By ASHLEY MURRAY <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2023/03/30/u-s-judge-rules-insurers-dont-have-to-cover-many-free-preventive-health-services/">States Newsroom</a>

WASHINGTON — U.S. senators approved bipartisan amendments to the annual defense policy bill Tuesday night that would prohibit China, Iran, North Korea and Russia from&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://iowacapitaldispatch.com/2023/03/17/limits-on-foreign-ownership-of-u-s-farmland-gain-support-in-congress-despite-skepticism/">purchasing</a>&nbsp;U.S. farmland and screen American investment in high-tech ventures on foreign adversary soil.

By a 91-7 vote, the lawmakers approved a&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.congress.gov/amendment/118th-congress/senate-amendment/813/text?s=2&amp;r=9&amp;q=%7B%22search%22%3A%5B%22Mike%22%2C%22rounds%22%5D%7D">measure</a>&nbsp;that would require review of — and direct the president to halt or waive — agricultural land transactions by the four nations.

The amendment would empower the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States to evaluate the land deals. The&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://home.treasury.gov/policy-issues/international/the-committee-on-foreign-investment-in-the-united-states-cfius">committee</a>&nbsp;already reviews other inbound investment transactions,

Of the 40 million acres of U.S. forest and farmland owned by foreign investors at the end of 2021, China accounted for 383,935 acres, or less than 1%, according to a U.S. Department of Agriculture&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.fsa.usda.gov/Assets/USDA-FSA-Public/usdafiles/EPAS/PDF/2021_afida_annual_report_through_12_31_2021.pdf">report</a>&nbsp;on foreign land holdings.

The 2022 purchase of 300 acres by a Chinese-owned corn processing company near an Air Force base in North Dakota triggered concern among some lawmakers, as did the discovery in February of a Chinese surveillance&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://kansasreflector.com/2023/02/03/chinese-surveillance-balloon-now-drifting-across-the-middle-of-the-u-s-pentagon-confirms/">balloon</a>&nbsp;hovering over Montana, home to many U.S. nuclear missiles.

The amendment was co-sponsored by Republican Sens. Mike Rounds of South Dakota, Steve Daines of Montana, John Kennedy of Louisiana, Joni Ernst of Iowa, Cynthia Lummis of Wyoming, Ted Cruz of Texas, Kevin Cramer and John Hoeven of North Dakota, Katie Britt of Alabama, and Democratic Sens. Jon Tester of Montana and Sherrod Brown of Ohio.

“In recent years, our country has seen firsthand attempts by our near peer competitors to acquire land adjacent to our military bases,” Rounds said on the Senate floor Tuesday.&nbsp; “In 2020, a Chinese-led company planned to build a wind energy farm project near Del Rio, Texas, only miles away from Laughlin Air Force base, where U.S. pilots are trained.”

State lawmakers blocked the wind farm project in 2021, but recently&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://apnews.com/article/texas-chinese-wind-farm-green-energy-6cd629303e8870e1942c170ebc52d7bc">gave</a>&nbsp;it a green light after a company from Spain backed it instead.

As of 2021, Canadian investors held the largest amount of forest and farmland, followed by the Netherlands, Italy, United Kingdom and Germany, according to the USDA.

Senators also voted 91-6 on an amendment to screen investment by U.S. companies in China, Iran, North Korea and Russia in high-tech sectors, including artificial intelligence, advanced semiconductors, satellite communications and quantum computing.

Democratic Sen. Bob Casey of Pennsylvania and GOP Sen. John Cornyn of Texas have been pushing legislation since 2021 that would monitor the offshoring of supply chains in industries and locations with national security implications.

The annual defense bill “tackles the toughest national security issues facing our nation,” Casey said on the Senate floor Tuesday. “And the technological competition with the People’s Republic of China is certainly at the top of that list.”

“Right now we’re in competition with a communist government that doesn’t play by the rules,” he continued in remarks before the vote. “The Chinese government employs economic espionage and it exploits the United States’ open research and innovation to build up its own capabilities.”

U.S. outbound investment totaled $6.58 trillion at the end of 2022,&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.bea.gov/news/2023/direct-investment-country-and-industry-2022">according to</a>&nbsp;the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis.

Most was concentrated in the United Kingdom, the Netherlands, Luxembourg, Ireland and Canada. Just over $1 trillion landed in Latin America and the Western Hemisphere, while roughly $951 million went to Asia and the Pacific. The Middle East and Africa were near the bottom of the list with just over $80 million and $46 million respectively.

The Casey-Cornyn amendment would require U.S. corporations and other entities to notify the secretary of the Treasury prior to a deal.

Unlike foreign investment that comes into the U.S., no federal mechanism screens the dollars American companies are investing outside the nation.

The National Defense Authorization Act is the annual defense policy bill that continues defense policies, nuclear weapons programs and authorizes defense-related spending.

Lawmakers often use the&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://crsreports.congress.gov/product/pdf/IF/IF10516">massive bill</a>&nbsp;as a vehicle for various policy matters because Congress consistently enacts the legislation each year. After the Senate bill is passed, it will go to a conference committee with&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://kansasreflector.com/2023/07/14/defense-bill-that-targets-abortion-access-trans-health-racial-equity-passes-u-s-house/">a House-passed bill</a>&nbsp;that targets abortion access, transgender health and racial equity.

The legislation does not appropriate money for the Department of Defense and other relevant federal agencies. Rather, the bill authorizes how the funds should be spent.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/11/1605548577424.jpeg" alt="Photo USDA" />
 <figcaption>Photo USDA</figcaption>
 </figure>By ASHLEY MURRAY <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2023/03/30/u-s-judge-rules-insurers-dont-have-to-cover-many-free-preventive-health-services/">States Newsroom</a>WASHINGTON — U.S. senators approved bipartisan amendments to the annual defense policy bill Tuesday night that would prohibit China, Iran, North Korea and Russia from&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://iowacapitaldispatch.com/2023/03/17/limits-on-foreign-ownership-of-u-s-farmland-gain-support-in-congress-despite-skepticism/">purchasing</a>&nbsp;U.S. farmland and screen American investment in high-tech ventures on foreign adversary soil.By a 91-7 vote, the lawmakers approved a&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.congress.gov/amendment/118th-congress/senate-amendment/813/text?s=2&amp;r=9&amp;q=%7B%22search%22%3A%5B%22Mike%22%2C%22rounds%22%5D%7D">measure</a>&nbsp;that would require review of — and direct the president to halt or waive — agricultural land transactions by the four nations.The amendment would empower the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States to evaluate the land deals. The&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://home.treasury.gov/policy-issues/international/the-committee-on-foreign-investment-in-the-united-states-cfius">committee</a>&nbsp;already reviews other inbound investment transactions,Of the 40 million acres of U.S. forest and farmland owned by foreign investors at the end of 2021, China accounted for 383,935 acres, or less than 1%, according to a U.S. Department of Agriculture&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.fsa.usda.gov/Assets/USDA-FSA-Public/usdafiles/EPAS/PDF/2021_afida_annual_report_through_12_31_2021.pdf">report</a>&nbsp;on foreign land holdings.The 2022 purchase of 300 acres by a Chinese-owned corn processing company near an Air Force base in North Dakota triggered concern among some lawmakers, as did the discovery in February of a Chinese surveillance&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://kansasreflector.com/2023/02/03/chinese-surveillance-balloon-now-drifting-across-the-middle-of-the-u-s-pentagon-confirms/">balloon</a>&nbsp;hovering over Montana, home to many U.S. nuclear missiles.The amendment was co-sponsored by Republican Sens. Mike Rounds of South Dakota, Steve Daines of Montana, John Kennedy of Louisiana, Joni Ernst of Iowa, Cynthia Lummis of Wyoming, Ted Cruz of Texas, Kevin Cramer and John Hoeven of North Dakota, Katie Britt of Alabama, and Democratic Sens. Jon Tester of Montana and Sherrod Brown of Ohio.“In recent years, our country has seen firsthand attempts by our near peer competitors to acquire land adjacent to our military bases,” Rounds said on the Senate floor Tuesday.&nbsp; “In 2020, a Chinese-led company planned to build a wind energy farm project near Del Rio, Texas, only miles away from Laughlin Air Force base, where U.S. pilots are trained.”State lawmakers blocked the wind farm project in 2021, but recently&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://apnews.com/article/texas-chinese-wind-farm-green-energy-6cd629303e8870e1942c170ebc52d7bc">gave</a>&nbsp;it a green light after a company from Spain backed it instead.As of 2021, Canadian investors held the largest amount of forest and farmland, followed by the Netherlands, Italy, United Kingdom and Germany, according to the USDA.<h2>Investment abroad</h2>Senators also voted 91-6 on an amendment to screen investment by U.S. companies in China, Iran, North Korea and Russia in high-tech sectors, including artificial intelligence, advanced semiconductors, satellite communications and quantum computing.Democratic Sen. Bob Casey of Pennsylvania and GOP Sen. John Cornyn of Texas have been pushing legislation since 2021 that would monitor the offshoring of supply chains in industries and locations with national security implications.The annual defense bill “tackles the toughest national security issues facing our nation,” Casey said on the Senate floor Tuesday. “And the technological competition with the People’s Republic of China is certainly at the top of that list.”“Right now we’re in competition with a communist government that doesn’t play by the rules,” he continued in remarks before the vote. “The Chinese government employs economic espionage and it exploits the United States’ open research and innovation to build up its own capabilities.”U.S. outbound investment totaled $6.58 trillion at the end of 2022,&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.bea.gov/news/2023/direct-investment-country-and-industry-2022">according to</a>&nbsp;the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis.Most was concentrated in the United Kingdom, the Netherlands, Luxembourg, Ireland and Canada. Just over $1 trillion landed in Latin America and the Western Hemisphere, while roughly $951 million went to Asia and the Pacific. The Middle East and Africa were near the bottom of the list with just over $80 million and $46 million respectively.The Casey-Cornyn amendment would require U.S. corporations and other entities to notify the secretary of the Treasury prior to a deal.Unlike foreign investment that comes into the U.S., no federal mechanism screens the dollars American companies are investing outside the nation.<h2>Defense bill</h2>The National Defense Authorization Act is the annual defense policy bill that continues defense policies, nuclear weapons programs and authorizes defense-related spending.Lawmakers often use the&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://crsreports.congress.gov/product/pdf/IF/IF10516">massive bill</a>&nbsp;as a vehicle for various policy matters because Congress consistently enacts the legislation each year. After the Senate bill is passed, it will go to a conference committee with&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://kansasreflector.com/2023/07/14/defense-bill-that-targets-abortion-access-trans-health-racial-equity-passes-u-s-house/">a House-passed bill</a>&nbsp;that targets abortion access, transgender health and racial equity.The legislation does not appropriate money for the Department of Defense and other relevant federal agencies. Rather, the bill authorizes how the funds should be spent.The 2022 NDAA authorized $768.2 billion.

