Water News Archive

Many farmers and ranchers make inquiries to Nebraska Extension about prevailing rates paid for various kinds of custom farm services. In addition to the regular biennial custom rates survey, the University of Nebraska-Lincoln’s Center for Agricultural Profitability has launched a new survey designed to provide market rate information for the Nebraska livestock industry. Producers and operators that perform and provide custom services for others, or that utilize custom services and pay others, are invited to participate in the survey.

The nearly 70 on-farm research studies conducted by Nebraska farmers in 2022 addressed fertility and soil management, cover crops, crop protection, equipment and non-traditional products, including biologicals.

Results from 2022 variety trial research conducted on numerous cover crop species at five UNL research stations across Nebraska.

“How much is this manure worth?” This is a common question from both livestock farmers who are supplying manure and crop farmers who are utilizing it. To answer this question, it is important to understand the difference between gross value and net value. The gross value of manure reflects the equivalent commercial fertilizer value of the nutrients contained in the manure. The net value considers the impacts of application method, transportation, and cropping system nutrient needs as well as intrinsic values that are much more difficult to put a number on. Therefore, this article will focus on determining the gross value of nutrients in manure.

Tree health is often a reflection root health. Good practices to improve root health include properly applied organic mulch, good water management to avoid overwatering but providing water as needed during dry periods, and avoiding root damage from construction or changes in soil grade. The Image shows thin white fungal mycorrhizae on the roots of a slash pine by Paul A. Mistretta, USDAForest Service, Bugwood.org

Nebraska Extension Educator Laura Thompson and Lexington farmer Don Batie discuss research studies conducted by the Nebraska On-Farm Research Network and their impact on farming in Nebraska.

TAPS is expanding its competition in 2023 with a new irrigated popcorn competition, a cover crops option for sprinkler corn, and a new location for the sorghum competition. The expansion also includes a new TAPS competition in Colorado.

Nebraska NRCS has announced ACT Now Signup 2 for initiatives and EQIP programs. An ACT Now signup process will be utilized for the Bazile, Big Sandy and Turkey Creek NWQIs and EQIP CPAs, DIAs, and CEMAs. Applications that may have been received for these initiatives after the November 18, 2022 EQIP application cutoff but prior to the December 19,2022 Signup 2 announcement, are eligible as well.

Zoom training sessions will focus on pesticides for corn and soybean on March 8 and April 4, and for pastures on March 21.

A new Nebraska Extension NebGuide clarifies the concept of consumptive use of water with regard to irrigated crop production and provides guidelines for determining the efficiency of new irrigation technology.

As I walk around my yard with my dog, I wonder about the impacts it has on my turf for the spring. Walking on frozen turf can have detrimental effects. During the spring and summer, we can walk on our lawns and turf fields with no damage. During the growing season, turf plants can recover from traffic through active regrowth. However, during the winter the turf is dormant and cannot recover from the damage until the spring.

Nebraska farmers and agronomists are set to present results of their 2022 on-farm research studies on cover crops, variable rate seeding, starter fertilizer, biological products, seed treatments, variable rate nitrogen management and more.

In 2023, the Nebraska Legislature passed LB1014.  This bill took 4 million dollars from the American Rescue Plan Act and allocated it to treating nitrate issues in Nebraska.  1.2 million dollars of that has been dedicated to a Reverse Osmosis Rebate Program that is directed at private well owners. The general idea of the program is that any individual private drinking water well owner can test their water AND if the nitrate concentration comes back above 10 ppm, they might be eligible for UP TO $4,000 support to get a reverse osmosis system to treat their nitrate.

According to study from Department of Natural Resources researchers, irrigation pivots stained with rust may indicate the absence of nitrate in the groundwater supplying the pivots. This information can potentially be used to help screen for areas for the potential absence of nitrate and, in an ideal world, could indicate areas at higher- or lower-risk for nitrate contamination before it becomes a problem.

In this two-day course, NU experts will be discussing the latest research on soil fertility, precision ag for nitrogen management, cover crop effects on soil, soil carbon sequestration and more.

Chemigation training is offered at face-to-face events and online through the Nebraska Department of Environment and Energy, at no cost to the individual.

In addition to in-person and online training sessions, individuals can recertify their pesticide applicator licenses at five conferences in 2023, including Nebraska Extension's Crop Production Clinics beginning Jan. 4 across the state.

Soil erosion and subsequent sediment delivered to streams and lakes is a serious water quality problem in Nebraska. Sedimentation of small reservoirs reduced flood-holding capacity. High nutrient runoff can lead to harmful algal blooms.

New for 2023, certain county extension offices will host computer kiosks that private applicators can use to complete the program, and extension educators will be hosting Zoom training sessions.

There are several important changes to Nebraska's application certification/licensing program for 2023, including age requirements, identification information, aerial licensure and more.