Straw Management Issues

Poor functioning spreaders leave some areas covered and some bare.

 

Cereal straw management is especially important on fields planned for canola next year, given the impact uneven residue can have on seed placement and seedling survival. Cutting as high as you can and making sure the combine spread width matches the header width are important steps at harvest. Have someone check the spread pattern behind the combine. Sometimes just adjusting the spreader vanes is enough to improve results.

 

 

Video: Comparing the Economics of No-Till, Strip-Till & Conventional Systems

Conservation Ag Update, brought to you by Bio-Till Cover Crops, Univ. of Illinois analysts dive into new data from the Precision Conservation Management program, comparing the economic differences between no-till, strip-till and other tillage systems.

Plus, we head to Washington County, Wis., for an update on two farmers who dealt with historic flooding over the summer. Blake Basse credits strip-till and cover crops for helping his cash crops survive the “1,000-year” rain event, while Ross Bishop says his no-till fields are more resilient than his neighbor’s conventional fields.