Faulkner County Agriculture Update
July 12, 2024
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4H Ag Day
Jaley Pearson - Faulkner County Extension Intern
This week, we had the opportunity to introduce Faulkner County 4H members to the wide array of agriculture fields available in our county.
To kick off the morning, we introduced the 4H members with Arkansas's largest agricultural industry: rice. We provided an overview of the rice plant, discussing its various by-products. One emerging concern this year for Faulkner County rice producers is the rice stink bug, which we highlighted by sweeping the adjacent soybean field—an activity that excited the 4H members.
During our sweep, they discovered a variety of insects such as the alfalfa hopper, green stink bugs, and notably, the rice stink bug. The young members were especially delighted by the frogs they encountered and eagerly took turns holding them. We emphasized the importance of understanding which insects inhabit our crop fields and their impact on harvest yields. Additionally, we covered soybeans, Arkansas's most cultivated crop at 3 million acres, roughly half the size of Massachusetts.
After exploring the soybean fields, we proceeded to a corn field hosting a variety trial. Here, we showcased the diverse corn varieties grown by producers and provided an overview of the corn plant itself. They also observed firsthand how pollination affects the attachment of tassels to corn cobs. The highlight for many was the hands-on experience of picking and shucking corn, with several members selecting two or three ears to compare the differences.
We then went and visited a few Faulkner County producers to take a look at their farming equipment. Many of the 4H members enjoyed discussing the various aspects of the machinery and their purposes.
To end our tour, we visited a Faulkner County cattle operation where one of the Faulkner County 4H teen leaders lead our young members through her family's operation. They were introduced to a cow-calf herd, and the producers show cattle, showing them the many different aspects of the cattle industry.
When the 4H'ers got back to the office, Teen Leaders introduced them to different things they could cook with our commodities and even did a taste test on different food items. They ended up cooking rice and hamburger dishes.
The 4H members who joined Ag Day were introduced to the various fields of agriculture present in Faulkner County. They learned how these agricultural sectors contribute significantly to our community and everyday lives.
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4-H Foundation Fish Fry
Our 4-H Foundation Fish Fry Fund raiser is coming up on August 9th at the Conway Cowboy Church. Come on out for some good food and good fun!
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Weather
Beryl came through Faulkner County early this week dumping impressive amounts of rain all across the county. The best I can tell, the majority of people got around 5 inches of rain, but I have heard as little as 2.5 and as high as 7 inches. It was a heck of a rain, but the ground seemed to soak it all in and the ditches handled everything pretty good. We had a few flood situations but nothing drastic and wind seemed to be at a minimum. Now back to the heat.
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Rain chances come back into play later this week. The heat will be the biggest issue for most of the week with highs getting well into the high 90's. | |
Rice
Rice continues to move right along with the help of the heat we are seeing. We are seeing some rice head and that means rice stink bugs are going to be the next thing on the plate. I know some of the first headed fields are seeing big numbers so I have attached an article from Ben Thrash and Nick Bateman on how we should approach stink bugs. Lambda Cy is not cutting it anymore and we need to figure out how to use Tenchu. We sprayed a hay field for armyworms last week, and when I swept the field a few days later all I caught was rice stink bugs.
Rice Stink Bug Management in 2024
Options and Economics
Nick Bateman and Ben Thrash
As some of our earliest rice has begun to head this week, rice stink bug (RSB) numbers have been all over the board. We have received some reports of 30-50 RSB on 10 sweeps in areas where these are the only fields headed. More commonly folks are finding around 1 per sweep or 10 on 10 sweeps. Hopefully with a lot of our rice acres being squeezed into a relatively short planting window, more rice will begin to head and spread this population out over a lot of acres and reduce the levels below threshold.
