"On the Farm" Radio

06/10/2026

A great resource here . . .

There are only TWO WEEKS left to apply for the 2026 AgBiz Planner Program!

The AgBiz Planner Program is designed to build your skill set in business management and your confidence in developing your operation.

No matter your operation, commodity or background, AgBiz Planner offers you the unique opportunity to invest in your education, expand your agricultural community through networking and gain insight from consistent mentorship.

Don't wait any longer! Apply today at https://hubs.ly/Q04h05670 or by emailing the Knowledge Center at [email protected].

06/05/2026

06/02/2026

Heads up specialty crop growers . . .

06/01/2026

Do you have a business plan for your farming operation?

Thanks to Farm Credit of the Virginias Knowledge Center for providing a FREE downloadable workbook on developing a business plan. This workbook provides a step-by-step guided process through six essential sections of a business plan.

Check it out at (PDF file) >>

https://www.farmcreditofvirginias.com/sites/default/files/Knowledge%20Center%20Assets/Resources/Developing%20Your%20Business%20Plan%20Workbook_Public%20Facing_Fillable.pdf

06/01/2026

Spotted Lanternfly has hatched out across many areas of West Virginia. This is the first year that their populations will be very high across Monongalia County. At present, the insects are black with white spots. Soon, they will be red with black and white markings. To reduce the amount of these insect pests around your neighborhood, remove tree-of-heaven and treat freshly cut stumps with herbicide. Insects can also be killed with insecticides. Some examples of insecticides that can be used are Sevin and Talak. Although there is no need to report sightings of spotted lanternfly in the Morgantown area, if you have questions about spotted lanternfly or tree-of-heaven, contact the WVDA at bugbusters.wvda.us

05/29/2026

OK.

So you wanted a challenge . . .

The "Soil Your Un**es Challenge" is a simple, hands-on way to see this hidden life in action. The challenge works because 100% cotton is natural carbon — essentially food for soil microbes. When you bury a pair of cotton underwear in the soil and dig them up several weeks later, the microbes will have started to “eat” them.

What you find can tell you something about your soil.

Here is what you do . . . (PDF file)

https://0e7d75d1-87d6-4ee7-b001-408d2d575d02.filesusr.com/ugd/dca89d_88626368563c40be9f8f88e5f8a6529f.pdf

05/28/2026

Farm news from around the eastern United States:

* The state of Vermont recently banned the sale of paraquat, a powerful herbicide used by many farmers. This makes Vermont the first state to ban the use of paraquat, with legislators citing research showing links between paraquat and Parkinson's disease. The ban is set to go into effect on November 1.

* Pennsylvania’s fruit orchards have been hit hard this spring, with historic freeze damage and near‑total losses for many crops. State officials say disaster actions are now underway.

*The state of TN has allocated $1 million for the Tennessee Agricultural Innovation & Education Initiative. The program is state‑funded and was created to expand agricultural education, workforce development, and technology adoption.

* And South Carolina’s peach crop is in good shape early‑season, with peach harvest already underway in some areas.

Image credit - Jeff Ishee

05/27/2026

https://www.virginiasoilhealth.org/general-4

The Soil Your Un**es Challenge is a simple, hands-on way to see biological activity in your soil using nothing more than cotton underwear.

05/27/2026

Please save the dates of December 8 and 9 for the 2026 Virginia Farm-to-Table Conference as we plan to strengthen farm, food, and health stories and connections! We are pleased with the speakers and panelists who have been confirmed to date. More details about the conference and registration will be forthcoming. 4 the Soil Virginia Cooperative Extension Center for Food Systems and Community Transformation Virginia Tech School of Plant and Environmental Sciences VSU College of Agriculture