The recent announcement that water used for farms and humans will instead be flushed out to sea suggests California can no longer afford the status quo under the leadership of the State Water Resources Control Board (SWRCB).

Dos Palos, Calif. farmer Erik Wilson covers the idea eloquently when he says: “Never before in human history has a society actively sought to end their own food supply.”

The need for agricultural water should be so self-evident that social media memes are unnecessary. To frame Wilson’s thought as a question: why is it necessary to defend food production and its need for fresh water when we all require food and water to sustain human life?

I recently discovered that I’m not alone in the thought that California should abolish the SWRCB. Rather than simply fold existing staff and board members in the organization into a new bureaucracy, or give them “soft-landings” by placing them in other organizations, they too must go. The current path this agency is on is unsustainable and one we should not entertain because its destruction of agriculture and decisions to waste water is abhorrent.

Those who daily pay attention to the SWRCB and its edicts tell me the agency wants to take 30-50 percent of the unimpaired flows from several San Joaquin Valley rivers and upwards of 75 percent of the unimpaired flows from the Sacramento River to dilute toxic water conditions in the Bay Delta – conditions resulting from poor urban planning. Of course, they don’t sell it that way – their stated purpose is to “protect fish.”

Where is the fairness in demanding that farmers and upstream water users give up their right to fresh water to address problems created by urban users downstream? What happens when this plan fails? How much more water will be necessary? How many more people must suffer because of lost water, lost jobs and lost food production?

Meanwhile, canal systems built to convey surface water to agricultural and urban users are in such disrepair because of over-pumped aquifers they can no longer deliver at design capacity. Why is groundwater over-pumped, you ask? Because of environmental laws enacted with and resulting from the Central Valley Project Improvement Act that prohibit conjunctive use. New laws to prevent groundwater overdraft are incapable of addressing the failed public policy responsible for our water woes.

We’re continually told that water issues in California and the West are convoluted and complex. No, they’re simple – they’ve merely been made to sound difficult. We’re mismanaging what we have. “Conjunctive use” is no longer policy, it’s prohibited.

How ironic is it for the United States to send delegations and commission charitable organizations to third-world countries to help develop clean, sustainable water resources to drink and grow crops when we allow public policy to effectively create the same conditions here by taking water from farmers.

The National Corn Growers Association (NCGA) today called for EPA to maintain a strong, equitable Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) that follows Congressional intent and levels the playing field for America’s farmers by using the annual volume rule to repair the damage from extensive refinery exemptions.

Michigan farmer Russell Braun provided testimony on behalf of NCGA during an Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) hearing on the agency’s proposed biofuel targets for 2019.

“With corn prices low, EPA’s decisions have a greater impact on my livelihood and other farmers’ as well.  We believe EPA should use the Renewable Fuel Standard volume rule to remedy the harm caused by the extensive retroactive exemptions given to refineries over the past year and ensure future exemptions are accounted for. These refinery exemptions decrease ethanol blending and reduce demand and profits for my corn crop. Every gallon of renewable fuel blending waived by EPA reduces the consumer benefits of the RFS.”

EPA’s proposal supports some growth in the RFS volumes and continues to propose an implied 15-billion-gallon volume for conventional ethanol. However, the proposed rule allows for retroactive refinery exemptions, without reallocating those waived gallons, undercutting the volume targets and rendering the proposed blending levels meaningless. In the past year, EPA has retroactively waived 2.25 billion ethanol equivalent-gallons from the 2016 and 2017 volumes through 48 refinery exemptions, many of which went to refineries owned by large, profitable companies.

“The EPA should end the practice of granting unjustified RFS waivers behind closed doors and uphold the strong biofuel targets promised by President Trump. America's corn growers are ready and able to do our part to increase American energy use and production, and hold down prices at the fuel pump,” said NCGA President and North Dakota farmer Kevin Skunes. “EPA needs to listen to farmers comments, account for the waivers and make the RFS whole.”

Because many corn farmers are in Washington this week for NCGA’s Corn Congress and meetings with Members of Congress and unable to attend the Michigan public hearing, farmer delegates at Corn Congress took the opportunity to submit their comments to EPA online this morning.  Farmers across the country can join this effort by visiting http://www.standupforcorn.com/take-action.html to “Tell EPA to Restore the RFS.”

Full testimony available.

Source: NCGA

What others are saying:

“The targets proposed by the EPA seem promising, but they are meaningless unless the agency reverses the demand destruction caused by handouts to refiners,” said Brooke Coleman, executive director of the Advanced Biofuels Business Council. “Placing a check on that abuse and upholding the strong targets promised by President Trump will unfreeze investments in the advanced biofuels, like cellulosic ethanol, made from agricultural residues and waste. These fuels are delivering new revenue streams to rural America and protecting the climate, but that leadership has been under threat due to regulatory uncertainty.”  

“The ethanol produced at more than 200 plants across the heartland is vital to achieving our climate goals,” said Brent Erickson, executive vice president of the Industrial & Environmental Section at the Biotechnology Innovation Organization. “It cuts carbon emissions by at least 43%, according to federal data, and displaces petroleum-based octane boosters linked to harmful air pollution and smog. It’s time for the EPA to send a clear signal that this administration will no longer entertain oil-backed proposals to roll back competition from homegrown biofuels.” 

“The EPA’s past mismanagement of the RFS has placed a needless strain on workers, farmers, and rural families that are already bearing the burden of rising trade barriers,” said Kyle Gilley, senior vice president of external affairs and communications at POET. “President Trump and U.S. Department of Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue have promised their full support to rural communities, and now Acting Administrator Wheeler must deliver on that promise by restoring real competition at the fuel pump.”

Source: Fuels America

Pledging to work together to solve water scarcity issues, Israel's Agricultural Research Organization signed a memorandum of understanding with UC Division of Agriculture and Natural Resources and UC Davis on July 16. The signing ceremony kicked off the 2018 Future of Water for Irrigation in California and Israel Workshop at the UC ANR building in Davis.

“Israel and California agriculture face similar challenges, including drought and climate change,” said Doug Parker, director of UC ANR's California Institute for Water Resources. “In the memorandum of understanding, Israel's Agricultural Research Organization, UC Davis and UC ANR pledge to work together more on research involving water, irrigation, technology and related topics that are important to both water-deficit countries.” 

The agreement will enhance collaboration on research and extension for natural resources management in agriculture, with an emphasis on soil, irrigation and water resources, horticulture, food security and food safety.

“It's a huge pleasure for us to sign an MOU with the world leaders in agricultural research like UC Davis and UC ANR,” said Eli Feinerman, director of Agricultural Research Organization of Israel. “When good people, smart people collaborate the sky is the limit.”

Feinerman, Mark Bell, UC ANR vice provost, and Ermias Kebreab, UC Davis professor and associate vice provost of academic programs and global affairs, represented their respective institutions for the signing. Karen Ross, California Department of Food and Agriculture secretary, and Shlomi Kofman, Israel's consul general to the Pacific Northwest, joined in celebrating the partnership.

'Working together'

“The important thing is to keep working together and develop additional frameworks that can bring the people of California and Israel together as researchers,” Kofman said. “But also to work together to make the world a better place.” 

