The Pierce County Soil Conservation District will be hosting its 10th Annual Women’s Ag Night on Friday, October 25th, 2013 at the Rugby Eagles Club. The event begins at 6:00 p.m. and is open to all women in Pierce County. The cost is $5/person and space is limited. The evening’s entertainment includes supper, keynote inspirational speaker Katie Dilse (who is a Knox native), and two raffles with some great prizes.

Fall Wheat

Midge Survey

The North Dakota Wheat Commission has funded the fall wheat midge survey for 2013. This soil survey helps to identify areas of increasing wheat midge populations in the northern region of the state. The survey also allows a risk map to be generated for the 2014 growing season so that producers may be alerted to potential wheat midge risks. Although populations of wheat midge were lower last year, populations fluctuate year to year based on favorable environment and when wheat was planted.

Soil samples for the survey are being collected by NDSU Extension Ag Agents in 21 counties from the northern half of North Dakota. Collection of samples began during the middle of September and is scheduled to conclude at the end of October. Samples are collected on a 12-mile grid. There were nine samples collected in Pierce County.

After the samples have been evaluated, a state map showing the midge levels will be released. Producers can anticipate the release of this data near the beginning of the New Year.

NDSU Offers free manure nutrient analysis program

The Livestock Environmental Management (LEM) program through NDSU’s Carrington Research Extension Center is offering free manure sampling. Livestock manure of any species is being sampled and analyzed in an effort to build a database of nutrient content in North Dakota manures. An LEM specialist or your local Extension agent will take the sample, send it in and share the results with the producer. The producer will remain anonymous and the results will be pooled with other similar species data gathered from North Dakota livestock operations. Data will be published for use by crop and livestock producers; Extension, Soil Conservation District, and Natural Resource Conservation Service personnel; and agriculture waste management engineers.

Sampling manure and having it analyzed for nutrient content is an important step in any nutrient management plan. Whether the producer is part of a permitted animal feeding operation disposing of manure or a crop producer applying manure for nutrient utilization by crops it is important to know the nutrient content of the manure being applied. This information can help prevent under-application causing reduced crop yields or over-application leading to environmental issues.

Aside from the organic matter that cropland, hayland, or pastures get from the addition of manure, there is also a fertilizer value. Nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, magnesium and sulfur are among the nutrients that manure contains. Although estimated manure nutrient values are available, manure nutrients can and do vary because of animal diet, age, manure storing practices, and other factors. Due to diet and climatic factors, North Dakota manure nutrients may be different. Therefore, livestock manure of any species is being sampled and analyzed in an effort to build a database of nutrient content in North Dakota manures.

To take advantage of this free program, contact your local NDSU Extension agent Yolanda Goodman at 701-776-6234 ext. 5 or LEM specialist Mary Berg at 701-652-2951 or mary.berg@ndsu.edu.