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Midwest news and notes Tuesday, August 28, 2007
Evaluate success of weed control
Now is a good time to evaluate the success of weed control programs in soybean fields, says David Nicolai, regional Extension educator for crops in Hutchinson, Minn.
Due to dry growing conditions in some areas, many soybean fields have open leaf-row canopies. With more sunlight available, there has been more mid- to late-season weed growth.
Even fields that received two applications of a glyphosate herbicide are exhibiting above-average weed growth and density.
Growers should identify weeds now while leaves and flower types are still present on the weeds to aid in identification, Nicolai said.
Silo gas especially dangerous this year
Farm workers always need to be aware of dangerous silo gas at silo-filling time, but this year presents an especially dangerous threat.
Silo gas, also known as nitrogen dioxide, is apt to be at higher levels in plants that have been drought-stressed, says John Shutske, professor and safety and health specialist with the University of Minnesota Extension Service.
"Stay out of a newly filled silo and surrounding areas for two to three weeks after it's been filled,'' he said. "When it's safe to enter, run the blower for at least an hour to assure that the gas has been removed and there's a supply of fresh air.''
Farm workers who must enter the silo need to do it immediately after filling, said Shutske.
"But even then, there could be significant levels of gas, so maximum ventilation is essential,'' he said. "The silo must be treated as a dangerous confined place.''
Managing grain storage yields profit
Managing grain storage yields higher profits, says Bill Casady, a University of Missouri Extension grain specialist.
Managing requires careful planning, proper sanitation, protection from insects and alternate strategies to move grain, he said.
Sanitation includes cleaning bins and handling equipment, eradicating potential pests and removing all old-crop grain from the storage facility, said Casady.
"Sanitation also includes cleaning trucks and combines,'' he said. "It should be a part of routine maintenance such as inspecting fans, drying floors, preparing and lubricating augers and other components."
CRP decision impacts Minnesota, Iowa
A decision to approve several Minnesota counties for harvesting or grazing of Conservation Reserve Program acreage will also impact Iowa landowners, says Derryl McLaren, Iowa Farm Service Agency director.
That's because the authorization also includes an area radiating 210 miles out from the Minnesota counties. In Iowa, that means 61 counties are covered.
Managed haying and grazing fees will be reduced from 25 percent to 10 percent in those counties if all eligibility requirements are met.
CRP participants who don't own or lease livestock can rent or lease the haying or grazing privilege to an eligible livestock farmer located in any approved county in Minnesota, McLaren said.
CRP participants requesting emergency haying and grazing must file a request at their county FSA office indicating the acreage to be hayed or grazed before any action is taken.
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