Ross said, “It's so important for us to find ways and create forums to work together because water is the issue in this century and will continue to be.”

She noted that earlier this year the World Bank and United Nations reported that 40 percent of the world population is living with water scarcity.  “Over 700,000 people are at risk of relocation due to water scarcity,” Ross said. “We're already seeing the refugee issues that are starting to happen because of drought, food insecurity and the lack of water.”

Ross touted the progress stemming from CDFA's Healthy Soils Program to promote healthy soils on California's farmlands and ranchlands and SWEEP, the State Water Efficiency and Enhancement Program, which has provided California farmers $62.7 million in grants for irrigation systems that reduce greenhouse gases and save water on agricultural operations.

“We need the answers of best practices that come from academia, through demonstration projects so that our farmers know what will really work,” Ross said.

New partnerships

As Parker opened the water workshop, sponsored by the U.S./Israel Binational Agricultural Research and Development (BARD) Program, Israel Agricultural Research Organization and UC ANR, he told the scientists, “The goal of this workshop is really to be creating new partnerships, meeting new people, networking, and finding ways to work together in California with Israel, in Israel, with other parts of the world as well.”

Drawing on current events, Bell told the attendees, “If you look at the World Cup, it's about effort, it's about teamwork, it's about diversity of skills, and I think that's what this event does. It brings together those things.”

Source: University of California Division of Agriculture and Natural Resources

Bucking expectations, USDA indicated in its latest Crop Progress report that the current corn crop’s quality has held steady from the week prior, at 72% rated in good-to-excellent condition – and the current soybean crop’s quality ticked a percentage point higher, reaching 70% good-to-excellent.

Industry analysts expected USDA to lower its crop quality assessment for corn to 71%. On a state-by-state basis, some states did indeed go down – most notably Michigan and Ohio – but increases in other states gave the overall nationwide score a small lift. The nationwide corn crop rating continues to track significantly higher than last year’s pace, when 57% of the crop was in good-to-excellent condition by late July.

Another 19% of the corn crop is rated fair, with the remaining 9% rated poor or very poor, unchanged from a week ago.

“Though corn conditions varied sharply between eastern and western states, overall yield potential bounced back by around six-tenths of a bushel nationwide,” says Farm Futures senior grain market analyst Bryce Knorr. “If ratings hold until harvest, this suggests record yields of 180 bushels per acre are possible, at least according to the ratings. Even factoring in the stage of development, yields could still hit 178 bpa, though Vegetation Health Index maps are only 171 to 174 bpa.”

Physiologically, this year’s corn crop continues to mature faster than average. Eighty-one percent of the crop has reached silking stage, up from 2017’s pace of 63% and a five-year average of 62%. And 18% has reached dough stage, up from 2017’s pace and the five-year average, both at 8%. As expected, southern states Texas (65%), Tennessee (64%) and North Carolina (63%) lead the charge, with several Midwestern states quickly gaining ground.

Analysts also expected USDA to downgrade the soybean crop this week, moving it from 70% in good-to-excellent condition to 69%. The agency, in contrast, rated the crop a percentage point higher, moving it to 71% good-to-excellent. Another 22% of the crop is rated fair (down 1% from last week), with the remaining 8% rated poor or very poor (unchanged from last week).

Several states fall well short of that average, including Missouri, North Carolina, Michigan and Kansas. However, other states with percentages of good-to-excellent soybeans reaching into the 80s kept the nationwide average pointed in a positive direction.

Soybeans also gained back losses” from the previous week, with average yield potential up four-tenths of a bushel per acre according to our ratings model, improving to nearly 51 bpa if conditions hold until harvest,” Knorr says. “Confidence in these early soybean ratings is still fairly low, however.”

Physiologically, the 2018 U.S. soybean crop has stayed ahead of average. More than three-fourths (78%) of the crop is now blooming, compared to 67% this time last year and a five-year average of 635. And 44% of the crop is setting pods, compared to 27% this time last year and a five-year average of 23%.

Spring wheat condition met analyst expectations, meantime, moving from 80% good-to-excellent the prior week to 79%. But because the percentage rated excellent moved up a percent, yield potential also moved slightly higher, Knorr says.

“Spring wheat posted gains thanks mostly to improvement in North Dakota,” he says. “Average yield potential gained only one-tenth of a bushel per acre nationwide, however, to 50.7 bpa.”

Another 17% of the crop is rated fair (up from 16% the prior week), with the remaining 4% rated poor or very poor (unchanged from a week ago).

Ninety-six percent of this year’s spring wheat crop is headed, slightly ahead of last year’s pace of 95% and the five-year average of 93%.

The 2018 U.S. winter wheat harvest is tracking close to normal at 80% complete, up from 74% the prior week. That mostly matches the pace of 83% set in 2017 and a five-year average of 79%. USDA lists seven of the top 18 production states as 100% complete, including Arkansas, Illinois, Kansas, Missouri, North Carolina, Oklahoma and Texas.

While corn growers are getting attention these days through their work to help maintain demand for ethanol, there are other efforts geared toward boosting use of this abundant feed grain. “Animal agriculture is the largest user of corn,” notes Sarah McKay, manager of market development, National Corn Growers Association. Her work on the livestock demand side offers a look at how the association is working to maintain, or build, markets for the future.

McKay briefed media recently about the work of the group and how it partners with other organizations to maintain corn as a key feed ingredient going forward. The National Corn Growers Association is funded in a way that the group can lobby for key market issues, which is important to partner groups for the future.

For example, NCGA is helping promote funding in the new farm bill for the Market Access Program and Foreign Market Development — both programs got solid funding in both versions of the new 2018 Farm Bill.

A whole life
A key issue for livestock groups is life-cycle analysis. This is a hot topic, as all aspects of agriculture are being held under a high-power microscope to determine total global impact. “When it comes to life-cycle analysis, groups are looking to us in areas of partnership,” she says. “That’s on the feed input side, and we’re aligned on that issue.”

NCGA has been running life-cycle analysis on corn for a range of uses, exploring the inputs in and the results out from growing the seed to processing the end crop. Several different groups are exploring LCA for crops and livestock, and each component needs to be examined, she explains.

Partnering with groups also means attending conferences and networking with members of the different organizations to better understand their needs. McKay, who started with the group earlier this year, is already attending major events including the North American Meat Institute gathering and the World Meat Conference.

“It’s a sensory story for us, with grain-fed beef and U.S. corn-fed. We look at the cost effectiveness and quality, and have attendees try samples,” McKay explains. “We also highlight university work on marbling and tenderness of grain-fed beef.”

The group is also partnering on key research into pig diets, including a five-year pig survivability study with the National Pork Board. “We’re putting money into partner industries and sharing results for the long term. We want to be able to be profitable for the long term,” McKay says.

Name change needed?
And there are other markets where corn has been a solid player, but some factors are changing that. Take the pet food market and the term “corn gluten meal.” That’s a name that was given to this corn byproduct years ago — even though the product contains no gluten. Yet the product has drawn attention in a number of markets, and it’s not all positive.

McKay explains that the association has started the process for changing the term for corn gluten meal to corn protein meal. This will be helpful in the pet food market, where the term “gluten” has taken on very negative connotations.

The process for changing a feed ingredient name involves working with the American Association of Feed Control Officers, and McKay notes NCGA is on track to get the change made. The process takes time.

