Extension Northwest Crops

The University of Vermont Extension Northwest Crops and Soils Program (NWCS) aims to provide the best and most relevant cropping information, both research-based and experiential, delivered in the most practical and understandable ways to Vermont farmers. The bulk of trials are conducted at Borderview Research Farm in Alburgh, Vermont.

Timely Articles of Information

• HPAI H5N1 in U.S. Dairy Cattle Updates and Resources (PDF). Update on May 10, 2024.
• HPAI H5N1 In Dairy Cattle: Update and Federal Order Guidelines for Interstate Movement of Dairy Cattle (PDF). This includes updated information from the Federal Order announced by USDA effective on Monday, April 29, 2024.
• Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza H5N1 in U.S. Dairy Herds (PDF). This factsheet includes information on HPAI, Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza, including animal signs and symptoms, treatment and testing, and prevention and biosecurity recommendations.
• Impact of Extreme Precipitation on Nutrient Concentration of Stored Manure Slurry (PDF), updated Feb. 2024. The extreme precipitation during this past summer and fall heavily impacted the volume and nutrient concentration of the stored manure slurry. To understand this impact, UVM Extension worked in partnership with custom manure applicators and farmers to collect manure samples from farms this fall. This article will share the results, which were compare to the average book value for slurry manure in Vermont.
• Monitoring Flooded Forages for Clostridial Contamination (PDF). After a year of record flooding and precipitation, many producers are faced with feeding forages that were harvested from fields contaminated with soil and flood water.

There Are Some Changes to Our Grains Laboratory

We have streamlined our grain submission forms. Instead of having separate forms for malting barley and other cereal grains, we have combined the forms into one single sample submission form. We’ve also combined some of our most popular testing combinations into packages that are available at a discount. None of the pricing for individual tests has changed.

• Malting Barley Package: Grain Moisture, Test Weight, Starch, Protein, Plumpness, Germination Energy, Germination Capacity, and Water Sensitivity ($60, or $50 for Northern Grain Growers members)
• Baking Quality Package: Grain Moisture, Test Weight, Starch, Protein, and Falling Number ($37, or $30 for Northern Grain Growers members)
• Seed Quality Package: Germination Energy, Germination Capacity, and Seed Purity ($25, or $20 for Northern Grain Growers members)

Due to rising costs of lab supplies and decreasing volume of hops samples arriving, the E.E. Cummings Crop Testing lab will no longer be analyzing hops samples. We recommend Alliance Analytical Labs, Advanced Analytical Research, or Cornell AgriTech lab for your hops analysis needs. Please find links below for each of these locations for your convenience:

• Alliance Analytical Labs.
• Advanced Analytical Research.
• Cornell AgriTech

Please visit our lab website to download the current sample submission form. Please note that a google search for the submission form often links to older versions of the form that are no longer valid and have outdated testing options and pricing.

If you ever require grain or seed testing that is not on our menu of options, feel free to contact us about your testing needs and we’d be happy to discuss if we can provide the testing you need. Many of our additions to our analysis options have come from your requests for additional testing and we always strive to be able to meet all of our clients’ testing needs.

Help for Recent Flooding in Vermont

Vermont has been hit hard by this recent round of storms, as some know and have experience more closely than others. It has left a devastating mark on the agricultural landscape of our small state. As a Team (UVM Extension NWCS), we have always helped our community through difficult times and this will be no different! If you or a farmer in your community is in need, please contact Heather Darby at 802-782-6054 or 802-656-7610 or heather.darby@uvm.edu so that we can find ways to provide assistance.

Please see the factsheets below on managing flood damaged crops, forage, and corn.

• Managing Damaged Crops and Forage (PDF)
• Managing Damaged Corn (PDF)
• Flood Damaged Forage Considerations: Documenting Damage, Cutting Losses, Avoid Compounding the Damage (PDF)
• Mitigating Silt and Microbe Risks in Flooded Forages (PDF)
• Managing Flooded Corn Silage at Harvest (PDF)

Additional flood related sites and resources can be found online.

Conferences and Events (current and past)

Remember to always check out this webpage we maintain of our conferences and events. In addition to current events listed, you can find past events with the webinars and/or presentations recorded and accessible to you to view. Most, if not all, of these recordings can also be found on our NWCS YouTube channel.

2023 Research Reports

Please view the Research Results webpage for our most updated information on our research trials, as well as previous years of reports.

Remembering Jack Lazor

Among the many gifts Jack gave to us and the world was cultivation. Cultivation of plants and animals to provide nutritious foods. Cultivation of knowledge through his teaching at UVM and beyond. And, perhaps most importantly, cultivation of relationships – bringing together people throughout the food system to find a common path to sustainability. Jack’s work to help found the Northern Grain Growers Association is an example of this cultivation. Bringing together not only farmers but bakers, millers, and buyers that he met through his business and travels – all with the common goal of feeding people healthy foods while healing the earth.

Through the Northern Grain Growers Association, there is a donation opportunity to the Northern Flint Corn Consortium in honor of Jack.

Learn about donating to the Northern Flint Corn Consortium in honor of Jack. The primary goal of the Northern Flint Corn Consortium is to help increase food production among Indigenous people and to help them find ways to sustain it. Education of students, participatory learning with the public, new connections, and new seeds for those who desire them.

We began our industrial hemp research program in 2016 with the help of program donations – thank you! Interest in the crop and research-based guidance has continued to grow, and we need your help to keep this research project going. Our goal is to raise $25,000 specific for our Industrial Hemp Research Project to keep the research going and help our farmers succeed! Please help support our Hemp Research and visit our crowdfunding page today.