Broadcaster Press 5 April 16, 2019 www.broadcasteronline.com Planting Considerations For A Late Spring By Ruth Beck and Dwayne Beck SDSU Extension Agronomy Field Specialists Farm fields in some areas are unusually wet this year with many low areas under water. These conditions will make planting a challenge for farmers this year. Crop Rotation In anticipation of a late spring, many farmers are already shifting some acres from crops like wheat, oats and peas that are typically planted in early April, to other crops that favor later planting dates, such as corn, soybeans and sunflowers. Small grain producers may also consider seeding a cover or forage crops in lieu of the cool-season grain crop. It is possible to grow two forage crops in one season in most areas. This can take advantage of the improved moisture conditions this year. This might be preferable to totally changing crop types which also means changing the rotation. Careful consideration is necessary when crop rotation changes are being made. Changing the rotation can have consequences for several years due to impacts this has on residue levels and weed, disease, and insect spectrum. Cool-Season Crops The ideal planting window for spring wheat, oats and peas is thought to be the first three weeks of April or earlier if planting conditions are favorable. Spring wheat, oats and peas are all cool season crops that will germinate at lower soil temperatures (35-40 deg. F) and can survive moderate frost at early stages of growth. Planting these crops as early as possible promotes plant development before the warmer period of the summer. Heat and water stress can negatively impact yield of these crops, especially if this occurs during pollination and grain fill. Yield data from research on spring wheat suggests that wheat loses 1.5% of its yield potential every day after the optimum planting date. However, situations where there is ample moisture at seeding might temper this negative response, especially if cool weather prevails during the early summer. Selection of early season varieties can also help producers still committed to these early crops due to fall herbicide applications or crop rotation restrictions. Earlier varieties can improve the chance of avoiding mid and late summer heat during sensitive growth stages. If planting spring wheat later than usual, a heavier planting rate is generally recommended to compensate for reduced tiller development. Corn Soil temperatures need to be warmer for corn planting. Fifty degrees Fahrenheit is usually what is required for corn to germinate. Typically corn planting begins in late April and can run through May or longer, if conditions are not conducive for planting. Delayed planting reduces the number of growing degree units accumulated during the season. Corn that does not receive the required heat to mature properly will result in a product with low test weight, poor quality and increased drying costs. If planting is delayed producers should consider planting early maturing varieties to avoid these issues. Producers can be proactive by working with seed dealers to select corn varieties with a range of maturities. This will help reduce risk. Soybeans Soybeans require warmer soil temperatures (54 deg F) for germination. If drying conditions prevail this spring and soybean planting is timely, selecting Governor's Column: Advancing Habitat By Gov. Kristi Noem I’ve always loved being outside. Whether it was fishing with my dad, bow hunting with my daughters, or shooting birds with Booker, being under the South Dakota sky clears my head. I know many of you feel the same way. It’s part of our South Dakota way of life. Whether or not you take part in the sport, pheasant season is a major economic engine for South Dakota and a significant contributor to tourism, our second largest industry. Each year, 91,000 non-resident hunters flock to our state for hunting season and spend more than $310 million in our restaurants, gear shops, hotels, gift shops, and gas stations. That money makes a real difference for families and small businesses. If we’re committed to this heritage and want to preserve our outdoor culture, we need to proactively protect habitat. In recent years, pheasant numbers have dropped and habitat lands have diminished largely because of fewer CRP acres. Predators are impacting our bird populations as well. Having recently celebrated 100 years of pheasant hunting in South Dakota, we must now be intentional about sustaining our wildlands and grasslands to ensure the second century of pheasant hunting is just as successful as the first. At the beginning of this year, I launched my Second Century Initiative – a strategy to increase resources for habitat management. As part of this plan, I proposed a $1 million state investment to expand habitat and pheasant hunting opportunities. In March, the legislature approved this bill, and I was proud to sign it into law. These dollars, along with additional funds from private donations and federal conservation programs, will help establish some real momentum in habitat advancement. And we’re already moving forward, putting practical ideas into action. On April 1, we launched the nest predator bounty program that will focus on increasing trapping. Although this is a new