News
Posted on February 25, 2026
A recent shift toward more restrictive weed control measures along with new, mandatory pesticide application rules has been mandated by the EPA. Wesley Everman, Ph.D., Iowa State Extension weed specialist, began an explanation of the rule changes with a brief history of what brought the EPA to devel...
Country Folks
Beef industry B13 
Posted on February 25, 2026
The Eastern Regional Junior Angus Show’s (ERJAS) 2026 event, “Fallin’ for Angus in the Empire State,” will take place June 18 - 21 in Hamburg, NY, at the Erie County Fairgrounds. ERJAS is the second largest show of the National Junior Angus Shows. It rotates around the eastern U.S. annually to allow...
Country Folks
by Andy Haman 
Posted on February 25, 2026
Multiple streams of income can bring financial success for any business owner. Agriculture is no different. Evolution is important if you want to “stay in the game.” However, a game plan is vital for those who wish to do so. Diversification can be driven by several factors, says Penn State Extension...
Country Folks
by Sally Colby 
Posted on February 25, 2026
The largest rodent in North America is the beaver. It lives in nearly all 50 states, and it’s the official mammal of New York State. Their strong jaws allow them to decimate trees quickly, and just one animal can chew down several hundred trees every year. Beaver dams flood farmland, timber and road...
Country Folks
by Deborah Jeanne Sergeant 
Posted on February 25, 2026
It can be very hard to sometimes predict what the effect of the cover crop will be on nitrogen requirements for the next corn crop,” said Charlie White, a Penn State associate professor and Extension specialist in soil fertility and nutrient management. Pennsylvania corn growers facing this conundru...
Country Folks
Crop Comments
Posted on February 25, 2026
Fertilizer burn is seedling injury caused by high concentrations of salt, nitrogen or ammonia in fertilizer applied too close to the seed or in-furrow. This causes dehydration, yellowing, stunted growth and delayed maturity. Nature boasts two ways for getting rid of surplus moisture. The most common...
Country Folks
by Sally Colby 
Posted on February 18, 2026
Many dairy cows go on to a second career as beef, and it’s the responsibility of everyone on the farm to care for them properly until they leave the farm. Veterinarian Dr. Julia Herman, who consults on animal health for the National Cattleman’s Beef Association (NCBA), says dairy farms have a lot to...
Country Folks
by Joseph Armstrong 
Posted on February 18, 2026
For many small processors, getting beef officially graded can be a challenge. USDA’s Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) has developed a Remote Beef Grading Program (RGP) that is removing much of that burden by allowing plants to submit carcass information digitally rather than relying on in‑person...
Country Folks
by Sonja Heyck-Merlin 
Posted on February 18, 2026
A recently published study assesses the feasibility of creating a Northeast value-added dairy training center to support makers of dairy products. The findings were summarized by Shayna Cohen and Liz Thorpe in a presentation hosted by the Vermont Agency of Agriculture, Food & Markets’ Northeast Dair...
Country Folks
by Sally Colby 
March 4, 2026
As African swine fever (ASF) inches closer to the U.S., many countries are already dealing with the devastating disease that can shut down both large ...
Country Folks
by Maddy Poitras 
March 4, 2026
I am Maddy Poitras, an active Junior member in the seven major dairy breeds associations. Every year the event I most look forward to, which starts th...
Country Folks
ning of different colors. Go out every by Karl H. Kazaks 
March 4, 2026
Over 650 people attended the 2026 North Carolina Commodities Conference. One of the highlight speakers was Alex Harrell, farmer from southwest Georgia...
Country Folks
by Deborah Jeanne Sergeant 
March 4, 2026
For Kerry Hollier, owner of Teasel Meadow Farms in Red Creek, NY, raising pigs is in his blood. For the past 10 years, he’s raised freezer pork and fe...