U.S. Senate votes to curb farmland purchases by China, Iran, North Korea, Russia

This is day 15 of the Kansas Wheat Harvest Reports, brought to you by the Kansas Wheat Commission, Kansas Association of Wheat Growers, Kansas Grain and Feed Association and the Kansas Cooperative Council.

Everyone in the wheat supply chain is feeling the drag of a long and difficult harvest season. Harvest is still only 87 percent complete, well behind 100 percent last year and the five-year average of 98 percent, according to the USDA's National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) crop progress report for the week ending July 23, 2023.

Producers generally like to wrap up harvest by the Fourth of July across the draw area for Garden City Co-op, but general manager Jeff Boyd noted there are a number of farmers still cutting and hauling in grain. A big storm that dropped three to five inches of rain and hail Thursday, July 20, further delayed those final fields, but with triple-digit temperatures this week, most producers should be able to finish up.&nbsp;

“That’s been the story of this harvest and why we still have folks out there with acres to cut,” Boyd said. “I don’t remember one being this late.”&nbsp;

At the beginning of wheat harvest in Finney County and the surrounding area, test weights were good at 60 to 61 pounds per bushel but are now averaging just under 59 pounds per bushel due to continued rain. Moisture has stayed steady at 12 percent. Proteins are averaging in the 12 percent range.&nbsp;

Yields are highly variable with a lot of abandoned acres with some fields not even germinating until January and February. Boyd reported they expected a big difference between planted and harvested acres, but the cooperative will take in about half the bushels of a 10-year average crop, which is better than anyone expected in the spring.&nbsp;

Wheat producers planted into dust last fall and are now harvesting in the mud, having received a year’s worth of rain since April - some areas up to 15 inches. Boyd noted there is still a moisture deficiency to make up, despite the continued summer showers, which currently good-looking fall crops will need to get to harvest.&nbsp;

Despite the seemingly constant rain delays and ever-increasing weed pressure, wheat farmers like Gary Millershaski in Lakin are stubborn and determined to do whatever it takes to finish cutting the fields left standing. On Monday, July 24, Millershaski was cutting wheat that should have been cut a month ago, but was set back by finally getting rain, mud, then more rain, then weeds, then having to spray fields and wait for residual periods to expire, then more rain. His friends in Oregon and Montana are already cutting their winter wheat, which is always on a different harvest schedule than his Kansas farm.&nbsp;

“I’m not mad, I’m frustrated,” he said. “It has been a mess.”

The entire growing season for Millershaski has been a battle. Before May 15, his acres only had received six to eight inches of moisture for the last year and a half. He planted wheat at the end of September and only had 30 to 40 percent emergence due to the drought. Where the wheat did come up after a small snow in January or rain in May, a lot did not produce kernels. After crop insurance agents adjusted those poor acres anywhere from zero to 2.5 bushels per acre, he destroyed all but 15 percent of his planted acres.&nbsp;

There in the southern half of Kearny County, he estimated up to 90 percent of wheat acres were abandoned. In comparison, the northern half of the county saw unbelievable yields if producers were fortunate enough to get the wheat to come up. Those yields were boosted by a complete turn in the weather after May 15. Since that time, Millershaski reported receiving 16 to 17 inches of rain.&nbsp;

That rain helped fill heads, even if it brought with it troublesome weeds. Millershaski reported test weights started as high as 61.7 pounds per bushel and protein should be higher than average due to the prior drought conditions. If he averages 25 bushels an acre on the fields he has left, he said he will be tickled to death.&nbsp;

As the rain has continued falling, test weights have dropped down to 56 or 57 pounds per bushel, and elevators are now sending samples of nearly every load to the Federal Grain Inspection Service (FGIS) to check for potential damage. As a result, it can take up to three days for the producer to know their dockage levels, which Millershaski said is frustrating, but a necessary part of what the cooperatives need to do to sustain local operations.&nbsp;

“We’re back to cutting again,” Millershaski said. “With any luck, I’ll wrap it up tomorrow.”

Millershaski turned 60 years old this year. Of all his harvests, he has never cut this late and the poor year ranks at the very bottom. Despite that struggle, he and his two sons are already on the list for the varieties they selected to plant this fall - refusing to let this year be their last.&nbsp;

“We’re planning for next year,” he said. “If we were throwing in the towel, we wouldn’t be cutting this crap right now.”

“Nobody likes to quit a failure. I’ll be danged if I’m going to quit on a bad year. I may retire after the year of the home-run-over-the-fence yields, but I don’t see how I could quit.”

Crop insurance helps provide a bridge from this bad year to a hopefully better harvest next year, but Millershaski was quick to point out that not many could average out their yearly wages for the past 15 years, take 60 to 70 percent of that and make that work for their budgets.&nbsp;

“If it weren’t for crop insurance, there would be a lot of people that would not be here next year,” Millershaski said.&nbsp;

His son Kyler is off the combine and back in Washington, DC, this week, visiting with Congressional leaders about the importance of programs like crop insurance to helping farmers like themselves persist through bad years like this one. Millershaski said he’s fortunate to have two sons that didn’t want to do anything but farm and are home working as the next generation in the operation.&nbsp;

“This is our passion,” he said, noting he wished he could explain the good smell of a shovel full of good dirt in the spring or the soothing feel of ripe wheat to the touch. “This is what we do.”&nbsp;

The 2023 Harvest Report is brought to you by the Kansas Wheat Commission, Kansas Association of Wheat Growers, Kansas Grain and Feed Association and the Kansas Cooperative Council. To follow along with harvest updates on Twitter, use #wheatharvest23. Tag us at @kansaswheat on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter to share your harvest story and photos.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/7/1690309393965.png" alt="Harvest Report Day 15 Image Courtesy Kansas Wheat" />
 <figcaption>Harvest Report Day 15 Image Courtesy Kansas Wheat</figcaption>
 </figure>JULIA DEBES Kansas WheatThis is day 15 of the Kansas Wheat Harvest Reports, brought to you by the Kansas Wheat Commission, Kansas Association of Wheat Growers, Kansas Grain and Feed Association and the Kansas Cooperative Council.Everyone in the wheat supply chain is feeling the drag of a long and difficult harvest season. Harvest is still only 87 percent complete, well behind 100 percent last year and the five-year average of 98 percent, according to the USDA's National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) crop progress report for the week ending July 23, 2023.Producers generally like to wrap up harvest by the Fourth of July across the draw area for Garden City Co-op, but general manager Jeff Boyd noted there are a number of farmers still cutting and hauling in grain. A big storm that dropped three to five inches of rain and hail Thursday, July 20, further delayed those final fields, but with triple-digit temperatures this week, most producers should be able to finish up.&nbsp;“That’s been the story of this harvest and why we still have folks out there with acres to cut,” Boyd said. “I don’t remember one being this late.”&nbsp;At the beginning of wheat harvest in Finney County and the surrounding area, test weights were good at 60 to 61 pounds per bushel but are now averaging just under 59 pounds per bushel due to continued rain. Moisture has stayed steady at 12 percent. Proteins are averaging in the 12 percent range.&nbsp;Yields are highly variable with a lot of abandoned acres with some fields not even germinating until January and February. Boyd reported they expected a big difference between planted and harvested acres, but the cooperative will take in about half the bushels of a 10-year average crop, which is better than anyone expected in the spring.&nbsp;Wheat producers planted into dust last fall and are now harvesting in the mud, having received a year’s worth of rain since April - some areas up to 15 inches. Boyd noted there is still a moisture deficiency to make up, despite the continued summer showers, which currently good-looking fall crops will need to get to harvest.&nbsp;Despite the seemingly constant rain delays and ever-increasing weed pressure, wheat farmers like Gary Millershaski in Lakin are stubborn and determined to do whatever it takes to finish cutting the fields left standing. On Monday, July 24, Millershaski was cutting wheat that should have been cut a month ago, but was set back by finally getting rain, mud, then more rain, then weeds, then having to spray fields and wait for residual periods to expire, then more rain. His friends in Oregon and Montana are already cutting their winter wheat, which is always on a different harvest schedule than his Kansas farm.&nbsp;“I’m not mad, I’m frustrated,” he said. “It has been a mess.”The entire growing season for Millershaski has been a battle. Before May 15, his acres only had received six to eight inches of moisture for the last year and a half. He planted wheat at the end of September and only had 30 to 40 percent emergence due to the drought. Where the wheat did come up after a small snow in January or rain in May, a lot did not produce kernels. After crop insurance agents adjusted those poor acres anywhere from zero to 2.5 bushels per acre, he destroyed all but 15 percent of his planted acres.&nbsp;There in the southern half of Kearny County, he estimated up to 90 percent of wheat acres were abandoned. In comparison, the northern half of the county saw unbelievable yields if producers were fortunate enough to get the wheat to come up. Those yields were boosted by a complete turn in the weather after May 15. Since that time, Millershaski reported receiving 16 to 17 inches of rain.&nbsp;That rain helped fill heads, even if it brought with it troublesome weeds. Millershaski reported test weights started as high as 61.7 pounds per bushel and protein should be higher than average due to the prior drought conditions. If he averages 25 bushels an acre on the fields he has left, he said he will be tickled to death.&nbsp;As the rain has continued falling, test weights have dropped down to 56 or 57 pounds per bushel, and elevators are now sending samples of nearly every load to the Federal Grain Inspection Service (FGIS) to check for potential damage. As a result, it can take up to three days for the producer to know their dockage levels, which Millershaski said is frustrating, but a necessary part of what the cooperatives need to do to sustain local operations.&nbsp;“We’re back to cutting again,” Millershaski said. “With any luck, I’ll wrap it up tomorrow.”Millershaski turned 60 years old this year. Of all his harvests, he has never cut this late and the poor year ranks at the very bottom. Despite that struggle, he and his two sons are already on the list for the varieties they selected to plant this fall - refusing to let this year be their last.&nbsp;“We’re planning for next year,” he said. “If we were throwing in the towel, we wouldn’t be cutting this crap right now.”“Nobody likes to quit a failure. I’ll be danged if I’m going to quit on a bad year. I may retire after the year of the home-run-over-the-fence yields, but I don’t see how I could quit.”Crop insurance helps provide a bridge from this bad year to a hopefully better harvest next year, but Millershaski was quick to point out that not many could average out their yearly wages for the past 15 years, take 60 to 70 percent of that and make that work for their budgets.&nbsp;“If it weren’t for crop insurance, there would be a lot of people that would not be here next year,” Millershaski said.&nbsp;His son Kyler is off the combine and back in Washington, DC, this week, visiting with Congressional leaders about the importance of programs like crop insurance to helping farmers like themselves persist through bad years like this one. Millershaski said he’s fortunate to have two sons that didn’t want to do anything but farm and are home working as the next generation in the operation.&nbsp;“This is our passion,” he said, noting he wished he could explain the good smell of a shovel full of good dirt in the spring or the soothing feel of ripe wheat to the touch. “This is what we do.”&nbsp;The 2023 Harvest Report is brought to you by the Kansas Wheat Commission, Kansas Association of Wheat Growers, Kansas Grain and Feed Association and the Kansas Cooperative Council. To follow along with harvest updates on Twitter, use #wheatharvest23. Tag us at @kansaswheat on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter to share your harvest story and photos.