Speaking of thresholds, we need to discuss some of the suggestions we have for this year. With the decrease in efficacy seen with lambda-cyhalothrin since 2020 we are looking at doubling the cost of a single application for RSB control. With this in mind, and our data from numerous sites over the last 6 years, we suggest raising the early season threshold (flowering and milk) to 10 per 10 sweeps and sticking to that throughout the growing season. We have rarely documented yield loss from rice stink bug in our plots unless numbers exceed 15 per 10 sweeps. The only reason we have not officially changed the threshold is because we are trying to repeat these studies in much larger plots to ensure that there is no yield loss at these RSB levels.
Lastly on thresholds, let fields get to a minimum of 75% headed before making applications. If using products such as Tenchu, we want to get as much product on heads as possible to increase odds of residual control.
As previously mentioned, our only good option currently is Tenchu. It has performed well in our studies in recent years and has provided better economic returns than pyrethroids. While we have heard from multiple folks that money is tight and they can’t afford the Tenchu price tag, we also cannot afford not to spray RSB when they exceed threshold. On average we gained $24/acre when using Tenchu compared to not spraying at all and actually lost money when using pyrethroids. These economics were figured on state average yields, so the price increase will only go up as the yield potential goes up.
At this point I think it is a given, but lambda is not providing the control it once did and if you are going to use it, you need to know that 50-60% control is about the best it is going to do. If this fits your situation then it’s still the cheapest and most readily available option, just realize there is essentially no residual, and the control is pretty poor and gets worse later into the season we go.
One way to get the “most bang for your buck” with Tenchu is to spray during the 2nd or 3rd week of heading (when heads are just beginning to turn down). It has the residual to get us to our termination timing of 60% straw-colored kernels. Our current situation doesn’t really allow the flexibility to spray twice with Tenchu, so as mentioned above, if we have numbers of 10 per 10 sweeps or less during the first 2 weeks of heading, keep the product in the jug and apply once we start moving to soft dough. The one consistent thing we have seen is the quality losses associated with above threshold populations of RSB during the second 2 weeks of heading and it can get costly.
The last thing we want to mention is the current status of Endigo ZCX. We have been receiving calls since this winter on whether we would be getting another Section 18 this year or not. Currently there is a large quantity of Tenchu available, and EPA is aware of it. Until this runs out, we have no legal justification to submit. We can assure that if/when stocks run out, we are fully prepared to submit for a crisis exemption. Time will tell.
Below is a link to Dr. Hardke's Arkansas Rice Update from last Friday.
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Armyworms on the March in Rice
Nick Bateman and Ben Thrash
We have seen fall armyworms (FAW) in our plots around the state for the past month and a half. Until this week the numbers have been low and you wouldn’t have known they were there if it weren’t for catching them in a sweep net. Things have changed tremendously, particularly in the southeast part of the state. Since this past weekend numerous phone calls and texts have been received with large amounts of FAW being found in rice.
Rice can handle a fairly large amount of defoliation before yield loss occurs with later plantings being more sensitive. Our thresholds for defoliation are: Armyworms should be treated when defoliation exceeds 20% at green ring through heading. During heading, treat if head clipping is occurring and armyworms are present. Armyworms have the potential to do large amounts of defoliation in a short amount of time. Fields with armyworms in them should be monitored closely to ensure we do not exceed these defoliation thresholds.
So, what options do we have for control? Frankly none of the labeled options are great. Lambda used to be really good but since 2021 control has lessened and it is no longer reliable. Dimilin plus Lambda works well in both pastures and rice, however, it has an 80-day preharvest interval and is difficult to find in large quantities.
We have submitted for and received a Section 18 “crisis” exemption for Intrepid 2F this week (https://www.agriculture.arkansas.gov/wp-content/uploads/AR-Sec18-Crisis-Exemption-Intrepid-2F-Fall-Armyworms-Rice-Effective-7-11-2024-1.pdf). As of July 11, we are legal to spray Intrepid 2F in rice for armyworms. However, under this exemption we have a 14-day window to make applications. With that being said a “specific” exemption is under review with EPA and if approved will allow for season-long use. We have had good luck with both knockdown and residual control of armyworms with 4 oz of Intrepid. Keep in mind the applicator has to have the label in hand at the time of application and must report the amount of acres treated to ADA.
