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July 12, 2012 Volume 3, Issue 6

Managing Drought Stressed Corn for Silage 1‐3

What Is Your Corn

Pollina on IQ? 3‐4

Agriculture Weather Report 9

Upcoming Events 12

Did You Know 12

Announcements 10‐12

Crop Reports 8‐9

First Dra of New House Farm Bill 4‐7

Corn Pollina on IQ 8

In this issue

Managing Drought Stressed Corn for Silage Dr. Charlie Staples, Professor, University of Florida

Harvesting Guidelines Occasionally a year's corn crop falls substantially short of the harvest we've become accustomed to. Still, valuable nutrients remain to be salvaged for feeding purposes. While yields may be reduced, the plants can still be harvested and utilized with some additional attention. In a normal year about one week after pollination has occurred, small white blisters will start to form on the cob. These early kernels will continue to develop to maturity if water is available. Delay the harvest if most of the stalks have ears, even if the leaves are turning brown. The extra water in stalks and leaves will allow the kernels to continue to increase in weight. If the stalks have only a few ears, don't delay the harvest once the leaves die and start to drop off. Toxicity Danger Animals Some growers may be tempted to graze or greenchop the corn. This is not recommended because the risk of nitrate-nitrite toxicity is too great. Nitrates accumulate in the plant only if there is a large amount of nitrate in the soil (caused by fertilizing with nitrates) and something interferes with normal plant growth (drought). A good shower on droughted plants will cause the plant to take up soil nitrates quickly. If it is harvested and fed to animals soon afterward, toxicity can occur. Ruminants consuming nitrates reduce them to nitrites which are absorbed and can cause toxicosis. Moderate levels of nitrite can be tolerated, but high concentrations overwhelm the animals' system, causing a decreased ability of the blood to carry oxygen. Symptoms of nitrite toxicity include increased pulse rate, quickened respiration, heavy breathing, muscle trembling, weakness, staggered gait, blindness, and even death. If the blood is sampled, it will be a chocolate brown color rather than bright red. If drought-stricken corn plants are to be used as feed, have them analyzed for nitrates. Laboratory analyses may be reported in several ways. Equation 1 shows how you can calculate nitrate nitrogen:

Cont. pg. 2

Equation 1

Nitrate (N03) x .23 = nitrate nitrogen Potassium nitrate (KN03) x .14 = nitrate nitrogen Sodium nitrate (NaN03) x .16 = nitrate nitrogen

Agronomy News - July 12, 2012 2

Cont. pg. 3

Feeding guidelines for feedstuffs containing different concentrations of nitrates are in Table 1. High energy feeds such as grains are best to feed in conjunction with high nitrate silages. An excellent way to reduce the nitrate level in plants is to ensile them. One-fifth to two-thirds of the nitrate may be eliminated during the ensiling process. Wait three weeks after ensiling before feeding the silage so that the fermentation process can be completed. The amount of moisture in the plant will affect the length of fermentation. Corn ensiled at less than 55% moisture will undergo less fermentation and less nitrates will be converted. Dry corn doesn't pack well. Air is trapped, which causes heating and molding to occur, instead of proper fermentation. Adding water at ensiling may improve the fermentation process. An additional way to reduce the nitrate levels is to harvest the corn a little higher from the ground than normal as the lower third of the stalk contains the highest concentration of nitrates. See Table 2. Humans While nitrate-nitrogen may harm livestock at 4,000 parts per million (ppm), nitrogen dioxide levels as low as 25 ppm can be toxic to humans. Nitrogen dioxide comes from nitrate-nitrogen during fermentation. Most gases are produced 3-4 days after

filling the silo, but the production of gases begins within 2 hours. Concentrations of 25 ppm are invisible and can't be smelled. When concentrations of nitrogen tetroxide reach 100 ppm, the gas appears yellowish brown and smells like laundry bleach. It will leave a yellow stain on most material it contacts. If inhaled, nitric acid forms in the lungs where it can quickly corrode the tissues. Do not enter a tower silo without first running the blower for at least 10-15 minutes. Follow this procedure for at least the first 2-3 weeks alter filling. Feeding Silage made from corn having no ears or partially filled ears have 65~80% the value of normal corn silage on a dry matter basis. Typical nutrient compositions of various weather-damaged corn silage is in Table 3. As drought damage intensifies, energy content decreases and protein content increases. Be sure to test your corn for its chemical content in order to take advantage of its higher crude protein content. Avoid feeding urea or urea-containing feeds with drought-stressed corn. Much of the nitrogen in the leaves and stalks is very soluble, similar to urea. This soluble nitrogen is converted to ammonia quickly in the rumen and can be excreted in the urine without providing any benefit to the animal.

