Some farmers are taking advantage of warmer temperatures right now, and while mild weather can help jump-start the season, it also gives weeds a head start.
“Southern Illinois University in Carbondale did some research showing that in a bare dirt situation, waterhemp will emerge faster than if there are winter annual weeds or a cover crop. So, the people that have their ground prepped to plant or do have it planted, they’ll see waterhemp come up in those fields first because the soil will warm up a little faster, more sunlight to warm it up faster, etc. So, if you are planting early and have a clean seedbed, the risk of earlier germination is certainly there,” said Matt Geiger, an agronomic service representative with Syngenta.
Geiger says it is important to go back to the basics when managing weeds in early spring and to get an herbicide on the crop pre-emergence.
A rapidly intensifying winter storm is expected to develop into a bomb cyclone this weekend, affecting the Southeast, southern Virginia, and potentially parts of the mid‑Atlantic and New England.
January 30, 2026 10:52 AM
Brent Graves of StockShowAuctions.com takes us to Grayson County to see the damage from a historic winter ice storm and what it will take to rebuild.
January 30, 2026 09:32 AM
·
Strong blending demand continues to support ethanol use even as production and exports fluctuate.
January 30, 2026 07:00 AM
·
AFBF Economist Danny Munch shares a closer look at the dairy market and the forces impacting producers today.
January 29, 2026 02:52 PM
·
Eliza Petry joins the RFD News team with a strong connection to agriculture and a commitment to covering the people and issues that matter most to rural America.
January 29, 2026 01:31 PM
·
Farm CPA Paul Neiffer helps producers navigate farm program payments and understand the key details farmers need to know.
January 29, 2026 01:25 PM
·