Right now, it appears that the highest pressure is on the southeast section of the state, but reports of large amounts of armyworm on broadleaf signalgrass on turn rows and pastures statewide have been common this week. Hopefully, this will only affect a minimal amount of acres in the state, but this is very similar to what was seen in 2021. Everyone needs to be checking the edges of fields and grassy areas of fields, these tend to be where they start.
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Soybeans
Sweeping soybeans this week we noticed an uptick on green stinkbug numbers. We were only catching 2 to 3 per 25 sweeps but talking to Ben Thrash there has been several calls this week on higher numbers across the state. Keep an eye out and start sweeping podding soybeans for greens. We need to treat when we find 9 green stinkbugs per 25 sweeps before R6.
Corn earworm numbers continue to be down across the state and moth numbers still haven't increased in our traps.
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Corn
This corn crop may be the least irrigated corn crop I have ever been a part of. This rain from Beryl will send some of the dryland fields close to the end. We catch just one more good one and it is over. Disease pressure remains low. I am interested to see how well this crop will yield with all of the early season issues we had with rain.
We accumulated 190 heat units this week which brings us up to 2321 total heat units since April 1. That would put corn into R5.
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2024 University of Arkansas Corn College, August 7, 2024
The University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture will host a Corn College on August 7, 2024, at the Lon Mann Cotton Research Station at Marianna.
The Corn College will offer 6 stops with hands-on training on various aspects of corn production and will include weed control programs, insect and disease identification and management, irrigation management, nutrient deficient identification and management, and agronomic considerations.
Continuing education credits will be available. Lunch will be provided.
The training will begin with registration from 8:00-8:30 am, and tours will start at 8:30 am and will conclude by 3:30 pm.
Registration is $100/person and you must be registered by August 2, 2024.
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Corn Earworm Moth Traps
Numbers continue to be low across our moth traps. I talked to Dr. Aaron Cato who said this is common across the state. They have also been expecting a big flight any week and are surprised we haven't seen it. We will continue to monitor the traps and see if it happens.
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Herbicide Trainings
Anyone that applies Enlist, Dicamba, or Paraquat are required to go through additional education hours. The Enlist and Dicamba training is done online through the University of Arkansas Division of Agriculture. Paraquat is done through the National Pesticide Safety Education Center and there is a $25 charge.
For Enlist and Dicamba follow the link to our Pesticide Training Page. On the left side of the screen there is a menu that links you to Enlist and Dicamba training. I have also added the link to the NPSEC website for the Paraquat training.
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Beef, Small Ruminants, & Forages | |
Mid-Year Cattle Market Assessment
Derrell S. Peel, Oklahoma State University Extension Livestock Marketing Specialist
With the first half of 2024 in the books, it’s worth evaluating the first six months and what to expect for the remainder of the year.
At mid-year, cattle prices are at all-time record levels. Fed steers averaged $195.81/cwt., live basis, and 850-pound, Med/Large, No. 1 steers averaged $255.41/cwt. in Oklahoma auctions prior to July 4. Likewise Boning cull cows, average dressing, averaged $143.22/cwt. with high dressing Breaker cows averaging $ 154.41/cwt. Steers calves are priced slightly below the March seasonal peak but averaged $324.53/cwt. before July 4 for 475-pound Med/Large, No. 1 steers, down from the $350.85/cwt. March average.
Beef production is down 1.6 percent year over year in the first half of the year. Thus far, beef production is down less than expected. All of the reduction in beef production is in nonfed beef, with fed beef production actually 0.7 percent higher for the year to date and nonfed beef production down 12.5 percent year over year in the first half of 2024. Steer slaughter is down 1.7 percent and heifer slaughter is down 1.5 percent year over year so far this year, but sharply higher steer and heifer carcass weights are more than offsetting the modest decreases in slaughter. Carcass weight showed little seasonal decline through the first half of the year and steer carcasses averaged 32 pounds heavier year over year in the second quarter of the year with heifer carcasses 26 pounds heavier in the past 12 weeks.
