Serving proudly since 1873 as the beautiful Nebraska Panhandle's first newspaper
Serving proudly since 1873 as the beautiful Nebraska Panhandle's first newspaper
Sorted by date Results 146 - 170 of 586
SCOTTSBLUFF – Approximately 150 students met in Scottsbluff for the 2022 Area 1 Range Judging Contest on September 14, 2022. Sidney’s FFA Senior Division Team won First Place with teammates Zoe Fornander, Emily Miller, Ty Grunig, and Josette McConnell. Sidney’s other Senior Division Team with teammates Sidney Allard, Rylee McManis, Joslyn Bertrand, and Peyton Sprenger came in third. Range Judging is a high school competition that challenges students to gain a better understanding of Nebra...
Lincoln - The state has issued a health alert for Harmful Algal Blooms (HAB), also known as toxic blue-green algae, at Iron Horse Trail Lake (Wildlife Management Area) in Pawnee County and Oliver Reservoir in Kimball County. Iron Horse Trail Lake remained on alert this week after also being on alert last week. Bluestem Lake in Lancaster County, Maskenthine Reservoir in Stanton County, and Willow Creek Reservoir in Pierce County were all removed from alert after being on alert last week. Samples taken earlier this week at the lakes on alert...
LINCOLN – The Nebraska Farm Bureau Political Action Committee (NEFB-PAC) has endorsed Kathy Wilmot of Beaver City. Wilmot is seeking election to represent District 7 on the University of Nebraska Board of Regents. “Kathy is committed to being a strong, conservative voice who will advocate for Western Nebraska,” said Sherry Vinton, chair of NEBF-PAC and first vice president of Nebraska Farm Bureau. “With her experience on the State Board of Education, we can trust Kathy will represent the bes...
By Gary Stone Nebraska Extension Water & Integrated Cropping Systems Educator Built in the 1950s, the Dave Johnston power plant is located near Glenrock, Wyo. This coal-fired power plant uses North Platte River water for cooling. Combined energy produced from the four steam-powered generators is 922.2 megawatts. The power plant is operated by PacifiCorp and scheduled to be decommissioned in 2027. The Laramie River Station power plant is located north of Wheatland, Wyo. on the Laramie River. The...
By Dr. Amanda Easterly, Research Assistant Professor at the High Plains Ag Lab; Dr. Brian Maust, Research Technologist, Department of Agronomy and Horticulture; Dr. Cody Creech, Associate Professor and Dryland Cropping Systems Specialist, PREEC; Dr. Katherine Frels, Assistant Professor of Small Grains Breeding, Department of Agronomy and Horticulture Results of the 2022 UNL Crops Testing Winter Wheat trials are now available in the 2022 Fall Seed Guide. It can be found at cropwatch.unl.edu/varietytest and includes details on yield, protein,...
John Westra has been selected as the new director of the University of Nebraska-Lincoln’s Panhandle Research, Extension and Education Center in Scottsbluff. His appointment will take effect on Sept. 1. Westra joined UNL in 2017 as the associate director for the southeast research and extension district and since then, has served in a variety of roles, including program leader for two interdisciplinary teams and professor of agricultural economics. In those roles Westra was able to see f...
LINCOLN. - The Nebraska Wind & Solar Conference recently held a virtual webinar titled, "What Do Regional Transmission Organizations Do?" with Casey Cathey, Director of System Planning at Southwest Power Pool. In this webinar, Casey spoke about the basics of the Southwest Power Pool. As a reminder, registration for the 2022 Nebraska Wind & Solar Conference on October 25th and 26th is open. Conference attendees are encouraged to take advantage of the Early Bird registration discount. Registration rates are as follows: * Early Bird Registration...
LINCOLN – Gov. Pete Ricketts recently announced MetalQuest and 21st Century Equipment as the recipients of the Developing Youth Talent Initiative (DYTI) grants for 2022. Launched by the Governor in 2015, DYTI introduces middle school students to careers in industries such as manufacturing, information technology, engineering, and healthcare. DYTI is administered by the Nebraska Department of Economic Development (DED). “The Developing Youth Talent Initiative encourages partnership between pri...
