Cost-Share Funds Available for Conservation Practices for Some Soybean Growers

    Soybean growers in Pitt, Green, Lenoir, Wayne, Duplin, Sampson, and Robeson counties are eligible to apply for a Regional Conservation Partnership Program (RCPP) grant program through your NRCS office. This special program is led by Smithfield Foods and the Environmental Defense Fund to help grain farmers improve their productivity, profitability, and sustainability. SmithfieldGRO,…

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Considering Seed Treatments?

The use of fungicide seed treatments is on the rise, with an estimated 60-70% of seed planted in 2014 being planted with a treatment as compared to just 30% in 2008. But, whether or not seed treatments are needed or will help with profitability depends on a variety of factors, such as weather, planting date,…

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Considerations for Planning Crop Rotation

Crop rotation has been a cornerstone of sustainable farming for thousands of years, but the practice has become more complex. There are many factors that today’s farmers need to consider when developing their rotational plans. Seth Naeve, Ph.D., University of Minnesota associate professor and extension soybean agronomist, provides a list of the most important below.…

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Changes to the Dicamba Label for 2018

As we wrap up 2017, it’s also time to start planning for 2018. One of the most important decisions a grower can make is which varieties they will plant. An important part of selecting a variety is selecting which (if any) herbicide tolerance is used. If you decide to use the dicamba tolerance technology (Xtend…

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Breaking Down Big Data

Recent advancements in precision agriculture  and data analytics have paved the way for the next important step forward in agriculture: incorporating big data on the farm. While the idea of using big data for agriculture may sound complex, it boils down to analyzing all the data generated on the farm to reveal insightful patterns and…

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Be on the Lookout for Asiatic Soybean Rust

With Tropical Storm Hermine coming through North Carolina last weekend, Dr. Jim Dunphy warns there is a good chance of rust spores coming into North Carolina. As the storm crossed the Florida panhandle there is a chance it picked up and carried rust spores to our state as it passed through. In the next two…

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Back-to-Back Soybeans

              A disclaimer before we start: We do NOT recommend planting soybeans back-to-back year after year. Planting any crop back-to-back year after year increases the potential for pests and problems to build up. You may not see these problems after one year, but eventually, something will become an issue…

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