Choice boxed beef prices are just about equal to one year earlier with a price of $329.96/cwt in early July. Wholesale prices for popular grilling steaks are strong at midyear, led by Strip Loins and Top Sirloin. The reduction in nonfed beef production, combined with strong ground beef demand has pushed 90 percent lean trimmings and subsequent wholesale ground beef prices prices to record levels. A mix of five pounds of 90 percent lean and one pound of 50 percent lean resulting in an 83.3 percent lean ground beef formulation has a record wholesale price of $3.26/lb. in early July.
As of June 1, feedlot inventories were equal to one year ago. Feedlot inventories have been stubbornly slow to decrease with annual average monthly feedlot inventories down just 2.2 percent since the peak level 21 months ago in Sept 2022. Feedlot placements are declining but feedlot inventories remain high due to more days on feed and continued large heifer slaughter rates. The strong heifer slaughter suggests that little, if any, heifer retention for herd rebuilding has begun.
Supply fundamentals will continue to tighten for the remainder of the year and beyond. Beef production will likely finish the year down 3.0-3.5 percent year over year, less than previously expected due to continued heavy carcass weights. Feedlot inventories and cattle slaughter will continue to decline, perhaps faster if heifer retention begins in a significant way. Baring outside shocks, cattle prices will remain at record levels and push even higher if herd rebuilding begins in the coming months.
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Armyworms in Faulkner County
We sprayed more fields this week for armyworms. Where they are bad.....they are BAD. I haven't seen damage like this in several years. The bigger worms are eating through grass fast and if you see the big ones, get on them. Lambda and Dimilin seem to be working pretty good. Dimilin is going to give you some residual, it won't be real long, but for the price of $2 an acre it is worth it to me.
I have had a few calls about mixing Lambda and Dimilin with 2,4-D or Grazon. They can be mixed and sprayed if you have weeds. But please note, you can't spray the Lambda and Dimilin as a preventative. Don't add that mix to your herbicide unless you HAVE armyworms.
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Leave the Stubble, Keep the Stand
Dr. Jonathan O. C. Kubesch - University of Arkansas Extension Forage Specialist
Grazing sticks, disc mowers, and dry summers push us to look out on stands and ask if we can take a lower cut or a longer graze. It’s understandable that we might want to get more out of a pass over the field or that we might need to push a stand in harder times. Our agents and our specialist tell us to leave some residual leaves, but we need some forage now. What’s the real value of cutting or grazing a little lower?
Here's a real-world math problem from a farm in Faulkner County. There’s a 13-head herd on 32 acres of mixed pasture with a lot of fencing and water infrastructure that makes rotational grazing and hay production easy for the owner. There have been some issues with bulls hopping fences, but the herd is generally in a similar plane of nutritional demand.
Let’s say that cattle generally go into a new paddock when the grass is 8 inches tall and leave when the grass is 4 inches tall. What’s the value of trying to graze down to a 2-inch stubble?
Here are some givens:
- Paddocks are ~ 5 acres
- Grazing efficiency is 75% because cattle are moved through a lot of paddocks that get a fair deal of rest
- The herd is 13 head, ingesting 2.5% of their bodyweight, and on average weigh 1200 lbs
- Mixed pastures in excellent condition have about 400 lbs/acre/inch in forage, whereas fair condition pastures only have 200 lbs/acre/inch in forage
The number of days a paddock can support grazing can be estimated as:
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If the pasture is in excellent condition, leaving a 4-inch stubble allows the paddock to support 15 days of grazing and leaving a 2-inch stubble allows the paddock to support 23 days of grazing. Occasionally grazing a little lower will provide a little over an extra week of grazing. After 3-5 years of strong grazing, fertility, and weed management, our pastures will forgive this occasional intense grazing event. We can build up the resilience of our grazing systems when our plants are allowed to recover from grazing or haying events.
