Serving proudly since 1873 as the beautiful Nebraska Panhandle's first newspaper
Serving proudly since 1873 as the beautiful Nebraska Panhandle's first newspaper
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LINCOLN - The 2021 Nebraska Crop Production Clinics will feature research updates and information tailored to regional crop issues and grower interests. Session topics will include crop production, soil management, water management, agribuisiness management, pesticide and environmental safety, pest management, pesticide application technology, cover crops, forages, and agricultural technology. Due to the uncertainty related to COVID-19 around the state, the Clinics will be offered virtually in 2021. There will NOT be an in-person presentation...
LINCOLN – Five directorships for the Nebraska Pea & Lentil Board are open for appointment by Gov. Pete Ricketts. Applications should be submitted no later than 5 p.m. CST on Friday, May 1, 2021. These five (5) appointments will be the inaugural directors for the Nebraska Pea & Lentil Board. Qualified candidates include those who are citizens of Nebraska, are at least 21 years of age, have been actively engaged in growing peas, lentils, chickpeas, or garbanzo beans, faba beans, or lupins in Nebraska, reside in a county in the respective district...
Results of the 2020 variety trials for dry edible beans and field peas conducted by the University of Nebraska Panhandle Research and Extension Center have been posted on the Nebraska Extension CropWatch website. The direct link for variety trial results for both crops (as well as other crops such as millet, sunflowers and oats) is http://cropwatch.unl.edu/varietytest/othercrops. Or, navigate to the Other Crops Variety Trials page from the main Cropwatch page (http://cropwatch.unl.edu ) by...
INDIANAPOLIS - Each year, the National FFA Organization honors FFA members who show the utmost dedication to the organization through their desire to develop their potential for premier leadership, personal growth and career success through agricultural education. The American FFA Degree is bestowed upon a select group of students in recognition of their years of academic and professional excellence. This year 4,136 American Degrees were be awarded. David James George, a member of the Leyton...
LINCOLN – Agricultural producers can now make elections and enroll in the Agriculture Risk Coverage (ARC) and Price Loss Coverage (PLC) programs for the 2021 crop year. The signup period is open through March 15, 2021, and producers are encouraged to begin working with their USDA county Farm Service Agency (FSA) office now to complete the process. These key U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) safety-net programs help producers weather fluctuations in either revenue or price for certain crops. ARC/PLC payments for the 2019 production season we...
The Cheyenne County 4-H program recognized Felicity Beyer and Kaylee Eddy as their Outstanding 4-H Members of the Year during their annual achievement celebration on November 22nd. The Outstanding 4-H Member of the Year is given to 1-2 youth each year and the selection criteria is based on 4-H leadership, civic engagement, community service, how 4-H has affected their life, and how they will use their 4-H experiences in their future. Felicity Beyer has been a member of the Bunker Hillbillies...
The Cheyenne County 4-H Youth celebrated their achievements for the year with a virtual celebration on November 22nd. The youth and their families participated in a Goosechase scavenger hunt around the county taking photos and videos of their findings. The scavenger hunt challenges had an entrepreneurship theme where youth learned about different types of businesses and services. They were able to engage with other 4-H families on the virtual platform for some friendly competition. The youth then received their awards on a Zoom celebration to...
Sugarbeet seedling rust, caused by the fungal pathogen Puccinia subnitens, is a very unique disease of Chenopodiaceous plants that has rarely been observed in commercial crop production. The rust pathogen utilizes five distinct spore stages to complete its exceedingly complex life cycle on different and unrelated hosts. Only two early stages occur on the hosts of economic importance (primarily sugarbeets and spinach), while the other stages infect several species of saltgrass (Distichlis spp.),...
Grain is valuable, but lives are worth much more. In the process of handling grain, producers are exposed to a range of safety hazards both during harvest and once the grain is stored. Jess McCluer, vice-president of Safety and Regulatory Affairs at the National Grain and Feed Association (NFGA), and Chair of the Board of Directors and Chief Executive Officer for Agricultural Safety and Health Council of America (ASHCA), encourages producers, grain elevator managers and their employees to...
A potential change to the County Wide Ground Water Advisory Committee Meetings was discussed at the South Platte Natural Resources District (District) Board (Board) November Board meeting held November 10, 2020. The Advisory Committee meetings, held at least once every three years, are for certified irrigation owners and operators to receive information about potential changes to the Districtwide Ground Water Management Area Rules and Regulations. This year the District is proposing sending out letters to certified irrigation owners and...
Drought conditions across much of Nebraska this summer, most severe in the west, have significantly reduced forage production from pasture and rangeland as well as hay ground and crop residue. Cow-calf producers will face a challenge in meeting the feed needs of the herd from now until next spring. When making a plan for a forage shortage, producers should remember these five steps: Calculate feed needs. Accurately assess the feed needs of all the cattle that are planned to be part of the operation from now into next spring. This is an...
LINCOLN — Millions use Twitter to share their rapid-fire opinions, observations and connections to real-time events. And natural disasters are often major conversation starters. With that in mind, National Drought Mitigation Center assistant director Kelly Helm Smith wanted to see what tweets said about the impacts of drought, and whether tweets could contribute to a drought early warning system. Smith embarked on a pilot study, the results of which were recently published in the Bulletin of the American Meteorological Society. She developed a...
The COVID pandemic of 2020 has contributed to increased food insecurity for many Nebraska families. In response, communities have pitched in to help. And some of the donated food is produce that has been grown this year at community gardens around Nebraska, which leverage local volunteers with grant funds from Growing Together Nebraska (GTN), part of Nebraska Extension’s Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program-Education (SNAP-Ed) program. Established in 2016, Growing Together Nebraska i...