There are also many potential new markets for corn as feed — including aquaculture, where even dried distillers grains with solubles may have added potential. The key is working with processors and feed formulators to explore ways to incorporate corn products into those new diets. The key is not to trample other markets while promoting corn in the mix, no matter what the market.

It’s a long-term process that eventually yields benefits for corn growers in the global market.

It has been a tough growing season for farmers and agriculture companies alike. While farmers are looking to fields for yield, companies like Syngenta are looking at plots for information. Both struggled as the lack of moisture in Missouri this year created problems with chemical activation and seed germination.

At one point in early May, Syngenta agronomic service representative Brett Craigmyle was using a water hose, trying to provide moisture to activate chemicals to the company trials in Boone County, Mo. Corn and soybeans were planted April 27 at the Grow More Experience site just south of Columbia, Mo., on Terry and Jerry Barnes’ farm. Craigmyle says planting conditions were good, the ground was starting to dry and the cool weather was turning warmer.

ROOT MASS: Famers measure corn roots during a stop at the Syngenta Grow More Experience field day. They looked at Golden Harvest hybrids planted at varied depths and then measured their root development. Shallow depths of less than 2 inches had less root mass.

Corn was planted at 30,000 population at a 2-inch depth, while soybeans were planted 145,000 seeds to the acre at a 1½-inch depth. The plants started to emerge; however, the rain did not fall. “We did not get a rain event for over 10 days after both the corn and beans were planted and herbicide sprayed,” Craigmyle says. But the 0.8 inch that did finally fall was enough to help the chemicals already put down to activate.

Actually, Craigmyle stopped talking of spraying the next overlapping residual days after planting, and he started using phrases like “after activation.” “I am going after rain events now when it comes to herbicide application timing,” he adds.

The site saw just one large rain event of 1.8 inches in mid-May.  Up until June 20, the site received 5 inches total rainfall.

Still, the scenario is providing a learning experience for farmers. At the Grow More Experience site, sponsored by Golden Harvest, farmers walked the field looking at how corn and soybeans responded to cover crops, planting depth, insecticide and weed pressure in this less-than-ideal growing season.

Challenging cover
Farmers were quick to point out the yellowing corn in the cover crop plot. Golden Harvest agronomist Scott Gard says lack of moisture was the culprit.

Since an anhydrous bar could not run over the small plot area, Gard applied 200 pounds of urea at V5. “But we did not have any rain to get it into the soil profile,” he says. The result was nitrogen deficiency in the corn showing up in late June.

The cover crop residue ties up nitrogen. Gard says that farmers must realize cover crops compete with corn for nitrogen — so in dry years, the corn crop will need more. He suggests sidedressing.

Getting it in the ground
It is not so much of placing the corn seed in the ground as it is putting it in the right place. Planting depth matters during any year, but especially a drought year.

Soil moisture and temperature are better at 2 inches, according to Abbi Hawkins, Golden Harvest sales representative. This depth provides roots an opportunity to grow in ideal conditions. She says farmers should shoot for that planting depth with corn in any given year.

Hawkins says shallow planting depths are a “bad idea,” leading to uneven stands. At less than 2 inches, young corn plants emerge at different times. Ultimately, the Grow More Experience plot showed these shallow plants didn’t completely emerge until after all the corn planted at 2 inches. “The deeper planting depth provided more moisture and temperature stability for the plant,” Hawkins adds.

Creating more canopy
Soybeans also saw effects from low moisture, with some struggling to fill in rows. But one thing the Grow More Experience plot showed was that those treated with an insecticide saw a canopy advantage.

Clay Koenig, Syngenta seed care specialist, says that seed treated with Syngenta’s Cruiser provided the vigor the soybeans need to start strong. “With Cruiser, we saw a taller plant with more leaf structure and faster row canopy,” he says. How much more? About 15% more than those untreated soybeans.

Koenig explains how the larger leaf structure provides more light absorption and more cells for photosynthesis, allowing for greater nutrient and water uptake — something farmers desperately need in times of drought.

Weeding out yield-robbers
Why invest money to kill weeds? They are stealing your water.

According to Craigmyle, it takes roughly 9,703 cubic inches of water to produce 1 pound of dry matter in corn. But weeds like giant ragweed compete in your cornfields for every last drop.

Giant ragweed uses almost three times as much water — 27,000 cubic inches — to produce 1 pound of dry matter. And while the water is being diverted from the corn plant to the weed, it is adding insult to injury, as the weed uses the moisture to produce more seed to compete for water again next season.

While giant ragweed is mild at 3,500 seeds per plant, other problematic weeds like waterhemp can produce 250,000-plus seeds per plant.

Craigmyle does not suggest cutting back on your weed control program as a cost-saving measure in any year. He says weeds can alter corn growth and rob your corn plants of water, nitrogen, sunlight, and — ultimately — yield.

Farmers can visit Grow More Experience plots to learn more about Syngenta and Golden Harvest research. The plots provide information, training and customer experience with products.

Western Growers will honor Stephen (Steve) Patricio, who’s visionary leadership has advanced the agricultural industry by leaps and bounds, with the 2018 Award of Honor. The Award of Honor is Western Growers’ highest recognition of industry achievement and is given to individuals who have contributed extensively to the agricultural community.

“Steve has been a tireless advocate for agriculture, and his ability to turn some of the most tumultuous challenges that our industry has faced over the past few decades into opportunities is unmatched,” said Tom Nassif, president and CEO of Western Growers. “He has already left a tremendous legacy as someone who shoulders the responsibility of igniting change that advances the industry as a whole.”

Patricio is being recognized for his immeasurable leadership and contribution to the agricultural industry, making significant advancements in food safety and the protection of public health. Steve led the creation of the first-ever mandatory food safety compliance program for the California cantaloupe industry, as well as helped raise millions of dollars to fund research geared toward preventing foodborne illness. He also played an integral role in the establishment of the California and Arizona Leafy Greens Marketing Agreements, which today have become the model for produce safety and accountability.

“When you look at the success of California agriculture, Steve is a true representative of why the ag community is as successful as it is today,” said Bonnie Fernandez-Fenaroli, executive director of the Center for Produce Safety. “He truly embodies passion and proactivity, and his commitment to food safety to benefit both the consumer and industry is unlike any other.”

Patricio’s tenacity does not just stop at food safety. Patricio has spent countless hours throughout his 45-year tenure in the industry advocating for a sustainable supply of water for farmers to grow the food that feeds the state, nation and world. He has taken every opportunity, as he did when he was asked to join former California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger at the San Luis Reservoir, to call attention to the need for more surface water storage and stress the need for a comprehensive water solution. Furthermore, Patricio launched the industry’s first orientation program for agribusinesses that focused exclusively on water rights.

“Steve has one of the brightest minds and quickest wit in the industry,” said Bob Gray, past chairman of Western Growers and former president/CEO of California Ag Leadership Foundation. “He is a contributor of substance, and the expertise and competence he has brought regarding food safety and water has made major impacts for the industry.”

A Los Banos-native, Patricio is deeply involved in the community and industry. He has served as chairman for Western Growers, Center for Produce Safety, California Cantaloupe Advisory Board and Monrovia Nursery Company. He has also held leadership positions at Western Growers Assurance Trust, Monsanto Vegetable Seeds Advisory Council and the Produce Marketing Association.