Supplementing drought-stressed corn with plant or animal protein such as peanut or soybean meal will often result in better animal performance. Table 4 compares the feeding value of normal and droughted corn supplemented with either urea or soybean meal for steer gains. Steers receiving normal corn silage performed similarly to those receiving drought-stressed corn silage. Urea was effective in improving daily gain when fed with normal corn silage but was ineffective when fed with droughted corn silage. Soybean meal supplementation was most beneficial. Summary 1. Drought-stressed corn can usually be

salvaged as a usable feed although nitrate toxicity can pose a serious problem for animals.

2. Ensiling the plants will usually reduce the amount of nitrate-nitrogen by one-fifth to two-thirds.

3. Properly sample and test the plants for nitrate-nitrogen. Adjust the ration to

keep nitrate levels below 0.4% of ration dry matter.

4. Nutritive value of drought-stressed corn will generally be 65-85% of normal corn. Feed plant or animal protein sources with droughted corn rather than urea for optimum animal performance.

Agronomy News - July 12, 2012 3

During the past two weeks, the majority of the crop has tasseled which means it has entered the most critical yield-determining growth stage, pollination. During this same period, a lengthy stretch of weather with temperatures in the upper 90’s and occasionally eclipsing 100o occurred. Added to this intense heat was drought that continues to impact much of the state. Given these conditions how successful will corn pollination be this year?

The following true-false statements about corn pollination will test your pollination IQ and should help answer that question. The answers to these statements can be found on one of the later pages of this newsletter. 1. Pollen shed does not begin until silks

emerge. 2. Pollen shed usually begins before the

tassel is fully emerged from the leaf sheath.

3. Pollen shed generally occurs prior to 8 am.

4. During the entire period of pollen shed, pollen grains are dispersed each day from the entire length of tassel.

5. Pollen grains are stored in the yellow sacs called anthers.

6. Most of the pollen grains are carried by wind and air currents more than 100 feet from their parent plant.

7. Pollen shed con nues during rainy

Cont. pg. 4

What Is Your Corn Pollination IQ?

Dr. Bob Kratochvil, Extension Agronomist

Agronomy News - July 12, 2012 4

Cont. pg. 5

weather, during periods of heavy dew, and even during very dry conditions.

8. Pollen is not easily washed off the silks during rainstorms.

9. A pollen grain remains viable for 3-4 days after settling onto a silk.

10. A pollen grain that has settled onto a silk will require 3-4 days for the pollen tube to grow the length of the silk tube and fertilize the ovule.

11. A well-developed ear shoot will have 750-1000 potential kernels called ovules.

12. The first silks that appear come from the tip of the ear shoot.

13. Under good growing conditions, all silks will appear within 3-5 days.

14. A silk will continue to elongate until a pollen grain settles on it.

15. The majority of pollen grains that

fertilize the ear shoot ovules on a corn plant come from that plant.

16. When pollen shed coincides with a hot, droughty period, the resultant poor fertilization can be blamed on a shortage of pollen.

(See Answers on page 8)

First Draft of New House Farm Bill

Dr. Carl Zulauf, Professor, The Ohio State University Dr. Gary Schnitkey, Professor and Dr. Nick Paulson, Assistant Professor, University of Illinois

Overview

On July 5, 2012, the U.S. House Committee on Agriculture released a discussion draft of the 2012 Farm Bill. The Bill’s title is the Federal Agriculture Reform and Risk Management Act (FARRM). This article summarizes provisions in FARRM that concern the safety net for U.S. crops: The provisions are in Title I, Commodities and Title XI, Crop Insurance. The article also compares FARRM with the 2012 Farm Bill recently passed by the U.S. Senate. Note this article is divided into 3 self-contained sections. Each section has its own summary and therefore there is no closing summary. Also note that many provisions contained in the crop safety net provisions of the Farm Bills are not discussed in this article.

Comparison of Crop Commodity Programs from the House Discussions Bill and Senate Passed Bill

► First, it is important to note that considerable agreement exists among the House Discussion Bill and the Senate Passed Farm Bill.

Both Bills embrace risk management as the focus of the crop safety net, have a Supplemental Coverage Option for insurance, contain a county

revenue option as a complement to insurance, eliminate direct payments, and retain marketing loans (Table 1).

