Wayne Honeycutt, Ph.D.

The Resilient Barley Initiative is our newest effort to build #betterbarley for our future climate. We are grateful to see the recognition of its importance as the House Ag Appropriations Subcommittee included language in their bill supporting the work. The Senate took that one step further and even included some base funding to get the work started. The USDA Economic Research Service report linked below highlights the need for an aggressive domestic approach to #agresearch to maintain productivity and competitiveness.

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The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is taking strides to enhance its draft Herbicide Strategy, a pivotal component of its commitment to fulfilling Endangered Species Act (ESA) obligations. Following extensive public feedback, EPA is dedicated to refining the strategy for increased effectiveness and ease of implementation while safeguarding federally listed species. Key enhancements include: 1. Simplified Approach: EPA is streamlining the strategy by introducing a four-tier mitigation system, ensuring clarity and ease of understanding. 2. Grower Flexibility: Expect expanded mitigation measures, particularly benefiting specialty crops, with new additions like erosion barriers and soil carbon amendments. Collaboration with USDA aims to identify further mitigation avenues, enhancing sustainability. 3. Geographical Considerations:Recognizing diverse landscapes, EPA aims to reduce mitigation requirements where growers have adopted voluntary practices or operate in areas with lower runoff potential. Moreover, US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is collaborating with stakeholders to refine mapping strategies, aiming to tailor conservation efforts more precisely, potentially reducing the land area subject to pesticide restrictions. #EnvironmentalProtection #Sustainability #Collaboration #EPAUpdates

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Research Agronomist, Garrett Hensley, shares how Sweet Success is a powerful anti-drift agent on top of being a great source of nutrition for plants and soil biology. In addition to helping to keep droplets where they below, Sweet Success is an excellent, clean energy source that aids in keeping plants healthy and vibrant. It improves metabolization of herbicides and produces a boost in energy for the plant. And because Sweet Success uses a blend of natural sugars to boost a plant’s energy and brix levels, the fruits are sweeter. https://lnkd.in/eK82NZCf

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Limited water availability is a significant issue threatening the agricultural productivity of soybean, reducing yields by as much as 40 percent. Researcher Clinton Steketee at the University of Georgia is trying to improve soybean drought tolerance by using improved screening techniques for drought tolerance traits, identifying new drought-tolerant soybean germplasm, and clarifying which genomic regions are responsible for traits that help soybeans cope with water deficit. Read the full story: https://lnkd.in/ewkv_Wi7 #soybean #drought #droughttolerant #waterconservation

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Discover cutting-edge technologies and strategies from the Resource Innovation Institute that are reshaping irrigation practices to help enhance your water efficiency and boost crop yields. Staying ahead of the curve is not just an ecological good for a commercial greenhouse producer — it’s an economic necessity: https://lnkd.in/gerdKN9V #greenhouseirrigation #watercircularity #watercircularitybestpractices #irrigation #ceairrigation #irrigationwater #waterefficiency #greenhousemanagement #greenhouseproduction

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New Blog Post Alert: Agrarian Perspectives on Illicit Drug Crop Economies 📝🌍 We are excited to share a comprehensive blog post authored by our core team, featured on the Journal of Peasant Studies' website. This special forum delves into the intricate dynamics of illicit drug crops like coca, opium-poppy, and cannabis, and their significance as smallholder cash crops alongside coffee and cacao. 🌿 Key Highlights: - These crops are critical yet often overlooked in agrarian studies. - The forum addresses how capitalist development has influenced the rise and expansion of illicit drug crop economies. - The blog explores how these economies provide a lifeline for smallholder farmers facing marginalization and dispossession. 💡 Core Questions: - How has agrarian change contributed to the emergence and growth of illicit drug crop economies? - How have these economies impacted wider agrarian processes? 📢 Join us in exploring these crucial issues that reshape our understanding of agrarian change and illicit economies. Read the full blog post here: https://lnkd.in/gGS6S_yj #AgrarianStudies #IllicitEconomies #SmallholderFarming #AgrarianChange #PeasantStudies #DrugPolicy #GlobalMarkets