“I was speechless when I found out I was selected for this award,” said Patricio. “I never thought that, in the end of it all, I would be a farmer or involved in this honorable and wonderful world that I am so engaged in today. I often tell youth that your career chooses you, and because I followed the path life decided to take me on, I am proud to say that I am a farmer. I couldn’t imagine being in any other industry.”

Patricio’s accomplishments and passion for shaping the ag industry will be recognized at the Award of Honor Dinner Gala at the Western Growers Annual Meeting on October 30, 2018, in Palm Desert, California.  There, Patricio will be honored by his peers, friends and family. To attend the ceremony, visit http://www.wgannualmeeting.com/.

Source: Western Growers

New chairmen for USA Rice and The Rice Foundation were elected by their respective boards of directors during annual meetings in Irving, Texas.
 
USA Rice's new chairman, Charley Mathews, Jr., a rice farmer from Marysville, Calif., will assume the two-year post on August 1, taking over for Brian King, a rice merchant, who has been chairman of the group since 2016.
 
"Charley is going to make a great chairman," King said.  "He is well-versed in U.S. rice industry issues, going from the field to the board room, having served in leadership positions as chairman of both The Rice Foundation and the USA Rice Council."

Mathews is a third-generation rice farmer who has served on numerous USA Rice committees, including Sustainability, International Promotion, and the Crop Insurance Task Force.  Mathews is an alumni of the Rice Leadership Development Program, as is King, and past chairman of the California Rice Commission.

"Brian King guided us through some challenging times and presided over countless meetings, including some with Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue, and senators and house members from all over the country, representing the U.S. rice industry," said Mathews.  "He has made trips to major, and potential major, markets including Colombia, Mexico, and China, and we appreciate the time sacrifice he has made on behalf of U.S. rice."

President and CEO of USA Rice Betsy Ward says, "This is a difficult time for the American rice industry as we navigate the current uncertainty around trade and stay on top of the ongoing farm bill negotiations that are so crucial to our growers. I look forward to working with Chairman-elect Mathews as we tackle these issues on behalf of the entire U.S. industry."

Frank Carey was elected chairman of The Rice Foundation. Carey, with Valent LLC, a crop protection firm, replaces Mathews, who served as chairman of The Rice Foundation for two years.

"The breadth of work The Rice Foundation has been responsible for is astounding," said Mathews. "Foundation-funded projects like a multi-state water management study, a breeding project for jasmine-type aromatic rice varieties in the U.S., and conservation work estimating biological and economic contributions that rice habitats make to North American waterfowl populations, have exceeded expectations. The Foundation and the industry are in good hands with Frank, and I know he'll continue to identify more projects with far-reaching industry benefits."

The Rice Foundation is a 501(c)(3) organization, which serves as the research and education program arm for the rice industry.

Source: USA Rice Daily

After two consecutive years of lower farm-gate values in Kings County, Calif., higher milk prices helped bolster the county’s total gross agricultural output to just over $2.06 billion. This is a 1.4 percent increase from the previous year.

Milk – including production from cows and goats – continues to be the highest-valued commodity in the county, valued at over $676 million.

Gross dairy output from herds in the county totaled more than 4.13 billion pounds, down from 4.28 billion pounds the previous year. Producer milk prices averaged from $16.32 per hundredweight (cwt) to $18.10 per cwt for cows and $37.80 for goats.

Kings County remains the state’s leading cotton producer, though the crop no longer leads agricultural values in the southern San Joaquin Valley location. Still, more than 112,000 acres of the lint crop was produced there in 2017.

Higher prices for Pima varieties drove planting decisions as more than 90 percent of the crop there is devoted to the extra-long-staple varieties.

Production in both Pima and Acala varieties was off a bit – down almost a bale on average for Acala varieties to 2.93 bales per acre, and off a little more than a half-bale for Pima varieties at 2.67 bales per acre. Pima prices were up on average to $746 per 495-pound bale while Acala prices softened a little more than $30 per bale to $396.

Almonds and Pistachios traded places in the top-10 under softer pistachio prices and reduced output. Per-acre yields reduced total production by over 40 percent, even as bearing acreage was up 16 percent to over 25,000.

Almonds, on the other hand, saw bearing acreages increase nearly 19 percent to over 27,000 as yields were up 3.7 percent. Producer prices softened a few cents to $2.35 per pound, on average.

The county’s processing tomato acreage fell 8.9 percent on prices that were a few cents per ton higher. Growers harvested just over 27,000 acres of canning tomatoes, yielding an average of just over 57.3 tons per acre. Total production was just over 1.55 million tons.

The Kings County Crop Report is a gross value total of all commodities produced in the county and does not reflect grower profits.

Nineteen teams of college students from top universities in the U.S., Canada and China -- including three from California -- will compete to build robots to mechanize farm work at the American Society of Agricultural and Biological Engineers Annual International Meeting in Detroit.

Students from University of California-Merced and California Polytechnic State University will make up two of 13 teams in the "Beginner" division, while UC-Davis and five other universities will compete at the "Advanced" level.

The 2018 ASABE Student Robotics Challenge, being organized by Alireza Pourreza, University of California Cooperative Extension agricultural mechanization specialist, will be held on July 31.

“The labor availability for agriculture is decreasing while the need for more food is increasing to feed the growing world population,” said Pourreza, who is based in the UC Davis Department of Biological and Agricultural Engineering. “So agriculture should switch to technologies that are less labor-dependent, such as using more robots, to overcome this challenge.”

The ASABE Student Robotics Challenge provides an opportunity for undergraduate and graduate students to demonstrate their knowledge and skills of robotics in agriculture.

“The goal of this event is to encourage young agricultural engineers to get involved in building robots for agricultural applications and to get experienced as the next generation of farmers,” Pourreza said.

The challenge will be to simulate the harvest and storage of apples, a crop commercially grown in several states. The students will design and operate robots that will autonomously harvest “apples” on field that measures 8 feet by 8 feet. The robots will harvest eight mature apples (red ping-pong balls), remove and dispose of eight diseased or rotten apples (blue ping-pong balls) and leave eight immature apples (green ping-pong balls) on the tree.

This year, the competitors are being divided into a beginner division and an advanced division.

Beginner Teams

California Polytechnic State University        Green and Gold Mustangs
China Agricultural College                          China Ag, Beginners
McGill University                                       We Are Groots
Purdue                                                     ABE Robotics
Purdue                                                     Harvestiers
Texas A&M                                               Texas A&M
University of California Merced                   Bobcats
University of Nebraska Lincoln                    HuskerBots 2
University of Nebraska Lincoln                    HuskerBots3
University of Wisconsin River Falls               Falcon Robotics
Zhejiang University                                    ZJU team 1
Zhejiang University                                    ZJU team 2
Clemson University                                    CARA

Advanced Teams

China Agricultural College                             Dream
McGill University                                          Agrobots
University of Georgia                                    UGA Engineers
University of California – Davis                      Ag-Botics
University of Florida                                      RoboGators
University of Nebraska Lincoln                       HuskerBots 1

The competition will be held in Cobo Center Exhibit Hall, 1 Washington Blvd., Detroit, Michigan. There will be three rounds throughout the day and each team will participate once in each round.

