Agriculture

Upcoming Deadlines/Dates
August 2 - September 30: Non-Emergency Grazing of CRP
Current – October 31: Organic Certified Cost Share Program (OCCSP)
December 2: Deadline to return COC ballots to FSA Office

Cost Sharing Available
Cost sharing on conservation practices is still available. Through the State of Iowa Division of Soil Conservation, IDALS, applications are taken continuously for terraces, grade stabilization structures (ponds), sediment basins (dry ponds) and waterways.  The cost sharing is 50 percent up to the estimated cost.

Learn more about the BQA program and become certified this fall

Iowa State University Extension and Outreach, in cooperation with the Iowa Beef Industry Council, will host Beef Quality Assurance training programs on three consecutive Wednesdays this fall in central and south-central Iowa.

“BQA certification is perhaps more important than ever as major packers now require a current certificate from feedlot producers selling market-ready cattle,” said Chris Clark, ISU Extension and Outreach beef specialist.

“It is basically a matter of market access for people marketing fed cattle because all the major packers now require that suppliers are BQA certified,” Clark said. “Beyond just fulfilling that requirement though, the BQA program includes a great deal of useful information that producers can take home and immediately utilize in their beef cattle operations.”

Upcoming Deadlines/Dates
August 2-  31: Non-Emergency Haying of CRP
August 2 - September 30: Non-Emergency Grazing of CRP
Current – October 31: Organic Certified Cost Share Program (OCCSP)
December 2: Deadline to return COC ballots to FSA Office

Meet Local Administrative Area (LAA) 3’s County Committee Nominees!
LAA 3 covers the townships of Iowa, Lansing, Center, Lafayette, Paint Creek, and Taylor. This year the nomination period ended as of August 1, 2024, and we are fortunate to have four great nominees running to serve on our Allamakee County FSA Committee board (COC). The following is a short synopsis of each nominee and their background in Allamakee County.

Meat goat producers in Iowa and Wisconsin can improve their knowledge of the industry by attending Meat Goat Cohort 25, which will launch in October.

This multi-session program is intended to increase producer knowledge of how to analyze production systems and implement strategies that improve efficiency and productivity, while providing a supportive environment for networking and collaboration.

Topics will include biosecurity protocols, diseases and vaccinations, kidding preparation, nutrition requirements and testing, marketing, parasite management and on-farm field trips.

The program is being organized by Carolyn Ihde, small ruminant field specialist for Iowa State University Extension and Outreach and the University of Wisconsin-Madison Division of Extension.

Upcoming Deadlines/Dates
August 2-  31: Non-Emergency Haying of CRP
August 2 - September 30: Non-Emergency Grazing of CRP
Current – October 31: Organic Certified Cost Share Program (OCCSP)
December 2: Deadline to return COC ballots to FSA Office

Cost Sharing Available
Cost sharing on conservation practices is still available. Through the State of Iowa Division of Soil Conservation, IDALS, applications are taken continuously for terraces, grade stabilization structures (ponds), sediment basins (dry ponds) and waterways.  The cost sharing is 50 percent up to the estimated cost.

Study the factors that make up your score now, before new policy becomes effective
 
Farmers who want to gain a better understanding of their Carbon Intensity Score can take advantage of a simple calculator developed by an economist with Iowa State University Extension and Outreach.

The calculator relies on just five input numbers, according to Alejandro Plastina - corn acres, nitrogen use and corn yield with current farming practices, change in nitrogen use and change in yields under new farming practices.

The score is a calculation of how much carbon is used per bushel of crop production and is an important measurement used for selling grain to certain ethanol plants that plan to participate in the federally incentivized Carbon Intensity Score program.

Upcoming Deadlines/Dates
August 2-  31: Non-Emergency Haying of CRP
August 2 - September 30: Non-Emergency Grazing of CRP
Current – October 31: Organic Certified Cost Share Program (OCCSP)
December 2: Deadline to return COC ballots to FSA Office

Conduct Business Online Through the Farmers.gov Portal
Looking for ways to do business with USDA that saves you time? Look no further than farmers.gov.
When you create an account for the farmers.gov authenticated customer portal, you have access to self-service features through a secure login. Managing your business with USDA’s Farm Service Agency (FSA) and Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) is faster than ever. From e-signing documents, viewing, printing, and exporting maps and receiving notifications of payment disbursements, a farmers.gov authenticated account makes doing business with USDA easy and secure.  

Learn updates in drone technology, trends for the upcoming harvest

Iowans can gain valuable knowledge in various agricultural topics at Iowa State University’s Northeast Research and Demonstration Farm annual fall field day August 23, from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Doug Houser, digital agriculture extension specialist with Iowa State University Extension and Outreach, will begin the program by providing the most current and up-to-date information regarding drone/UAV technology, and its use in the agricultural sector. Alison Robertson, professor and extension plant pathologist, will give an update on crop diseases of the growing season and expectations going into this year’s harvest. Kapil Arora, extension agricultural and biosystems engineering specialist, will share his insights on tile drainage and water management.

Cover Crop Fact Sheets Explain Many Options Available to Iowa Farmers

Iowa State University Extension and Outreach and USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) are collaborating on a series of cover crop fact sheets for Iowa farmers interested in adopting the practice or trying new cover crops to achieve specific goals on their operation.

Thousands of Iowa farmers plant cover crops annually to help reduce soil erosion, increase soil organic matter, suppress weeds, minimize soil compaction, scavenge excess nutrients, or provide supplemental livestock grazing. A large percentage of Iowa farmers use cereal rye, oats, wheat, radishes and turnips. However, there are many other cover crop options available.

The collection of fact sheets includes legumes like hairy vetch and cowpeas, broadleaves like flax and buckwheat, grasses such as millets and triticale, and brassicas like camelina and rapeseed.

by Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Mike Naig

Over the past few months, following the devasting storms and floods that have affected so many Iowans, I have traveled to communities, visiting farms, businesses and homes that have endured the worst of Mother Nature’s power. I had the opportunity to listen to farmers, business owners, community leaders and many others in the ag community who were directly impacted. My heart goes out to all who experienced these catastrophic disruptions.

Immediately following a disaster, the focus is on ensuring the health and safety of our families, community members and those in our care, including pets and livestock. But soon, the work of clean up eventually progresses toward rebuilding and recovery. I’ve been inspired by the kindness, generosity, grit and fortitude of Iowans as they demonstrate a deep determination to help each other and to rebuild stronger than ever.