April - 2022

ON THE BLOG

Apr 19
2 min

Grain Bin Safety Tips

A tough fall resulted in corn getting stored before it was all the dry. That paired with mild temperatures can make for a dangerous situation in grain bins. Here are some grain bin safety tips from the University of Illinois to keep in mind: Break up crusted grain from the outside of the bin with a long pole. When using a pole, check to see that it doesn't come into contact with electric lines. Wear a harness attached to a properly secured rope. Stay near the outer wall of th

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Two-Spotted Spider Mites in 2021 in Minnesota Crops?

shenke3

Apr 19
1 min

Two-Spotted Spider Mites in 2021 in Minnesota Crops?

The hot, dry growing season has led to infestations of two-spotted spider mites in many areas of Minnesota. Over the past two weeks, increasing numbers of fields with economic infestations have been observed. Most, but not all, have been in areas with obvious drought stress. Soybeans appear to have the heavier infestations although spider mites also be found in corn and other crops. Complicating these developments are reports of inconsistent performance of chlorpyrifos (e.g.,

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shenke3

Apr 19
3 min

5 Reasons to Apply a Fungicide

We are coming up on a very critical time of year. While plant and harvest typically get the most attention, the mid-season application can truly make or break your yields. So how do you know that applying a fungicide? We have outlined the top 5 reasons to apply a fungicide: 1: Increased yield In the Minnesota WinField United Answer Plot’s last year, they tested the effectiveness of fungicides and if there would be any yield increase from it. Last year they saw a 5.2 bushel

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Wolftrax- A Better Way to Apply Micronutrients

shenke3

Apr 19
3 min

Wolftrax- A Better Way to Apply Micronutrients

Zinc is a key component of several plant enzyme systems, including growth hormone production. It’s also required for chlorophyll synthesis and carbohydrate formation. Zinc is a key nutrient if you are looking for bin busting yields. It is best to feed zinc to corn plants in small applications throughout the year. Zinc application options are very limited. It is often included with starter fertilizer, post herbicide applications and spring fertilizer applications. When zinc is

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CHS Recognizes Jeff Johnson, Centra Sota CEO/GM

shenke3

Apr 19
1 min

CHS Recognizes Jeff Johnson, Centra Sota CEO/GM

Centra Sota CEO/General Manager, Jeff Johnson was recently honored by CHS for his leadership and service with the cooperative. Congratulations Jeff! CHS Newsletter Article: "Cooperative leaders with 25 or more years of service were honored at the 2017 CHS Annual Meeting and received commemorative watches for their commitment to helping producers, the cooperative system and rural communities strengthen and grow. Members of the 2017 Cooperative Leadership Circle include: Keith

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shenke3

Apr 19
2 min

Spring 2021 Agronomy Update

Adam Johnson, Crop Advisor at Centra Sota’s Santiago location shares some thoughts on the season so far: Now that the spring rush is starting to slow down, this is the perfect time to be out walking and scouting your fields. When evaluating corn fields check planting depth and how your hybrids handled the cold soils this spring (cold germ score). If you would like row units gone through by Centra Sota, schedule that now before you put the planter in the back of the shed for

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shenke3

Apr 19
1 min

Harvesting Drought Stressed Forages

The drought in our area looks like it could be a thorn in everyone’s side all season. This drought is causing plant stress that is usually shown with curled and wilting leaves. This will cause corn yields to decrease as ear length is set v6- v8 and length is set v10- v12. If moisture stress is less later in the season, ear size cannot increase. Click “The Use and Pricing of Drought- Stressed Corn” for more information about harvest and pricing. Soybeans are typically grown as

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shenke3

Apr 19
1 min

Minnesota Dicamba Training Approved

The Minnesota Department of Ag has approved dicamba training for 2021. Please see below for two options: Online self-paced computer based training. Choose Minnesota as state where applications will be made. Entering your correct e-mail address is crucial to receiving certificate of completion. Only one e-mail address per individual may be used. https://www.roundupreadyxtend.com/stewardship/Pages/default.aspx Tips: Do not use the computer browser to go backwards – use the arro

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USDA Offers Disaster Assistance to Minnesota Farmers and Livestock Producers Impacted by Drought

shenke3

Apr 19
1 min

USDA Offers Disaster Assistance to Minnesota Farmers and Livestock Producers Impacted by Drought

Below is the recent publication for Disaster Assistance to Minnesota Producers due to drought. The links below are information sheets on the programs.

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Family-Owned Farms Account for 96% of U.S. Farms

shenke3

Apr 19
2 min

Family-Owned Farms Account for 96% of U.S. Farms

When discussing where our food comes from, the agriculture industry always promotes its high percentage of family-owned farms. However, according to Ag Daily that number went down a few percentage points, according to a new report. Family farms comprise 96 percent of all U.S. farms, account for 87 percent of land in farms, and 82 percent of the value of all agricultural products sold, according to the 2017 Census of Agriculture Farm Typology report released by the U.S. Depart

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Tips on Grain Drying and Storage After Drastic Cool Down

shenke3

Apr 19
7 min

Tips on Grain Drying and Storage After Drastic Cool Down

The very quick decrease in temperature that has occurred may create some grain storage and drying problems. Dr. Ken Hellevang, Extension Engineer at North Dakota State University, answers several questions that he received in the paragraphs below. The questions are italicized and his answers immediately follow. These questions were published by the University of Minnesota. "With the sudden change in air temps, what is the best management strategy for running aeration fans on

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7 Common Misconceptions and Facts About Medicated Chick Feed

shenke3

Apr 19
4 min

7 Common Misconceptions and Facts About Medicated Chick Feed

It’s finally spring and that time of year again to buy feed for the new chicks you have just purchased. You’re walking down the feed aisle at your local Centra Sota Country Store, finding the chick starter feed section and now you have a tough decision to make. Should you go with medicated chick starter or non-medicated chick starter? The decision you’re making may concern safety for the chicks and/or safety for your family. After all, you may be trying to keep your meat and

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What You Need to Know About XTEND® and LIBERTY LINK® Beans

shenke3

Apr 19
2 min

What You Need to Know About XTEND® and LIBERTY LINK® Beans

With the excitement of launch of products on the market that allow more flexibility in using soybean technologies, there has been equally as much confusion. What are Liberty Link® and Xtend® soybeans? How are they different? Each technology is unique and has its own advantages and challenges. Understanding them is the key to deciding if they are right for you and your operation ROUNDUP READY 2 YIELD® XTEND® Roundup Ready 2 Yield® Xtend® Soybeans is the industry’s first biotec

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shenke3

Apr 18
1 min

Drought Stress on Corn

Click the link below to read all about drought and its effects on corn!

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Corn Rootworm (CRW) is Showing up with Vengeance!

shenke3

Apr 18
1 min

Corn Rootworm (CRW) is Showing up with Vengeance!

We have been seeing the CRW pressure increase over the last couple of years but it sure seems to be blowing up this year. Many reasons for this would include: 1. Reduction in SS traits with below ground protection. 2. Continuous corn operations. 3. Environment, two years where we have not had sufficient rains to drown these pests out. Good news is we are identifying the problem early as the beetles are just starting to emerge from the soil. * See Corn Rootworm Egg Hatch

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