For more information, visit the 2018 ASABE robotics competition website: https://www.asabe.org/Awards-Competitions/Student-Awards-Competitions-Scholarships/Robotics-Student-Design-Competition.

Video of 2016 competition: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U1ymUiCr3Mc

Video of 2017 competition: https://vimeo.com/250379863

Source: University of California Division of Agriculture and Natural Resources

The recent announcement that water used for farms and humans will instead be flushed out to sea suggests California can no longer afford the status quo under the leadership of the State Water Resources Control Board (SWRCB).

Dos Palos, Calif. farmer Erik Wilson covers the idea eloquently when he says: “Never before in human history has a society actively sought to end their own food supply.”

The need for agricultural water should be so self-evident that social media memes are unnecessary. To frame Wilson’s thought as a question: why is it necessary to defend food production and its need for fresh water when we all require food and water to sustain human life?

I recently discovered that I’m not alone in the thought that California should abolish the SWRCB. Rather than simply fold existing staff and board members in the organization into a new bureaucracy, or give them “soft-landings” by placing them in other organizations, they too must go. The current path this agency is on is unsustainable and one we should not entertain because its destruction of agriculture and decisions to waste water is abhorrent.

Those who daily pay attention to the SWRCB and its edicts tell me the agency wants to take 30-50 percent of the unimpaired flows from several San Joaquin Valley rivers and upwards of 75 percent of the unimpaired flows from the Sacramento River to dilute toxic water conditions in the Bay Delta – conditions resulting from poor urban planning. Of course, they don’t sell it that way – their stated purpose is to “protect fish.”

Where is the fairness in demanding that farmers and upstream water users give up their right to fresh water to address problems created by urban users downstream? What happens when this plan fails? How much more water will be necessary? How many more people must suffer because of lost water, lost jobs and lost food production?

Meanwhile, canal systems built to convey surface water to agricultural and urban users are in such disrepair because of over-pumped aquifers they can no longer deliver at design capacity. Why is groundwater over-pumped, you ask? Because of environmental laws enacted with and resulting from the Central Valley Project Improvement Act that prohibit conjunctive use. New laws to prevent groundwater overdraft are incapable of addressing the failed public policy responsible for our water woes.

We’re continually told that water issues in California and the West are convoluted and complex. No, they’re simple – they’ve merely been made to sound difficult. We’re mismanaging what we have. “Conjunctive use” is no longer policy, it’s prohibited.

How ironic is it for the United States to send delegations and commission charitable organizations to third-world countries to help develop clean, sustainable water resources to drink and grow crops when we allow public policy to effectively create the same conditions here by taking water from farmers.

The National Corn Growers Association (NCGA) today called for EPA to maintain a strong, equitable Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) that follows Congressional intent and levels the playing field for America’s farmers by using the annual volume rule to repair the damage from extensive refinery exemptions.

Michigan farmer Russell Braun provided testimony on behalf of NCGA during an Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) hearing on the agency’s proposed biofuel targets for 2019.

“With corn prices low, EPA’s decisions have a greater impact on my livelihood and other farmers’ as well.  We believe EPA should use the Renewable Fuel Standard volume rule to remedy the harm caused by the extensive retroactive exemptions given to refineries over the past year and ensure future exemptions are accounted for. These refinery exemptions decrease ethanol blending and reduce demand and profits for my corn crop. Every gallon of renewable fuel blending waived by EPA reduces the consumer benefits of the RFS.”

EPA’s proposal supports some growth in the RFS volumes and continues to propose an implied 15-billion-gallon volume for conventional ethanol. However, the proposed rule allows for retroactive refinery exemptions, without reallocating those waived gallons, undercutting the volume targets and rendering the proposed blending levels meaningless. In the past year, EPA has retroactively waived 2.25 billion ethanol equivalent-gallons from the 2016 and 2017 volumes through 48 refinery exemptions, many of which went to refineries owned by large, profitable companies.

“The EPA should end the practice of granting unjustified RFS waivers behind closed doors and uphold the strong biofuel targets promised by President Trump. America's corn growers are ready and able to do our part to increase American energy use and production, and hold down prices at the fuel pump,” said NCGA President and North Dakota farmer Kevin Skunes. “EPA needs to listen to farmers comments, account for the waivers and make the RFS whole.”

Because many corn farmers are in Washington this week for NCGA’s Corn Congress and meetings with Members of Congress and unable to attend the Michigan public hearing, farmer delegates at Corn Congress took the opportunity to submit their comments to EPA online this morning.  Farmers across the country can join this effort by visiting http://www.standupforcorn.com/take-action.html to “Tell EPA to Restore the RFS.”

Full testimony available.

Source: NCGA

What others are saying:

“The targets proposed by the EPA seem promising, but they are meaningless unless the agency reverses the demand destruction caused by handouts to refiners,” said Brooke Coleman, executive director of the Advanced Biofuels Business Council. “Placing a check on that abuse and upholding the strong targets promised by President Trump will unfreeze investments in the advanced biofuels, like cellulosic ethanol, made from agricultural residues and waste. These fuels are delivering new revenue streams to rural America and protecting the climate, but that leadership has been under threat due to regulatory uncertainty.”  

“The ethanol produced at more than 200 plants across the heartland is vital to achieving our climate goals,” said Brent Erickson, executive vice president of the Industrial & Environmental Section at the Biotechnology Innovation Organization. “It cuts carbon emissions by at least 43%, according to federal data, and displaces petroleum-based octane boosters linked to harmful air pollution and smog. It’s time for the EPA to send a clear signal that this administration will no longer entertain oil-backed proposals to roll back competition from homegrown biofuels.” 

“The EPA’s past mismanagement of the RFS has placed a needless strain on workers, farmers, and rural families that are already bearing the burden of rising trade barriers,” said Kyle Gilley, senior vice president of external affairs and communications at POET. “President Trump and U.S. Department of Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue have promised their full support to rural communities, and now Acting Administrator Wheeler must deliver on that promise by restoring real competition at the fuel pump.”

Source: Fuels America

Pledging to work together to solve water scarcity issues, Israel's Agricultural Research Organization signed a memorandum of understanding with UC Division of Agriculture and Natural Resources and UC Davis on July 16. The signing ceremony kicked off the 2018 Future of Water for Irrigation in California and Israel Workshop at the UC ANR building in Davis.

“Israel and California agriculture face similar challenges, including drought and climate change,” said Doug Parker, director of UC ANR's California Institute for Water Resources. “In the memorandum of understanding, Israel's Agricultural Research Organization, UC Davis and UC ANR pledge to work together more on research involving water, irrigation, technology and related topics that are important to both water-deficit countries.” 

The agreement will enhance collaboration on research and extension for natural resources management in agriculture, with an emphasis on soil, irrigation and water resources, horticulture, food security and food safety.

“It's a huge pleasure for us to sign an MOU with the world leaders in agricultural research like UC Davis and UC ANR,” said Eli Feinerman, director of Agricultural Research Organization of Israel. “When good people, smart people collaborate the sky is the limit.”

