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Research on pennycress aims to go from weed to cash crop

Researchers are helping Midwest farmers explore what crops they might add to a traditional corn-soybean rotation. Pennycress is being studied for its potential to grow as a cash crop between soybeans and corn.

Illinois State University crop scientist and researcher Nicholas Heller showed farmers on tour at ISU’s University Farm in Lexington Aug. 15 some things learned, so far, about growing pennycress here.

This research is just part of the 440-acre crop and livestock farm in Lexington that welcomes about 3,000 visitors a year and helps educate 420 ISU ag students annually, said ISU agricultural professor Rob Rhykerd on the field day sponsored by the Illinois Soybean Association.

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Spreading Chicken Litter near Frankfort Indiana

Video: Spreading Chicken Litter near Frankfort Indiana

I am out in a harvested soybean field with a farm that is loading and spreading chicken litter. They are using their Deere 644K Loader to scoop and load a Bunning Spreader that is pulled with one of the farms John Deere 8RX 410 Tractors. Chicken litter is an excellent organic fertilizer that will be used on next years corn crop.