Kansas Wheat Harvest Reports: Day 15

Cantaloupe, Watermelon, Honeydew…Oh My! When should you harvest melon?

By Maddy Rohr, K-State Research and Extension

Harvesting melons at the perfect time is crucial to the best eating experience. Melons will have the highest sugar content if allowed to ripen fully on the vine, Kansas State University horticulture expert Cynthia Domenghini said.

“When cantaloupes are ready for harvest they will easily separate from the vine,” Domenghini said.

If melon is ripe, Domenghini said by putting pressure on the fruit where the vine attaches, the fruit will slip off with a dip-shaped depression in the fruit. Twisting the stem to force separation indicates the melon is not ready.

“Additionally, the skin of the (ripe) melon should begin to show yellowing, instead of solid green during immaturity,” Domenghini said. “A ripe cantaloupe should have a musky fragrance and the end of the fruit opposite where the vine is attached should be soft.”

Domenghini said cantaloupe can be stored in a refrigerator for two weeks.

Watermelons are ready to harvest when the underside of the fruit changes from green-white to yellow. The melon will appear more dull, rather than glossy green, Domenghini said.

“The tendril attaching the fruit to the vine will turn black when the fruit reaches maturity,” Domenghini adds.

To harvest, separate the fruit from the vine by cutting the tendril, but leave about two inches still attached to the fruit. Store freshly harvested watermelons at room temperature for one week or in 50-60 degrees Fahrenheit for two to three weeks.

“Honeydew melons do not easily pull away from the stem when ripe,” Domenghini said.

Instead, she recommends relying on the change in color of the fruit from pale green to light yellow; the softening spot on the fruit opposite from where the vine attaches; and the aroma coming from the fruit.

“Honeydews can be stored for two weeks at 50 F,” Domenghini said.

Domenghini and her colleagues in K-State's Department of Horticulture and Natural Resources produce a weekly&nbsp;<a href="https://hnr.k-state.edu/extension/info-center/newsletters/index.html">Horticulture Newsletter</a>&nbsp;with tips for maintaining home landscapes and gardens. The newsletter is available to view online or can be delivered by email each week.

Interested persons can also send their garden and yard-related questions to Domenghini at&nbsp;<a href="mailto:cdom@ksu.edu,">cdom@ksu.edu,</a>&nbsp;or contact your&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ksre.k-state.edu/about/statewide-locations.html">local K-State Research and Extension office</a>.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/7/1689942681160.jpeg" alt="Harvesting melons at the right time is crucial to the best eating experience. KSRE Photo" />
 <figcaption>Harvesting melons at the right time is crucial to the best eating experience. KSRE Photo</figcaption>
 </figure><h2>Cantaloupe, Watermelon, Honeydew…Oh My! When should you harvest melon?</h2> By Maddy Rohr, K-State Research and Extension Harvesting melons at the perfect time is crucial to the best eating experience. Melons will have the highest sugar content if allowed to ripen fully on the vine, Kansas State University horticulture expert Cynthia Domenghini said.Cantaloupe“When cantaloupes are ready for harvest they will easily separate from the vine,” Domenghini said.If melon is ripe, Domenghini said by putting pressure on the fruit where the vine attaches, the fruit will slip off with a dip-shaped depression in the fruit. Twisting the stem to force separation indicates the melon is not ready.“Additionally, the skin of the (ripe) melon should begin to show yellowing, instead of solid green during immaturity,” Domenghini said. “A ripe cantaloupe should have a musky fragrance and the end of the fruit opposite where the vine is attached should be soft.”Domenghini said cantaloupe can be stored in a refrigerator for two weeks.WatermelonWatermelons are ready to harvest when the underside of the fruit changes from green-white to yellow. The melon will appear more dull, rather than glossy green, Domenghini said.“The tendril attaching the fruit to the vine will turn black when the fruit reaches maturity,” Domenghini adds.To harvest, separate the fruit from the vine by cutting the tendril, but leave about two inches still attached to the fruit. Store freshly harvested watermelons at room temperature for one week or in 50-60 degrees Fahrenheit for two to three weeks.Honeydew“Honeydew melons do not easily pull away from the stem when ripe,” Domenghini said.Instead, she recommends relying on the change in color of the fruit from pale green to light yellow; the softening spot on the fruit opposite from where the vine attaches; and the aroma coming from the fruit.“Honeydews can be stored for two weeks at 50 F,” Domenghini said.Domenghini and her colleagues in K-State's Department of Horticulture and Natural Resources produce a weekly&nbsp;<a href="https://hnr.k-state.edu/extension/info-center/newsletters/index.html">Horticulture Newsletter</a>&nbsp;with tips for maintaining home landscapes and gardens. The newsletter is available to view online or can be delivered by email each week.Interested persons can also send their garden and yard-related questions to Domenghini at&nbsp;<a href="mailto:cdom@ksu.edu,">cdom@ksu.edu,</a>&nbsp;or contact your&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ksre.k-state.edu/about/statewide-locations.html">local K-State Research and Extension office</a>.

KSRE: When Should You Harvest Cantaloupe, Watermelon, Honeydew

This is day 12 of the Kansas Wheat Harvest Reports, brought to you by the Kansas Wheat Commission, Kansas Association of Wheat Growers, Kansas Grain and Feed Association and the Kansas Cooperative Council.

Wheat harvest continues to be a slog with producers fighting rains and weeds to get the crop across the scale. Harvest is now 71 percent complete, well behind 98 percent last year and 94 percent for the five-year average, according to the USDA's National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) crop progress report for the week ending July 16, 2023.&nbsp;

In the far southwestern corner of the state, Morgan Walls with Elkhart Co-op reports wheat harvest in Morton County has been a drag. Weather has been inhibitive; quality has been a challenge and weeds continue to be a struggle.&nbsp;

Wheat harvest here should be wrapped up by the fourth of July, but this year that’s when the first loads hit the scales. With rain delays that have continuously deteriorated test weights, wheat harvest should finally finish by the end of the week.&nbsp;

But it’s hard to gauge where harvest is at, as 70 to 75 percent of planted acres were zeroed out by crop insurance, and more acres were taken out by spotty hail in the last couple of weeks. Test weights are averaging lighter than preferred at about 58 pounds per bushel with protein ranging between 12 and 14 percent. Yields are all over the place, from five bushels an acre all the way up to a very small area that had timely moisture and is seeing averages around 70 bushels per acre.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Following a busy weekend of cutting in Ness County harvest is all but done, according to Brad Cowan, general manager of CGS in Bazine. After having started cutting around June 23, producers are just tired after fighting the weeds, fighting the weather and fighting green wheat.&nbsp;

Yields ranged from 15 to 55 bushels per acre with test weights averaging 59.6 pounds per bushel and average protein coming in consistently just short of 13 percent. Fields that were close, but not released by crop insurance, benefitted from a perfect two-week period of filling weather, resulting in yields at 25 to 30 bushels per acre.&nbsp;

Weeds have been a continuous struggle, which means more work for the elevators. CGS will take in about the same number of bushels as last year, which is roughly half of the five-year average. That wheat will be loaded by train onto the short line and delivered to flour mills in eastern Kansas.&nbsp;

Weeds are also the main struggle in Meade County, where Dave Strecker with Alliance Ag and Grain LLC reported from Fowler in the eastern part of the county. Harvest here has been going on for a long time, having started around June 27 and still only about three-quarters finished.&nbsp;

Strecker said grain quality is pretty good with better than average proteins, but bushels are down dramatically due to approximately 65 percent abandonment of planted acres. There are several producers who won’t bring a single bushel of wheat to town.&nbsp;

The wheat that is coming in is yielding 20 to 35 bushels per acre, compared to the 60 to 70 bushels per acre for a normal year. Overall, he estimated the area will take in a maximum of 25 percent of bushels compared to the five-year average.&nbsp;

But, by this time next week, Strecker expects that all the wheat that will be harvested will be in the bin. And that’s much-needed as the corn is tasseling. He estimated only five weeks until the first load of dryland corn arrives, not a lot of time for the elevators to turn house and prepare for fall harvest.&nbsp;

With triple-digit temperatures expected in coming days, producers will likely make quick harvest progress if summer storms stay away. Stay tuned as the Kansas Wheat crew continues to share results from the field with the next report scheduled for July 18.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/7/1689639526635.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>By Julia Debes for Kansas WheatThis is day 12 of the Kansas Wheat Harvest Reports, brought to you by the Kansas Wheat Commission, Kansas Association of Wheat Growers, Kansas Grain and Feed Association and the Kansas Cooperative Council.Wheat harvest continues to be a slog with producers fighting rains and weeds to get the crop across the scale. Harvest is now 71 percent complete, well behind 98 percent last year and 94 percent for the five-year average, according to the USDA's National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) crop progress report for the week ending July 16, 2023.&nbsp;In the far southwestern corner of the state, Morgan Walls with Elkhart Co-op reports wheat harvest in Morton County has been a drag. Weather has been inhibitive; quality has been a challenge and weeds continue to be a struggle.&nbsp;Wheat harvest here should be wrapped up by the fourth of July, but this year that’s when the first loads hit the scales. With rain delays that have continuously deteriorated test weights, wheat harvest should finally finish by the end of the week.&nbsp;But it’s hard to gauge where harvest is at, as 70 to 75 percent of planted acres were zeroed out by crop insurance, and more acres were taken out by spotty hail in the last couple of weeks. Test weights are averaging lighter than preferred at about 58 pounds per bushel with protein ranging between 12 and 14 percent. Yields are all over the place, from five bushels an acre all the way up to a very small area that had timely moisture and is seeing averages around 70 bushels per acre.&nbsp;&nbsp;Following a busy weekend of cutting in Ness County harvest is all but done, according to Brad Cowan, general manager of CGS in Bazine. After having started cutting around June 23, producers are just tired after fighting the weeds, fighting the weather and fighting green wheat.&nbsp;Yields ranged from 15 to 55 bushels per acre with test weights averaging 59.6 pounds per bushel and average protein coming in consistently just short of 13 percent. Fields that were close, but not released by crop insurance, benefitted from a perfect two-week period of filling weather, resulting in yields at 25 to 30 bushels per acre.&nbsp;Weeds have been a continuous struggle, which means more work for the elevators. CGS will take in about the same number of bushels as last year, which is roughly half of the five-year average. That wheat will be loaded by train onto the short line and delivered to flour mills in eastern Kansas.&nbsp;Weeds are also the main struggle in Meade County, where Dave Strecker with Alliance Ag and Grain LLC reported from Fowler in the eastern part of the county. Harvest here has been going on for a long time, having started around June 27 and still only about three-quarters finished.&nbsp;Strecker said grain quality is pretty good with better than average proteins, but bushels are down dramatically due to approximately 65 percent abandonment of planted acres. There are several producers who won’t bring a single bushel of wheat to town.&nbsp;The wheat that is coming in is yielding 20 to 35 bushels per acre, compared to the 60 to 70 bushels per acre for a normal year. Overall, he estimated the area will take in a maximum of 25 percent of bushels compared to the five-year average.&nbsp;But, by this time next week, Strecker expects that all the wheat that will be harvested will be in the bin. And that’s much-needed as the corn is tasseling. He estimated only five weeks until the first load of dryland corn arrives, not a lot of time for the elevators to turn house and prepare for fall harvest.&nbsp;With triple-digit temperatures expected in coming days, producers will likely make quick harvest progress if summer storms stay away. Stay tuned as the Kansas Wheat crew continues to share results from the field with the next report scheduled for July 18.&nbsp;The 2023 Harvest Report is brought to you by the Kansas Wheat Commission, Kansas Association of Wheat Growers, Kansas Grain and Feed Association and the Kansas Cooperative Council. To follow along with harvest updates on Twitter, use #wheatharvest23. Tag us at @kansaswheat on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter to share your harvest story and photos.

