Agriculture

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

FSA and the 2018 Farm Bill
No program sign-ups (CRP, dairy, ARCPLC) currently. We will announce dates once known.

Below is information regarding programmatic changes in the 2018 Farm Bill.  More information can be found at www.farmers.gov/farmbill. 

ARCPLC
• Producers can make a new election for either ARC or PLC in the 2019 crop year which will also apply to the 2020 crop year. 
• Producers may change elections annually during the 2021 through 2023 crop years. 

The Iowa Cattlemen’s Association is hosting three free educational events for feedlot producers in eastern Iowa in March. Each “Feedlot Forum” will include a free meal, a trade show, an update from the Iowa Cattlemen’s Association and Iowa Beef Industry Council, and three educational speakers.

Craig Belknap will be joining us from Diamond V and speaking on the topics of immunity, health, and performance and how you can improve your own cattle operation.

Straight from Washington, D.C., NCBA’s Scott Yager will be giving an environmental regulations update. This will give producers the opportunity to give feedback on some issues that you are facing on the home front.

Paul Mussman of AgWest Commodities will be providing the market outlook, letting producers know what to expect in the cattle markets in the next year.

Producers can RSVP by calling 515-296-2266 or at www.iacattlemen.org. Walk-ins are also welcome.

Iowa’s beef producers are asking their fellow Iowans to help find Iowa’s Best Burger in 2019. In this year’s quest, the Iowa Beef Industry Council (IBIC) and the Iowa Cattlemen’s Association (ICA) are encouraging you to nominate your favorite burger, whether it’s gourmet or down-home style.

This is the tenth year the two groups are holding the annual Iowa’s Best Burger contest, which officially kicked off February 11, 2019. During the first phase of the contest, Iowans are encouraged to nominate their favorite burger before March 11, 2019. At that point, the 10 restaurants with the most nominations will be visited by a secret panel of judges, who will determine the ultimate winner. The 2019 Best Burger in Iowa will be announced May 1 with the kick-off of May Beef Month in Iowa.

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

Mid-Contract Management (MCM) on CRP Acres
Even though we still have plenty of snow on the ground, now is a good time to start thinking about your MCM, if you are scheduled for this year. Those that are scheduled for this year would have received a packet from our office this past fall detailing what needs to be done.  Most have until May 14, 2019 to complete the work, but now is a good time to start lining up contractors if you haven’t already done so, buy seed if needed, and get equipment ready. If you have technical questions, need a seeding plan, or contractor list contact the NRCS office. Any other questions can be directed to FSA.

Once you complete your MCM, please notify the FSA office, sign the FSA-848B form, and provide acceptable evidence of practice completion to determine proper cost share payment.

It is often hard to talk about passing the family farm on to the next generation. A program offered by Iowa State University Extension and Outreach Clayton County can support farms and farm women with those decisions.

Managing for Today and Tomorrow is a five-session course designed especially to help farm women learn about the four components that create a successful transition - succession, business, estate, and retirement planning. Clayton County will offer the course beginning Thursday, March 7, 2019 and continuing March 14, March 21, March 28 and April 4. Online registration is available at www.aep.iastate.edu/womeninag.

Iowa State University Extension and Outreach will host Boots in the Barn, a program for women beef and dairy producers, in March in the Waukon area. Boots in the Barn is a three-part series for women involved in their dairy or beef cattle operation.

The course will be held March 7, 14 and 21. The March 7 session will feature Denise Schwab, beef specialist with ISU Extension and Outreach, who will provide information on understanding expected progeny differences (EPD), sire catalogs and how that relates to sire selection for dairy and beef producers. A panel of experts will provide information on how to apply this information to an operation, specifically addressing dairy and beef crossbreeding programs. The session will be held at Farmers and Merchants Bank Community Room in Waukon from 6:30-8:30 p.m.

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

USDA to Host 2018 Farm Bill Implementation Listening Session
U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Under Secretary for Farm Production and Conservation Bill Northey announced that USDA is hosting a listening session for initial input on the 2018 Farm Bill. USDA is seeking public input on the changes to existing programs implemented by the Farm Service Agency, Natural Resources Conservation Service and the Risk Management Agency. Each agency will take into account stakeholder input when making discretionary decisions on program implementation.

Applications must be postmarked by June 1 to be recognized at the 2019 Iowa State Fair

Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Mike Naig today encouraged eligible farm owners to apply for the 2019 Century and Heritage Farm Program.  The program is sponsored by the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship and the Iowa Farm Bureau Federation. It recognizes families that have owned their farm for 100 years in the case of Century Farms and 150 years for Heritage Farms.

“The Century and Heritage Farm Program recognizes the hard work that is necessary to keep a farm in the same family for 100 or 150 years,” Naig said. “The awards ceremony at the Iowa State Fair is a great celebration of Iowa agriculture and the families that care for the land and produce our food. I look forward to recognizing Iowa’s Century and Heritage awardees at the upcoming state fair and encourage those families to apply before June 1, 2019.

Wendong Zhang, Extension Ag Economist, Brian Dougherty, Ag Engineering Field Specialist, and Natasha Hoover, Research Associate from the Iowa State University (ISU) water quality research lab, will speak at the annual meeting of the Northeast Iowa Agricultural Experimental Association (NEIAEA) to be held at the Borlaug Learning Center, ISU Northeast Research Farm, Nashua.

The program will be held Tuesday, March 5 at 9:30 a.m. Provided free at the meeting is the 2018 Research Farm Report. A Dutch treat lunch will be served by the Riverton Lucky Clovers 4-H Club. Following the Pecinovsky presentation, the NEIAEA board of directors will meet. The sessions given for the day will qualify for a total of three free CCA credits (2CM, 1SW).

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

Upcoming Deadlines and Important Dates
• February 14: Last day to apply for the Market Facilitation Program
• February 18: Office closed in observance of Washington’s Birthday

USDA Market Facilitation Program
The last day to stop in and sign the Market Facilitation Program (MFP) application is tomorrow, February 14. You don’t need to certify production at that time, but if you don’t sign the application by February 14 you will not be eligible for MFP payments. Once you sign the application, you have until May 1 to prove production. 

Facility Loan Interest Rates
The interest rates for February are as follows:
• 2.500% for 3 years
• 2.500% for 5 years
• 2.625% for 7 years
• 2.750% for 10 years
• 2.750% for 12 years
• 2.875% for 15 years