May 2022 | Volume 13, Issue 2
Nidhi Rawat, Small Grains Pathologist, University of Maryland, College Park
Wheat in the Eastern Shore of Maryland will be flowering (50% of the main tillers showing yellow anthers) in a couple of days. Although the weather has been...Read more
Soybean Seedling Diseases and Fungicide Efficacy
Alyssa Koehler, Extension Field Crop Pathologist, University of Delaware
Seedling diseases are common across many crops, including soybeans. The most common seedling pathogens Pythium spp., Phytophthora sojae, Fusarium spp., and Rhizoctonia solani are often naturally present in the field, but certain environments, like...Read more
Scouting for Fusarium Head Blight
Alyssa Koehler, Extension Field Crop Pathologist, University of Delaware
Wheat anthesis will be occurring over the next few weeks. So far this season we have been at low FHB risk, but we will keep a close eye on the rain events...Read more
2022 Corn, Soybean, and Wheat Fungicide Efficacy Tables
Andrew Kness, Agriculture Agent, University of Maryland Extension, Harford County
Each year, data from Universities around the country are aggregated and used to update fungicide efficacy guides for corn, soybean, and wheat. These tables...Read more
FREE Weed Science Webinars
The Office of Pest Management Policy is happy to present two free virtual webinars in May 2022: Information about the webinars is below.
GROW: A National Response to the Herbicide-resistant Weeds Epidemic
Date: May 10th, 2022 | Time: 1:00 pm - 2:00 pm EDT
Description: Steven Mirsky is a Research Ecologist in the Sustainable Agricultural Systems Laboratory at the Beltsville Agricultural Research Center (BARC), Beltsville, Maryland. His research merges precision and sustainability solutions by assembling highly coordinated transdisciplinary research and outreach teams, commodity boards, farmers, and public/private partnerships. This work quantifies how climate, soil, management, genetic and social factors interact, provides site-specific sustainable management practices for growers, and develops web-based decision support tools for agricultural professionals and farmers to guide real-time decision making and long-term planning. In this webinar, he will talk about the national GROW: Integrated Weed Management team, and their contributions to herbicide-resistant weed management for researchers, farmers, and agricultural professionals. Register
EPA’s ESA Workplan: What Does it Mean for Growers?
Date: May 16th, 2022 | Time: 3:00 pm - 4:00 pm ET
Description: In April 2022, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) released a comprehensive workplan to address the challenge of completing Endangered Species Act (ESA) consultations for pesticide registrations under the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA). The Workplan, entitled Balancing Wildlife Protection and Responsible Pesticide Use: How EPA's Pesticide Program Will Meet its Endangered Species Act Obligations, addresses the decades-long challenges the Pesticide Program has faced in meeting its ESA obligations, and presents strategies and actions for future success. Join us as EPA Pesticide Program leaders give an overview of the Workplan and discuss what it means for growers and other agricultural stakeholders. Register
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One-Time Bonus Payment for Approved CLEAR30 Enrollment
Maryland farmers who are enrolled in the Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) and Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program (CREP) with contracts due to expire on Sept. 30, 2022, now have the opportunity to transition to a 30-year contract option through the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Clean Lakes, Estuaries, And Rivers initiative (CLEAR30). To encourage participation, the Maryland Department of Agriculture (MDA) is offering a one-time bonus payment of $1,000 per acre as an incentive for CLEAR30-approved contracts in Maryland.
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The University of Maryland Extension and USDA Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education (SARE) are surveying to determine what sustainable agriculture topics to offer training for Ag service providers in Maryland in 2023 & 2024. The survey should only take less than 10 minutes to complete and can be found at https://go.umd.edu/sare2022.
Questions or concerns please reach out to Emily Zobel at 410-228-8800,ezobel@umd.edu
May is Mental Health Awareness Month
Shannon Dill, Principal Agriculture Agent, University of Maryland Extension, Talbot County
Mental Health Awareness Month has been observed in the United States since 1949. It is a month dedicated to the awareness and impact mental health can have on the physical, emotional, and mental well-being of children, families, and communities.
