Southern Rust Returns to Wisconsin

Now that southern rust has been found in Wisconsin, it’s important not to panic. Instead, focus on careful scouting over the next several weeks. Timely scouting will help guide both silage and grain harvest decisions. Yield losses are most likely when southern rust becomes established before the milk (R3) growth stage. Farmers should be out scouting corn now, determining crop growth stage, and checking fields for symptoms of southern rust. For more information on identification, see Damon’s previous article on what to look for.

2026 Winter Wheat Variety Trial Results

Wisconsin winter wheat acreage declined in 2025–2026, with 245,000 acres planted—an 18% decrease from the previous year. Of these, 210,000 acres are forecasted to be harvested, down 17% from 2025. The 2026 yield forecast is 76 bu/a, matching 2025 and landing just below the five‑year average of 77 bu/a. 

Row Width and Seeding Rate in Winter Wheat

For growers looking to plant winter wheat without investing in a grain drill, 15-inch row spacing offers a practical alternative. While traditional 7.5-inch rows are generally reported to deliver higher yields than wider row spacings, 15-inch rows may still perform respectably, especially when paired with the correct seeding rate. Wider rows may encourage more tillering and allow for intercropping with soybeans, making them a flexible option for farms already equipped with planters or air seeders. However, wider rows can create more opportunities for weed competition.  

Scout for Ear Rots to Reduce Mycotxoins in Silage

Scouting is similar for all corn ear rots. Starting at late dent stage (R5), choose 20 ears from five areas in the field. Pull back the husk to see the entire ear. It's critical to identify ear rots in the field as many ear rot fungi produce mycotoxins, which can harm livestock and humans. Contaminated grain can be difficult to market and may be docked in price.

The Soybean Nitrogen Cycle

Interesting takeaway from this infographic: the 20 lb nitrogen credit we take in our corn crops following soybeans is more of a soil conditioning score or corn-on-corn tax than it is an actual carryover of nitrogen in the soil from the soybean year. If you want to dig into the research paper, read it below:

Strategies to Reduce Methane Emissions on Dairy Farms [Video]

This presentation introduces the main mitigation approaches, with attention to their effectiveness, tradeoffs, and relative costs within whole-farm systems.

Anaerobic manure storage is the dominant source of methane emissions in manure management systems. Emissions can be reduced through a combination of technological and management strategies, including anaerobic digestion, solids separation, manure acidification, and more frequent storage emptying during warm periods when methane production is highest.