MANAGEMENT

I know just enough about social media to be dangerous. I don’t spend a lot of time online, but I do belong to some forage groups, and I enjoy following some of the questions and debates. Recently, a fertilizer discussion caught my eye.

Sound forage establishment and management practices are critical to realizing a profit in hay or forage-based livestock production. In many instances, the existing forage base may be adequate for a given enterprise, and fine-tuning management is all that is required.

Soil fertility testing is a valuable tool to optimize forage production. Applying too much fertilizer is not an economically or environmentally sound practice, and inadequate fertility or improper soil pH can limit forage production.

Kelly Garrett, in western Iowa, is the first producer in the U.S. to market carbon credits for a large payment. The credits were determined by the amount of carbon stored in soil on his farm.

U.S. exports set new record

The roller coaster ride that was 2020 is over. A bit dazed (but undefeated), forage exporters can reflect upon a difficult year full of challenges that nonetheless yielded a new record for international sales.