Day 12, Kansas Wheat Harvest Report

By Jared Strong <a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/briefs/woman-who-shouted-shame-following-critical-gun-bill-passage-is-banned-from-nebraska-capitol/">States Newsroom&nbsp;</a>

COUNCIL BLUFFS — Former President Donald Trump claimed he is the “most pro-farmer president that you’ve ever had” during a campaign stop in Iowa and joked that his payments to them during a trade war with China should guarantee he will win the state’s caucuses.

“How the hell can I not? I gave the farmers $28 billion,” he said Friday in a ballroom of the Mid-America Center in Council Bluffs.

Trump was referring to bailout money paid to farmers in 2019 amid his efforts to rework the country’s trade policies, which included imposing tariffs on Chinese products. The country retaliated, in part, by imposing its own tariffs on soybeans, crippling an important export market for Iowa farmers.

Last year, the United States exported about $154 billion of goods to China, up about 19% from 2017, according to the U.S. Department of Commerce. Exports dropped to about $107 billion during the trade war in 2019.

Trump said farmers benefited from the dispute and his trade renegotiations with other countries such as Canada and Mexico. He said farmers also benefited from tax cuts implemented by Congress during his administration, along with a temporary increase in the exemption to the federal tax that is levied on the estates of wealthy people after they die.

“A lot of times they lose the farm,” he said of children of farmers who can’t afford to pay.

Further, Trump said his administration supported the ethanol industry by allowing summertime sales of E15 — a gasoline blend with 15% ethanol. A&nbsp;federal judge later reversed that action, saying the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency did not have the authority to lift restrictions on its sales without approval from Congress.

Trump said he would continue to negotiate better trade deals for farmers if reelected and would prevent Chinese ownership of American farmland.

State Rep. Bobby Kaufmann, a Wilton Republican who is a senior adviser to Trump’s campaign in Iowa, launched the Friday event with a panel discussion about agriculture that included talks about water quality restrictions, farm subsidies and other issues.

“There is no doubt in my mind that Donald Trump has been the single best president in United States history for Iowa agriculture and farmers in general,” Kaufmann said. “I mean, look, he brought the rain today.”

Rally attendees had long waits in sometimes heavy rain to get into the venue, which was considerably smaller than the large-scale rallies for which Trump is known. Staff at the Mid-America Center said the ballroom could accommodate about 2,000 people.

As they waited inside, there were periodic chants of “Trump! Trump! Trump!” and “Build the wall!” There was also an impromptu recitation of the Pledge of Allegiance.

It was the Republican frontrunner’s first appearance in Iowa since&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://iowacapitaldispatch.com/2023/06/09/the-indictment-is-unsealed-trump-faces-37-felony-counts-in-classified-documents-probe/">his 37-count federal indictment</a>&nbsp;last month that accuses Trump of scheming to keep classified documents from his time as president.

“It’s all bull—,” Trump said Friday. “I’m the only person who ever got indicted that got more popular.”

Trump, as a presidential candidate seven years ago, made repeated statements about the importance of protecting classified information, according to the indictment: “No one will be above the law,” he said in August 2016.

But he has pivoted to claim he is being unfairly targeted by the federal government for political reasons and that others — including President Joe Biden and his first presidential opponent Hillary Clinton — are guilty of similar offenses.

However, the accusations against Trump stand apart in that he allegedly took more than 100 classified documents from his former presidency to his resort and home in Florida, stored them haphazardly, and disclosed some of the information they contained to people without appropriate security clearances.

That doesn’t matter to Travis Humbert, of Underwood, who attended the rally with his 13-year-old son.

“It could be true,” said Humbert, who voted twice in presidential elections for Trump and plans to again. “But people are stuck in the past. Who cares? We all have a past. Let’s move on. He’s a businessman, not a politician, and he’s actually trying to work for the American people.”

The federal indictment is the second criminal allegation against him that has yielded formal charges this year. In April, a New York grand jury indicted Trump&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://iowacapitaldispatch.com/2023/03/30/trump-indicted-by-manhattan-grand-jury-according-to-reports/">for falsifying business records</a>. The state indictment targets Trump’s claims that certain payments to an attorney were for legal fees, while investigators allege they were reimbursements for a hush-money payment to an adult film actress.

And there are two pending investigations into whether Trump attempted to interfere with the 2020 election in Georgia — a state Biden narrowly won — and into Trump’s role in the Jan. 6, 2021 attack of the U.S. Capitol.

“It’s a joke — a total joke,” Patty Murray, of Omaha, said of the criminal inquiries into Trump.

Murray wants Trump to get a second term so that he can finish building a wall at the country’s southern border with Mexico, promote international peace and bolster the economy.

She said the investigations and indictments have done little to diminish Trump’s credibility with his supporters.

“It’s helped him,” Murray said. “Everybody says it’s a joke.”

Jeanne Greisen, a Lincoln, Nebraska,resident who volunteered at Friday’s rally, agreed: “People like to support somebody that’s being attacked and doing the right thing. They like to back the small guy.”

Trump pledged last month to appoint a special prosecutor to investigate Biden and his family if he is elected president again. Greisen hesitated to express support for politically motivated investigations but said: “I think it just needs to be fair across the board. The same law needs to be applied to every person.”

Greisen said she will vote for Trump, hoping in a second term he can require public school children to learn more about the U.S. Constitution, lessen the prevalence of human trafficking and reduce the size and scope of government.

Greisen, Murray and Humbert also said that the economy has suffered under Biden’s leadership and that inflation is still a major problem.

“Gas prices need to come back down,” said Humbert, of Woodward.

<a target="_blank" href="https://projects.fivethirtyeight.com/polls/president-primary-r/2024/iowa/">Recent polls</a>&nbsp;of potential Republican caucus voters in Iowa show Trump with double-digit percentage point leads over his nearest competitor, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis. Nationally, pollsters show a wider margin of support for Trump, with Trump’s former vice president, Mike Pence, in a distant third.

Trump lobbed numerous personal attacks at DeSantis for being a “lousy candidate” for governor who was only elected because of Trump’s support in 2018.

Trump said that his status as the clear frontrunner is what made him a target for criminal investigations and that he is acting as a shield for the nation’s citizens.

“They want to take away my freedom because I sure as hell won’t let them take your freedom,” he said to rapturous applause. He later added: “In the end, they’re not after me. They’re after you, and I just happen to be standing in the way.”

He was not more specific about who was planning to take freedoms from citizens nor what specific freedoms they are.

Iowa Auditor Rob Sand, the state’s sole elected Democrat to currently hold a statewide office, criticized Trump at a news conference in Des Moines on Friday before the former president’s Council Bluffs event.

Sand said Trump is advocating for the same “extremist” policies that Iowa Republican lawmakers and Gov. Kim Reynolds advocate for. He pointed to Reynolds’&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://iowacapitaldispatch.com/2023/07/05/reynolds-announces-special-session-on-abortion-for-july-11/">call for a special session</a>&nbsp;Tuesday, July 11, to pass abortion legislation following the Iowa Supreme Court decision not allowing enforcement of the state’s 2018 six-week abortion ban.

“So as Donald Trump comes to Iowa today, it’s important to remember that he bragged about being the one to get Roe overturned,” Sand said. “It’s important to remember that they are paving the way for the legislative bans that Republicans are going to do right here in Iowa.”

Trump mentioned abortion briefly and said the Supreme Court decision gives abortion opponents more leverage to negotiate for regulations that are less extreme than what he said Democrats want. He said he supports exceptions for rape, incest and to protect the life of the mother.

Of the court decision to eliminate a right to abortion at the federal level: “Good things are going to come about it, and you move it back to the states where all the legal scholars said it should be,” Trump said.