Feinerman, Mark Bell, UC ANR vice provost, and Ermias Kebreab, UC Davis professor and associate vice provost of academic programs and global affairs, represented their respective institutions for the signing. Karen Ross, California Department of Food and Agriculture secretary, and Shlomi Kofman, Israel's consul general to the Pacific Northwest, joined in celebrating the partnership.

'Working together'

“The important thing is to keep working together and develop additional frameworks that can bring the people of California and Israel together as researchers,” Kofman said. “But also to work together to make the world a better place.” 

Ross said, “It's so important for us to find ways and create forums to work together because water is the issue in this century and will continue to be.”

She noted that earlier this year the World Bank and United Nations reported that 40 percent of the world population is living with water scarcity.  “Over 700,000 people are at risk of relocation due to water scarcity,” Ross said. “We're already seeing the refugee issues that are starting to happen because of drought, food insecurity and the lack of water.”

Ross touted the progress stemming from CDFA's Healthy Soils Program to promote healthy soils on California's farmlands and ranchlands and SWEEP, the State Water Efficiency and Enhancement Program, which has provided California farmers $62.7 million in grants for irrigation systems that reduce greenhouse gases and save water on agricultural operations.

“We need the answers of best practices that come from academia, through demonstration projects so that our farmers know what will really work,” Ross said.

New partnerships

As Parker opened the water workshop, sponsored by the U.S./Israel Binational Agricultural Research and Development (BARD) Program, Israel Agricultural Research Organization and UC ANR, he told the scientists, “The goal of this workshop is really to be creating new partnerships, meeting new people, networking, and finding ways to work together in California with Israel, in Israel, with other parts of the world as well.”

Drawing on current events, Bell told the attendees, “If you look at the World Cup, it's about effort, it's about teamwork, it's about diversity of skills, and I think that's what this event does. It brings together those things.”

Source: University of California Division of Agriculture and Natural Resources

Bucking expectations, USDA indicated in its latest Crop Progress report that the current corn crop’s quality has held steady from the week prior, at 72% rated in good-to-excellent condition – and the current soybean crop’s quality ticked a percentage point higher, reaching 70% good-to-excellent.

Industry analysts expected USDA to lower its crop quality assessment for corn to 71%. On a state-by-state basis, some states did indeed go down – most notably Michigan and Ohio – but increases in other states gave the overall nationwide score a small lift. The nationwide corn crop rating continues to track significantly higher than last year’s pace, when 57% of the crop was in good-to-excellent condition by late July.

Another 19% of the corn crop is rated fair, with the remaining 9% rated poor or very poor, unchanged from a week ago.

“Though corn conditions varied sharply between eastern and western states, overall yield potential bounced back by around six-tenths of a bushel nationwide,” says Farm Futures senior grain market analyst Bryce Knorr. “If ratings hold until harvest, this suggests record yields of 180 bushels per acre are possible, at least according to the ratings. Even factoring in the stage of development, yields could still hit 178 bpa, though Vegetation Health Index maps are only 171 to 174 bpa.”

Physiologically, this year’s corn crop continues to mature faster than average. Eighty-one percent of the crop has reached silking stage, up from 2017’s pace of 63% and a five-year average of 62%. And 18% has reached dough stage, up from 2017’s pace and the five-year average, both at 8%. As expected, southern states Texas (65%), Tennessee (64%) and North Carolina (63%) lead the charge, with several Midwestern states quickly gaining ground.

Analysts also expected USDA to downgrade the soybean crop this week, moving it from 70% in good-to-excellent condition to 69%. The agency, in contrast, rated the crop a percentage point higher, moving it to 71% good-to-excellent. Another 22% of the crop is rated fair (down 1% from last week), with the remaining 8% rated poor or very poor (unchanged from last week).

Several states fall well short of that average, including Missouri, North Carolina, Michigan and Kansas. However, other states with percentages of good-to-excellent soybeans reaching into the 80s kept the nationwide average pointed in a positive direction.

Soybeans also gained back losses” from the previous week, with average yield potential up four-tenths of a bushel per acre according to our ratings model, improving to nearly 51 bpa if conditions hold until harvest,” Knorr says. “Confidence in these early soybean ratings is still fairly low, however.”

Physiologically, the 2018 U.S. soybean crop has stayed ahead of average. More than three-fourths (78%) of the crop is now blooming, compared to 67% this time last year and a five-year average of 635. And 44% of the crop is setting pods, compared to 27% this time last year and a five-year average of 23%.

Spring wheat condition met analyst expectations, meantime, moving from 80% good-to-excellent the prior week to 79%. But because the percentage rated excellent moved up a percent, yield potential also moved slightly higher, Knorr says.

“Spring wheat posted gains thanks mostly to improvement in North Dakota,” he says. “Average yield potential gained only one-tenth of a bushel per acre nationwide, however, to 50.7 bpa.”

Another 17% of the crop is rated fair (up from 16% the prior week), with the remaining 4% rated poor or very poor (unchanged from a week ago).

Ninety-six percent of this year’s spring wheat crop is headed, slightly ahead of last year’s pace of 95% and the five-year average of 93%.

The 2018 U.S. winter wheat harvest is tracking close to normal at 80% complete, up from 74% the prior week. That mostly matches the pace of 83% set in 2017 and a five-year average of 79%. USDA lists seven of the top 18 production states as 100% complete, including Arkansas, Illinois, Kansas, Missouri, North Carolina, Oklahoma and Texas.

The University of Missouri Plant Diagnostic Clinic confirmed that southern rust was present in a sample collected from Vernon County, Mo., in mid-July. According to the Integrated Pest Information Platform for Extension and Education, which tracks southern rust movement across the nation, it is suspected but not yet confirmed that southern rust has been observed in Pettis County, Mo.

This common corn disease usually shows up in neighboring Southern states before appearing in Missouri fields, according to Kaitlyn Bissonnette, University of Missouri Extension plant pathologist. “This year is an exception.”

Southern rust (Puccinia polysora) is a “tropical” disease that overwinters in warmer climates. Spores blow north on wind currents into corn-producing states each year.

Unusually warm and humid weather across much of Missouri creates the ideal environment for southern rust, which favors temperatures around 80 degrees F and high relative humidity. As the fungus multiplies in the host tissue, raised structures called pustules form. Masses of spores erupt through the leaf tissue.

Rust's appearance
Bissonnette says there are a few things to look for when scouting for and managing this disease. Click through the slideshow for more identification tips.

• Color. Orange to tan circular or oval pustules commonly form in dense clusters on the upper leaf surface. As the season progresses, the pustules can change to brown or black.

• Location. Rust shows first in the mid- to upper plant canopy. It appears initially along field borders or at the ends of rows, where spores can easily land on the leaf surfaces. Bissonnette says the proportion of plants affected and severity of the disease are relatively low.

• Commonality. Southern rust can be easily confused with other leaf diseases of corn, such as common rust or physoderma brown spot. Proper diagnosis helps to avoid unnecessary and costly fungicide applications, Bissonnette says.

Controlling rust
Management of southern rust depends on the crop stage and environmental conditions. For up to R3 (milk stage), applying a preventative fungicide may be beneficial. “However, it is important not to apply a fungicide prematurely,” Bissonnette says. “Infection in the early R stages can result in more substantial yield losses than in the later R stages.”