Both Bills also embrace as a foundation theme that it is not a viable policy option to have a single risk management program that is uniformly applied to all crops. This decision reflects the diversity of crops grown in the U.S. and the wide variation in agro-climates within the U.S. Thus, each bill offers choices to farms (Table 1).

► Program parameters differ between

the House and Senate county revenue programs. Key differences exist in (Table 1):

Coverage range: 75% to 85% for House Discussion Bill vs. 79% to 89% for Senate Passed Bill,

Payment acres: 85% of planted acres and 30% of prevent plant acres for House Discussion Bill vs. 80% of planted acres and 45% of prevent plant acres for Senate Passed Bill, and

Availability of Insurance Supplemental Coverage Option: not available to county revenue participants in the House Discussion Bill vs. available to county revenue participants in the Senate Passed Bill.

Overall, payments by the county

revenue program are likely to be less from the House Bill than from the Senate Bill

These differences and others will need to be compromised in a final bill if the House Discussion Bill is passed by the House.

► A major difference is that the House

Discussion Bill replaces the farm revenue program option in the Senate Bill with a price counter-cyclical program for which fixed minimum support prices have been increased, yields can be updated to 2008-2012, and current planted, not historical base, acres are used (Table 1).

This difference reflects differences in

policy philosophy. Should the focus be only on revenue as in the Senate Bill instead of the historical focus on price as in the House Bill? Should support levels be fixed by Congress as in the House Bill or tied to the market as in the Senate Bill. Should farm yield variability be addressed only by insurance programs or should it also be addressed by commodity programs? How these philosophical questions are answered will affect how these policy differences are compromised.

Agronomy News - July 12, 2012 5

Cont. pg. 6

Because the House Bill fixes minimum support prices in the Price Loss Coverage (PLC) program, it is important to assess how these support prices align with recent market prices. Figure 1 presents the ratio of the fixed PLC support prices relative to the Olympic average of U.S. prices for the 2008 through 2012 crop years. In calculating this ratio, it is assumed that the high price for each crop is the forthcoming 2012 crop year price due to the current drought. This

assumption may not be correct, but it means the Olympic average is its highest possible value. Also note, the minimum price in the STAX program for upland cotton is included in this comparison. The ratio varies substantively, ranging from 72% for corn to 110% for peanuts. The higher the ratio, the higher the PLC price support is relative to recent market prices. The divergence in values among the crops means that the potential exists for the PLC price

support program to distort markets by distorting the distribution of acres planted to U.S. crops, even without a significant decline in price. Everything else the same, the PLC program in the House Discussion Bill will tend to increase acres in crops with a high ratio and reduce acres in crops with a low ratio, but the actual impact will depend upon the interplay of many factors.

Agronomy News - July 12, 2012 6

Cont. pg. 7

Initial Thoughts on Choice between House Programs: Price Loss Coverage (PLC) vs. Revenue Loss Coverage (RLC) ► Farms are given a one-time choice

between PLC and RLC. PLC is the default choice; thus, a farm will need to actively request RLC. The decision is made separately for each crop. While a detailed analysis that incorporates all parameters of the two programs is needed to assess this choice, the following is offered as an initial set of thoughts concerning this decision.

Considerations that favor choosing RLC over PLC (1) Since RLC coverage starts at

85% of a 5-year Olympic Moving Average, RLC is, in general, currently more favorable for crops with a ratio in Figure 1 that is less than 85%. These crops are corn, soybeans, and oats. Note this assessment could change if

prices decrease, especially if the decline is notable, over the 2012-2017 crop years covered by the 2012 Farm Bill.

(2) Payment is made on 100% of yield for RLC. In contrast, payment is made on 90% of yield for PLC.

(3) Yields are updated annually for RLC. In contrast, yields are not updated for PLC. Note this consideration may not end up favoring RLC over PLC if yields decline over the period of the 2012 Farm Bill.

Considerations that favor choosing PLC over RLC (1) Since RLC coverage starts at 85%

of a 5-year Olympic Moving Average, PLC is currently more favorable for crops with a ratio in Figure 1 that exceeds 85%. These crops are peanuts, barley, and rice. Note this assessment could change if prices increase over the 2012-2017 crop years covered by

the 2012 Farm Bill. (2) The annual cap on per unit PLC

payment is the difference between the PLC support price and the loan rate. The PLC support prices range in size from 39% to 154% higher than the loan rate. In contrast, the annual cap on per unit RLC payment is 10%.

