Some selected researchers at the UW-Madison College of Agriculture and Life Sciences are getting some financial help to carry out some of their projects. The Wisconsin Fertilizer Research Council is going to provide more than $100,000 to three faculty members to study topics like soil management and fertility, plant nutrition, surface and groundwater quality and other projects that promote the best way to use fertilizers. The Council gets its money from fees paid to the state for all fertilizer sold in Wisconsin. The Council has seven members — three from the fertilizer industry, three crop producers and one water-quality expert.
The long green line of John Deere is now a picket line. That’s because 90 percent of union workers at John Deere voted to reject the Company’s latest contract offer. According to the Ag Connection, both sides are getting back to the bargaining table hoping to make this a short strike. It would be the first strike against John Deere since 1986.
This week’s USDA Crop Production report estimates that Wisconsin’s corn crop will total 506 million bushels this fall on yields averaging 172 bushels an acre — down 1 bushel an acre from last year. Wisconsin farmers planted 3.95 million acres to corn last spring with about 1 million of those acres going for corn silage. The soybean crop is now forecast at 112 million bushels on yields of 54 bushels an acre — up 2 bushels from a year ago as state farmers planted just over 2 million acres to soybeans this year. But total alfalfa and alfalfa mixed hay production is down this year to 1.96 million tons — 27 percent less than a year ago. Production of all other hay types is down even more — 39 percent less than last year to 481,000 tons. The next crop production update will be released on Nov. 9.
Horse judging is becoming more and more popular through high school agriculture programs around the state including at Chippewa Falls High School. Later this month the Chi Hi FFA will host their first ever horse judging competition at the Northern Wisconsin State Fairgrounds in Chippewa Falls. Students will judge halter and performance classes with some oral reasons. Any schools that want to get involved need to contact the ag department at Chippewa Falls High School.
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