Crops and Soils – plus research, articles & publications, and Pesticide training/testing

The Extension Crops and Soils Program provides timely resources and information to help Wisconsin crop producers and their agricultural consultants manage crops efficiently and profitably.
Rows of Corn

You can find information on:

  • Crop Production and cropping systems for corn, soybeans, forages, nutrient management, soil science, commercial vegetable, and cover crops.
  • Pest Management: Information on the management of weeds, insects, and disease in Wisconsin cropping systems.
  • Ask Extension: Your opportunity to talk directly with Extension specialists and staff

Discovery Farms

Discovery Farms, a program of UW-Madison Division of Extension, is a farmer-led research and outreach program focused on the relationship between agriculture and water quality. The program is unique in that it conducts research on privately-owned farms throughout Wisconsin. Discovery Farms works with the U.S. Geological Survey to gather credible and unbiased water quality information from monitored sites.

Discovery Farms logo

Discovery Farms develops on-farm and related research to determine the economic and environmental effects of agricultural practices on a diverse group of Wisconsin farms; and educates and improves communications among the agricultural community, consumers, researchers, and policymakers to better identify and implement effective environmental management practices that are compatible with profitable agriculture.

2025 Pesticide Private Applicator Training and Testing

General Farm in-person training events are over for the current season. Check back in October for the dates of the 2026 training season. Private applicator books are available at the PAT Store. You may purchase a book for self study and take your test at the County Extension office by appointment. Juneau County 608-847-9329.

Soil Testing

The UW Soil and Forage Analysis Lab is working diligently on processing a large amount of soil samples. In order to give them time to catch up and ensure that results are accurate, we are currently recommending other Wisconsin certified labs. Customers can continue to borrow soil probes from the Juneau County Extension office to assist in taking samples. This will be done with the Extension office check-out process.

Wisconsin Certified Soil & Manure Testing Labs. Review this list for additional options.

Learn how soil sampling affects lab results.

Research, articles and publications

  • 2024 Wisconsin Weed Science Research Report – The purpose of this report is to share annual research results with crop production clientele of Wisconsin. Information herein does not constitute a recommendation or endorsement of any particular product or practice. Information herein also does not replace any information presented on pesticide labels.
  • 2024 Wisconsin Corn Herbicide Survey – The objective of this survey is to document herbicide programs used in different Wisconsin corn production systems (e.g., tillage scenarios, atrazine prohibition areas, and silage vs grain). This survey is being conducted by Daniel Zhu, a graduate student in Dr. Rodrigo Werle’s WiscWeeds Lab. Results will be published as a part of Daniel’s MS thesis at UW-Madison. Your participation is critical for informing our research decisions, assisting us with making better recommendations, and allowing us to better provide dta for our stakeholders. Please fill out this survey and send it to fellow corn growers or consultants as well. Please mail the survey addressed to Daniel Zhu at 1575 Linden Dr, Madison, WI 53706 or scan it and send it via email to dqzhu@wisc.edu. Thank you for your time and support.
  • DATCP Nitrogen Optimization Pilot Grant Program Application Period Open Through January 17, 2025. See DATCP’s Press Release, the grant application, request for proposals, and other application materials available on DATCP’s website.
  • Nitrogen Optimization Pilot Program – This program is administered by DATCP and facilitated by University of Wisconsin. It provides grants to producers that will conduct on-farm nitrogen research trials in order to use nitrogen fertilizer more efficiently while reducing nitrogen leaching. There will be an application opening in October 2024. The Nitrogen Optimization Pilot Program flyer provides more information as well as 2023 Project Snapshots.

For more information please contact:

Extension Juneau County
Courthouse
220 E. State Street, Room 104, Mauston, WI 53948
Phone: (608) 847-9329