Agriculture

The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Farm Service Agency (FSA) is expanding its payment options to now accept debit cards and Automated Clearing House (ACH) debit. These paperless payment options enable FSA customers to pay farm loan payments, measurement service fees, farm program debt repayments and administrative service fees, as well as to purchase aerial maps.

“Our customers have spoken, and we’ve listened,” said Bill Northey, USDA’s Under Secretary for Farm Production and Conservation. “Finding ways to improve customer service and efficiency is important for our farmers, ranchers, producers, and forest landowners who work hard for our nation every day.

Now, our customers can make electronic payments instantly by stopping in our offices or calling over the phone.”

Beef producers in and around Winneshiek County are encouraged to become Beef Quality Assurance (BQA) Certified. BQA is required for all who sell cattle to Tyson Foods, Cargill and Iowa Premium as well as several other beef processors and some sale barns.

The training will be held Wednesday, September 18, at the Decorah Sales Commission from 8:30-10 a.m. Participants are asked to preregister by September 16 by calling the Benton County Extension office at 319-472-4739 to ensure adequate food and supplies.

ISU Extension and Outreach beef program specialist Denise Schwab said the Beef Quality Assurance Certification meetings will focus on changes in packer requirements and the information that cattle feeders must provide to market cattle. This certification assures consumers that the beef they eat is a safe, high quality product and is produced in a responsible manner considering animal welfare and the environment.

by Jeremy Leitz, Allamakee County Executive Director (563) 568-2148

Upcoming Deadlines/Dates
August 23: CRP Continuous Signup 52
September 20: Dairy Margin Coverage Program Sign-Up
December 6: Market Facilitation Program

USDA Opens Signup for Market Facilitation Program
Signup opened for the Market Facilitation Program (MFP), a U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) program to assist farmers who continue to suffer from damages because of unjustified trade retaliation from foreign nations. Through MFP, USDA will provide up to $14.5 billion in direct payments to impacted producers, part of a broader trade relief package announced in late July. The sign-up period runs through December 6.

MFP payments will be made to producers of certain non-specialty and specialty crops as well as dairy and hog producers.

by Meaghan Anderson, Field Agronomist and Dr. Bob Hartzler, Professor of Agronomy, Integrated Crop Management News and Iowa State University Extension and Outreach

Now is a great time to scout for Palmer amaranth (Amaranthus palmeri) in Iowa crop fields. As of late 2018, this species had been identified in over half of Iowa’s 99 counties. While new identifications have waned since the widespread introductions in 2016, Palmer amaranth is a species to watch out for in virtually any Iowa crop field. A native of the American southwest, Palmer amaranth is more competitive than common waterhemp (Amaranthus tuberculatus), a pigweed native to Iowa. Both species are known for fast development of herbicide resistance, prolific seed production (>500,000 seeds/plant possible), and prolonged emergence.

Insect and disease issues are on the agenda, including an overview of 2019 production issues

Thistle caterpillars, late season crop diseases and crop development will highlight the fall field day at Iowa State University’s Northern Research and Demonstration Farm September 5.

“Farmers and agribusiness will hear the latest on thistle caterpillar and tar spot of corn,” said Paul Kassel, field agronomist with Iowa State University Extension and Outreach. “Thistle caterpillar and tar spot are two new pests that have raised questions for Iowa producers in 2019.”

The program begins at 9:30 a.m. with Matt Schnabel, Northern Research Farm superintendent, giving a review of the growing season and a discussion of summer activities.

by Jeremy Leitz, Allamakee County Executive Director (563) 568-2148

Upcoming Deadlines/Dates
August 23: CRP Continuous Signup 52 
September 20: Dairy Margin Coverage Program Sign-Up
December 6: Market Facilitation Program

New Farmers.gov Feature Helps Producers Find Farm Loans to Fit Their Operation
A new online tool can help farmers and ranchers find information on U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) farm loans that may best fit their operations. USDA has launched the new Farm Loan Discovery Tool as the newest feature on farmers.gov, the Department’s self-service website for farmers.

Submitted by Sara Berges, Allamakee SWCD

If you are thinking of making any changes to your farm lease, the September 1 deadline to give notice of termination is quickly approaching.  If you do not give notice by September 1, your lease will auto-renew under the same terms and conditions as the original lease.  This applies to both written and oral leases and one-year and multi-year leases. Either the tenant or landlord can terminate a lease. Just because you terminate a lease does not necessarily mean that the landlord wants to get a new tenant. This may mean that they want to discuss the terms of the lease, including rent, and make adjustments.   

Topics will include crop price risk and cash flow, weed science research and insect resistance

The fall field day at Iowa State University’s Northeast Research and Demonstration Farm will be held August 28, from 1-4:20 p.m.

The program will begin in the Borlaug Learning Center, with a talk by Steve Johnson, farm management specialist with Iowa State University Extension and Outreach, about crop price risk and cash flow management.

Prashant Jha, weed specialist with ISU Extension and Outreach, will discuss weed science research, followed by an on-farm wagon tour featuring Antonio Mallarino, professor and extension specialist in agronomy at Iowa State, and Erin Hodgson, associate professor and extension specialist in entomology at Iowa State.

by Jeremy Leitz, Allamakee County Executive Director (563) 568-2148

Upcoming Deadlines/Dates
August 23: CRP Continuous Signup 52 
September 20: Dairy Margin Coverage Program Sign-Up
December 6: Market Facilitation Program

Market Facilitation Program (MFP)
Signup for the 2019 Market Facilitation Program began on July 29th and continues through December 6, 2019.  Payments are expected to start in mid-to-late August. 

For non-specialty crops such as corn, soybeans and alfalfa, payments are based on a single-county payment rate multiplied by a farm’s total plantings of MFP-eligible crops in aggregate in 2019. Those per-acre payments are not dependent on which of those crops are planted in 2019. A producer’s total payment-eligible plantings cannot exceed total 2018 plantings. The Allamakee County payment rate is $40 per planted acre.

Producers can gain valuable fertility management knowledge and learn more about soil testing

The cost of managing soil fertility in Iowa continues to change, with increased fertilizer input costs and a rising demand for nutrients from higher-yielding crops.

To help producers understand the changes, Iowa State University Extension and Outreach is hosting four workshops in August called “Soil Testing Interpretations and Recommendations: Maximizing Return on Investment.”

The workshops will lead farmers through the basics of soil testing, analytical tests, calculating crop nutrient removal, understanding return on investment from fertilizer applications, how crop response correlates to soil test levels and what is known about crop response to micronutrients.

“These workshops provide producers the skills to best allocate fertilizer input dollars on their farms,” said Terry Basol, field agronomist with ISU Extension and Outreach.