The use of distillers grains (DDGS) in feedlot diets has been critical in Nebraska, adding value to the corn, ethanol, and cattle industries. However, an emerging challenge has been managing supply and inconsistent DDGS deliveries. Questions remain about the implications of interruptions in DDGS supply and the effects varying inclusion rates throughout the feeding period may have on cattle performance and carcass characteristics. This project evaluates five diets that include varying rates of DDGS to measure the impact of inconsistent supply. Findings will help cattle producers maintain efficiency despite supply fluctuations while supporting greater demand for corn byproducts such as DDGS.

Sensor-based nitrogen (N) management has been shown to improve efficiency and increase producer profitability in Nebraska. However, the resource has not been accessible to all the state’s farmers due to the large variability among operations and a lack of research on optimal application timing and rates. This project tests nitrogen application rates and timings through real-world field trials across the University of Nebraska-Lincoln’s network of research stations measuring yield, nitrogen-use efficiency and economic outcomes across test plots. Findings will be shared with Nebraska corn producers to help reduce input costs and improve the sustainability of their operations. The project will serve as a baseline for additional research by UNL crop scientists as they continue to refine nitrogen management recommendations for corn growers.

Focused on the development of a coordinated system to monitor WSM occurrence and determine the role of cover crops after termination as a source of WSM infestation in corn, infestations have been documented in 2026. This highlights the need for timely management recommendations. Research is needed to provide guidelines for management recommendations in cover crop-corn transition systems. To address this, the project will first develop an alert system for WSM in corn based on regional adult and larval monitoring, alongside reports from agricultural professionals. Additionally, researchers will conduct field trials to test the efficacy of alternative insecticide options, helping growers avoid ineffective calendar-based tank-mixes during cover crop termination.

Every year, corn producers and crop advisers work to identify and manage crop diseases. Tar spot has been discovered in eastern Nebraska and is expected to continue moving west, with the potential to reduce yields by more than 50% in susceptible corn hybrids. The fungus that causes tar spot thrives in wet, cool conditions within the corn canopy, potentially worsening disease pressure in pivot-irrigated fields. This project monitors and documents tar spot across Nebraska, helps update the national distribution map and provides programming to raise awareness and guide management strategies. Monitoring disease pressure in the state helps protect Nebraska producers and supports greater production efficiency. An updated distribution map for tar spot is available here.

Nebraska Ag & Science Education Leadership Institute (NASELI) is a multi-year teacher training and development program that provides Nebraska seventh- through 12th-grade science and agriculture educators with the tools to incorporate agriculture into their science college and career readiness standards curriculum. NASELI offers an open-source repository of Nebraska-focused agricultural science lessons as well as training for teachers, hands-on experiences and strategies for incorporating agriculture into existing curriculum. The program connects teachers and state educational service providers with commodity organizations, extension professionals and industry partners to help bridge the gap between the existing potential for agricultural science integration and the resources needed.

To help reduce the economic and environmental impacts of excess fertilizer use, the Nebraska Corn Board helped launch the Nebraska Nitrogen Initiative (NNI) in partnership with the University of Nebraska-Lincoln and Nebraska Extension. NNI is a statewide effort to refine nitrogen recommendations using local, on-farm data. The initiative aims to provide farmers with reliable, Nebraska-specific data to guide nitrogen decisions that improve profitability while protecting natural resources. Objectives include piloting variable-rate nitrogen trials at UNL-managed field sites, expanding these trials across the state through the Nebraska On-Farm Research Network, and analyzing existing nitrogen trial data for additional insights. The initiative aims to collect geographically representative nitrogen yield response data to determine optimal rates, enhance profitability, protect the environment and support future large-scale research on nitrogen applications.

The Nebraska On-Farm Research Network (NOFRN) conducts applied research using contemporary technologies to help farmers make data-driven decisions regarding profitability and sustainability. In 2025, the network completed 115 on-farm research projects, delivering an estimated $10.6 million in value to producers. In fact, 98% of annual meeting attendees reported they will make operational changes based on these findings. All study outcomes are easily accessible through the network’s “Results Finder” database, and the program is now expanding its impact with new youth education initiatives for students in grades 7-12.