(3) Participants in PLC are eligible for the Insurance Supplemental Coverage Option (SCO) while participants in RLC are not eligible for SCO. SCO could be an important option, particularly for farmers concerned with payment limits, as there is no payment limit associated with SCO.

(4) PLC is the default choice. The default option is often appealing because there are no transaction and thinking costs. These costs are especially important when it is not clear that any choice is superior.

Agronomy News - July 12, 2012 7

► A quick assessment suggests it will be difficult to devise rules for choosing between PLC and RLC. Moreover, it is impossible to forecast whether PLC or RLC will end up providing the most payments. The end result will depend on how much yields increase and how prices change over the next 5 years. Nevertheless, 2 observations are possible.

Clear differences exist regarding the

current value of the two programs. This consideration means that, ignoring all other factors and assuming markets do not change dramatically between now and 2017, PLC currently favors peanuts, barley and rice while RLC currently favors corn, soybeans, and oats.

It is also clear that, if large price declines are a key concern, then PLC will offer more protection, assuming that the farm is not impacted by

payments limits. The reason for this conclusion is that, as noted above, the cap on per unit payment is much higher for PLC than for RLC.

Insurance Provisions The insurance provisions in the House Discussion Bill and Senate Passed Bill generally are the same, including many provisions not in the table below. A key difference is that the House Bill contains a minimum price for upland cotton in STAX.

Entitlement Criteria for Farm Program Eligibility Entitlement criteria are less binding in the House Discussion Bill than in the Senate Passed Bill. Differences exist between the two Bills concerning the marketing loan payment limit, crop program payment limit, AGI limit, and Conservation Compliance for crop insurance.

Agronomy News - July 12, 2012 8

Cont. pg. 9

Western Heat and humidity had a firm grip on our area since the last report. We dodged the bullet of the severe storms that pounded some other areas of Maryland. Wheat and barley are harvested and double crop soybeans are planted behind many of those acres. Corn is beginning to tassel so the heat and dry weather will be a concern as corn pollinates and the double crop beans germinate. Second cutting grass and alfalfa

hay has been harvested but third cutting will range from small to none. Pastures are also suffering from the lack of moisture. Harvest of sweet corn, tomatoes, melons and early peaches has begun. We will continue to look to the sky for needed rain and a break in the oppressive heat. Central Extremely warm temperatures last week helped push corn and soybean growth. Rains have kept the upper soil profile with

adequate moisture for crop growth in most areas, but moisture stress has been appearing in those spotty locations that were missed by the most recent rains. Heavy winds created some spotty crop and property damage. Wheat harvest is moving quickly, and yields have varied greatly. Corn is in tassel, and doing well. Soybeans have an excellent start in this region. Fruit fly damage continues to be found and Brown Marmorated Stink Bugs are making their presence known.

Crop Reports

Corn Pollination IQ……continued from page 3

Answers 1. False. Pollen shed begins 2-3 days

prior to silk emergence and will continue for 5-8 days after all the silks have appeared. Under good conditions, this provides ample time for fertilization to occur. Peak pollen shed generally occurs 3-5 days into the process.

2. False, most of the time. The tassel is generally fully emerged and stretched out before any pollen is shed. However, there have been reports this year from Corn Belt states experiencing high temperatures and drought about pollen being shed from tassels that had not fully emerged from the leaf sheath.

3. False. Peak pollen shed occurs during the mid to late morning hours of 9-11 am.

4. False. Pollen shed begins from the mid to central spike portion of the tassel and spreads in both directions along the tassel with the lower tassel branches last to shed pollen.

5. True. The yellow sacs which contain the pollen grains are called anthers.

6. False. The vast majority of the pollen grains dispersed by a corn plant will

settle within 20-50 feet of the parent corn plant.

7. False. Pollen shed is not a continuous process. Weather does impact pollen shed. It stops when the tassel is wet from either rain or heavy dew and when conditions are very dry. It begins again when weather conditions are favorable.

8. True. Pollen has little chance of getting washed off the silks during rain because pollen is not shed when the tassel is wet. Pollen grains become attached to the silks that are covered with fine, sticky hairs which anchor the pollen grains.

9. False. Under favorable conditions, pollen grain remains viable for only 18 to 24 hours.

10. False. The pollen grain begins growth of its pollen tube down the silk channel within minutes after contacting a silk. The pollen tube will grow the length of the silk and enter the ovule in 12 to 28 hours.