This article first appeared in the&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://iowacapitaldispatch.com/2023/07/07/trump-appeals-to-farmers-in-iowa-campaign-visit/">Iowa Capital Dispatch</a>,&nbsp;a sister&nbsp;site of the Nebraska Examiner in the States Newsroom network.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/7/1688866742399.png" alt="Former President Donald Trump said he is a champion of farmers in a campaign visit to Council Bluffs on July 7, 2023. (Jared Strong/Iowa Capital Dispatch)" />
 <figcaption>Former President Donald Trump said he is a champion of farmers in a campaign visit to Council Bluffs on July 7, 2023. (Jared Strong/Iowa Capital Dispatch)</figcaption>
 </figure>By Jared Strong <a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/briefs/woman-who-shouted-shame-following-critical-gun-bill-passage-is-banned-from-nebraska-capitol/">States Newsroom&nbsp;</a>COUNCIL BLUFFS — Former President Donald Trump claimed he is the “most pro-farmer president that you’ve ever had” during a campaign stop in Iowa and joked that his payments to them during a trade war with China should guarantee he will win the state’s caucuses.“How the hell can I not? I gave the farmers $28 billion,” he said Friday in a ballroom of the Mid-America Center in Council Bluffs.Trump was referring to bailout money paid to farmers in 2019 amid his efforts to rework the country’s trade policies, which included imposing tariffs on Chinese products. The country retaliated, in part, by imposing its own tariffs on soybeans, crippling an important export market for Iowa farmers.Last year, the United States exported about $154 billion of goods to China, up about 19% from 2017, according to the U.S. Department of Commerce. Exports dropped to about $107 billion during the trade war in 2019.Trump said farmers benefited from the dispute and his trade renegotiations with other countries such as Canada and Mexico. He said farmers also benefited from tax cuts implemented by Congress during his administration, along with a temporary increase in the exemption to the federal tax that is levied on the estates of wealthy people after they die.“A lot of times they lose the farm,” he said of children of farmers who can’t afford to pay.Further, Trump said his administration supported the ethanol industry by allowing summertime sales of E15 — a gasoline blend with 15% ethanol. A&nbsp;federal judge later reversed that action, saying the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency did not have the authority to lift restrictions on its sales without approval from Congress.Trump said he would continue to negotiate better trade deals for farmers if reelected and would prevent Chinese ownership of American farmland.State Rep. Bobby Kaufmann, a Wilton Republican who is a senior adviser to Trump’s campaign in Iowa, launched the Friday event with a panel discussion about agriculture that included talks about water quality restrictions, farm subsidies and other issues.“There is no doubt in my mind that Donald Trump has been the single best president in United States history for Iowa agriculture and farmers in general,” Kaufmann said. “I mean, look, he brought the rain today.”Rally attendees had long waits in sometimes heavy rain to get into the venue, which was considerably smaller than the large-scale rallies for which Trump is known. Staff at the Mid-America Center said the ballroom could accommodate about 2,000 people.As they waited inside, there were periodic chants of “Trump! Trump! Trump!” and “Build the wall!” There was also an impromptu recitation of the Pledge of Allegiance.<h2>Shadow of indictments</h2>It was the Republican frontrunner’s first appearance in Iowa since&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://iowacapitaldispatch.com/2023/06/09/the-indictment-is-unsealed-trump-faces-37-felony-counts-in-classified-documents-probe/">his 37-count federal indictment</a>&nbsp;last month that accuses Trump of scheming to keep classified documents from his time as president.“It’s all bull—,” Trump said Friday. “I’m the only person who ever got indicted that got more popular.”Trump, as a presidential candidate seven years ago, made repeated statements about the importance of protecting classified information, according to the indictment: “No one will be above the law,” he said in August 2016.But he has pivoted to claim he is being unfairly targeted by the federal government for political reasons and that others — including President Joe Biden and his first presidential opponent Hillary Clinton — are guilty of similar offenses.However, the accusations against Trump stand apart in that he allegedly took more than 100 classified documents from his former presidency to his resort and home in Florida, stored them haphazardly, and disclosed some of the information they contained to people without appropriate security clearances.That doesn’t matter to Travis Humbert, of Underwood, who attended the rally with his 13-year-old son.“It could be true,” said Humbert, who voted twice in presidential elections for Trump and plans to again. “But people are stuck in the past. Who cares? We all have a past. Let’s move on. He’s a businessman, not a politician, and he’s actually trying to work for the American people.”The federal indictment is the second criminal allegation against him that has yielded formal charges this year. In April, a New York grand jury indicted Trump&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://iowacapitaldispatch.com/2023/03/30/trump-indicted-by-manhattan-grand-jury-according-to-reports/">for falsifying business records</a>. The state indictment targets Trump’s claims that certain payments to an attorney were for legal fees, while investigators allege they were reimbursements for a hush-money payment to an adult film actress.And there are two pending investigations into whether Trump attempted to interfere with the 2020 election in Georgia — a state Biden narrowly won — and into Trump’s role in the Jan. 6, 2021 attack of the U.S. Capitol.“It’s a joke — a total joke,” Patty Murray, of Omaha, said of the criminal inquiries into Trump.Murray wants Trump to get a second term so that he can finish building a wall at the country’s southern border with Mexico, promote international peace and bolster the economy.She said the investigations and indictments have done little to diminish Trump’s credibility with his supporters.“It’s helped him,” Murray said. “Everybody says it’s a joke.”Jeanne Greisen, a Lincoln, Nebraska,resident who volunteered at Friday’s rally, agreed: “People like to support somebody that’s being attacked and doing the right thing. They like to back the small guy.”Trump pledged last month to appoint a special prosecutor to investigate Biden and his family if he is elected president again. Greisen hesitated to express support for politically motivated investigations but said: “I think it just needs to be fair across the board. The same law needs to be applied to every person.”Greisen said she will vote for Trump, hoping in a second term he can require public school children to learn more about the U.S. Constitution, lessen the prevalence of human trafficking and reduce the size and scope of government.Greisen, Murray and Humbert also said that the economy has suffered under Biden’s leadership and that inflation is still a major problem.“Gas prices need to come back down,” said Humbert, of Woodward.<a target="_blank" href="https://projects.fivethirtyeight.com/polls/president-primary-r/2024/iowa/">Recent polls</a>&nbsp;of potential Republican caucus voters in Iowa show Trump with double-digit percentage point leads over his nearest competitor, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis. Nationally, pollsters show a wider margin of support for Trump, with Trump’s former vice president, Mike Pence, in a distant third.Trump lobbed numerous personal attacks at DeSantis for being a “lousy candidate” for governor who was only elected because of Trump’s support in 2018.Trump said that his status as the clear frontrunner is what made him a target for criminal investigations and that he is acting as a shield for the nation’s citizens.“They want to take away my freedom because I sure as hell won’t let them take your freedom,” he said to rapturous applause. He later added: “In the end, they’re not after me. They’re after you, and I just happen to be standing in the way.”He was not more specific about who was planning to take freedoms from citizens nor what specific freedoms they are.<h2>Democrats point to Roe</h2>Iowa Auditor Rob Sand, the state’s sole elected Democrat to currently hold a statewide office, criticized Trump at a news conference in Des Moines on Friday before the former president’s Council Bluffs event.Sand said Trump is advocating for the same “extremist” policies that Iowa Republican lawmakers and Gov. Kim Reynolds advocate for. He pointed to Reynolds’&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://iowacapitaldispatch.com/2023/07/05/reynolds-announces-special-session-on-abortion-for-july-11/">call for a special session</a>&nbsp;Tuesday, July 11, to pass abortion legislation following the Iowa Supreme Court decision not allowing enforcement of the state’s 2018 six-week abortion ban.“So as Donald Trump comes to Iowa today, it’s important to remember that he bragged about being the one to get Roe overturned,” Sand said. “It’s important to remember that they are paving the way for the legislative bans that Republicans are going to do right here in Iowa.”Trump mentioned abortion briefly and said the Supreme Court decision gives abortion opponents more leverage to negotiate for regulations that are less extreme than what he said Democrats want. He said he supports exceptions for rape, incest and to protect the life of the mother.Of the court decision to eliminate a right to abortion at the federal level: “Good things are going to come about it, and you move it back to the states where all the legal scholars said it should be,” Trump said.This article first appeared in the&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://iowacapitaldispatch.com/2023/07/07/trump-appeals-to-farmers-in-iowa-campaign-visit/">Iowa Capital Dispatch</a>,&nbsp;a sister&nbsp;site of the Nebraska Examiner in the States Newsroom network.

Trump appeals to farmers in campaign appearance

BY Kim Baldwin McPherson&nbsp;County farmer and rancher Summertime on the farm is in full effect. We seem to awaken a bit earlier with the sun to accomplish tasks before the heat of the day sets in. We also seem to go to bed much later to take advantage of the extra daylight.&nbsp; &nbsp; It’s a constant state of “go-go-go” most days right now with an occasional slowdown if a rain shower pops up. &nbsp; After going through the items of the day over coffee, my husband is usually the first one out the door. We are generally going different directions for the majority of the days right now, but we’re always touching base with quick phone calls and text messages. &nbsp; Sometimes the text messages between us consist of a brief “OK” or a thumbs up emoji. Sometimes the text is simply a link to a news article one of us finds interesting. Other times it’s a silly TikTok or Facebook Reel we know will give the other a good chuckle.&nbsp; &nbsp; Many times the text message thread between us includes silly GIF responses. &nbsp; A perfect example of our daily communication during this time of the year was when I recently texted a selfie of me with a thumbs up showing my husband I had successfully backed a truck to and hooked a trailer to the ball hitch without any help – a task I like to remind him I am fully capable of accomplishing. &nbsp; “One try,” I included in the text message accompanying the photo.&nbsp; &nbsp; His response: A black and white GIF of battle-worn actor Gerard Butler playing King Leonidas&nbsp;from the movie 300&nbsp;with the words “MY QUEEN.”&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; Another example was when we were looking for a small part needed for the planter. When I thought I had found the item I texted him a picture of it with “Is this it?” in the message. &nbsp; While his response was a quick, “Yah,” I responded back with a GIF of a crowd wildly applauding. &nbsp; I’ve had many times in my adult life that I have reflected on how lucky I am to be living in this era. I often wonder how those before me handled life in general, let alone life on the farm without all of the modern tools, technologies and conveniences. &nbsp; Constant communication on our farm is a necessity to ensure we are as productive and efficient with our time as possible, especially during these busy summer days. &nbsp; I truly don’t know how those successfully communicated and maintained relationships before us during the busy summer farm days of yesteryear. I just know that I am truly thankful for the ability to instantly communicate with my husband, which allows us to not only efficiently accomplish tasks, but also allows us to provide quick words of affirmation or encouragement through silly animations, videos and emojis via text messages that help us navigate our busy summer days on the farm together.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2019/11/1573617414005.jpeg" alt="Kim-Baldwin Insight.jpg" />
 <figcaption>Kim-Baldwin Insight.jpg</figcaption>
 </figure>BY Kim Baldwin McPherson&nbsp;County farmer and rancher Summertime on the farm is in full effect. We seem to awaken a bit earlier with the sun to accomplish tasks before the heat of the day sets in. We also seem to go to bed much later to take advantage of the extra daylight.&nbsp; &nbsp; It’s a constant state of “go-go-go” most days right now with an occasional slowdown if a rain shower pops up. &nbsp; After going through the items of the day over coffee, my husband is usually the first one out the door. We are generally going different directions for the majority of the days right now, but we’re always touching base with quick phone calls and text messages. &nbsp; Sometimes the text messages between us consist of a brief “OK” or a thumbs up emoji. Sometimes the text is simply a link to a news article one of us finds interesting. Other times it’s a silly TikTok or Facebook Reel we know will give the other a good chuckle.&nbsp; &nbsp; Many times the text message thread between us includes silly GIF responses. &nbsp; A perfect example of our daily communication during this time of the year was when I recently texted a selfie of me with a thumbs up showing my husband I had successfully backed a truck to and hooked a trailer to the ball hitch without any help – a task I like to remind him I am fully capable of accomplishing. &nbsp; “One try,” I included in the text message accompanying the photo.&nbsp; &nbsp; His response: A black and white GIF of battle-worn actor Gerard Butler playing King Leonidas&nbsp;from the movie 300&nbsp;with the words “MY QUEEN.”&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; Another example was when we were looking for a small part needed for the planter. When I thought I had found the item I texted him a picture of it with “Is this it?” in the message. &nbsp; While his response was a quick, “Yah,” I responded back with a GIF of a crowd wildly applauding. &nbsp; I’ve had many times in my adult life that I have reflected on how lucky I am to be living in this era. I often wonder how those before me handled life in general, let alone life on the farm without all of the modern tools, technologies and conveniences. &nbsp; Constant communication on our farm is a necessity to ensure we are as productive and efficient with our time as possible, especially during these busy summer days. &nbsp; I truly don’t know how those successfully communicated and maintained relationships before us during the busy summer farm days of yesteryear. I just know that I am truly thankful for the ability to instantly communicate with my husband, which allows us to not only efficiently accomplish tasks, but also allows us to provide quick words of affirmation or encouragement through silly animations, videos and emojis via text messages that help us navigate our busy summer days on the farm together.