The Tar Spot Alert System enhances the monitoring of field- and micro-climate conditions—such as temperature, humidity, and leaf wetness—in relation to tar spot and other disease development. This data, combined with disease history, will support the development of a Nebraska-optimized tar spot alert system for our corn growers. Recognizing the rapid westward expansion of this disease, the Nebraska Corn Board (NCB) has prioritized this project since the 2025 fiscal year research initiatives. As part of a broader push to improve production efficiency and pest management across the state, the NCB is actively supporting the development of this digitized alert system. Once completed, the tool will empower growers with localized, real-time data to optimize their scouting efforts and make informed disease management decisions.

Legislative Bill 1368 established the Nebraska Nitrogen Reduction Incentive Act, launching a program to encourage more efficient nitrogen use across the state. Implementation moved quickly, led by state agency staff, including those at the Nebraska Department of Water Energy and Environment, with applications processed through local Natural Resources Districts. In its initial year, over $1.8 million was directed to nitrogen-efficient Nebraska producers who adopted nitrogen-efficient practices, exceeding the initial $1 million allotment. The Department of Natural Resources was able to cover the additional more than $800,000, ensuring all applications were approved. In 2025, the Nebraska Corn Board contributed to the program to help fund incentives for Nebraska producers. Through the program, growers can receive up to $15 per acre for reducing nitrogen application by 15% or 40 pounds per acre. This helps create a cleaner environment and helps improve water quality while supporting long-term farm profitability.

The Nitrogen Use Efficiency (NUE) Program is a new incentive initiative launched in early 2026 as a pilot by the Nebraska Department of Water, Energy and Environment (DWEE) in partnership with the state’s Natural Resources Districts (NRDs) and funded by the Nebraska Corn Board. It encourages corn producers to improve nitrogen use efficiency, accounting for nitrogen supplied through residual soil nitrogen, organic matter, irrigation water, legumes and manure. The program offers $15 per acre (up to 160 acres per application) for those achieving an NUE score of 1.0 or lower during the 2026 growing season. The program aims to challenge growers to reduce nitrogen inputs, delivering economic benefits to farmers through lower costs and environmental gains by minimizing excess nitrogen that contributes to groundwater concerns. This program builds on prior efforts including the Nitrogen Reduction Incentive Act (NiRIA) and aligns with broader goals of sustainable agriculture in Nebraska’s intensive corn production systems.

Nitrogen-Use Efficiency of Maize Natural Variation and Newly Created Mutants will pursue two primary objectives:  assess natural allelic variation for NUE under contrasting N conditions at the UNL Havelock Research Farm, and conduct a USDA-compliant field trial to evaluate the agronomic performance of newly created mutants using modern biotechnology. Although decades of breeding under nitrogen-sufficient conditions may have eliminated resilient alleles from modern U.S. germplasm, researchers will look to maize landraces from nutrient-poor regions—like highland Mexico and the Andes—that harbor untapped potential for nitrogen efficiency. The long-term goal is to generate genetic materials carrying these N-efficient alleles that are adapted to Nebraska environments and can be integrated into elite maize lines without sacrificing yield. Delivering maize hybrids with enhanced NUE will help reduce fertilizer inputs, increase profitability and strengthen the sustainability and resilience of Nebraska agriculture.

The Agricultural Budget Calculator (ABC) tool from the Center for Agricultural Profitability (CAP) will provide Nebraska corn producers with the ability to include participation in incentive programs in Nebraska corn budgets. The Phase II project will enhance the ability of the ABC platform to add other income to crop budgets including the ability to include multiple lines of additional income with custom labels, the ability for users to tag particular revenue and expenses as being associated with an incentive program, add more functional ability to toggle between two budgets for better comparison of scenarios, and appropriate help messaging and comment features.​