11. True. A well-developed ear shoot should have 750 to 1,000 ovules (potential kernels) and each produces a silk. The number of ovules for an ear shoot is determined during the V7 to V8 growth stage of the plant.

12. False. The first silks to appear are from the base of the ear shoot. The

silks from the tip of the ear shoot emerge last.

13. True. Under favorable conditions, all silks will emerge and be ready for pollination within 3 to 5 days. This usually provides adequate time for all silks to be pollinated before pollen shed ceases. Under severe heat and drought conditions, it may take longer for the silks to appear. This results in poor pollination because there is poor “nick” between pollen shed timing and silk emergence

14. True. A silk will continue to grow until a pollen grain settles on it. During periods of extreme heat and drought, silks can become extremely long because there is little to no pollen being shed.

15. False. Generally, 97% or more of the kernels produced by each plant were pollinated by other plants in the field.

16. False. The amount of pollen is rarely the cause of poor kernel set. Each tassel contains 2 to 5 million pollen grains or 2,000 to 5,000 pollen grains for each silk produced by the ear shoot. Shortages of pollen are usually only a problem under conditions of extreme heat and drought. Poor seed set is more often associated with poor timing of pollen shed with silk emergence, i.e. silks emerging after pollen shed has been completed.

Agronomy News - July 12, 2012 9

Northeast Soil moisture levels continue to be very dry and the few scattered storms that came through have not helped much. Corn ranges from only 18 inches in height to in tassel with most pollination nearly complete. Moisture will remain a critical factor. Soybeans are in the same stress situation as the corn; moisture is needed. Some growers are anticipating yield reductions due to this extremely hot dry weather. Pastures also are showing signs of drought stress. Southern Most corn is in the middle to late pollinating stage now. Continued hot, dry conditions will continue to hamper yield potential. However, the recent rains have helped to salvage some of the corn crop. Rains from the storm on June 29 and intermittent showers throughout the week since will allow most corn to live another week. Damage from high winds is mixed, with more damage reported in the northern areas of the region. Full season beans are hanging in there but are growing slow with most not yet at full canopy stage. Soybeans may require an extra herbicide application due to the late canopy. Potassium deficiencies on low pH/ low K soils are becoming evident with

the dry conditions. Double crop bean stands area variable. Beans planted while there was still some moisture have germinated well. Beans planted in the last 2-3 weeks have poor germination so far. Some farmers who held off planting till rain are planting this week. Spider mites should be anticipated with the continued hot/dry weather. Cool season grass fields are now dormant. Alfalfa is looking good, but there are reports of leafhopper injury. Tobacco fields are looking good with some at the topping stage. Black Shank has showed up in numerous tobacco fields this year. Upper Eastern Shore Most of the region is very dry. Even the heavier soils and low areas in fields are suffering from drought. Irrigated corn still looks good and is beginning to silk. While the humidity feels bad to us, it will surely help save pollen on the 90+ degree days. There are dryland corn fields in the region that have reached the permanent wilting point and have died. Many more will reach that point in a couple hotter, low humidity days. Full season soybeans are also suffering and dropping leaves. Double crop beans are hanging on as they are not using as much moisture. Some intended late beans have not been planted as the

soil is too dry. Grass hay fields have gone dormant and alfalfa is growing very slowly or not at all. Disease pressure is low in corn, but there are high numbers of stink bugs present in some fields. Soybeans are being fed on by spider mites and grasshoppers. Lower Eastern Shore Soil moisture is short with crops under stress from dry conditions. Much of the corn is completing pollination. Wheat harvest is complete with reports of good to excellent yields. Double crop soybean plantings are complete and look good despite the dry weather. Potato, watermelon and cantaloupe harvest is progressing well. Pasture and hay fields are now rated fair to poor due to dry conditions. Crop Report Regions: Western (Garrett, Allegany and Washington), Central (Carroll, Frederick, Howard, Montgomery), Northeast (Cecil, Harford, Baltimore), Southern (Anne Arundel, Prince George's, Calvert, Charles, St. Mary's), Upper Eastern Shore (Kent, Queen Anne's, Talbot, Caroline), Lower Eastern Shore (Dorchester, Wicomico, Worcester, Somerset)