program, trapping predators during nesting season has been practiced in South Dakota for decades. I’m excited to implement this plan to get our kids outside – away from the x-box and into the live box. This program will be extremely beneficial in enhancing duck and pheasant nest success. What’s more, my newly expanded Hunt for Habitat program taps into how we can help raise money to fund habitat efforts across South Dakota. This program will include an auction tag and raffle licenses. Right now, we’re looking at the possibility of expanding the area where the current bighorn sheep auction license is valid. This would be an incredible revenue source for habitat. These are just the start of our plans to expand habitat, and we know that the best ideas don’t have to come from Pierre. Since mid-February, we’ve been crowdsourcing for habitat solutions. This has sparked a conversation that has led to over 750 emails and an online dialogue that has over 300 group members thinking, talking, and exploring habitat solutions. As South Dakota’s Sportsman in Chief, I’m thrilled to see habitat making headlines and generating discussion around the dinner table. My Second Century Initiative is about families, introducing kids to the adventure of the outdoors, and preserving our culture for the next generation. Let’s advance habitat and work together to strengthen the next 100 years of our outdoor traditions If you don’t get the word out about your business, no one else will!!! INVESTING IN YOUR Community GIVING BACK Locally a soybean variety with the appropriate maturity rating for the growing area provides the best chance to achieve the highest yield. If planting dates for soybeans are delayed past mid-June, the maturity rating for soybean seed should be reduced by 0.5 from normal. A further reduction in maturity rating may be required if planting date is delayed until early July. Planting Deadlines Producers should check with their crop insurance agent for planting date deadlines. References: •Kleinjan, J., When is it Too Late to Plant Wheat? •Hall, Robert G., K. Reitsma, D. E. Clay. 2009. Corn Planting Guide. In iGrow Corn: Best Management Practices for Corn Production in South Dakota. South Dakota State University, SDSU Extension, Brookings, SD. •Mueller, N., C. G. Carlson, R. Hall. 2013. Selecting Soybean Varieties. In iGrow Soybeans: Best Management Practices for Soybean Production in South Dakota. South Dakota State University, SDSU Extension, Brookings, SD. CFR Provides Free 2-Part Homebuyer Express Class Center for Financial Resources’ (CFR’s) Homebuyer Express Class is provides valuable information to anyone in or considering the purchase of a new home. Topics include: personal money management; credit history review; mortgage financing and the loan process; shopping for a home; homeowner responsibilities; and predatory lending awareness. Homebuyer Express Part One will be Thursday, April 18th, and Part Two will be Thursday, April 25th. Both classes will be 5:30-8:30 PM at the Downtown Library at 200 N Dakota Ave. in Sioux Falls. Those interested can register through the calendar at www. LssSD.org or by calling 888-258-2227. Pre-registration is encouraged but not required for those attending in-person to help ensure we have seating for those attending in-person. Homebuyer Express is free to attend and open to the public. Video conference is available for those unable to attend in-person. To attend by video conference, you must register at least 24 hours in advance. The LSS Center for Financial Resources’ Homebuyer Express series is made possible through a grant from the SDHDA Homeownership Education Resource Organization (H.E.R.O.) H.E.R.O. Certificates of Completion are issued to participants after attending both parts 1 and 2. This certificate is required for some loan products, down payment assistance, and may qualify the buyer for closing cost credits through their title company. Lutheran Social Services is a private non-profit social service agency. Last year, 48,690 lives were touched through a variety of services offered through LSS statewide. Core services offered by LSS include adoption, pregnancy counseling, foster care, kinship services, childcare & education, disaster response, mental health counseling, re-entry services, Center for Financial Resources, residential services for children & youth, alternatives to detention, independent living services for young adults, mentoring, Better Together and Center for New Americans. LSS serves people of all ages, races, faiths and economic levels with professional, confidential and affordable services. LSS services are licensed by the State of South Dakota and accredited by the Council on Accreditation. LSS is a United Way agency. Community Meeting: Agricultural Pesticide Reporting and Risk Management Vermillion Public Library, Kozak Room Thursday, April 18th • 5:15pm - 6:45pm Refreshments served • Senate Bill 147 • Drift reporting procedures • Human exposure reporting • Statewide Taskforce • Local efforts to remediate chemical drift • Q & A with experts Topics: ® 101 W Main St | 605.624.4461 CorTrustBank.com ID 405612 Sponsored by: Angela Pulse and Glenn Pulse 46516 316th Street • Vermillion, SD 57069 Prairiesun Organics LLC angela@prairiesunorganics.com 605-638-0748