Ag News and Views: September 2005

September, 2005 Table of Contents News & Views Archive Issues

Agricultural Division Director
New Ag Division Staff in Place by Wadell Altom
Several open positions in the Noble Foundation Agricultural Division have recently been filled.

Announcements
Custom Hire Listings Now Available
The Noble Foundation has added a new online listing service to connect agricultural service providers with potential customers.

Economics
Begin Succession Planning Now by Fred Schmedt
It is estimated that up to 400 million acres of U.S. farmland will change hands in the next 20 years. Who will farm these acres? Who will farm or ranch on your acres?

Forage
Extending the Grazing Season — It's Not Too Late by James Rogers
The growing season is winding down, but from a forage production standpoint, an active growing season still lies ahead.

Horticulture
Hoop House Strawberry Trial: Year Three by Steve Upson
A report on the third year of the Noble Foundation's hoop house strawberry variety trial which concluded in May 2005.

Livestock
Rethinking Nitrate and Prussic Acid "Quick" Tests by Clay Wright
Nitrate and prussic acid quick tests are not meant to be quantitative. At best, a quick test only indicates whether or not potentially dangerous levels of accumulation might exist in a sample.

Soils
Use These Late-Season Weed, Brush Control Strategies by Jeff Ball
A management strategy to consider in the fall is the control of several hard-to-handle perennial weeds — field bindweed, Johnsongrass, bermudagrass, Sericea lespedeza and brush.

Wildlife
There Are No ‘Silver Bullets’ by Ken Gee
It is human nature to want to believe silver bullets exist, but, generally, this is not the case. As an example, consider the case of food plot mixtures being marketed at premium prices.