The University of Maryland Extension Farm Stress Management Team was created to work with farmers, farm families and the agricultural industry to provide education and outreach on topics related to mental and physical wellness. The program's goals are to raise awareness, provide training, and build resources. With the support from a North East SARE grant and a partnership with USDA NIFA and Maryland Department of Agriculture, the team has expanded activities and resources.
Program Announcements:
- Information and resource lists in the areas of stress management, financial wellness, and legal issues at www.go.umd.edu/farmfamily
- Join our newsletter www.go.umd.edu/fscontact
- Six free therapy sessions. In person or Teletherapy. We will help you to set up your appointment, connect with the provider, and access your session. Complete the request form at www.go.umd.edu/qYB
- Farm Stress Training for Ag Service Providers – Next session May 24, 2022, Comfort Inn, Bowie MD. Register at https://fstraining524.eventbrite.com
Information and training sessions will continue to be developed as this program grows. Please visit the website or join the newsletter to get updates on the program. For more information please reach out to the UME Farm Stress Program Coordinator, Ryan Salsman, rsalsman@umd.edu, (240) 623-6731.
April 2022 Grain Market Report
Dale Johnson, Farm Management Specialist, University of Maryland Extension
(Information summarized from the USDA WASDE report)
Corn
There were no changes on the corn supply side from the March 9 WASDE estimates. On the demand side, there were minor changes but total use and Ending stocks...Read more
Farming for Healthy Soils Program
The Maryland Department of Agriculture (MDA) is accepting applications. For more information
Organic Farming Field Day
Michel Cavigelli, Research Soil Scientist and Lead Scientist, USDA
You are invited! On Monday, May 16, 2022, we will showcase results from 26 years of organic farming research at the Sustainable Agricultural System Lab (SASL) in Beltsville, Maryland, and will solicit input from attendees to help guide the next five years of our organic farming research program.
Schedule:
10:00 – 12:00 | In-field tour highlighting research results. |
12:00 – 1:00 | Lunch at the ARS National Visitor’s Center (Log Lodge)—indoor and outdoor options. |
1:00 – 2:30 | Stakeholder listening session: what organic farming research would you like to see SASL do during the next five years? (Indoors, Log Lodge) |
Our research addresses long-term crop production, including yield-limiting factors (weeds, weather, soil moisture, crop varieties), soil fertility, manure management, soil carbon sequestration, greenhouse gas emissions, soil microbiology and related topics. Results from our long-term research site and on-farm work will be included. Collaborators from University of Maryland Extension will also participate.
USDA-ARS reviews its research programs every five years, and this is your chance to provide input on future directions for our organic farming research. Farmers, agriculture professionals, NGO personnel, and Congressional representatives and staff are invited. We are fortunate to have lunch sponsored by Friends of Agricultural Research-Beltsville.
Please respond to Michel.cavigelli@usda.gov by May 11 if you are interested in attending. Please specify if you will attend in person or via zoom. We plan on making the 10-12 and 1-2:30 sessions available on zoom at this link: https://www.zoomgov.com/j/1615588930
Directions to the research field can be found by entering “Farming Systems Project” in Google Maps.
Due to current covid restrictions, the portion of the event that is indoors will be limited to 50 people (with additional people on zoom), with individuals sitting 6 feet apart. We will alert you to any changes in the venue (e.g., needing to be held completely virtually or outdoors, or if mask requirements are fully lifted) no less than 48 hours before the event.
Great resources are just a click away!
Maryland Grain Maryland Agronomy News Blog Nutrient Management University of Maryland Extension Ag Law Initiative Women in Agriculture Plant Diagnostic Lab Facebook
Download Agronomy News, May 2022, Vol.13, Issue 2 (pdf)
Agronomy News is a statewide newsletter for farmers, consultants, researchers, and educators interested in grain and row crop forage production systems. This newsletter is published by the University of Maryland Extension, Agriculture & Food Systems Agronomy Team every month during the growing season and will include topics pertinent to agronomic crop production. Subscription is free.
EDITOR
Andrew Kness
Agriculture Extension Agent
University of Maryland Extension
3525 Conowingo Rd., Suite 600
Street, MD 21154
(410) 638-3255
Email: akness@umd.edu