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Rhonda Brooks

Agronomy Editor, Farm Journal

Rhonda Brooks is the Agronomy Editor for Farm Journal and AgWeb, covering all aspects of crop production. A Missouri native with a background in agricultural communications, she has previously worked on multiple Farm Journal brands.

Latest Stories
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Education
Let Mother Nature Do The Talking
If you want to plant early this spring, agronomists say to remember that fit soils and good weather are far more important guides to follow than the date on your calendar.

January 09, 2026 01:28 PM
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Rhonda Brooks
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News
Will Congressional Inaction Force Farmers to Choose Between Health Insurance and Their Farm Budget?
Farmers need to be prepared to pay substantially more for their coverage in 2026, unless Congress acts now to address the impending price surge.
December 15, 2025 04:40 PM
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Rhonda Brooks
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Dairy Business News
Thanksgiving Turkey Dinner Costs Dip By 5%
Annual survey shows a traditional meal with all the fixings will require fewer dollars per person this year. But look to shell out more dollars if turkey isn’t the only meat on your menu.
November 19, 2025 11:09 AM
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Rhonda Brooks
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Policy
Second Stage of Disaster Relief Program Going Into Effect
Farmers who suffered losses from natural disasters that occurred in calendar years 2023 and 2024 can sign up for the aid. It is also available to farmers participating in the On-Farm Storage Loss Program and the Milk Loss Program.
November 17, 2025 01:06 PM
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Rhonda Brooks
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Education
Southern Rust Set To Take Big Bite Out Of Midwest Corn Crop?
The disease is causing turmoil for farmers who have a large crop in the making. In some cases, a Hail Mary fungicide application at R4 up to early dent (R5) might make sense this season, say agronomists.
August 27, 2025 04:05 PM
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Rhonda Brooks
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Policy
Could EPA Decision Signal The Beginning Of The End For DEF?
EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin proposes rescinding the 2009 Greenhouse Gas Endangerment Finding. If the proposal goes into effect, it could potentially lead to DEF systems no longer being required in tractors, trucks and other equipment using diesel-powered engines — a decision many farmers and others in the ag community would applaud.
July 31, 2025 11:05 AM
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Rhonda Brooks
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Weather
Searing Temperatures In Store For the Week
Portions of the central Plains, the Upper Midwest and the Mid-Atlantic will be in a heat dome by Tuesday. But first, those regions will see thunderstorms and heavy rains this weekend, according to the National Weather Service.
July 18, 2025 03:30 PM
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Rhonda Brooks
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Dairy Business News
Overcome the No. 1 Challenge in Passing Down Your Family Farm
While 69% of farmers expect to transfer their operation to the next generation of family members, too many are misplacing their time and efforts, according to The Williams Group. The company offers 5 recommendations that can help farmers and other business owners course correct.
June 30, 2025 01:28 PM
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Rhonda Brooks
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Weather
July Weather Outlook: Goodbye Rain, Hello Heat
The silver lining, meteorologists say, is many farmers and livestock producers in the central and eastern U.S. have had sufficient moisture this spring and milder temperatures headed into summer. For some, that’s about to change.
June 24, 2025 03:09 PM
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Rhonda Brooks
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Education
Is The Planting Light Red, Green Or Yellow?
Don’t let the calendar, coffee shop talk or what your neighbors are doing dictate when you head to the field. Farm Journal field agronomists offer these four tips to help you get your best start ever with #planting2025.
April 09, 2025 07:30 AM
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Rhonda Brooks
Stock photo of milk bulk tanks.
Education
Staph. aureus is being Confirmed More Frequently as the Culprit Contributing to Subclinical Mastitis
One researcher says of the 7,800 bulk tank milk samples her company tests annually, 45% of them are positive for the bacterium.
April 07, 2025 03:38 PM
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Rhonda Brooks
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Policy
Dairy Industry Says New Tariffs Could Be A ‘Useful Tool’ For Negotiating
President Trump has announced a series of reciprocal tariffs, scheduled to start over the next few days, on some of agriculture’s most significant trade partners. The outcomes could be a net positive for dairy producers, some industry members say.
April 03, 2025 10:47 AM
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Rhonda Brooks
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Policy
More Funding Going to Tackle HPAI H5N1, Egg Imports are Now Underway to Stabilize Supply
USDA Secretary Brooke Rollins says the agency is hyper-focused on poultry, but no vaccine is yet available. The agency has ‘separate work streams’ to address the virus in the ‘cattle and dairy’ industries, but dairy is not part of USDA’s primary focus for now.
March 20, 2025 12:10 PM
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Rhonda Brooks
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Education
Count the Costs of Lameness in the Cowherd
Even mild cases can impact milk production, health and well-being. Researchers, citing expenses and losses farmers incur from the problem, say costs per case commonly range from $76, on the low end, to more than $336, on average.
March 19, 2025 12:15 PM
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Rhonda Brooks
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Weather
A Warming Trend Is On The Way For Early March
Temperatures are expected to be higher next week, and dry conditions are likely to continue in the western Corn Belt. Concerns are building over what lies ahead for spring planting and early crop growth.
February 26, 2025 04:01 PM
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Rhonda Brooks
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