Crops Are Not The Only Things Emerging In Fields

May 14, 2015

By Russel Higgins

I encourage farmers to scout planted fields to evaluate crop stands, planter performance, and look for emergence issues. It is also an important time to evaluate the performance of pre-emergence herbicides. Waiting until we finish with soybean planting may leave fields with weeds that have already exceeded the size where they can successfully be controlled with post herbicide applications.

Scouting at the NIARC we are finding abundant Lambsquarters and Giant ragweed. The weeds are present in fields that have yet to be treated, and in cases, those that have already received herbicide applications.

This week in the Illinois Bulletin Dr. Aaron Hager reported that a scouting trip last Thursday to the University of Illinois Palmer amaranth research location near Essex in Kankakee County revealed that Palmer amaranth plants had begun to emerge. Aaron shared that early and accurate identification of Palmer amaranth plants is an important component of an integrated management program, but doing so among seedling-stage pigweed plants sometimes can be difficult. As plants become larger and reproductive structures are present, identification becomes easier. He has provided photographs on the Illinois Bulletin web site that might help renew your pigweed species identification skills. I encourage you to visit the Bulletin web site to test your expertise. In a few days Dr. Hager will repost this story with the species identified.

Source: illinois.edu

Video: Agriculture Secretary Rollins Speaks at American Farm Bureau Federation Convention in Anaheim

One of the highlights at the 2026 American Farm Bureau Federation Convention in Anaheim, California, was an address by U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins. During her remarks, she thanked America’s farmers and ranchers and said the Trump Administration is fully aware that food security is national security.

She also acknowledged the challenging times in Farm Country with low commodity prices and high input costs and said that’s why the President stepped in to help with the recent Bridge Assistance Program.

Montana Farm Bureau Federation Executive Vice President Scott Kulbeck says that Farm Bureau members are appreciative of the help and looks forward to working with the American Farm Bureau Federation and its presence in Washington, DC to keep farmers and ranchers in business.

Secretary Rollins said the Trump Administration is also committed to helping ranchers build back America’s cattle herd while also providing more high-quality U.S. beef at the meat case for consumers.

And she also announced more assistance for specialty crop producers who only received a fraction of the $12 billion Farmer Bridge Assistance (FBA).

It’s important to note that producers who qualify for Farmer Bridge Assistance can expect the Farm Service Agency to start issuing payments in late February. For more information, farmers and ranchers are encouraged to contact their local USDA Service Center.