on these lands to be certified noxious weed-free.

Hay co-op survives in Nevada high desert

June 28, 2012

Dave Wilkins

About 12 years ago, Bill Norton joined an agricultural co-op in Nevada even though he didn’t live in the state.

Specific rental agreements are important in pasture rent situations

April 20, 2012

Jennifer Stewart

Renting pasture for grazing livestock is a fairly common practice in Indiana but one a Purdue Extension forage specialist says landowners and producers need to carefully discuss.

Timing herbicides to maximize yields in Roundup Ready corn

March 30, 2012

Earl Creech and Bill Johnson

Weeds compete with crops for nutrients, space, sunlight and water. Compared to other crops, corn is particularly sensitive to early season weed competition.

Shift up and throttle back to save tractor fuel

March 30, 2012

Stuart Birrell and Mark Hanna

Diesel fuel is the largest direct energy purchase for many farmers. Tractor operation accounts for much of this.

Production costs versus feeding value of forages

August 1, 2011

Jeremy Kichler and Curt Lacy

Determining an equitable price for purchased forages is a necessary but often uncomfortable topic of discussion for feed growers and purchasers.

Accounts receivable: Keep your money and your customers

August 1, 2011

Lanny V. Daise

Times with dealing with customers have changed since I was a young farmer (50+ years ago). It used to be a handshake was as good as gold.

Lifting causes secondary back injuries for farmers

May 30, 2011

S. Dee Jepsen and Kent McGuire

In agriculture, farmers are always carrying objects from one location to another. The objects may range from a bag of seed corn to the planter, parts to a piece of equipment, buckets of feed to livestock, or to bales of hay.

A sunny, hot day for making hay

May 15, 2011

Bruce Anderson

Some years it’s difficult to find decent haymaking weather. Sunny, hot, dry and breezy – that’s the prescription for good haymaking, along with using practices that can help the process.