Why early crop stress is invisible and how UAV reveal it
Farmers in the Mid-South are losing yield because water and heat stress often go unnoticed until it’s too late for effective intervention. In this three-part series, we’ll show how modern UAV imaging uncovers early, invisible crop stress—and how farmers can use the right tools and maps to make smarter irrigation decisions that boost efficiency, reduce risk, and increase profitability. In this first article in the series, we’ll explain how drone-based thermal and multispectral imaging can reveal early, invisible stress signals.
Farm bill approved by the House Agriculture Committee
After more than 20 hours of debate, the Farm, Food, and National Security Act of 2026 passed out of the House Agriculture Committee with a vote of 34 to 17 in the early hours of Thursday morning (March 5). The bill has a long way to go yet though Chairman GT Thompson (R-PA) has indicated that he would like to see the bill on the House floor before Easter.
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Crops & Soils magazine seeking a Central/Southern Great Plains Editor
Crops & Soils magazine is seeking a Central/Southern Great Plains Editor to join our board this year. If you are located in Texas, Oklahoma, Kansas, Colorado, or New Mexico and are passionate about getting the best research-based practices down to the farm level, this may be a great fit for you!
Using variety testing data to select soybean varieties: Guidelines for practitioners
Soybean variety selection significantly affects farm profitability and requires evaluating performance across diverse environments to distinguish genetic differences from environmental influences. This management guide explains small-plot and large strip-plot trials, presents a data-driven approach for selecting high-yielding stress-resistant varieties, and discusses additional agronomic and seed quality traits that help differentiate varieties.
Earn 1.5 CEUs in Crop Management by reading the article and taking the quiz.
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The soybean growth cycle: Important risks and management strategies
Optimal soybean production requires accurate, stage-specific management practices to mitigate abiotic and biotic stressors. From emergence to full maturity, a soybean plant's physiological needs and vulnerabilities change as it transitions through its vegetative and reproductive cycles. This management guide details each growth stage, provides clear descriptions, and identifies the common risks encountered. For different growth stages, strategic management recommendations are presented, emphasizing proactive approaches to mitigate potential yield limitations.
Earn 2 CEUs in Crop Management by reading the article and taking the quiz.
Foliar feeding of plant nutrition
As global population growth intensifies pressure on agricultural production, foliar feeding offers a precise and efficient method to enhance crop yield, quality, and nutritional value when soil nutrient availability is limited or impaired. The article explains how foliar-applied nutrients enter plant tissues, the factors influencing their effectiveness—including formulation chemistry, molecular size, environmental conditions, and plant physiology—and the importance of proper timing and dosage to avoid phytotoxicity.
Earn 1 CEU in Nutrient Management by reading this article and taking the quiz.
Celebrating CCA certification milestones
We recognize, congratulate, and thank the following Certified Crop Advisers (CCAs) who reached the following milestones over the last year (February 2025 through January 2026): 30, 25, and 20 years of certification. Thank you for your continuing dedication, service, and commitment to excellence.
House Agriculture Committee releases farm bill text
On February 13, House Agriculture Committee Chairman GT Thompson released text for the Farm, Food and National Security Act of 2026. Sometimes referred to as "Farm Bill 2.0" or the "skinny" farm bill, this bill addresses policy issues that were not included in last summer's One Big Beautiful Bill Act.
Soil fertility, fertilizers, and crop nutrition: Past, present, and future
Society has made (and will be making) significant demands on agriculture in the not-to-distant future. Meeting future sustainability goals and environmental regulations while simultaneously continuing to meet requirements for food, feed, fuel, and fiber requires a firm understanding of how “we” have collectively arrived at our current status as it relates to our fertility principles and beliefs as well as the processes that address them. This series intends to describe crop nutrition and fertilizers from where we have been to where the authors believe that we will likely need to be prepared to go if we are to support world demands into the foreseeable future.
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