Prepare Farm Employees for Winter Conditions

Cold and snow create challenges for everyone, especially for immigrant workers who may not be familiar with extreme cold.

 

"Farm employees, by the nature of their work, most often spend at least some portion of their workday outdoors or in unheated buildings. Especially if this is your employee's first exposure to extreme cold, it is important that employers ensure they have access to proper winter clothing to stay safe and a clear understanding of the dangers brought on by extreme cold," said Maristela Rovai, Assistant Professor & SDSU Extension Dairy Specialist.

 

Below Rovai lists some tips employers can go over with their employees.

 

"Knowledge and prevention are key to being safe during extreme winter conditions," Rovai explained.

 

Video: Winter Canola Trial in Mississippi | Can It Work for Double Cropping? | Pioneer Agronomy

Can winter canola open new opportunities for growers in the Mid-South? In this agronomy update from Noxubee County, Mississippi, Pioneer agronomist Gus Eifling shares an early look at a first-year winter canola trial and what farmers are learning from the field.

Planted in late October on 30-inch rows, the crop is now entering the bloom stage and progressing quickly. In this video, we walk through current field conditions, fertility management, and how timing could make this crop a valuable option for double-cropping soybeans or cotton.

If harvest timing lines up with early May, growers may be able to transition directly into another crop during ideal planting windows. Ongoing field trials will help determine whether canola could become a viable rotational option for the region.

Watch for:

How winter canola is performing in its first season in this Mississippi field

Why growers chose 30-inch rows for this trial

What the crop looks like as it moves from bolting into bloom

Fertility strategy, including nitrogen and sulfur applications

How canola harvest timing could enable double-cropping with soybeans or cotton

Upcoming trials comparing soybeans after canola vs. traditional planting

As more growers look for ways to maximize acres and diversify rotations, experiments like this help determine what new crops might fit into existing systems.