Agriculture Weather Report Adam Caskey, Meteorologist

It’s the time of year in Maryland when it’s fairly common to experience an extended period of dry weather in which we must rely on isolated and brief late-day thunderstorms for rainfall. This type of pattern is in place now and is expected to remain in place for at least the next two weeks. Widespread, soaking rain is not likely in the type of summertime weather pattern that is in store through mid-July. A few exceptions to this are an unexpected/rare tropical system, and the

chance of a cut-off upper level low that is possible July 13-16. Southern Maryland and the Eastern Shore (mainly Queen Anne’s, Caroline, Talbot, Dorchester and Wicomico Counties) need rain the most as they are in a moderate (D1) drought according to the U.S. Drought Monitor. Climatologically speaking, July is the warmest time of the year in Maryland, and our rather hot conditions should persist through the middle and end of July. Other than a brief break in the heat for a day or

two at a time, temperatures should continue to run above average with widespread lower and middle 90s seen most afternoons.

Agronomy News - July 12, 2012 10

Announcements

MDA has approved 24 (c) Special Local Need Label for Starane Ultra. Maryland Department of Agriculture has approved Dow Agro Science’s request for a 90 day plant-back for herbicide Starane Ultra for the winter wheat/soybean alternate crop situation. The standard section 3 EPA label requires a 120 day plant-back. It appears the 90 plant-back restriction for soybeans following a spring application of Starane Ultra that was made to winter wheat to control broadleaf weeds including chickweed allows for a longer double-crop soybean growing season. Please refer the label for more details. Public meetings planned on Maryland’s proposed changes in Nutrient Management Regulation. The changes to the nutrient management regulations that have been debated informally for the last two years have been formally promulgated by the Administration in the June 29th Maryland Register and are now subject to formal public comment. In the proposal, the Maryland Department of Agriculture has made changes to the Maryland Nutrient Management Manual, which is the guidance document used by certified nutrient management planners to write the plans that all Maryland farmers are required to have and implement. The proposed changes include the following: 1. Changes to timing, rates and winter

application ban Spring and Summer application of

organic nutrients must be injected or incorporated within 48 hours of application unless one of the following conditions apply: a. Livestock manures deposited

directly by animals. b. Permanent pastures.

c. Land used for hay production. d. Fields containing highly erodible

land as defined by USDA-NRCS. e. Fields in which a current soil

conservation and water quality plan or current. USDA/NRCS program requirement prohibits or restricts soil disturbance.

f. Land where nutrients are applied to a growing crop through a spray irrigation system.

New definition of “fall” for application purposes – a. For the years 2012 through

2015, nutrients applied from September 10 through November 15.

b. After July 1, 2016, nutrients applied in counties east of the Chesapeake Bay and the Susquehanna River from September 10 through November 1.

c. After July 1, 2016, nutrient applied in counties west of the Chesapeake Bay and the Susquehanna River from September 10 through November 15.

Fall nitrogen restriction – nitrogen may not be applied in the fall if soil nitrate test is greater than 10ppm for wheat or greater than 15ppm for barley.

Chemical fertilizers – allowed in the fall for an existing crop or a crop to be planted during the fall.

Organic fertilizers in the fall – Except poultry litter, organic nutrient sources may be used in the fall for an existing crop or one to be planted in the fall or the following spring (before June 1) using rate restrictions outlined in Section 1-B of the Manual. For poultry litter, the application may be made in the fall for existing crops or crops planted in the fall, but not for nutrient needs of crops to be planted in the spring.

The same incorporation/injection provisions and exceptions apply for organic nutrient application in the fall as were outlined in the spring/summer section above. Fall applications to fallow cropland must be followed by the planting of a cover crop as soon as possible, but no later than November 15th and after July 1, 2016, no later than November 5th for counties east of the Bay.

Emergency applications in the event of an imminent overflow of a storage facility shall be managed in consultation with MDA.

“Winter” as defined for application of nutrients is defined as November 16th through February 28th, but beginning July 1, 2016 the definition will be November 2nd through February 28th east of the Bay.

No chemical fertilizer may be applied in the winter except for application of nitrogen at green-up when tillering begins (not before February 15th) and for greenhouse production, other vegetables and small fruit crops as outlined in the Manual.

The new regulations ban the application of organic material in the winter. There is a phase-in period before July 1, 2016, whereby a person may apply organic fertilizer in the winter only if the operation has inadequate storage, the nutrient source is non-stackable (equal or less than 60% moisture content such as poultry & equine manures), and there is no other reasonable option to manage it.

The winter application ban does not apply to manure deposited by livestock, potash, liming materials, greenhouse use, and for some vegetables, small fruit, small grain and cool season grass sod production.