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📢 New Report Highlights Risks of Removing Glyphosate Access to Farmers and U.S. Agriculture A new report by the Directions Group underscores the consequences of restricting farmer's access to glyphosate on the upcoming Farm Bill. As the most widely used herbicide in the U.S., glyphosate is integral to keeping farmers' costs down, bolstering crop yields, and supporting conservation practices. Key impacts to the Farm Bill include: 🌾 Commodities: Farmers would bear a $2.89 billion net farm income loss every year, undermining the effectiveness of Farm Bill commodities programs which would not offset farmers’ lost income.   🛒 Nutrition: Food inflation could double, resulting in an even higher grocery bill for Americans and adding $7.1 billion to the cost of nutrition programs like the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) due to higher food prices. 🌽Crop Insurance: Crop resiliency to extreme weather events like drought and floods would falter, incurring $2.946 billion in additional costs to crop insurance programs due to increased “prevent plant” claims. 🌍 Conservation: The Farm Bill’s $632 million investment in conservation programs would be undermined, reversing two decades of environmental gains in carbon capture, sediment loss, and nutrient runoff reduction. Farmers would need to till their fields up to four times more frequently, increasing on-farm fuel emissions by an estimated 33.72 million tons of CO₂ per year. 🔗 Read our blog post: https://bit.ly/3YSwfVg

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Did you know? 🌍 The USDA National Organic Program Standards mandate best conservation management practices, including diversified crop rotations, cover cropping, careful nutrient management, and other methods to build Soil Organic Carbon and protect soil health. 🌎 Organic farmers grow cover crops, which keep the soil under vegetative cover for extended periods, preventing wind and water from carrying away topsoil. 🌎 Organic farmers are required to preserve and protect biodiversity and natural resources to replenish or maintain ecological balance on farms. Interested in learning more about climate-smart agriculture? Join us and Iroquois Valley Farmland REIT for a free webinar on June 17th at 12 PM CT! We'll discuss our new "Organic is Regenerative" toolkit, and how and why organic farming benefits the environment. Learn more and register here: https://lnkd.in/ePFhbQJR. #OrganicIsRegenerative #OrganicFarming #InvestingInAgriculture

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Prevent sorghum lodging before it happens! In our latest Agronomy Insights article, Sorghum Checkoff Agronomist Brent Bean outlines the causes of lodging and how you can prevent it with the right hybrids and management practices. For the article, visit https://loom.ly/SzJ0awk #SorghumSustains #AgronomyInsights

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Taking steps towards sustainable ag... Scoular has teamed up with the USDA to incentivize soybean farmers to implement climate-smart farming techniques. Their program offers financial rewards for adopting methods 🔻 https://lnkd.in/e8sXrnEj #USDA #SustainableAgriculture #USAg #Farming

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Biostimulants help plants manage stress by boosting natural defense pathways and improving resilience to environmental challenges. This article explores leveraging these mechanisms for better crop management. Read the full article by Eryn Wingate on Progressive Crop Consultant https://ow.ly/FKnb50TSZrJ #PlantStressManagement #Biostimulants #CropResilience #SustainableFarming #AgricultureInnovation #AbioticStress #CropConsulting #AgScience #PlantHealth #FarmManagement

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#PennsylvaniaAgInnovationGrantFund 📢🆕   Additional resources have been added to the Ag Innovation Fund Landing Page (resources section at the bottom right of the page), including an informational webinar and resource guide. Learn more here: https://lnkd.in/gyevVuXh #PennsylvaniaAgriculture #AdvancedAgriculture #AgTech #Sustainability

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VERDI INTRODUCES AFFORDABLE SOIL MOISTURE MONITORING KIT FOR FARMERS @Verdi has unveiled an innovative soil moisture monitoring kit designed to empower farmers with affordable, reliable tools for managing water use. This new product aims to address the growing need for efficient irrigation techniques in the face of climate challenges and increasing water scarcity. The Verdi Soil Moisture Monitoring Kit provides an easy-to-use solution that combines advanced technology with cost-effective design. Featuring durable sensors and a simple interface, the kit allows farmers to accurately measure soil moisture levels across their fields. By accessing real-time data, farmers can optimise irrigation schedules, ensuring crops receive the exact amount of water they need while minimising waste. Unlike more expensive systems, Verdi’s kit is accessible to small and medium-sized farms, bridging a gap that has often left smaller-scale operations reliant on guesswork for water management. The device is also compatible with mobile phones, enabling farmers to monitor soil conditions remotely and make informed decisions on-the-go To read the complete article click on this link below 👇 https://lnkd.in/d_SfzQPp #agritech #agritechnology #soilMoisture

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In this episode of "Sound Advice," Agronomist Ryan Harter dives into how to understand nutrient limitations using the Mulder's Chart. Watch now. https://ow.ly/HYHO50RiEIP

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The Crop Excellence® insect threshold guide contains treatment threshold and insecticide information for plant bugs in cotton and soybeans. Some information included in our insect threshold guide is courtesy of Clemson University Coop Extention Service. Visit cropexcellence.com to learn more about our catalog of specialty agricultural products, along with product and crop-specific technical resources.  #insecticide #farming #pesticide #agribusiness

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