Crops and Soils
Crops and Soils
The Extension Crops and Soils Program provides timely resources and information to help Wisconsin crop producers and their agricultural consultants manage crops efficiently and profitably.
You can find information on:
- Crop Production and cropping systems for corn, soybeans, forages, nutrient management, soil science, commercial vegetable, and cover crops.
- Pest Management: Information on the management of weeds, insects, and disease in Wisconsin cropping systems.
- Ask Extension: Your opportunity to talk directly with Extension specialists and staff.
Upcoming Events
Camelina Conversation
Date: March 19, 2026
Time: 6:00pm to 8:00pm
Location:
Club 60 Supper Club
W2164 WI-60 Trunk
Columbus, WI 53925
Registration Required
Join us to talk about the hottest new cover crop ahead of corn and what may be Wisconsin’s newest potential oilseed. Industry perspective, new research, and hands on experience all combined for one event.
To register, scan the barcode on the flyer, or click the “Register” below, or email or call Alex Salazar, salazar.alexis@danecounty.gov, 608-224-3704
Regional Workshops on Fine Tuning Nitrogen Management through On-Farm Research: NOPP and more
Date: Ongoing
Registration Required
These late-winter workshops explore strategies to advance nitrogen management for improved profitability and water quality through local research results and discussions with participating farmers, agronomists, and other regional partners.
Registration is free but required to ensure lunch. Workshops are hosted by UW–Madison, Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection, and local partners.
Small Ruminant Webinar Series
Date: Ongoing
Registration Required
The UW–Madison Division of Extension Small Ruminant Webinar Series returns in 2026 with three expert-led sessions designed to equip sheep and goat producers in Wisconsin, Iowa, and the Upper Midwest with practical, research-based tools to support flock and herd success. Hosted by Small Ruminant Outreach Specialist Carolyn Ihde, the series connects producers with leading specialists in marketing, animal health, and direct-to-consumer strategies.
Focus on Forage
Date: Ongoing
Cost: Free
Registration Required
Focus on Forage is a four-part webinar series highlighting research-based information and farmer strategies to optimize forage yield, quality, and profitability in Wisconsin. Webinar speakers include forage industry experts, UW–Madison specialists, and extension educators. Certified Crop Advisor CEUs and ARPAS credits are available for each webinar. Webinars are free and online, but registration is required.
2026 Cold Climate Fruit Webinar Series
Date: Ongoing
Cost: Free
Registration Required
Join the UW Fruit program for four cold-climate apple-growing webinars focused on disease management this spring. Webinars are free and online, but registration is required.
Recent News & Articles
Wisconsin Field Crops Pathology Fungicide Test
and Disease Management Summary 2025
This report is a concise summary of pesticide related research trials conducted in 2025 under the
direction of the Wisconsin Field Crops Pathology program in the Department of Plant Pathology at the
University of Wisconsin-Madison.
Quantifying Nitrate Leaching from Agricultural Soils
Minimizing nitrogen (N) loss to groundwater is important for human health, the environment, and long-term farm profitability. Quantifying nitrate leaching – a primary pathway of nitrogen loss from agricultural fields – can help you understand the influence of different management practices on water quality, and identify options for reducing nitrate leaching.
Articles of Interest
Establishing alfalfa following wheat
Look out for herbicide carryover, volunteers in late summer seeding of alfalfa after wheat.
As we head toward the end of summer, it is closing in on time for a late summer establishment of alfalfa. Commonly in Wisconsin, this is done following a wheat crop in the spring. This can lead to a few challenges to consider: residual herbicide carryover and the effects of volunteer wheat on successful establishment.
Giant Ragweed Control- Research Summary
This publication–which was the result of six years (2018-2023) of giant ragweed driven research projects–was conducted by the WiscWeeds team at the Rock County Farm (Janesville, WI) and sponsored by commodity groups and crop protection industry. It will benefit those battling giant ragweed.
Waterhemp control in XTendFlex soybean without dicamba
The Wisconsin Cropping Systems Weed Science program has conducted several research trials investigating postemergence (POST) weed control in XtendFlex soybean systems (dicamba-, glufosinate-, and glyphosate-resistant soybean) without OTT applications of dicamba. Follow link for the full article:
2023 Wisconsin Weed Science Research Report
The purpose of this report is to share the results of corn, soybean, and spring wheat herbicide evaluation research trials conducted by the Wisconsin Cropping Systems Weed Science (WiscWeeds) Program during the 2023 growing season.
2024 Cereal Rye Cover Crop Research Report
“The adoption of cereal rye (Secale cereale) cover crop has triggered the interest of farmers as an additional tool for pigweed
(waterhemp [Amaranthus tuberculatus] and Palmer amaranth [A. palmeri]) management in soybean production systems. Along
with interest in this practice, there have been many questions about how cereal rye can impact other weed management
practices, such as the fate of PRE-emergence (PRE) herbicides in the soil when applied over high cereal rye biomass.” Follow link below to view this multi-state field study.