Cont. pg. 11

Agronomy News - July 12, 2012 11

After July 1, 2016 there is a ban on organic application in the winter except for a dairy or livestock operation with less than 50 animal units (fewer than 130 dairies in MD) or a municipal wastewater treatment plant with flow capacity of less than 0.5 million gallons per day (9 towns in MD). These operations have until February 28, 2020 to observe the winter application ban.

2. Requirements for storage and handling of organic nutrient sources (manures, litter & sewage sludge) Field storage – Poultry litter and

other stackable manures (less than 60% moisture content) may be stored in fields temporarily when no other storage option is available (for up to 120 days unless the operation is a Federal CAFO, which limits storage to 14 days).

Conditions for field storage include: Storage must be at least 35 feet from

surface water and any irrigation or treatment ditch with a vegetated buffer or at least 100 feet with no buffer; at least 100 feet from wells, springs or wetlands - but, if the well is down gradient, the distance must be at least 300 feet; 200 feet from any residence other than the property owner; outside flood prone areas subject to ponding; and if located on more than a 3% slope with no diversion installed, no farther than 150 feet from the top of the slope.

Poultry litter and other material must be stacked 6 feet high and peaked.

Temporary storage for future piles should stay in the same place.

All nutrients in temporary stockpiling must be removed completely and the ground scraped and reseeded if necessary to restore to original condition.

3. Setbacks for the application of nutrients

by machine and livestock - Effective January 1, 2014

35-foot setback from surface water, perennial streams and intermittent streams for the application of nutrients using a broadcast method (spinners, splashers). Ephemeral streams (flow only during rain events) and irrigation and treatment ditches are exempt.

10-foot setback for directed spray application or injection of crop nutrients.

10-foot setback may not include plants that would be considered part of the crop grown in the field, except perennial forage for hay or pasture.

Steam fencing at least 10-feet from the stream bank is required to keep livestock out of streams, unless a farmer works with the Soil Conservation District to develop and implement a Soil Conservation and Water Quality Plan that includes BMPs such as stream crossings, alternative watering facilities, pasture management and other MDA-approved BMPs that are equally protective of water quality and stream health. Operators are required to gate crossing areas wider than 12-feet. Operators may allow livestock controlled access to streams for watering in accordance with NRCS standards.

Stream Crossings for movement of livestock – Operators are responsible for sediment and erosion control of stream crossing areas. Operators are required to move livestock from one side of a stream to the other only through stream crossings designed to prevent erosion and sediment loss.

Alternatives to the nutrient application setback may be approved by MDA if they are equally protective of water quality and stream health.

35-foot setback on sacrifice lots (less than 75% grass or grass legume mix)

4. Guidelines for the use of soil amendments and soil conditioners on ag land All materials that provide primary

crop nutrients must be included in, and managed by, a Nutrient Management Plan. These materials include chemical fertilizer, organic materials such as animal manure, sewage sludge, food processing wastes/residues, spray irrigation from wastewater treatment plants, other waste streams containing nutrients, and soil conditioners/amendment.

Department of Agriculture (MDA) will host a series of public meetings across the state to provide information to farmers, environmental interests, local governments and other stakeholders on proposed changes to Maryland’s Nutrient Management Regulations and offer an opportunity for public comment. The proposed regulations designed to achieve consistency in the way all sources of nutrients are managed and help Maryland meet nitrogen and phosphorus reduction goals spelled out in its Watershed Implementation Plan (WIP) to protect and restore the Chesapeake Bay. MDA will hold public meetings in four locations around the state next month. All meetings will be held from 7:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. For more information, contact the Nutrient Management Program at 410-841-5959. Western Maryland Wednesday, July 18, 2012 Washington County Agricultural Education Center 7313 Sharpsburg Place Boonsboro, MD 21733 Eastern Shore Monday, July 23, 2012 Talbot Community Center 10028 Ocean Gateway Easton, MD 21601

Cont. pg. 12

Agronomy News - July 12, 2012 12

Maryland Commodity Classic on Thursday, July 26 Al Pell, Farm Director for AgDay Television and U.S. Farm Report, is the keynote speaker for the 14th Annual Maryland Commodity Classic on Thursday, July 26, 2012 in Queen Anne’s County 4-H Park, 100 Dulin Clark Road, Centreville, MD. Also featured will be David Hula, the National Corn Yield Winner, and Sam Willett, National Corn Growers Association, who will provide an update on the Farm Bill. The Commodity Classic is hosted by the Maryland Grain Producers Association,

