Ready, Set, Go

Mar 23, 2015

By Jochum Wiersma

The first spring wheat and oats have already been seeded, although winter will officially with us one more day according to the calendar. Is it too early to already be thinking spring and seeding small grains? Federal crop insurance guidelines stipulate that small grains are insurable when planted on or after March 21. And although this may be part of your decision process, mother nature doesn't keep a Julian calendar. So can we already seed small grains successfully? In 2012 I write a post that describes the requirements to get small grains established successfully and quantifies some of the risks of planting early. I have provided link to it here.

Bottom-line: The weather forecast for the remainder of the month is trending just slightly above average for both daytime highs and well as nighttime lows. If the frost has come out at least 12 inches and the soil temperatures are reaching 40 degrees F for most of the day, I think spring wheat and oats can be seeded successfully at this time.

Source: umn.edu

Video: Agriculture Secretary Rollins Speaks at American Farm Bureau Federation Convention in Anaheim

One of the highlights at the 2026 American Farm Bureau Federation Convention in Anaheim, California, was an address by U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins. During her remarks, she thanked America’s farmers and ranchers and said the Trump Administration is fully aware that food security is national security.

She also acknowledged the challenging times in Farm Country with low commodity prices and high input costs and said that’s why the President stepped in to help with the recent Bridge Assistance Program.

Montana Farm Bureau Federation Executive Vice President Scott Kulbeck says that Farm Bureau members are appreciative of the help and looks forward to working with the American Farm Bureau Federation and its presence in Washington, DC to keep farmers and ranchers in business.

Secretary Rollins said the Trump Administration is also committed to helping ranchers build back America’s cattle herd while also providing more high-quality U.S. beef at the meat case for consumers.

And she also announced more assistance for specialty crop producers who only received a fraction of the $12 billion Farmer Bridge Assistance (FBA).

It’s important to note that producers who qualify for Farmer Bridge Assistance can expect the Farm Service Agency to start issuing payments in late February. For more information, farmers and ranchers are encouraged to contact their local USDA Service Center.