Did you know that your row units are potentially lying to you? You may think you know where they're placing seed, but unseen wear on the gauge wheel arm, depth rocker and pivot bolt may mean seed is being placed unevenly across the width of the planter. The Planter Maintenance series is brought to you by Precision Planting.

Agricultural producers who have coverage under most crop insurance policies are eligible for a premium benefit from the USDA if they planted cover crops during the 2022 crop year. To receive the benefit from this year’s Pandemic Cover Crop Program, producers must report cover crop acreage by March 15, 2022.

Farmers and ranchers have until March 1, 2022, to file their 2021 income tax returns without penalty if they have not made estimates. Producers who paid their estimated tax by Jan. 15 have until April 15 to file. 

Projects must focus on the on-farm, on-ranch or forest production of commodities and show reductions of greenhouse gas (GHG) emission or carbon sequestration as a benefit. The project description specifically mentions cover crops, no-till and low-till among the projects favored for selection, but indicates they won’t be enough by themselves.

The Bipartisan Policy Center issued recommendations calling for the federal government to reward early adapters of strip-tillage and other conservation practices with one-time payments.

Make sure to check the parallel arm linkage on your planter. The parallel arm linkage makes sure that your row unit is riding smoothly. The Planter Maintenance series is brought to you by Precision Planting.