Maryland Soybean Board, Maryland Grain Producers Utilization Board and the Mid-Atlantic Soybean Association. Tours at the Wye Research and Education Center will run from 9:00 – 11:00 a.m. with the Maryland Commodity Classic following at the Queen Anne’s 4-H Park. Lunch and informational displays will be set up at 11 a.m. The business meeting begins at 1:00 p.m., followed by speakers and concluding with the famed Crab Feast, Pork and Chicken Barbecue. Entry prior to 2:30 p.m. is $10, and after 2:30 p.m. the entry fee is $20, there is no entry after 3:30 p.m. For ticket information regarding the 14th Annual Commodity Classic, contact Lynne Hoot (MGPA) at 410-956-5771.

9th Mid Atlantic Dairy Grazing Conference & Organic Dairy Field Day This conference will provide on farm and classroom topics on forages, nutrition, grazing management, reproduction, genetics and economics for both experienced and beginner grazers. The event will be held July 25-27 at Washington College, Chestertown, MD. For more details contact: Verna Clarkston at 410-778-1661 or vclrkstn@umd.edu. Save the date: Mid-Atlantic Precision Ag Equipment Day on August 8, 2012 at the Caroline County 4 H Park, Denton, MD. Details will follow soon.

Did You Know

America’s corn farmers are by far the most productive in the world, growing 20% more corn per acre than any other nation.

SIGN-UP TO RECEIVE “AGRONOMY NEWS” If you would like to receive this newsletter via email please contact Rhonda Barnhart at rbarnhar@umd.edu. The subject line should be: Subscribe Agronomy News 2012. If you would like a hard copy please contact your local county extension office to sign-up for the mailing list. The list of local county offices can be found at www.extension.umd.edu.

Upcoming Events

Southern Maryland Wednesday, July 25, 2012 Calvert County Fairgrounds 140 Calvert Fair Drive Prince Frederick, MD 20610 Comments may be sent to Jo Mercer, Ed.D., Program Manager, MDA’s Nutrient Management Program, Maryland Department of Agriculture, 50 Harry S. Truman Parkway, Annapolis, MD 21401, or email jo.mercer@maryland.gov, or fax to (410) 841-5950. Comments will be accepted through August 13, 2012.

2012 Pesticide Container Recycling Program from MDA Maryland Department of Agriculture’s Pesticide Container Recycling Program will be accepting clean, empty containers from June 1 through September 30, during normal business hours. Containers will be collected from their current owners, for safe disposal and recycling. Containers must be cleaned (triple-rinsed or pressure-rinsed) according to label directions. Please remember to remove

lids and label booklets from the containers prior to drop-off. Call 410-841-5710 for hours of operation and drop-off location instructions. Collection dates and venues can be found at this link, http://www.mda.state.md.us/pdf/recycle.pdf

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This edition of Agronomy News is brought to you by: University of Maryland Extension Field Faculty: Ben Beale, Ag & Natural Resources Educator, St. Mary’s County Debbie Patrick, Nutrient Management Coordinator, Baltimore County Jeff Semler, Ag & Natural Resources Educator, Washington County Jim Lewis, Ag & Natural Resources Educator, Caroline County Richard Nottingham, Ag & Natural Resources Educator, Somerset County Stanley Fultz, Dairy Science Agent, Frederick County Sudeep Mathew, Ag & Natural Resources Educator, Dorchester County University of Maryland Extension Specialist: Dr. Robert Kratochvil, Agronomic Crop Production University Partners: Adam Caskey, Meteorologist, ABC-7, WJLA-Washington DC Dr. Carl Zulauf, Professor, The Ohio State University Dr. Gary Schnitkey, Professor , University of Illinois Dr. Nick Paulson, Assistant Professor, University of Illinois Dr. Charlie Staples, Professor, Dairy Cattle Nutrition, University of Florida

Agronomy News is published by University of Maryland Extension, Ag & Natural Resources Profitability Impact Team. Sudeep Mathew, Editor Agronomy News subscriptions are free on the internet at: www.mdcrops.umd.edu To subscribe or more information: Agronomy News University of Maryland Extension 501 Court Lane, Room 208 Cambridge, MD 21613 410-228-8800 Email: rbarnhar@umd.edu

A Big Thank You!! Maryland Grain Producers’ Utilization Board and Maryland Soybean Board are both recognized for their financial contributions that support the publication and distribution of this newsletter. This is another example of the work that is accomplished with the checkoff dollars these two organizations manage.