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Watch for stink bugs in crops in 2026  Linda Geist / Columbia Mo COLUMBIA, Mo. – Something’s been stinking in Missouri soybean, corn and cotton crops since the 1990s. University of Missouri Extension state field crops and forage entomologist Ivair Valmorbida says...

USDA NATURAL RESOURCES CONSERVATION SERVICE What is Soil Health? Soil health is defined as the continued capacity of soil to function as a vital living ecosystem that sustains plants, animals, and humans. Healthy soil gives us clean air and water, bountiful crops...

DR. John R.C. Robinson Professor and Extension Specialist for Cotton Marketing It is never too early to develop a marketing plan for the next crop year. Longer run price outcomes for the 2026 crop depend on expectations of supply and...

Anthony Bly / SDSU Extension Soils Field Specialist Written collaboratively by Debankur Sanyal, Johnathon Wolthuizen and Anthony Bly. Soil has always been considered as a living system due to its biological components: fungi, bacteria and plant roots. While physical properties maintain...

Rosemary Brandt / Senior Director, Strategic Communications & Creative Services / arizona.edu Cotton is a famously thirsty crop, yet Arizona is one of the top U.S. producers. But how does a crop that thrives on water and humidity manage to...

Linda Geist /Sr. Strategic Communications Consultant / College of Agriculture, Food and Natural Resources, MU Stink bugs vary in size and shape, but they are generally described as having shield-shaped bodies. Adult green stink bugs are usually light green. The...

DR. Cheryl Mackowiak Associate Professor Soil and Water Science North Florida Research and Education Center Fertilizer source is one of the four Rs of fertilizer management (Right source, Right place, Right time, and Right placement). Mineral fertilizers are typically synthesized (i.e., nitrogen from the...

merri.day / agrilife.org Agriculture has always faced uncertainty. Although agricultural risk management has come a long way in recent years, producers face a multifaceted risk landscape that is constantly changing due to unpredictable weather, evolving regulatory frameworks, and volatile markets....

Low prices, a difficult growing season and expensive inputs could spell a shift away from cotton for growers in 'survival mode.' (Division of Agriculture photo.) SARAH CATO LITTLE ROCK, ARKANSAS With excessive rainfall at planting and hot, dry weather mid-season, Arkansas cotton...

ERIC STANN COLUMBIA, MISSOURI For generations, farmers have used natural materials such as lime, gypsum and manure to improve their soil for growing crops. Now, a team of researchers led by the University of Missouri is giving new purpose to an...

USDA Announces 2025 Cotton Loan Rate Differentials The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Commodity Credit Corporation has announced the 2025 crop loan rate differentials for upland and extra-long staple cotton. The differentials, also referred to as loan rate premiums and discounts, were calculated...

Maximize Cotton Emergence By Ensuring Your Planter Is Ready ⋅ BY WES PORTER ⋅ UNIVERSITY OF GEORGIA Cotton planting season has arrived, so be sure that your equipment is ready to go. This season is going to be tough on cotton with...

⋅ BY CARROLL SMITH ⋅ EDITOR In cotton, nematodes have been called the invisible enemy, the threat beneath the soil and other ominous names. They tend to attack the plant’s roots — which increases susceptibility to disease — hinder water and...

⋅ BY DR. GUY COLLINS ⋅ EXTENSION COTTON SPECIALIST NORTH CAROLINA STATE UNIVERSITY Farmers have been asking if starter or pop-up fertilizer is essential for cotton, or if it can be cut out of the budget. This is a relatively common question,...

⋅ BY CARROLL SMITH ⋅ EDITOR In many areas of the Cotton Belt, farmers diversify their operations by growing a mix of crops such as cotton, peanuts and rice. They may rotate cotton and peanuts and grow row rice on heavier...