Weekly Ag Update

By Ned Birkey

MSU EXTENSION EDUCATOR EMERITUS

SPARTAN AG

 Eric Snodgrass, of Nutrien Ag Solutions, thinks our temperatures will be colder to finish out November and into December as some computer models show La Niña, a Polar vortex and cold waters off the Gulf of Alaska. December 1989 was the coldest December of recent years.

OSU’s 4th Organic Grains Conference is scheduled for Jan. 7-8, 2026, at Kalahari Resorts and Conventions in Sandusky, Ohio. Early bird registration is $140 by Dec. 5, 2025, or $175 after that date. The registration fee does not include lodging. Those interested can learn more at www.go.osu.edu/OrganicGrains.

Fall tillage is when soil compaction can be a “hidden yield robber” for 2026 crops as farmers in comfortable tractor cabs and with plenty of horsepower may not realize the impact of heavy equipment and improper ballasting can have on soil structure. It is estimated that yield losses due to soil compaction caused by wheel traffic range from 10 to 20 percent, depending on the extent of soil compaction experienced.

Iowa State lists their top 10 reasons to avoid soil compaction”

1 and 2 - It causes restricted root growth which limits nutrient uptake and therefore nutrient deficiencies.

3 - It reduces crop productivity.

4 - It reduces soil aeration. (an ideal soil is 50 percent solid matter, 25 percent air and 25 percent water).

5 - It decreases soil available water.

6 and 7 - It reduces water infiltration rates, leading to more water runoff.

8 - It increases soil bulk density.

9 - It increases sediment and nutrient losses as water runs off and carries topsoil with it.

10 - It damages soil structure.

Farmer Tax Guides will be out soon and serve as a reminder to do some year-end tax and financial planning. Accurate financial records are an important part of the entire agricultural business, especially now when some decisions can be made to affect income, expenses, debt and equity. Added to good financial record and tax and debt strategies include risk management, engaging with lenders well before capital will be needed and possibly diversifying income streams, through conservation programs now that the government has opened up.

Landowners and farmers should be actively managing their timber, particularly valuable hardwoods, such black walnut trees. I have seen one walnut tree sell for $26,000 when managed properly with a consulting forester. The American Tree Farm System can help landowners learn how to properly manage and harvest timber. A tree farm is a woodland that is managed for the continuous production of forest products, such as timber or Christman trees, while also focusing on the health of the ecosystem. Michigan has a Tree Farm Committee and list of Tree Farm Foresters; the latest list published in June 2025. For more information, visit  www.TreeFarmSystem.org/Michigan.