KEARNEY – Nebraska Gov. Pete Ricketts welcomed 365 leaders to Kearney’s Younes Conference Center for the “Governor’s Summit on Ag and Economic Development,” co-hosted by the Nebraska Departments of Agriculture and Economic Development. “Nebraska is enjoying rapid growth and record-setting employment,” said Gov. Ricketts. “Nebraska agriculture set all-time highs for beef exports, corn production, and soybean production in 2021. Over the past year, we also achieved our state’s highest manufactu...
By Jessica Groskopf, PHREC Extension Educator, Agricultural Economist; Dave Aiken, Professor and Agricultural Water Law Specialist ; Allan Vyhnalek, Extension Educator, Farm & Ranch Transition and Succession Some farm leases are not written but are verbal — or "handshake" — agreements. Because nothing is in writing, the parties may have different recollections of their agreement, making lease disputes more difficult to resolve. The most common legal issue associated with verbal farm leases is how a lease may legally be terminated. For both year...
INDIANAPOLIS (National FFA Organization) – National FFA Alumni and Supporters recently announced 15 grants awarded to chapters across the country. Give Back to Your Roots Grants, supported by Nutrien Ag Solutions, were awarded to the Central FFA Alumni and Supporters Chapter in Independence, Ore.; the Elgin FFA Alumni and Supporters Chapter in Elgin, Ore.; Macon County FFA Alumni and Supporters Chapter in Lafayette, Tenn.; MTSU Collegiate FFA Alumni and Supporters Chapter in Murfreesboro, Tenn.; Richfield Springs FFA Alumni and Supporters C...
WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Congressman Mike Flood recently visited Albers Feedlot in Wisner. Located in Cuming County, Albers Feedlot has a 100 year history that spans five generations. "It was an honor to visit with Albers Feedlot and Nebraska Cattlemen in Wisner to get more perspective on the current market and how inflation is hurting the cattle industry. Together, we can beat the Biden Administration’s disastrous economic policy and regulatory overreach," said Congressman Flood. "Thank you t...
Delicious vegetables and fruits are abundant in August. And gardeners know that a lot of this produce is ready for harvest at the same time, making it difficult to use before it goes to waste. To avoid throwing out produce, start with a plan to use what the family can eat fresh, possibly preserve some for the winter, and then consider sharing with others. Donating to a food pantry is a great way to share the abundance with people who need food and often appreciate the fresh, locally grown produce. Check with food pantries in your area to see...
Jolene Brown, international family business consultant and Successful Farming columnist, will be sharing ways to preserve family relationships and navigate the transfer of ag businesses to the next generation at the Hayes Student Center Ballroom at Northeastern Junior College in Sterling on August 23. Reck Agri Realty & Auction is hosting the event, more information and registration information can be found at reckagri.com/jolene-brown-seminar or by calling Reck Agri Realty & Auction at...
Cercospora leaf spot (CLS) has long been and remains a constant problem to sugar beet production throughout the eastern and Great Lakes production areas of the United States. In fact, it is thought to have been a major reason for early production in Nebraska to shift west to the Panhandle. Despite the drier conditions in western Nebraska, the disease has still been sporadic, but not a consistent issue. However, when it does occur, it can be very destructive if not noted and treated. CLS is caused by the airborne fungal pathogen Cercospora...
The U.S. Agency for International Development this week announced nearly $1.3 billion in additional critical humanitarian and development assistance to Ethiopia, Kenya, and Somalia, including $200 million for the procurement of Ready-to-Use-Therapeutic Food. RUTFs, an energy-dense medical food paste made of soy, peanuts, powdered milk, vegetable oil, sugar and multivitamins, is one of the most effective tools to help severely malnourished children. The U.S. is one of the world’s largest and m...