Take note of the current distribution of southern rust in the area, the growth stage of the crop and the environmental conditions, she adds, as these are the most important factors to consider when making decisions to apply fungicides. See a map of southern rust distribution at ext.ipipe.org/ipipepublic.

Because disease pressure is relatively low, exercise caution when making costly management decisions, Bissonnette says.

For more information on southern rust, its management and look-alike diseases, visit the Crop Protection Network website at cropprotectionnetwork.org.

Source: MU Extension

A seemingly endless string of triple-digit afternoons in California’s inland valleys is beginning to take its toll on crops as growers try to minimize the damage.

Robert Mills, who grows peaches, apricots and other fruit in the northern Sacramento Valley, says the hot afternoons are only the latest headache after a winter freeze damaged some of his early-ripening fruit.

“The heat is definitely not helping,” says Mills, owner of R and K Orchards in Corning. He adds that humidity levels are increasing brown rot pressures. He’s also encountering excessive bird damage of fruit, which he says may be a result of the weather’s impact on food sources.

“We usually see 5 or 10 percent” of fruit affected, Mills says, “but it’s as much as 40 percent this year.”

This marks the second straight year that R and K’s crops have been affected by weather. With last year’s late spring storms leaving many orchards under water for weeks, the farm lost as much as 90 percent of its apricot crop and saw many of its young peach trees ruined. Other growers faced similar issues.

Mills’ latest troubles come as many growers have had to protect their crops from sunburn and step up irrigation schedules as temperatures above 100 degrees have lingered  for weeks.

For instance, as of July 25, Fresno had seen 19 straight days of triple-digit highs, while the high temperature in Red Bluff had been 100 degrees or hotter in 14 of the previous 16 days, according to the National Weather Service.

“It’s pretty abusive,” says Rick Buchner, a Red Bluff-based University of California Cooperative Extension emeritus farm advisor. “We’ve been having to get out of the fields with our research projects around noon.”

CROPS AFFECTED

Among crops that have been affected:

Prunes. Extreme heat can cause blue prune, in which plums for prunes drop prematurely. Such problems are possibly widespread, as may be sunburned prune trees, which can cause secondary issues such as phytophthora, Buchner says.

“It’s probably going to vary a little bit because the cropping is really variable – some good, and some really light,” he says. “We had a heck of a time pollinating them.”

Tree nuts. For nut growers, sunburn is always a concern, advisors say. For instance, extreme heat can damage the leaves of young walnut trees, producing darker kernels that don’t bring as much of a premium.

Almond, walnut and pistachio growers have been irrigating their orchards, and almond groves were treated with pesticides and fungicides, according to the National Agricultural Statistics Service.

“A lot of our guys are pretty good with the heat,” Buchner says. “They run water for cooling and do a few little tricks … that help a little bit.”

Valencia oranges. High temperatures cause re-greening of Valencia oranges, forcing growers to treat them and divert them to domestic markets because some foreign trading partners don’t accept chemically treated fruit.

Citrus packers have been color-sorting Valencias as treatments to restore their color have been more prevalent because of the high temperatures, NASS reports.

Avocados. A heat wave in Southern California earlier this month damaged avocados as the season was nearing its end, and growers are evaluating whether the heat could affect next year’s crop, too, according to the California Farm Bureau Federation.

Young avocados for next season had reached olive or walnut size when the highest temperatures hit, the Farm Bureau reports.

Forage. Rangeland and non-irrigated pasture has continued to deteriorate with the hot, dry weather, NASS observes. Lower-elevation range and non-irrigated pasture is in poor to fair condition, while conditions are somewhat better at higher elevations, according to the agency.

Cattle producers are providing supplemental feed to compensate for the declining nutritional value of the rangeland forage, NASS reports.

A respite from the heat may not come soon, as the federal Climate Prediction Center sees a likelihood of higher-than-average temperatures throughout the West over the next three months.

In a scene rivaling the iconic movie “Field of Dreams,” four farmers walked into the edge of a cornfield and disappeared. They were attending a Syngenta Grow More Experience field day this summer in Columbia, Mo.

Minutes later, the men reappeared through the rows, calling out numbers.

After quick addition, Brett Craigmyle, agronomist for Syngenta, proclaimed, “Twenty-seven. That is the number of giant ragweed you found in just this 600-foot area.” Then he asked the group how much those 27 weeds would cost farmers. Silence.

Craigmyle says farmers need to start doing the math on weeds; some are costlier than others.

Field-robbers
A driver weed is one that influences yield or long-term weed management plans. In corn, Craigmyle looked at three — giant ragweed, cocklebur and waterhemp. Of those, he notes that giant ragweed is making a comeback in Midwest farm fields.

WEED ID: Here is a giant ragweed plant in between rows of corn. Syngenta agronomist Brett Craigmyle says at this stage, the leaves resemble “T-rex” (Tyrannosaurus rex) hands.

One of the earliest summer annuals to appear in the spring, its leaves resemble a “T-rex [Tyrannosaurus rex]” hand with three to five leaves. As it matures, those leaves broaden, taking up more energy, water and nutrients. “It competes heavily with corn plant,” he says.

When it comes to water, a giant ragweed plant uses almost two-and-a-half times more water than a corn plant to produce 1 pound of dry matter. It must grab the water from somewhere, so it steals from corn plants.

Giant ragweed also takes up a significant amount of nitrogen. If left untreated, Craigmyle says the weed can take up as much of 93 pounds of nitrogen per acre.

Season-long competition with those 27 giant ragweed results in a 19% yield loss for corn farmers. In the table below, Craigmyle breaks it down by the pocketbook.

Worth treatment
Over the years, as corn price declines, crop inputs have not followed suit. This leaves farmers searching for ways to save money. One place many consider is chemical control of weeds. Craigmyle cautions against it. “Weeds are aggressive,” he says. “Is it truly worth saving money but giving up weed control?”

Craigmyle says paying a slightly higher price for a robust, effective residual herbicide up front could save several dollars on the back end.

“You need to know driver weeds,” he says. “You need to know what it takes to control them, and then decide what these weeds will cost you at harvest.”

Waterhemp is another weed to watch. While it does not compete as heavily with corn as giant ragweed, it does have a large seed bank. Each plant can produce 250,000 seeds. “If untreated, this one poses a threat for weed control for years,” Craigmyle says.

Companies have a wide range of products at various price levels, he says, so finding something that works for the weed and the budget is possible.

This growing season, take some time and disappear into your own corn rows to look for weeds. Identify your driver weeds and plan for control next year. If not, Craigmyle says, it could cost you.

The University of Missouri Extension has a new mobile app that will help farmers diagnose herbicide injury in crops.

MU Extension recently launched the Herbicide Injury ID app. When the app launches, users can choose from four options: diagnose injury, search by herbicide, view sites of action, or send photos and detailed descriptions to MU for diagnosis. On the results page, the user will find photographs and a description of the injury, which is organized by herbicide site of action.

MU Extension weed specialist Mandy Bish says the Herbicide Injury ID allows users to send photos of injured plants to MU Extension for preliminary diagnosis and feedback. Users can also scroll through a library of more than 200 photos to look for similar types of damage.

