Forage Production

Now that the calendar has flipped to 2021, it’s important to evaluate how your weed management program performed in 2020 so you can make informed choices about this year’s inputs.

The article “Avoiding excessive nitrate concentrations in 2021” in the February issue of Progressive Forage introduced carbon, hydrogen, oxygen and nitrogen (CHON) and its importance to all living things, and spoke to the role humans play in managing nitrogen – the only CHON element that can be managed.

Chemicals used in forage production – namely pesticides and herbicides – represent a significant investment. Despite the impressive price tag, they are far from indestructible.

Situation No. 1

You are thinking about investing in another self-propelled sprayer for the farm. You do not want to buy a new one since this unit will only be used for foliar feeding and fungicide application.

Spring soil sampling is right around the corner, and soil samples that will be pulled in 2021 will be providing useful data through the 2025 growing season. Soil sampling is a major investment and carries tremendous value.