First as usual, a drought update is in order and it will be brief. The rains prior to 8 a.m. Aug. 28, significantly improved drought conditions across the state. Our immediate area in the west is no longer considered lacking moisture and the east is only abnormally dry. The area no longer deficient has expanded eastward to about the middle of the state. The area of extreme and exceptional drought has retreated to northeast Kansas. Only a small section is in exceptional drought. We will have to wait to see what conditions look like as of this Tuesday. This bodes well for grain sorghum and soybean crops as well as alfalfa. Wheat farmers are also in much better shape than last year at this time which leads to today’s topic. This isn’t an exhaustive list of what needs done but a few highlights.