However, these calculations obscure the fact that repeatedly grazing to lower stubble heights will degrade the stand over time. Leaving less stubble after multiple grazing or haying events will slow down plant regrowth and can even shift the composition of a pasture away from more productive species. Think about the spread of common crabgrass, broadleaf weeds, and bare soil where aggressive harvesting removes the root reserves of more desirable bermudagrass or tall fescue. Stubble heights can set the long-term trajectory of our plant pasture community in terms of its composition and its productivity.
When we account for the stand degradation typically seen when we leave short stubbles repeatedly, we calculate that while our 4-inch stubble still provides 15 days of grazing the 2-inch stubble only offers 12 days of grazing. When we compare the canopy architectures in those stands those 12 days of grazing also are providing less nutrition to the herd.
Our pastures and hayfields can be extremely forgiving when we graze or cut a little too aggressively so long as those occasions are infrequent. Long-term we will reduce the productive potential of our stands.
We need to be especially judicious in pastures and hayfields where we are correcting years of mismanagement. The cushion of plant root reserves, soil nutrients and organic matter, as well as the productive plant community will not have the resilience to overgrazing or aggressive haying.
When it comes down to it, leave the stubble, keep the stand.
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The Continuation of Higher Prices is a Welcome Sight for Sheep Producers
Dr. Dan Quadros - University of Arkansas Extension Small Ruminant Specialist
Throughout this year, the three-market (Colorado, South Dakota and Texas) average monthly prices for 60- to 90-lb slaughter lambs, midway through June, are averaging $257.95 per cwt., $36.57 (15%) higher compared to last year ($220.38 per cwt.).
In Texas, 100- to 150-pound slaughter lambs are averaging $75.75 per cwt. higher on a monthly basis compared to last year ($199.24 per cwt). In South Dakota and Pennsylvania, prices are $60.19 and $61.50 per cwt. higher compared to the previous year, respectively.
At the retail level, recent reports show increased activity by stores across the country.
In the wholesale market, the national lamb cutout value is holding steady at $472.16 per cwt. in early June. Throughout this year, this price series has been oscillating around $470 per cwt., which is higher than the previous five-year average that saw prices hovering around $405 to $415 per cwt (Graph below). Additionally, this year’s trend has been the opposite compared to last year, where the market had prices trending downward and bottoming out at $431.45 per cwt. at the tail end of June 2023 before climbing to current levels through the last quarter of last year.
Through this year, approximately 723,000 lambs and yearlings were slaughtered, which puts 2.15% more lambs and yearlings in the market compared to last year. However, the carcasses are 1.6 and 5.4 lb lighter than last year (64.5 lb) and five-year average (68.5 lbs), respectively. As a result, total lamb production is relatively unchanged compared to a year ago.
Retail demand is supporting higher slaughter prices compared to a year ago. If the historical trend holds true, prices will stabilize around these levels through the rest of the year. Demand will be a key indicator moving forward for these prices.
The downside of higher prices is the impact on the amount of lamb meat we are importing. Total imports for the year, so far, are at approximately 97 million lbs, with a monthly average of 24.2 million pounds per month. In comparison, this year’s totals are above last year’s total at this time – 74.5 million lbs – and the previous five-year average of 80.4 million lbs. Similarly to other parts of the market, imports historically hold steady through the summer months into the fall, thus, unless something unexpected happens, imports should remain at these same monthly levels.
Adapted from Martinez, C. Market report. Sheep Industry News Magazine, July 2024.
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Livestock Market Report
The weekly livestock market report is available on the Arkansas Department of Agriculture website.
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Faulkner/Perry Grazing Field Day - July 13, 2024, 9:00 - 12:00 at Jeff Owen Farm in Enola. | | | | |