Online dicamba training is now available at http://kate.tennessee.edu/utia.html.  Scroll down to the Pesticide Safety Education Program and select “2019 Dicamba Training.”

Additionally, several in-person training opportunities will be offered this week in the following counties: Continue reading →

The annual Cotton Focus is scheduled for Friday, February 15. Dr. Tyson Raper hits the highlights in our latest podcast. Listen.

Cotton Focus 2019 Agenda

Corn, cotton, and soybeans were down; wheat was mixed for the week.

In January, December 2019 corn futures prices moved sideways opening the month at $3.97 ½ and closing at $4.00, up 2 ½ cents for the month. The January trading range was $3.96 ½ to $4.06. November 2019 soybean futures prices increased, opening the month at $9.36 and closing at $9.55 ½, up 19 ½ cents for the month. The January trading range was $9.35 to $9.65. December 2019 cotton futures prices moved mostly sideways opening the month at 73.38 and closing at 74.20, up 0.82 cents for the month. The January trading range was 72.24 to 75.20. July 2019 wheat futures prices moved sideways, opening the month at $5.18 and closing at $5.27, up 9 cents for the month. The January trading range was $5.17 to $5.40 ¼.

Next week will be the start of the projected (spring) price determination period for corn, soybean, and cotton crop insurance policies. A simple average of the daily closing price for the harvest contract in the month of February is used to determine the price for
crop insurance guarantees. continue reading at Tennessee Market Highlights.

Over the next week there are lots of opportunities to complete the 2019 Dicamba Training. The training will be offered at both the Middle Tennessee Grain Conference on February 5 and the West Tennessee Grain Conference on February 7. Additionally, it will be offered in  the following counties,

• Carroll Co. – Feb. 4 @ 8:30 a.m. & 7 p.m. – UT Extension Office
• Crockett Co. – Feb. 1 @ 9 & 10:30 a.m. – Gibson Electric Cooperative, Alamo
• Decatur Co. – Feb. 6 @ 9 a.m. – UT Extension Office
• Hardeman Co. – Feb. 5 @ 1 p.m. – Nutrien Ag Solutions, Whiteville
• Hardin – Feb. 5 @ 8 a.m. – First Farmers Co-op, Savannah
• Haywood – Feb. 4-5 @ 9:30 a.m. & 1:30 p.m. – UT Extension Office
• Henderson – Feb. 4 @ 1 p.m. – First Farmers Co-op, Lexington
• Madison – Feb. 5 @ 9 a.m. – Mid-South Farmers Co-op, Mercer
• Tipton – Feb. 5 @ 9 a.m. – UT Extension Office

See the UTIA Dicamba Resources Page for a complete list of trainings.

In this week’s podcast, Dr. Angela McClure discusses what’s on the agenda for the upcoming West TN and Middle TN Grain Conference. Play podcast.

Corn and cotton were mixed; soybeans and wheat were up for the week.

On Friday, President Trump announced that a temporary deal to end the partial government shutdown had been reached. The temporary  measure would fund the federal government to February 15. While this is welcome news to those affected by the shutdown, a long term solution, and the certainty it would afford government agencies and citizens, remains undefined. From an agricultural stand point, resumption of USDA reports (Export Sales, WASDE, Grain Stocks etc.), the ability of FSA to process loans and guarantees, and the implementation of the 2018 Farm Bill will resume (perhaps temporarily). Uncertainty remains beyond the February 15 deadline so markets will continue to wait for additional information.

December 2019 corn futures continue to trade in a 10 cent range $3.95 to $4.05. Limited movement has occurred outside this range since late November. New information contained in the Grain Stocks and WASDE reports or progress in trade talks have the potential to jolt the market outside of this range in either direction. Until then markets will continue to move sideways. Continue reading at Tennessee Market Highlights.

The 2019 UT Cotton Focus is only a few weeks away. This year’s meeting will be held at the West Tennessee Research and Education Center (605 Airways Blvd, Jackson, TN 38301) on Friday, February 15th.   Registration begins at 8:00 AM with opening remarks beginning at 8:25 AM.  This year’s event will feature a round-table on auxin herbicide stewardship and regulation as well as a general cotton specialists’ roundtable.  Additionally, UT Specialists will be presenting information on managing resistant bollworms, variety selection,  new diseases, and economic considerations for 2019, among other pertinent information.  We will also have an update on boll weevil eradication and a report from the National Cotton Council. The meeting will close with a provided lunch.  Pesticide re-certification and CCA points will be available. Look forward to seeing you there!

A slew of dicamba training opportunities are coming up over the next seven days.

• Crockett Co. – Jan. 29 @ 2 p.m. – Gibson Electric Cooperative, Alamo
• Gibson Co. – Jan. 28, 29 & 30 @ 9 a.m., 11 a.m. & 2 p.m. – UT Extension Office
• Haywood Co. – Jan. 28 @ 10 a.m. – H & R Agri-Power, Brownsville
• Lincoln Co. – Jan. 28 @ 1 p.m. – UT Extension Office
• Montgomery Co. – Jan. 28 @ 4:30 p.m. – UT Extension Office
• Tipton Co. – Jan. 29 @ 9 a.m. & Jan. 31 @ 2 p.m. – UT Extension Office

To see the complete list of 2019 trainings, visit the Dicamba Resources page.