St. Charles, Ill. – July 13, 2022 – The time has come for the world’s largest totally irrigated working farm show to open its gates. Husker Harvest Days is an opportunity for producers to meet face-to-face with agriculture’s industry leaders and to see the latest equipment, products, and services. The event will be held September 13 – 15, 2022 in Grand Island, Nebraska. “Husker Harvest Days combines the best elements of community and technology, giving visitors an incredible opportunity to network and gain insights for their farms,” sai...
Lincoln — Each of us walks around with trillions of microbes living in our gut. In past decades, scientists have started to understand how the properties of our personal microbiome impact our health. But the question of how to safely, effectively, and scalably influence our gut microbiomes has remained challenging. Today an article published by scientists from the Nebraska Food for Health Center explores a solution: naturally occurring genetic variation in the plants we already eat. The s...
The Nebraska Women in Agriculture program, along with the Nebraska Beef Quality Assurance Program, has announced the second annual Herd That! Conference on Sept. 21, in Broken Bow. The event will be held from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the One Box Convention Center and the Custer County Fairgrounds. The cattle handling demonstration will be one of the highlights of the program, along with the keynote speakers Courtenay Dehoff, founder of Fancy Lady Cowgirl, and ShayLe Stewart, a livestock analyst with DTN. “We are thrilled to be bringing back the H...
Tips for a Successful County Fair Entry County fairs are just around the corner, and we hope you will have items to enter! Consider entering your garden and crop bounty in the open horticulture, floriculture and field crops classes at your county fair. Your entries are judged on the following criteria: freedom from injury, quality, condition, uniformity and fair preparation. This information can be found in 4-H manuals and in your county fair book. Contact your local Nebraska Extension office for these publications. See you at the fair!! Did...
As our nation celebrates Independence Day, the grocery bill for cookouts and picnics is hitting the budgets of American families harder this year. The American Farm Bureau Federation calculated U.S. consumers are paying 17 percent more for standard Fourth of July fixings than last year. Furthermore, soaring gas prices are limiting summer vacation plans and travel. It’s not just holiday expenses: American families are feeling the pain caused by the Biden administration’s failed policies eve...
The 2022 Nebraska Grazing Conference will be held August 9 and 10 at the Younes Conference Center in Kearney, NE with a program bridging grazing lands conservation and management. The conference will begin with a field tour from 9:30 am to 11:30 am at the Cottonwood Waterfowl Production Area (WPA) northeast of Bertrand, NE and move to the Linder WPA, which is 1.5 miles from the first stop. Discussion topics include conservation practices and grazing management. Scheduled speakers are producers Tim Hawk and Robert Steinbrink and Brad Krohn,...
LINCOLN – Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack recently announced that agricultural producers nationwide have already received more than $4 billion through the Emergency Relief Program (ERP), representing nearly 67% of the more than $6 billion projected to be paid through this phase of the program. Eligible producers in Nebraska have received $123.1 million in funding to date. The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) mailed out pre-filled applications in late May to producers with crop insurance who suffered losses due to natural disasters in...
Jeff Bradshaw, UNL Associate Professor, Entomology Jeff Cluever, UNL Graduate Research Assistant, Entomology Gracie Keiter, UNL Student Intern, Entomology One of the key pests in our region is the Western bean cutworm (WBC). WBC feeding can reduce the quantity and quality of dry bean and corn crops. Typically, control is achieved with a foliar application of a pyrethroid. However, unnecessary or ill-timed insecticide applications of any pesticide can be detrimental to the environment, the health of the applicator, and/or the health of the...
ST. LOUIS (June 24, 2022) — Share the story of how conservation is part of your farm operation and you could be recognized with a Conservation Legacy Award. The awards recognize farm management practices of U.S. soybean farmers that are both environmentally friendly and profitable. Are you using a reduced tillage practice on your farm? Do you grow cover crops? Have you taken steps to improve energy efficiency or water quality? These are just a few conservation practices used on some farms today that can help produce sustainable U.S. s...