Bish adds that the app is not limited to corn and soybeans. It includes photos of some ornamentals, cucurbits, tomatoes and trees — and it continues to expand.

MU Extension introduced the new mobile app at its annual Pest Management Field Day on July 10. The app costs 99 cents to download.

Search for the Herbicide Injury ID app from the Apple App Store or Google Play on any mobile device.

• For iPhone or iPad, go to itunes.apple.com/us/app/id1297001308.

• For Android devices, go to play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=doit.herbicideinjury.

Source: MU Extension

Anyone following the ag tech world can see that a lot of innovation is focused on the industry. The many startup companies working to tackle key challenges of agriculture are looking at several opportunities and working to offer innovative solutions. One area getting more attention is crop sensors, and two on display at the recent InfoAg Conference show what’s possible today.

Field sensors offer the potential for capturing real-time information that can be shared to apps and used for in-season decision-making. Advancements in sensor technology with the creation of solid-state chips that can measure a range of factors in air, water and soil are helping move this tech forward.

FULL SENSOR: This display shows what’s happening in the Teralytic NPK sensor — from the top to 36 inches below the soil surface.

Teralytic made the claim at the conference that it is launching the first wireless NPK (nitrogen-phosphorus-potassium) sensor to the market. The probe has 26 sensors, including the NPK tech aimed to provide a range of information from the field in real time. “First, soil sampling is labor-intensive,” said Lachlan Turley, Teralytic. “To develop a variable-rate prescription, you have to collect a number of samples and send them to the lab. That takes time.”

With this new sensor, the farmer would have access to real-time soil quality information. The probe has an orange box on top that captures microclimate information. This can add local weather information as another layer in the data service in addition to soil information. “The challenge is having soil information when needed,” said Teralytic CEO Steve Ridder during his sponsor presentation at the conference. “There is a growing need for real-time data on soils and soil fertility.”

And while farmers may want the information, he points to a growing list of stakeholders who also want to know what’s happening with nutrient management and soil issues on the farm, from government regulators to retailers concerned about farm sustainability.

3 depths
The Teralytic probe has the weather microclimate measuring sensor on top, which sits close to the soil surface and can even measure sunlight hitting the ground. That measurement can give you an idea how fast the canopy is closing on the crop.

At 6, 18 and 36 inches, there are sensors that Ridder said provide a stratified view of the soil layers. The unit even measures oxygen and carbon dioxide from the soil to determine how well-aerated the soil is.

Information from the probe is transmitted to an information cloud using LoRa technology — this low-power network tech links sensors in a field to a gateway. That final step is a cellular communication tool that moves the information to the cloud. The communication service is part of the cost for this tool.

Ridder explained that sensors would be placed every 10 to 50 acres, depending on what the farmer wants to measure. Higher-value crops may warrant more sensors to capture that microclimate information on sunlight, temperature, relative humidity and other factors. Adding real-time movement of soil nutrients offers potential for precision fertility management.

The sensor information is available through an application where farmers can also add readily available soil information to provide added information for decision-making.

Cost for the Teralytic sensor is $200 for each sensor probe, and $300 per probe for a subscription per year. The probe must be installed using a special auger that ensures the probe maintains soil contact when installed.

The company is taking pre-orders for the probes for delivery in time for the 2019 season. There’s a 10-probe minimum order for the service. You can learn more at teralytic.com.

WEATHER MONITOR: Arable, a California-based startup, has created a comprehensive monitor that measures everything from rainfall to plant health.

More than a weather sensor
Solid-state sensing technology gets more sophisticated every day. The Arable Mark is an innovative sensor that can measure a range of field factors and provide what the company calls “granular ground truth.”

“The sensor incorporates a lot of information,” said Hans Specht, Arable. “It’s weather station to measure rainfall, and it can measure temperature, relative humidity, barometric pressure and plant health.”

The unit has sensors on top and below, and incorporates a cellular modem to send information to the cloud in real time. The unit sits about 3 feet above the crop canopy, but may be placed higher at first, with the crop growing to meet the sensor. Adam Wolf, the sensor’s developer, noted that as the crop grows, the width of the circle measuring plant health — using a Normalized Difference Vegetation Index image — would simply narrow.

With the information this multisensor tool captures, farmers can measure precipitation, evapotranspiration, solar radiation, plant health, and harvest and event time. The information from this tool is transmitted to the cloud. When it’s brought into the company’s integrated analytics tool, it provides a wide range of information for crop management. And the software can pull information from other types of sensors, too, for added data management.

Crop sensor technology continues to advance. The Arable Mark cost $780 for the sensor device, and access to the analytics dashboard is $580 per year. You can learn more about the system and the software at arable.com.

With these tools, farmers could get field-level information delivered throughout the growing season; it offers the potential for advanced input and crop management.

For a second straight week, analysts anticipated USDA would lower its corn and soybean crop quality ratings, but the agency held steady in its weekly Crop Progress report. Spring wheat quality ratings did fall incrementally, however.

Industry analysts again predicted USDA would lower its crop quality ratings for corn from 72% rated in good-to-excellent conditions to 71% for the week ending July 29. But USDA held steady across the board, rating 22% of the crop in excellent condition and 50% of the crop in good condition. The agency made no changes for the rest of the crop, either, rating 19% in fair condition and the remaining 9% as poor or very poor.

Physiologically, the 2018 corn crop continues to pace about a week ahead of prior years, with 91% reaching silking stage, up from 81% a week ago – compared to 2017’s pace and the five-year average, both at 82%. Another 38% of the crop has reached dough stage, up from 18% a week ago, and moderately besting 2017’s pace of 21% and a five-year average of 20%.

USDA also held the 2018 U.S. soybean crop quality steady, at 70% good-to-excellent, although the agency moved the split from 52/18 to 53/17. Analysts expected a reduction to 69% overall. The rest of this year’s soybean crop is rated 22% fair, 6% poor and 2% very poor.

Physiologically, 86% of the soybean crop is now blooming, up from 78% a week ago, and still ahead of 2017’s pace of 80% and the five-year average of 77%. Another 60% of the crop is setting pods, jumping up from 44% the prior week, 45% from the same time in 2017 and a five-year average of 41%.

Spring wheat crop condition slipped from 79% the prior week to 78%. Analysts were expecting that number to fall to 77%. Another 18% of the crop is in fair condition, with the final 4% rated poor or very poor.

Spring wheat harvest has also begun, reaching 4% as of July 29. Harvest begins moderately behind the pace of 2017, which had reached 8% this time last year but is even with the five-year average of 4%. South Dakota has jumped ahead, completing 35% of its spring wheat harvest, with the other top six production states making only single-digit progress so far.

Winter wheat progress inches toward completion, meantime, moving from 80% complete the prior week to 85%. That progress is mostly in line with 2017’s pace of 87% and a five-year average of 86%.

Sorghum crop condition improved from 49% rated good-to-excellent the prior week to 52% as of July 29. Fifty-four percent of the crop is now headed (up from 47% last year), with another 26% in the coloring stage (up from 23% last year).

Farther south, 43% of the U.S. cotton crop is rated good-to-excellent, up from 39% the week prior. High-quality crop ratings in parts of the Mid-South and Southeast are pulling up the nationwide average despite relatively poor quality ratings in the Southwest.