Agriculture

Alliant Energy provides tips to keep farmers safe and avoid overhead power lines.

As the annual fall harvest begins, Alliant Energy urges farmers to know their surroundings and equipment sizes. This knowledge will help them avoid overhead power lines and keep them safe while in the fields. Contact incidents with Alliant Energy’s electric power lines increase significantly during harvest season. There are three main reasons for this: More equipment is in the field; that equipment tends to be larger, like combines, wagons and tractors; and farmers work more hours in the dark when it’s difficult to see poles and wires.

Study shows Iowa farmers are taking adaptive and maladaptive actions to climate change

Iowa is a major producer of grain, meat, dairy, eggs and other major agricultural commodities. The state’s agriculture has also been increasingly impacted by climate change-related extreme weather over the last decade as droughts, extreme rains, floods, and most recently, a severe derecho have damaged crops, livestock and livelihoods.

A new study from researchers at Iowa State University and Iowa State University Extension and Outreach, published in Frontiers in Climate, examines how farmers are responding to the increasing threats that weather extremes and related harms such as pests and disease represent.
Climate and agricultural scientists and other stakeholders are concerned that without major shifts away from degrading practices toward regenerative systems, long-term sustainability will be compromised.

Deadlines/Dates
September 17: Pandemic Livestock Indemnity Program (PLIP)
October 1: Start of Fiscal Year 2022
October 12: Coronavirus Food Assistance 2 (CFAP2)
October 15: Pandemic Assistance for Timber Harvesters and Haulers

Deadlines/Dates
September 17: Pandemic Livestock Indemnity Program (PLIP)
October 12: Coronavirus Food Assistance 2 (CFAP2)
October 15: Pandemic Assistance for Timber Harvesters and Haulers

Is Another Dust Bowl in Our Future?

by LuAnn Rolling, District Conservationist

In Northeast Iowa we have been blessed with timely rain this summer, but a large portion of the United States has not been so lucky. According to a recent article in Mother Jones rising temperatures and worsening droughts caused by global warming are making some scientists ask if we are headed for another Dust Bowl. The article shares some developments that climate “experts” say are pointing to that scenario:

The Iowa Nutrient Research Center at Iowa State University announces funding of over $1.4 million to support 11 new water quality and nutrient management projects for 2021-2022.

“These projects represent new areas of research, as well as further study of areas where we need to refine understanding to improve our ability to make sound recommendations,” said Matt Helmers, Iowa Nutrient Research Center director and professor of agricultural and biosystems engineering at Iowa State. “These studies reflect a number of research priorities identified by a broad group of stakeholders, including farmers and researchers, who met in early 2020.”

The new projects, listed below, fall into INRC’s edge-of-field, multi-objective and nutrient management categories.

Deadlines/Dates
September 1: Dairy Margin Coverage (DMC) Premiums Due
September 17: Pandemic Livestock Indemnity Program (PLIP)
October 12: Coronavirus Food Assistance 2 (CFAP2)
October 15: Pandemic Assistance for Timber Harvesters and Haulers

Pandemic Assistance
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is updating the Coronavirus Food Assistance Program 2 (CFAP 2) for contract producers of eligible livestock and poultry and producers of specialty crops and other sales-based commodities. CFAP 2, which assists producers who faced market disruptions in 2020 due to COVID-19, is part of USDA’s broader Pandemic Assistance for Producers initiative. Additionally, USDA’s Farm Service Agency (FSA) has set an Oct. 12 deadline for all eligible producers to apply for or modify applications for CFAP 2.

Upcoming Deadlines/Dates
September 17: Pandemic Livestock Indemnity Program (PLIP)
October 15: Pandemic Assistance for Timber Harvesters and Haulers

Commercial Nitrogen is not needed for Crop Production
by LuAnn Rolling, District Conservationist

New research has discovered a previously unknown process involving soil biology. This new knowledge could lead to farmers producing crops with a greatly reduced nitrogen rate with no yield loss. This research has been mostly conducted by James White, a plant biologist and pathologist at Rutgers University. The process is called the rhizophagy cycle.

John Kempf, the founder of a company called Advancing Eco Agriculture, says the rhizophagy cycle is a complete revolution in the industry’s understanding of agronomy and plant nutrition.

During this week of August 23, Black Sand Granary out of Patch Grove, WI will be aerially applying cover crops across many acres in southwest Wisconsin and northeast Iowa. The work completed is under guidance found within the USDA-NRCS Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP).

These low-flying, yellow planes will be dropping cover crop seeds (barley, rye, and medium red clover) into production fields. Planes will be operating out of local airports within the region during this time. The aerial seeding is intended to cover the ground with living plants after annual crops are harvested to improve soil health and water quality.

Any questions or concerns about the low-flying aircraft should be directed to Black Sand Granary at 608-412-5669 or the local Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) Field Office.
 

Drought, markets and water drainage are topics of the day

The annual fall field day at Iowa State University’s Northeast Research and Demonstration Farm will run from 1-4:30 p.m. Friday, August 27.

Chad Hart, professor in economics and extension grain markets specialist at Iowa State University, will kick-off the program in the Borlaug Learning Center, by providing his insights on “Markets, Droughts and Trade.”

Then the program heads to the field to research studies featuring Antonio Mallarino, professor in agronomy and soil fertility specialist with Iowa State University Extension and Outreach, who will share his information on “Interpreting Fall Soil Test Results and Considering Potential Carry-Over Nitrogen after a Dry Season.”

Upcoming Deadlines/Dates
September 17: Pandemic Livestock Indemnity Program (PLIP)
October 15: Pandemic Assistance for Timber Harvesters and Haulers

USDA Announces Pandemic Assistance for Timber Harvesters, Haulers
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is providing up to $200 million to provide relief to timber harvesting and timber hauling businesses that have experienced losses due to COVID-19 as part of USDA’s Pandemic Assistance for Producers initiative. Loggers and truckers can apply for assistance through USDA’s Farm Service Agency (FSA) July 22 through Oct. 15, 2021. The Pandemic Assistance for Timber Harvesters and Haulers program (PATHH) is administered by FSA in partnership with the U.S. Forest Service.