For those of us in the farm magazine business, the technology tools available today to farmers and the industry are fun to cover and, I admit, a bit overwhelming to explain at times. When I interview leading-edge Nebraska farmers at planting or harvest time, or during irrigation season, I find myself asking this question quite more and more when it comes to precision farming components—could you repeat that again? Monitors fill tractor cabs and combines, displaying instant…

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We recently started planning for the health screening services at the 2013 Husker Harvest Days show this fall in Grand Island. About 30 health and safety professionals sponsor booths in the Nebraska Farmer Hospitality Tent that are a popular stop for show visitors each year. In a way, those crowds taking part in the health screenings each year at HHD sort of belie the sometimes indifferent attitude about health and safety issues around the farm or ranch. The phrase "agricultural…

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Cover crops, if you haven't heard, have been in the news a lot in recent months. When it comes to cover crops, I believe there are three categories of producers: the true believers, those who are intrigued but want more information and the doubters who would rather continue their current traditional farming practices. Members of the latter category could well be no-tillers and conservation-minded farmers, but some are not. You can see the evidence across Nebraska of native…

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I cover and report on numerous agriculture and natural resources awards given out each year in Nebraska, and all are well deserved. Commodity groups present them to members active in their associations, or to those who win yield or production contests. Farm organizations recognize people who contribute to Nebraska agriculture in general. One award that I especially appreciate is the Leopold Conservation Award. Nebraska Cattleman and Cargill partner with the Wisconsin-based Sand County…

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It's a big logjam now in the 2013 Nebraska Legislature. In the remaining days—the current 90-day session is scheduled to adjourn in early June—debate on many bills will be sidetracked as state senators quarrel over the budget, proposed Medicaid expansion, capital punishment and other controversial measures. Even the designated priority bills of state senators and committees could get left behind in the debate over these issues. One bill I hope gets its time on legislative…

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Since Chuck Hagel, former U.S. senator from Nebraska, was approved as the nation's defense secretary, he, along with the backing of the Obama Administration, has been trimming the defense budget and proposing realigning priorities and strategies for a future, supposedly leaner military. Perhaps some changes are needed, but it makes one wonder about the national security of our nation at a time of rising tensions in the Middle East, the unstable situation in North Korea and the…

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As I wrote this entry, Lincoln streets were teeming with "Blue Coats." The state FFA Convention was in full gear and 3,700-plus FFAers from across Nebraska were taking part in the activities and festivities. FFA is one of the best, if not the best, youth organization in America. It produces young men and women with confidence in their own abilities and the drive to do well in college and in the careers that follow. I had the privilege of helping judge several ag proficiency…

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Dennis Adams, as head of the UNL rural forestry program, knows trees. And he knows first-hand how devastating the 2012 drought has been for the state’s tree resources. On his own tree farm near Lincoln, Adams says “the worst drought on record in Nebraska” killed 100% of his newly planted spruce and fir trees and 75% of the newly planted pine. “Root systems on newly planted tree are so shallow that they didn’t find soil moisture. The only salvation is…

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Epicenter is a word cropping up a lot recently around Nebraska. Cattle producers and University of Nebraska-Lincoln folks have attached that label to the state's beef industry—as in "Nebraska is the epicenter of the beef industry." And because Nebraska leads the country in irrigated acres and irrigation is the foundation for continued excellent crop yields now and into the future, I've even heard "epicenter" used for all of Nebraska agricultural and its…

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A task force put together by the Nebraska Cattlemen has embarked on a tough sell this summer and fall, but one that merits consideration by the state's beef producers. Led by Thedford rancher Dave Hamilton, the task force has proposed a state-based beef checkoff of $1 per head, an assessment that would be in addition to the existing national beef checkoff fee, which also is $1 per head. Thus far, seeking the state checkoff is not the official policy of the Nebraska Cattlemen…

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