Insight Kansas: Modern farm communication

For audio file, please visit&nbsp;<a href="https://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=0019c2U-Y3J836rJO0qyQMZh64LRPJ87NNRtL0h27A4a_Ns0WmuGd1uXlw7hiRwp_oBVfMoWZ1a-uLZhfcNzeMciee6cW566tHrQIcmi3VlFS_-gTd25YzF5tKvOBSk-yhIlHdEUkate8EObAIVpIkU9w==&amp;c=f8s9neCRrHD-dbzoWDZqbxz6cZutlzhBmFOxbrSEl4VaDNuC1Lw8RQ==&amp;ch=OHpZ8fkr_Bey6wKB9LocqoLKxsRe359dPZ_h47Ub8uwRajpKwR9lRw==" target="_blank">kswheat.com</a>.

This is day 7 of the Kansas Wheat Harvest Reports, brought to you by the Kansas Wheat Commission, Kansas Association of Wheat Growers, Kansas Grain and Feed Association and the Kansas Cooperative Council.

Triple-digit temperatures mean it certainly feels like the right weather to harvest wheat, but producers and elevators alike are feeling behind schedule. Wheat harvest has shifted west, moving into areas with more extreme drought conditions and more abandoned acres. The wheat acres that remain are coming in below average, but slightly better than expected, while producers adjust their harvesting to address pressure from late-growing weeds.&nbsp;

At the Nebraska border, Neil Bekemeyer started harvest on Monday, June 26, and expects to finish up in the next few days. In Washington County and up into Nebraska, Bekemeyer had hail&nbsp;on Wednesday night, which did not break the hollow wheat stems, but did have a bit of shatter. Wheat fared better than corn, much of which was blown over in the wind.&nbsp;

Bekemeyer was surprised at the yields he was seeing, especially considering the moderate amount of weeds below the canopy. Outstanding varieties included AgriPro Bigfoot and LCS Valiant - with test weights coming in between 58 and 60 pounds per bushel.

In Riley County, Kansas Wheat Commission board member, Nathan Larson has mixed feelings about this year’s wheat crop. He recalled how difficult it was to get his crop in last fall because there was too much moisture to even get into fields. He still thinks there was moisture in the ground to help the wheat grow, but his stands did not fill out with tillers like he had hoped, and he had more weed pressure.&nbsp;

Larson has been delivering Syngenta Monument crop to the local elevator in Leonardville, where test weights have not been great at an average of 58 pounds per bushel. Overall, his crop is averaging 30 bushels per acre.&nbsp;

“It’s a disappointing year, but when you think about southwest Kansas, it’s not a BAD year,” Larson shared.

Back in central Kansas, Del Adcock of Bartlett Grain in Great Bend reported the area is about 10 days to two weeks behind normal. So far, they’ve taken in about 20 percent of the wheat they expect to receive. Test weights are good, averaging 60 pounds per bushel and above, with higher-than-average protein.&nbsp;

Adcock said yields are averaging in the high 20s to low 30s with a range from the teens to 50 bushels per acre. Weeds are everywhere, due to thin stands and the crop maturing later than normal.&nbsp;

Bartlett Grain has a six-county draw radius and Adcock expects to receive about half the wheat of an average year. Sitting on a short line rail line, the facility will send wheat to their core business in Mexico as well as company-owned flour mills in Coffeyville, Kansas, and North Carolina.&nbsp;

There’s little excitement about this year’s crop, as approximately 40 percent of acres were abandoned and yields on the remaining wheat are much lower than average.&nbsp;

“Everybody’s ready to have harvest done and out of the way,” Adcock said.

In the northern part of Barton County, Dean Stoskopf reported even higher abandonment, estimating up to 90 percent of local acres would not be harvested due to extreme drought conditions. Some of Stoskopf’s fields went a year without an inch (or some even a half inch) of moisture. The majority of the county finally moved out of D4 (exceptional) drought, thanks to rains in the past two weeks, but more rain is needed to keep that status at bay.

“If it doesn't rain, we’ll be right back in exceptional drought,” Stoskopf said.&nbsp;

Stoskopf abandoned 80 percent of planted acres and chose not to spray the remaining 200 acres. As a result, he decided to use only a conventional combine, which handles the ever-growing weeds better than his other rotary head. He noted 100-degree weather also helps chop weeds a little bit easier.&nbsp;

Stoskopf cut his first field on Wednesday with final results coming in just above crop insurance estimates at 23 bushels per acre, acceptable 12 percent moisture, excellent test weight at 60 pounds per bushel and good protein at 12.8 percent. The only surviving variety on his operation is PlainsGold Whistler, which benefitted from last-minute moisture as a late-maturing variety.&nbsp;

“What survived isn’t doing too bad, but there aren’t many acres of it,” Stoskopf said. “There just is not a whole lot of wheat coming in.”&nbsp;

Summertime temperatures will continue to advance the pace of wheat harvest in the coming days ahead of the&nbsp;July 4th&nbsp;holiday and a cold front next week. Stay tuned as the Kansas Wheat crew continues to share results from the field with the next report scheduled for Jully 5.

The 2023 Harvest Report is brought to you by the Kansas Wheat Commission, Kansas Association of Wheat Growers, Kansas Grain and Feed Association and the Kansas Cooperative Council. To follow along with harvest updates on Twitter, use #wheatharvest23. Tag us at @kansaswheat on&nbsp;<a href="https://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=0019c2U-Y3J836rJO0qyQMZh64LRPJ87NNRtL0h27A4a_Ns0WmuGd1uXqa8Th2TjT0zFjw2EIbhzWBZM-QWdsAGzloc7w35GcXgcDGOUGFqzNiJu08HtcvW32hbe5Ro4S9dIZPRtpMLLJPJANGqSQepLu_F2w4xGlvL&amp;c=f8s9neCRrHD-dbzoWDZqbxz6cZutlzhBmFOxbrSEl4VaDNuC1Lw8RQ==&amp;ch=OHpZ8fkr_Bey6wKB9LocqoLKxsRe359dPZ_h47Ub8uwRajpKwR9lRw==" target="_blank">Facebook</a>,&nbsp;<a href="https://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=0019c2U-Y3J836rJO0qyQMZh64LRPJ87NNRtL0h27A4a_Ns0WmuGd1uXldZ_vAGD9DaN0flNwKlLnQmr011RetAiQw9M4rr4Bg80CLAVhCNziZ7mCigcGzTVA5tvxn2lylgqVHBs9OljYlm9XHHpPDraL3vfkENGTIi&amp;c=f8s9neCRrHD-dbzoWDZqbxz6cZutlzhBmFOxbrSEl4VaDNuC1Lw8RQ==&amp;ch=OHpZ8fkr_Bey6wKB9LocqoLKxsRe359dPZ_h47Ub8uwRajpKwR9lRw==" target="_blank">Instagram</a>and&nbsp;<a href="https://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=0019c2U-Y3J836rJO0qyQMZh64LRPJ87NNRtL0h27A4a_Ns0WmuGd1uXj3bI__Yrvp0bEkaJleuOawgBJkaQvKBIkYWvhojJIMibquNcB_pLPzQQMPJLmwxeCnAONcpqRuwRnKs2l6MzlSiIiKMdRsHULptl6vUc_pg&amp;c=f8s9neCRrHD-dbzoWDZqbxz6cZutlzhBmFOxbrSEl4VaDNuC1Lw8RQ==&amp;ch=OHpZ8fkr_Bey6wKB9LocqoLKxsRe359dPZ_h47Ub8uwRajpKwR9lRw==" target="_blank">Twitter</a>&nbsp;to share your harvest story and photos.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/6/1688090528981.png" alt="Image Courtesy Kansas Wheat " />
 <figcaption>Image Courtesy Kansas Wheat </figcaption>
 </figure> BY Julia DebesKansas Wheat For audio file, please visit&nbsp;<a href="https://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=0019c2U-Y3J836rJO0qyQMZh64LRPJ87NNRtL0h27A4a_Ns0WmuGd1uXlw7hiRwp_oBVfMoWZ1a-uLZhfcNzeMciee6cW566tHrQIcmi3VlFS_-gTd25YzF5tKvOBSk-yhIlHdEUkate8EObAIVpIkU9w==&amp;c=f8s9neCRrHD-dbzoWDZqbxz6cZutlzhBmFOxbrSEl4VaDNuC1Lw8RQ==&amp;ch=OHpZ8fkr_Bey6wKB9LocqoLKxsRe359dPZ_h47Ub8uwRajpKwR9lRw==" target="_blank">kswheat.com</a>.This is day 7 of the Kansas Wheat Harvest Reports, brought to you by the Kansas Wheat Commission, Kansas Association of Wheat Growers, Kansas Grain and Feed Association and the Kansas Cooperative Council.Triple-digit temperatures mean it certainly feels like the right weather to harvest wheat, but producers and elevators alike are feeling behind schedule. Wheat harvest has shifted west, moving into areas with more extreme drought conditions and more abandoned acres. The wheat acres that remain are coming in below average, but slightly better than expected, while producers adjust their harvesting to address pressure from late-growing weeds.&nbsp;At the Nebraska border, Neil Bekemeyer started harvest on Monday, June 26, and expects to finish up in the next few days. In Washington County and up into Nebraska, Bekemeyer had hail&nbsp;on Wednesday night, which did not break the hollow wheat stems, but did have a bit of shatter. Wheat fared better than corn, much of which was blown over in the wind.&nbsp;Bekemeyer was surprised at the yields he was seeing, especially considering the moderate amount of weeds below the canopy. Outstanding varieties included AgriPro Bigfoot and LCS Valiant - with test weights coming in between 58 and 60 pounds per bushel.In Riley County, Kansas Wheat Commission board member, Nathan Larson has mixed feelings about this year’s wheat crop. He recalled how difficult it was to get his crop in last fall because there was too much moisture to even get into fields. He still thinks there was moisture in the ground to help the wheat grow, but his stands did not fill out with tillers like he had hoped, and he had more weed pressure.&nbsp;Larson has been delivering Syngenta Monument crop to the local elevator in Leonardville, where test weights have not been great at an average of 58 pounds per bushel. Overall, his crop is averaging 30 bushels per acre.&nbsp;“It’s a disappointing year, but when you think about southwest Kansas, it’s not a BAD year,” Larson shared.Back in central Kansas, Del Adcock of Bartlett Grain in Great Bend reported the area is about 10 days to two weeks behind normal. So far, they’ve taken in about 20 percent of the wheat they expect to receive. Test weights are good, averaging 60 pounds per bushel and above, with higher-than-average protein.&nbsp;Adcock said yields are averaging in the high 20s to low 30s with a range from the teens to 50 bushels per acre. Weeds are everywhere, due to thin stands and the crop maturing later than normal.&nbsp;Bartlett Grain has a six-county draw radius and Adcock expects to receive about half the wheat of an average year. Sitting on a short line rail line, the facility will send wheat to their core business in Mexico as well as company-owned flour mills in Coffeyville, Kansas, and North Carolina.&nbsp;There’s little excitement about this year’s crop, as approximately 40 percent of acres were abandoned and yields on the remaining wheat are much lower than average.&nbsp;“Everybody’s ready to have harvest done and out of the way,” Adcock said.In the northern part of Barton County, Dean Stoskopf reported even higher abandonment, estimating up to 90 percent of local acres would not be harvested due to extreme drought conditions. Some of Stoskopf’s fields went a year without an inch (or some even a half inch) of moisture. The majority of the county finally moved out of D4 (exceptional) drought, thanks to rains in the past two weeks, but more rain is needed to keep that status at bay.“If it doesn't rain, we’ll be right back in exceptional drought,” Stoskopf said.&nbsp;Stoskopf abandoned 80 percent of planted acres and chose not to spray the remaining 200 acres. As a result, he decided to use only a conventional combine, which handles the ever-growing weeds better than his other rotary head. He noted 100-degree weather also helps chop weeds a little bit easier.&nbsp;Stoskopf cut his first field on Wednesday with final results coming in just above crop insurance estimates at 23 bushels per acre, acceptable 12 percent moisture, excellent test weight at 60 pounds per bushel and good protein at 12.8 percent. The only surviving variety on his operation is PlainsGold Whistler, which benefitted from last-minute moisture as a late-maturing variety.&nbsp;“What survived isn’t doing too bad, but there aren’t many acres of it,” Stoskopf said. “There just is not a whole lot of wheat coming in.”&nbsp;Summertime temperatures will continue to advance the pace of wheat harvest in the coming days ahead of the&nbsp;July 4th&nbsp;holiday and a cold front next week. Stay tuned as the Kansas Wheat crew continues to share results from the field with the next report scheduled for Jully 5.The 2023 Harvest Report is brought to you by the Kansas Wheat Commission, Kansas Association of Wheat Growers, Kansas Grain and Feed Association and the Kansas Cooperative Council. To follow along with harvest updates on Twitter, use #wheatharvest23. Tag us at @kansaswheat on&nbsp;<a href="https://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=0019c2U-Y3J836rJO0qyQMZh64LRPJ87NNRtL0h27A4a_Ns0WmuGd1uXqa8Th2TjT0zFjw2EIbhzWBZM-QWdsAGzloc7w35GcXgcDGOUGFqzNiJu08HtcvW32hbe5Ro4S9dIZPRtpMLLJPJANGqSQepLu_F2w4xGlvL&amp;c=f8s9neCRrHD-dbzoWDZqbxz6cZutlzhBmFOxbrSEl4VaDNuC1Lw8RQ==&amp;ch=OHpZ8fkr_Bey6wKB9LocqoLKxsRe359dPZ_h47Ub8uwRajpKwR9lRw==" target="_blank">Facebook</a>,&nbsp;<a href="https://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=0019c2U-Y3J836rJO0qyQMZh64LRPJ87NNRtL0h27A4a_Ns0WmuGd1uXldZ_vAGD9DaN0flNwKlLnQmr011RetAiQw9M4rr4Bg80CLAVhCNziZ7mCigcGzTVA5tvxn2lylgqVHBs9OljYlm9XHHpPDraL3vfkENGTIi&amp;c=f8s9neCRrHD-dbzoWDZqbxz6cZutlzhBmFOxbrSEl4VaDNuC1Lw8RQ==&amp;ch=OHpZ8fkr_Bey6wKB9LocqoLKxsRe359dPZ_h47Ub8uwRajpKwR9lRw==" target="_blank">Instagram</a>and&nbsp;<a href="https://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=0019c2U-Y3J836rJO0qyQMZh64LRPJ87NNRtL0h27A4a_Ns0WmuGd1uXj3bI__Yrvp0bEkaJleuOawgBJkaQvKBIkYWvhojJIMibquNcB_pLPzQQMPJLmwxeCnAONcpqRuwRnKs2l6MzlSiIiKMdRsHULptl6vUc_pg&amp;c=f8s9neCRrHD-dbzoWDZqbxz6cZutlzhBmFOxbrSEl4VaDNuC1Lw8RQ==&amp;ch=OHpZ8fkr_Bey6wKB9LocqoLKxsRe359dPZ_h47Ub8uwRajpKwR9lRw==" target="_blank">Twitter</a>&nbsp;to share your harvest story and photos.

