Scout your hay fields to assess winter annual weed pressure
Joshua Putman, Field Crops and Forage Specialist
Southwest New York Dairy, Livestock and Field Crops Program
Winter annual weeds emerge in the fall and set seed late spring or early summer. In hay production, certain winter annuals will invade older hay stands and may be competing with the crops resources. Such weeds include: marestail, field pennycress, henbit, and chickweed. Management options for these weeds may include chemical control with a spring applied herbicide and timely cutting intervals. Recently Field Crops Specialist, Josh Putman, has been out scouting fields for weed and insect problems in forage fields, wheat, and triticale. Many of the older hay stands seem to have a large number of winter annuals present. It is important to correctly identify these weeds as some can be more problematic than others. If identification or confirmation is needed, please contact Josh Putman at 716-490-5572 or at jap473@cornell.edu. For more information on spring weed control in hay stands, please follow the link here.
Field Crops
Dairy
Business
Livestock
Grains
Upcoming Events
NYSDEC How to Get Certified Course
March 3, 2026 : NYSDEC How to Get Certified Course
Ellicottville, NY
NYSDEC training course in preparation to take the pesticide applicator exam.
From Data to Dollars: Making Data-driven Decisions to Increase Farmers Market Success
March 3, 2026
The Cornell Agricultural Marketing Research Program and Penn State University are excited to present this new, 6-week course as part of Cornell's Farmers Market Research Project. The course is for farmers with experience selling at farmers markets who wish to increase their earnings through management and marketing practices.
Cornell Organic Field Crops & Dairy Conference
March 6, 2026
Waterloo, NY
Farmers, researchers, educators, and agricultural service providers from across the Northeast are invited to the 2026 Cornell Organic Field Crops & Dairy Conference, held Friday, March 6, 2026, from 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. at the Lux Hotel & Conference Center in Waterloo, N.Y.
Co-hosted by New York Soil Health and Cornell CALS, the annual conference brings together leaders in organic grain, dairy, and livestock systems to share practical tools, new research, and farmer-tested strategies to support resilient and profitable organic production.
Announcements
No announcements at this time.