Agriculture

With planting season underway, drivers should expect to encounter slow moving equipment

Favorable weather in the forecast has farm equipment and motorists back on Iowa’s roadways, and with that combination comes the need for patience and caution.

“Every year there are thousands of collisions between motor vehicles and farm machinery on our rural roads,” said Steven Freeman, professor in agricultural and biosystems engineering at Iowa State University.

The most common incidents occur when an approaching motorist hits a farm vehicle from behind or when a passing motorist hits a farm vehicle that is attempting to make a wide left turn, according to Freeman, who authored a handy guide called “Sharing Rural Roads.”

Additional information is also available in the Iowa State University Extension and Outreach publication “Safely Sharing the Road with Farm Vehicles.”

Upcoming Deadlines/Dates
May 15-August 1: Primary Nesting Season
July 15: Crop Certification

Good yields begin with proper seed emergence and stand, and to help producers understand how to check for both, the crops team at Iowa State University Extension and Outreach has developed a new YouTube channel with timely updates.

The first four videos focus on stand assessments, poor stand and uniformity, assessing emergence and conducting stand counts.

Each video is recorded in a recently planted field, with instruction by Mark Licht, assistant professor in agronomy and cropping systems specialist with Iowa State University Extension and Outreach.

Stand assessment is important every year and should be done for each field, according to Licht. He said it’s even more important this year, for those who planted early and experienced cold, wet conditions soon after that planting.

If problems are found, the producer may be able to correct the issue for this year, or if not, make a note of what needs to be corrected for next year.

Upcoming Deadlines/Dates
May 15: August 1: Primary Nesting Season
July 15: Crop Certification

New Research Shows up to 30% of crop Nitrogen may come from Soil Biology
by LuAnn Rolling, District Conservationist

The role of biological nitrogen fixation in crops such as cereals as an alternate source to chemical fertilizers has been a longtime goal in science and industry. Efforts in research and development of biological fixation in cereals still have not resulted in high enough Nitrogen (N) generation to be a total replacement for chemical fertilizers. However, recent research indicates biological nitrogen fixation can contribute up to 30 percent of N requirement of a corn crop.

Owning nearly half of the farmland in Iowa, women landowners play an influential role in decisions that impact agriculture and natural resources. To better understand this demographic, a team of specialists with Iowa State University Extension and Outreach is beginning a three-year project to study the needs, challenges and opportunities of women landowners.

The project is called “Enhancing Conservation, Access and Generational Transition of Iowa Farmland through Women Landowners” and is being funded through a $300,000 grant by the United States Department of Agriculture’s National Institute of Food and Agriculture.

According to the 2017 Iowa Farmland Ownership and Tenure survey, 47% of all acres and 55% of all leased acres in Iowa were owned by women. In addition, most owners were over the age of 65 and 13% of female farmland owners in Iowa were over 80.

Upcoming Deadlines/Dates
May 15: August 1: Primary Nesting Season
July 15: Crop Certification

Coronavirus Food Assistance Program 2 (CFAP2) Re-Opening
The Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021, enacted December 2020 requires FSA to make certain payments to producers according to a mandated formula. USDA is now expediting these provisions because there is no discretion involved in interpreting such directives, they are self-enacting.  This includes:

• An increase in CFAP 1 payment rates for cattle. Cattle producers with approved CFAP 1 applications will automatically receive these payments beginning in April. Eligible producers do not need to submit new applications, since payments are based on previously approved CFAP 1 application.  Rates are below.  Please review your payment when received to ensure an accurate calculation.

Drainage water recycling (DWR) is a drainage management system designed to capture water during wet periods so it can be used later when growing crops are thirsty.

Versions of DWR have been around for years, but adoption has remained limited. Now, interest is growing as the practice is recognized for its potential to improve water quality and help farmers reduce risks from weather volatility.

Research underway by the Iowa Nutrient Research Center (INRC) and the Iowa Soybean Association is analyzing drainage water recycling’s costs and benefits, with funding from the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship, the INRC and the USDA National Institute for Food and Agriculture.

Agronomists say risk of cold snap far from over

A warm start to April is giving farmers an opportunity for an early start in the fields. How much to do now depends on where you farm and your level of risk assessment.

According to the April 5 soil temperature map provided by the Iowa Environmental Mesonet, nearly all counties in Iowa are at 50 degrees Fahrenheit or warmer – the minimum for planting corn.

However, agronomists with Iowa State University Extension and Outreach say it’s still early, both in terms of the optimum planting window and the risk for spring frost.

Historically, the optimum planting window for Iowa corn has been April 11 to May 18, with a shorter window in the northern part of the state compared to the south. And the risk for a heavy frost (temperature below 28 F) remains above the 50th percentile until about mid-April.

Upcoming Deadlines/Dates
April 9: Quality Loss Adjustment Program
May 15: August 1: Primary Nesting Season
July 15: Crop Certification

Summer Annuals for Forage
by LuAnn Rolling, District Conservationist

Today I’d like to talk about a new system we’re exploring that uses summer annuals following a winter hardy cover crop.  The summer annuals are harvested for silage rather than alfalfa haylage or successive years of corn silage.  The advantages are allowing for more plant diversity to boost soil health, a reduced cost of production while maintaining a green growing root in the soil for as long as possible, and opening up new manure application and harvest windows. It also might be possible to harvest more total forage biomass with a summer annual mix compared to alfalfa.

Timely updates for those interested in the Iowa land market

The longest-running conference offered by Iowa State University Extension and Outreach will be offered May 19 via Zoom.

The Soil Management Land Valuation Conference – now in its 93rd year, was canceled last year due to COVID-19 concerns. The conference returns with timely updates for farm managers, rural appraisers, real estate brokers and others interested in the Iowa land market.

“The conference offers networking opportunities for those who have an interest in agricultural land, land management and land valuation,” said Wendong Zhang, assistant professor and extension economist at Iowa State. “Additionally, participants have an opportunity through an online survey before the conference to ‘gaze into their crystal balls,’ and will be asked to provide their estimates of future land values in Iowa and corn and soybean prices via an online survey distributed before the conference.”