Coming Events
- Nov. 5, 2013 – Heuermann Lecture, 2:30 p.m., Cornhusker Hotel, Lincoln
- Nov. 7, 2013 – Ag at the Crossroads, 8:00 a.m., Lancaster Event Center, Lincoln
- Nov. 18, 2013 – York Extension Board Meeting, 7:00 p.m., Extension Office, York
- Nov. 21, 2013 – York County Corn Growers Banquet, 6:30 p.m., Chances R, York
- Dec. 10, 2013 – Landlord/Tenant Workshop, 6:30 p.m., 4-H Building, York
Ag at the Crossroads Conference
This year’s Ag at the Crossroads Conference theme is “Financing the Good Life….Taxing Issues for the State of Nebraska”. It’s going to be held November 7 at the Lancaster Event Center located on north 84th street. It should be a great place to learn about our state and local funding now and in the future.
Information about the conference topics can be found at: http://go.unl.edu/htwx
Online registration can be made at: http://go.unl.edu/6599
Cropping Updates
I was gone Thursday until Sunday and it looks like producers have continued to make great progress with harvest. When I returned Sunday much more corn, soybeans, and grain sorghum was harvested compared to when I left Thursday morning. It’s always difficult to guess exactly, but I know we’re nearing the end on soybean harvest. Generally, I’ve heard variable reports relative to yields but in most cases other than the rainfed, the yields are better than we originally expected.  In general, the rainfed yields are generally best in the Northeast part of York County because of an additional rain or two that those in the Southwest part of the county did not receive.
I’ve assisted with three national corn grower irrigated yield contest checks the past couple of weeks and the three have averaged just at 250 bu./acre, with on yielding 228 bu./acre. We harvested the York County Corn Grower plot last Tuesday that Ray and Ron Makovicka farm for Dwight and Gen Johnson. It was down a little from last season, but it looks like the hybrids varied from 208 to 248 bu./acre with the tester averaging 234 bu./acre. Once I get all the data calculated, it will be posted at: http://york.unl.edu/web/york/plotresults. Just a reminder as we wind down harvest, I’d like to invite all area corn growers to the York County Corn Growers banquet. It will be held Thursday November 21 at 6:30 p.m. at the Chances “R†here in York. Tickets can be purchased ($10.00) from any of the board of directors or from the Extension Office. It should be a fun event with some great food, information, and fellowship. One of the Nebraska LEAD fellows will make a presentation of their recent travels abroad, so order those tickets now.
Finally how did your soybeans yield? Did you have some areas or fields that did not yield as you expected? One possibility might be soybean cyst nematodes (SCN)? Now is a great time to sample for this pest and we have sample bags at our office for free analysis from the Nebraska Soybean Board. All you need to do is collect a 15 to-25 soil cores from around the roots to 6-8 inch depths. Place the cores in a bucket and mix up the samples. You then place the soil in our sample bags and mail to the Plant Diagnostic Clinic for analysis.
If you have SCN present you’ll want to consider soybean numbers that are resistant and develop a plan. Our NebGuide: Soybean Cyst Nematode: Identification and Management can be found at: http://ianrpubs.unl.edu/live/g1383/build/g1383.pdf.
National Food Entrepreneur Program Seminar
Do you or someone you know have interest in exploring a potential food processing idea? The University of Nebraska-Lincoln Food Processing Center is offering a one-day seminar for all individuals interested in exploring the idea of starting a food manufacturing business. If you are interested consider attending the “Recipe to Reality†seminar which will be offered on January 11, 2014. Pre-registration is required and space is limited. Registration deadline is December 18, 2013. Contact Jill Gifford at 402-472-2819 or jgifford1@unl.edu for more information and an information packet.
Leasing Information
Each year at this time we receive questions about cash leases, so what are they going to be? I’m sure they are going to vary considerably based on many difference circumstances of those involved. Crop prices have gone down and input prices for land and other inputs have gone up? In the end, the tenants and the landlords need to agree.
Three of our UNL Extension Educators Robert Tigner, Tim Lemmons, and Allan Vyhnalek have prepared a written leases checklist that is now posted on our CropWatch website. They indicate: “A written contract is an essential business practice when leasing farm property. It forces detailed consideration, communication, and understanding by both parties and serves as a handy reference in case details are forgotten or one of the parties dies.
The contract should encourage the most profitable, long-term operation of the farm and be beneficial for both parties. Are the returns proportional to the contributions both tenant and landlord make to the business? Will the lease prevent or discourage a tenant from operating the farm in the same way a well-financed owner-operator would run it? Are the best farming methods, conservation practices, and/or environmental practices utilized? What is the plan for needed improvements? Every contract or lease agreement will one day terminate; how is termination to be handled? What method(s) will be used to settle accounts?â€
Check out the Farmland Leasing Checklist at: http://go.unl.edu/57ts. Last week I mentioned that UNL will be hosting Landlord/Tenant Lease Workshops at 26 Nebraska Sites This Fall. You can see that we are hosting one December 10.  Check out all of them at: http://go.unl.edu/c5j2. We already have two people registered for our meeting.