An upcoming online training for agricultural professionals will teach individuals how to recognize and respond to potential signs of crisis and suicidal behavior. Farming and ranching can be stressful in the best of times. Financial worries, unpredictable weather, unpredictable commodity prices, plant pests, livestock diseases and isolation all contribute to a producer’s anxiety. And now Nebraska’s rural communities and families are coping with the unpredictability and imposed isolation produced by the COVID-19 pandemic. In response to thi...
LINCOLN – The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) recently awarded $822,737 in grants to fund 16 projects designed to strengthen the specialty crop industry in Nebraska. The USDA provides grant monies through the Specialty Crop Block Grant Program (SCBGP) to fund research and ag education activities to increase demand for specialty crops. The Nebraska Department of Agriculture (NDA) monitors and administers Nebraska’s specialty crop program. “Nebraska is home to a diverse range of agricultural products due in part to the state’s varying...
WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) reminds producers that the deadline to submit applications for disaster recovery assistance through the Wildfire and Hurricane Indemnity Program Plus (WHIP+) for 2018 and 2019 losses is Friday, Oct. 30. Additionally, USDA’s Farm Service Agency (FSA) launched a new tool on farmers.gov to help producers with the application process. “If you’re unsure of your eligibility, check out the new WHIP+ tool. Not only can this online tool help you determine eligibility, but it also connects you wit...
Finding, hiring and retaining quality employees are major challenges for agricultural business in Nebraska. Competition for the available workforce comes from area industries, and the labor market is tight. Nebraska Extension will host a virtual seminar series in December (Dec. 8, 11, 15 and 18) designed to help agricultural employers learn techniques and leadership practices to help motivate and empower employees. Dr. Bob Milligan, Senior Consultant with Dairy Strategies LLC and Professor Emeritus from Cornell University, will lead the...
Several years ago (before the two youngest ‘pokes were even on the scene), my mama and dad thought it would serve us well to go to Red Feather Lakes for a camping adventure. We ‘pokes applauded this idea heartily. This was practically a boy’s dream! Exploring the forest, sleeping in tents, chasing thieves, starting fires, and hunting moose and bears were all on our agenda. A boy’s plan rarely is thought through beforehand, and usually when an idea occurs, we implement it immediately. Our family...
Lincoln — Most rural Nebraskans believe that agriculture is a driver of economic well-being in their households, communities or both, according to the 2020 Nebraska Rural Poll. Most rural Nebraskans also have deep roots in the state’s agricultural industry, the poll found. Half of those surveyed are one generation or less removed from the farm or ranch, while just 28 percent of households have no farming or ranching history in the previous four generations. These findings are similar to the 2010 survey. Four in 10 rural Nebraskans surveyed sai...
Lincoln — Agriculture remains a critical component of Nebraska’s economy, accounting for nearly 34 percent of business sales, 22 percent of the gross state product and nearly a quarter of the state’s jobs, according to a new report by University of Nebraska–Lincoln researchers. It’s also a resilient industry. Even during years when farm and ranch incomes are low, other aspects of the agricultural production complex, including ag-related manufacturing, transportation, wholesaling and agri-tourism, tend to remain strong. These are among the...
WASHINGTON – President Donald J. Trump and U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue recently announced up to an additional $14 billion for agricultural producers who continue to face market disruptions and associated costs because of COVID-19. Signup for the Coronavirus Food Assistance Program (CFAP 2) will begin September 21 and run through December 11, 2020. “America’s agriculture communities are resilient, but still face many challenges due to the COVID-19 pandemic. President Trump is once again demonstrating his commitment to ensure Ameri...
On Tuesday, September 8, the South Platte Natural Resources District (SPNRD) Board of Directors (Board) hosted their monthly meeting at 5 p.m. at the South Platte NRD Conference Room (551 Parkland Drive, Sidney NE). Thad Kuntz, P.G., Adaptive Resources Inc., reviewed the Western Water Use Management Modeling Aquifer Life Analysis for 2012 through 2016. 2012 through 2016 are the closest data record to the historical precipitation average. Chris Kaiser, SPNRD Natural Resources Coordinator, spoke to the Board about Oliver Reservoir and the Health...
There is something about my cowboy that I will never understand. The way our minds are hard-wired so differently truly amazes me. We have lived in the same house for over eleven years and very few things have moved locations since we first put them in their place. The special whisk goes in a particular drawer, and the green platter has a spot in a specific cupboard, and the griddle stands on end to the right of the stove. Despite these kitchen items remaining in the same place for over a...
An upcoming online training for agricultural professionals will teach individuals how to recognize and respond to potential signs of crisis and suicidal behavior. Farming and ranching can be stressful in the best of times. Financial worries, unpredictable weather, unpredictable commodity prices, plant pests, livestock diseases and isolation all contribute to a producer’s anxiety. And now Nebraska’s rural communities and families are coping with the unpredictability and imposed isolation produced by the COVID-19 pandemic. Nebraska Extension and...
Lincoln -- No matter where you live, drought is a part of life. Being prepared for drought before the next one develops can help reduce the severity of its damaging effects on everything from agricultural production to urban water supplies to physical and emotional well-being and beyond. The National Drought Mitigation Center, based at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln School of Natural Resources, along with Nebraska Extension, work with an array of partners to develop resources that can help you be better prepared before and during drought...