Plant Pathology
Damon Smith, Professor and Extension Specialist, UW-Madison, Plant Pathology, and Brian Mueller, Researcher II, UW-Madison, Plant Pathology, published a summary of pesticide related research trials in 2023 under the direction of the Wisconsin Field Crops Pathology program. This report is useful to those who use pesticides. Some of the products mentioned in the report may not have an approved Wisconsin pesticide label. Check with your local extension office or agricultural chemical supplier to guarantee the product you use has an approved label:
Annual Pest Management in Wisconsin Field Crops – A guide to managing weeds, insects, and diseases in corn, soybean, forages, and small grains:
Stay Updated on the latest by viewing the Crop Protection Network
DON Considerations for Wheat Grown for Livestock Feed
Written by our own Crops & Soils and Livestock Educators, this article is helpful to those who own livestock and wanting to understand what DON (deoxynivalenol or vomitoxin) can affect the small grains grown to feed their livestock. DON is a mycotoxin that is responsible for Fusarium Head Blight (FHB), a disease in small grains. Follow the link to read and learn more:
Latest Updates in Crops and Soils
- Join us for a free cover crop and forage field day at the Marshfield Agricultural Research Station on May 7 from 10am–12:30pm.
- Join Extension, DATCP, and the SnapPlus Team to walk through new features in SnapPlus Version 3. This latest release of the software includes new maps, and easier ways to add crops and grazing schedules. SnapPlus (Soil Nutrient Application Planner) is Wisconsin’s nutrient management planning software that helps farmers make the best use of their on-farm nutrients and make informed […]
- Even a historic snowstorm couldn’t keep Central Wisconsin’s processing crop farmers and consultants from looking ahead to planting season. On March 18, UW–Madison Extension hosted its annual Central Wisconsin Processing Crops Meeting, a half-day forum connecting farmers, crop consultants, and university researchers on topics shaping the industry. The event featured seven, 20-minute presentations in a […]
- Read more about the recipients of the 2026 Nitrogen Optimization Pilot Program Grant
- This program is designed to bridge the gap between agronomy and animal nutrition for dairy farmers and consultants.
Latest News on Integrated Pest & Crop Management
- Daniel H. Smith, Outreach Program Manager, UW-Madison Division of Extension, Rodrigo Werle, Weed Scientist and Extension Specialist, UW-Madison Are you planning to spray 2,4-D for postemergence broadleaf weed control in Enlist E3 soybean? The 2,4-D …
- Natasha Paris, Daniel Smith, Rodrigo Werle, Tatiane Severo Silva and Ryan DeWerff, UW-Madison This publication provides a starting point of reference when considering using cover crops following herbicides in the cropping system. It outlines rotational …
- Damon Smith, Professor and Extension Specialist, Plant Pathology Dept; Director, Nutrient and Pest Management Program The 2024 growing season looks to be challenged by not only weather, but by prices. Producing grain in years when …
- A field study was conducted by WiscWeeds Graduate Research Assistant Guilherme Chudzik in 2022 and 2023 at the Rock County Farm, Janesville, WI, to evaluate the impact of soil management practices, soybean planting time, and …
- There are a lot of weedy soybean fields across Wisconsin this year and the dry conditions are the major culprit. A lack of precipitation reduced the effectiveness of many residual herbicides and drought-affected soybeans were …
Staff
If you have any questions regarding Crops & Soils in Vernon County, please contact:
Regional Crops & Soils Educator, Sam Bibby
Serving La Crosse, Crawford, and Vernon Counties
Contact: 608-219-2055
Email: sbibby@wisc.edu
Sam Bibby serves as Regional Crops Educator, covering La Crosse, Vernon, and Crawford counties. Sam works to address the specific needs of producers and community members related to crop production. Outreach efforts will aim to form a bridge between university lead research and on farm practices.
He attended the University of Wisconsin-Platteville where he earned his undergraduate degree in soil and crop science in 2019. He then attended North Dakota State University and earned his master’s degree in plant science. Sam’s masters research was titled “Corn-Alfalfa Intercropping with Different Row Spacings” and was focused on developing a more profitable way for producers in the Northern Great Plains to establish alfalfa. Most recently, Sam worked for the NDSU Forages and Industrial Crops Program as the Research Specialist and was responsible for designing, managing, and analyzing field trials related to forage and industrial crop production.
Sam’s primary interests lie in conservation, farm technology, intensive crop management, forages, and alternative crops. Sam hopes his background in research and day-to-day farm operations will help him deliver tangible, data driven solutions to growers.