“Overall, it was an average to average-plus year,” says Terry Helms of Simplot Grower Solutions in Oakley. Helms has been an agronomist in south central Idaho since 1985 and deals with a range of crops including potatoes, sugarbeets, corn, dry beans and small grains.

Wheat growers in Idaho are losing a surprising 3.5 to 4 bushels per acre every year due to widespread zinc deficiency that results in slow emergence and a lack of seedling vigor. While most now recognize that zinc is widely deficient in the soil profile, the larger issue of how to solve it still remains.

Should growers be treating their fields more like golf courses? A common solution to this problem in golf courses is the application of products known as soil wetting agents that reduce the surface tension of soil.

“I’m an optimist, but I have seen fields overrun by kochia, and last year we learned that we have Palmer amaranth and waterhemp,” says Dr. Albert Adjesiwor, University of Idaho Extension weed scientist in Kimberly.

Profitability maps can be helpful for determining the relative extent to which different areas in a field are profitable or not, which can provide insights regarding whether there are any actions that can be taken to increase profitability in lagging areas.

With glyphosate, many see only the risks and not the benefits. A closer look at glyphosate shows that the safety concerns are not scientifically supported, and that the benefits are worth the perceived risk.

The Idaho Barley Commission Endowed Barley Agronomy program has been researching sustainable barley and wheat production strategies, focusing on nutrient management practices for improved yield, quality, and soil and water health in both irrigated and dryland settings.

The program started in response to frequent requests from student groups for financial support. “We wanted to add an education piece to donations. This is a way to cultivate our community and involve producers.”

“The technology wouldn’t have happened without Cody. It’s hard for me to learn that stuff, but he sets up the field on the combine or tractor, and I can just climb in and go. You can’t drive it as good as it drives itself.”