Day 7, Kansas Wheat Harvest Report

By Maddy RohrK-State Research and Extension

While they may be a more common pest in garbage, raccoons also target the home garden. It seems as though racoons harvest sweet corn right before it is to be picked, so Kansas State University horticulture expert Ward Upham recommends fencing as a prevention method.

“The only effective control measure I have had success with is fencing; either electric or kennel fencing,” Upham said.

To install electric fencing, use two or more wires, the first about five inches above the ground and the second four inches above the first (or nine inches above ground). Raccoons must not be able to crawl under, go between or go over the wires without being shocked.

Fence posts and insulators used for electric fences work well for this application.

“It is much easier to use the woven electric wire with strands of wire embedded than to use a solid metal wire. The woven wire is easier to bend around corners and to roll up when done for the year,” Upham said.

Upham suggests using battery operated fencing rather than plug-ins.

“Start the charger before the corn is close to being ripe. Once raccoons get a taste of the corn, they are more difficult to discourage,” Upham said.

He encourages weed control around the wire to prevent them from intercepting the voltage.

Kennel fencing can also be an alternative protection from raccoons.

“Make sure that the panels are tied together well enough that raccoons can’t squeeze through corners,” Upham said.

A covering over the top may be needed if the raccoons figure out how to climb the panels.

Welded garden fence can work well for this.

Upham and his colleagues in K-State's Department of Horticulture and Natural Resources produce a weekly&nbsp;<a href="https://hnr.k-state.edu/extension/info-center/newsletters/index.html">Horticulture Newsletter</a>&nbsp;with tips for maintaining home landscapes and gardens. The newsletter is available to view online or can be delivered by email each week.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/6/1688040158326.jpeg" alt="Raccoons love sweet corn just as much as humans do. K-State horticulture expert Ward Upham says installing fencing may be the best way to keep them out of the garden. KSRE Photo" />
 <figcaption>Raccoons love sweet corn just as much as humans do. K-State horticulture expert Ward Upham says installing fencing may be the best way to keep them out of the garden. KSRE Photo</figcaption>
 </figure> By Maddy RohrK-State Research and ExtensionWhile they may be a more common pest in garbage, raccoons also target the home garden. It seems as though racoons harvest sweet corn right before it is to be picked, so Kansas State University horticulture expert Ward Upham recommends fencing as a prevention method.“The only effective control measure I have had success with is fencing; either electric or kennel fencing,” Upham said.Electric Fencing&nbsp;To install electric fencing, use two or more wires, the first about five inches above the ground and the second four inches above the first (or nine inches above ground). Raccoons must not be able to crawl under, go between or go over the wires without being shocked.Fence posts and insulators used for electric fences work well for this application.“It is much easier to use the woven electric wire with strands of wire embedded than to use a solid metal wire. The woven wire is easier to bend around corners and to roll up when done for the year,” Upham said.Upham suggests using battery operated fencing rather than plug-ins.“Start the charger before the corn is close to being ripe. Once raccoons get a taste of the corn, they are more difficult to discourage,” Upham said.He encourages weed control around the wire to prevent them from intercepting the voltage.Kennel FencingKennel fencing can also be an alternative protection from raccoons.“Make sure that the panels are tied together well enough that raccoons can’t squeeze through corners,” Upham said.A covering over the top may be needed if the raccoons figure out how to climb the panels.Welded garden fence can work well for this.Upham and his colleagues in K-State's Department of Horticulture and Natural Resources produce a weekly&nbsp;<a href="https://hnr.k-state.edu/extension/info-center/newsletters/index.html">Horticulture Newsletter</a>&nbsp;with tips for maintaining home landscapes and gardens. The newsletter is available to view online or can be delivered by email each week.

Tips for how to protect sweet corn from raccoons

By Lisa Moser, K-State Research and Extension

When handling food, people often know to read the label to guide them on how to properly store the product so that the ingredient can be used at its peak and food waste is minimized.

In much the same way, livestock producers need to read the label on animal health products to know how to best store them for optimum performance, according to the veterinarians at the Kansas State University Beef Cattle Institute.

“While products that are labeled to be refrigerated need to be maintained in a refrigerator, there are many products out there labeled for room temperature,” said K-State veterinarian Brian Lubbers on a recent&nbsp;<a href="https://ksubci.org/2023/06/23/introducing-agriculture-today-host-shelby-varner-tips-for-managing-products-in-the-summer-beef-cattle-welfare-research-review-with-dr-eduarda-bortoluzzi/">Cattle Chat</a>&nbsp;podcast. “The upper limit of room temperature for non-refrigerated drug products is usually considered 85 degrees (Fahrenheit).”

But in a Kansas barn in the summer, those temperatures often creep much higher.

“We know that those summer temperatures can exceed well over 100 degrees, so it is important to use a temperature-controlled location to store products,” Lubbers said. “Heat and extreme cold can change the drug molecules and have a negative impact on the product.”

Along with temperature, sunlight exposure can also be an issue.

“Drug products that are stored in amber bottles are affected by UV radiation and sunlight exposure will diminish the effectiveness of those products,” Lubbers said.

When deciding if a product that has been stored on a shelf for a while is still good, Lubbers said it is important to look at the product consistency.

“Any time there are lumps of material floating in the product, discard it because the product efficacy is likely diminished and in some rare cases the product could be toxic due to chemical changes,” Lubbers said.

If product changes have occurred when handled properly and the product has not passed its expiration date, Lubbers recommends reaching out to the supplier to see about getting a replacement product.

At the time of cattle processing, Lubbers said it is important to keep cold storage products at the proper temperature by using coolers and ice packs.

“I’ve seen people punch holes in the top of a Styrofoam cooler where they can drop in the syringes in a cooler with ice packs to help keep the product cool and minimize the number of times the lid is opened,” Lubbers said.

He added that the cooler can also be used to keep products out of the sunlight.

Veterinarian Brad White said that he has seen producers place the product under a towel to keep it out of the sun when not needed during processing.

“With modified-live products, it is especially important to keep them out of the sun,” White said.

Another one of White’s tips is to only mix up the amount of product that is needed.

“When giving shots, I try to only mix up what I need and then place those products in a cooler or under a towel until the next animal comes through,” White said.

To hear the full discussion, listen to the&nbsp;<a href="https://ksubci.org/2023/06/23/introducing-agriculture-today-host-shelby-varner-tips-for-managing-products-in-the-summer-beef-cattle-welfare-research-review-with-dr-eduarda-bortoluzzi/">Cattle Chat</a>podcast online or through your preferred streaming platform.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/6/1687868530175.jpeg" alt="Storing products in a cooler can help keep the medicine out of the direct sun when working cattle. KSRE Photo" />
 <figcaption>Storing products in a cooler can help keep the medicine out of the direct sun when working cattle. KSRE Photo</figcaption>
 </figure> By Lisa Moser, K-State Research and Extension When handling food, people often know to read the label to guide them on how to properly store the product so that the ingredient can be used at its peak and food waste is minimized.In much the same way, livestock producers need to read the label on animal health products to know how to best store them for optimum performance, according to the veterinarians at the Kansas State University Beef Cattle Institute.Product storage“While products that are labeled to be refrigerated need to be maintained in a refrigerator, there are many products out there labeled for room temperature,” said K-State veterinarian Brian Lubbers on a recent&nbsp;<a href="https://ksubci.org/2023/06/23/introducing-agriculture-today-host-shelby-varner-tips-for-managing-products-in-the-summer-beef-cattle-welfare-research-review-with-dr-eduarda-bortoluzzi/">Cattle Chat</a>&nbsp;podcast. “The upper limit of room temperature for non-refrigerated drug products is usually considered 85 degrees (Fahrenheit).”But in a Kansas barn in the summer, those temperatures often creep much higher.“We know that those summer temperatures can exceed well over 100 degrees, so it is important to use a temperature-controlled location to store products,” Lubbers said. “Heat and extreme cold can change the drug molecules and have a negative impact on the product.”Along with temperature, sunlight exposure can also be an issue.“Drug products that are stored in amber bottles are affected by UV radiation and sunlight exposure will diminish the effectiveness of those products,” Lubbers said.When deciding if a product that has been stored on a shelf for a while is still good, Lubbers said it is important to look at the product consistency.“Any time there are lumps of material floating in the product, discard it because the product efficacy is likely diminished and in some rare cases the product could be toxic due to chemical changes,” Lubbers said.If product changes have occurred when handled properly and the product has not passed its expiration date, Lubbers recommends reaching out to the supplier to see about getting a replacement product.Product handling when processingAt the time of cattle processing, Lubbers said it is important to keep cold storage products at the proper temperature by using coolers and ice packs.“I’ve seen people punch holes in the top of a Styrofoam cooler where they can drop in the syringes in a cooler with ice packs to help keep the product cool and minimize the number of times the lid is opened,” Lubbers said.He added that the cooler can also be used to keep products out of the sunlight.Veterinarian Brad White said that he has seen producers place the product under a towel to keep it out of the sun when not needed during processing.“With modified-live products, it is especially important to keep them out of the sun,” White said.Another one of White’s tips is to only mix up the amount of product that is needed.“When giving shots, I try to only mix up what I need and then place those products in a cooler or under a towel until the next animal comes through,” White said.To hear the full discussion, listen to the&nbsp;<a href="https://ksubci.org/2023/06/23/introducing-agriculture-today-host-shelby-varner-tips-for-managing-products-in-the-summer-beef-cattle-welfare-research-review-with-dr-eduarda-bortoluzzi/">Cattle Chat</a>podcast online or through your preferred streaming platform.

Cattle Chat: Veterinarians share tips for handling animal health products appropriately

Kansas State University and the Kansas Agribusiness Retailers Association (KARA) will be hosting two, 2-day field schools on July 11-12 and July 13-14 at the K-State Agronomy North Farm (2200 Kimball Ave) located just north of the football stadium. This year’s program will focus on soybean production and fertility. In addition, there will be comprehensive hands-on training in herbicide symptomology and deposition, weed identification, summer annual forages, soil and water management, crop diseases, and insects.

Agendas for both sessions are included at the end of this article.

The complete program and registration link can be found at&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ksagretailers.org/events-training/ksu-field-days/">https://www.ksagretailers.org/events-training/ksu-field-days/</a>. The program costs $210 for the 2-day program or $125 for 1 day. The registration fee includes lunch (both days are included for the 2-day program rate) and the opportunity to earn multiple CCA and 1A credits (final number is pending).

Lodging information and other program details can be found at the above link or using the QR code in the graphic below.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/6/1687784077657.jpeg" alt="KARA Summer School QR Code. Image courtesy KSRE" />
 <figcaption>KARA Summer School QR Code. Image courtesy KSRE</figcaption>
 </figure>KSRE/KARAKansas State University and the Kansas Agribusiness Retailers Association (KARA) will be hosting two, 2-day field schools on July 11-12 and July 13-14 at the K-State Agronomy North Farm (2200 Kimball Ave) located just north of the football stadium. This year’s program will focus on soybean production and fertility. In addition, there will be comprehensive hands-on training in herbicide symptomology and deposition, weed identification, summer annual forages, soil and water management, crop diseases, and insects.Agendas for both sessions are included at the end of this article.The complete program and registration link can be found at&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ksagretailers.org/events-training/ksu-field-days/">https://www.ksagretailers.org/events-training/ksu-field-days/</a>. The program costs $210 for the 2-day program or $125 for 1 day. The registration fee includes lunch (both days are included for the 2-day program rate) and the opportunity to earn multiple CCA and 1A credits (final number is pending).Lodging information and other program details can be found at the above link or using the QR code in the graphic below.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/6/1687784126629.jpeg" alt="2023 KSU KARA Field Day Agenda-Session 1" />
 <figcaption>2023 KSU KARA Field Day Agenda-Session 1</figcaption>
 </figure><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/6/1687784149756.jpeg" alt="2023 KSU KARA Field Day Agenda-Session 2" />
 <figcaption>2023 KSU KARA Field Day Agenda-Session 2</figcaption>
 </figure>

Registration open: 2023 K-State/KARA Summer Field School

By Pat Melgares K-State Research and Extension In rural America, talk about horsetails in a field conjures thoughts of farmhands in saddles, working cattle or checking on emerging crops.

When Kansas State University weed management specialist Sarah Lancaster gets questions about horsetails, however, the inquiry is probably not about four-legged farm animals.

“I like to call horsetails the dinosaurs of the plant world,” Lancaster said. “They’re a weed species that has literally been around since the times of the dinosaurs. That, in and of itself, should tell us why I get questions about it. They’re pretty tough and they’re very difficult to manage.”

Horsetail, also called mare’s tail, is a deep-rooted, invasive weed that spreads quickly, forming a dense carpet of foliage that crowds out more desirable plants, such as pasture grass.

“They look a lot like asparagus, actually,” Lancaster said. “They reproduce by spores, not seeds; they’re just a very different sort of plant. Many of the go-to herbicides don’t work on them.”

Lancaster said some past research studies indicate that 2,4-D or MCPA – a phenoxy herbicide similar to 2,4-D – can be effective in suppressing horsetail weeds. Newer studies report that picloram and metsulfuron may be helpful in reducing horsetail.

“But,” Lancaster said, “they’re going to come back, and so it’s going to take repeated herbicide applications in order to fully control them with chemistry.”

Research from Canada is uncovering other potential herbicide options, Lancaster said, “but there are not a lot of great herbicide options out there.”

Horsetails belong to the genus known as Equisetum, which means “living fossil.” Plants in that category tend to be found in wet areas, “so if you’re struggling with them in a cropping situation, one thing to think about is water management,” Lancaster said.

“Fortunately, we don’t find horsetail in production fields a lot,” she said. “Usually they are found in areas where drainage is poor and water stands for large parts of the year.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/6/1687611074755.jpeg" alt="Horsetail has been around since the time of the dinosaurs, says K-State weed management specialist Sarah Lancaster. | Photo courtesy of Sarah Lancaster" />
 <figcaption>Horsetail has been around since the time of the dinosaurs, says K-State weed management specialist Sarah Lancaster. | Photo courtesy of Sarah Lancaster</figcaption>
 </figure>By Pat Melgares K-State Research and Extension In rural America, talk about horsetails in a field conjures thoughts of farmhands in saddles, working cattle or checking on emerging crops.When Kansas State University weed management specialist Sarah Lancaster gets questions about horsetails, however, the inquiry is probably not about four-legged farm animals.“I like to call horsetails the dinosaurs of the plant world,” Lancaster said. “They’re a weed species that has literally been around since the times of the dinosaurs. That, in and of itself, should tell us why I get questions about it. They’re pretty tough and they’re very difficult to manage.”Horsetail, also called mare’s tail, is a deep-rooted, invasive weed that spreads quickly, forming a dense carpet of foliage that crowds out more desirable plants, such as pasture grass.“They look a lot like asparagus, actually,” Lancaster said. “They reproduce by spores, not seeds; they’re just a very different sort of plant. Many of the go-to herbicides don’t work on them.”Lancaster said some past research studies indicate that 2,4-D or MCPA – a phenoxy herbicide similar to 2,4-D – can be effective in suppressing horsetail weeds. Newer studies report that picloram and metsulfuron may be helpful in reducing horsetail.“But,” Lancaster said, “they’re going to come back, and so it’s going to take repeated herbicide applications in order to fully control them with chemistry.”Research from Canada is uncovering other potential herbicide options, Lancaster said, “but there are not a lot of great herbicide options out there.”Horsetails belong to the genus known as Equisetum, which means “living fossil.” Plants in that category tend to be found in wet areas, “so if you’re struggling with them in a cropping situation, one thing to think about is water management,” Lancaster said.“Fortunately, we don’t find horsetail in production fields a lot,” she said. “Usually they are found in areas where drainage is poor and water stands for large parts of the year.”For questions or to confirm whether a plant is horsetail or not, Lancaster is available by email,&nbsp;<a href="mailto:slancaster@ksu.edu">slancaster@ksu.edu</a>.Poison Hemlock and GoatgrassLancaster said she also routinely receives questions about poison hemlock and goatgrass this time of year.Poison hemlock is – at its name suggests – highly poisonous. It is highly toxic to sheep, cattle, swine, horses and many other domestic animals, as well as humans. Hemlock “looks a lot like wild carrots,” Lancaster said, including a basal rosette and “lacy-looking leaves.”“Poison hemlock will have red speckles on the stem once it starts to bolt,” Lancaster said. “If it’s in a pasture, you need to take care of it.”Instinctively, she adds, cattle know to avoid poison hemlock based on having been around it: “So generally speaking, we don’t panic too much if we see poison hemlock, but if you’re someone who brings in cattle from another state or desirable forage is not available, it is more important to get rid of it or prevent cattle grazing in those areas.”2,4-D and glyphosate products are effective on poison hemlock, Lancaster said.Goatgrass is an ancestor of the red winter wheat varieties grown in Kansas, which means it’s particularly challenging to control in wheat fields and even in pastures, according to Lancaster.Healthy wheat stands often out-compete jointed goatgrass, but drought through much of Kansas has provided an opportunity for jointed goatgrass to win some of those battles.Lancaster said CoAXium wheat varieties – a production system that capitalizes on herbicide tolerant wheat -- are best for controlling jointed goatgrass.