Agriculture

Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Mike Naig encourages eligible Iowa farm owners to apply for the 2023 Century and Heritage Farm Program now through June 1. The program was created by the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship and the Iowa Farm Bureau Federation to recognize families who have owned their farms for 100 years and 150 years, respectively.

To apply, download the application on the Department’s website at iowaagriculture.gov/century-and-heritage-farm-program. Please complete the application and return it to:

Century and Heritage Farm Program
Iowa Department of Agriculture & Land Stewardship
Wallace State Office
Building
502 E. Ninth St.
Des Moines, IA 50319

Upcoming Deadlines/Dates
May 14: CRP Mid-Contract Management
May 15 - August 1: Primary Nesting Season
June 2: ERP Phase 2
June 2: PARP
July 15: Spring Crop Reporting

Agronomy in the Field is a workshop series for women that provides learning opportunities for forage and crop production.

The focus is on developing agronomic decision-making skills that can be utilized on one’s own personal farm or family cropping operations, including water quality and conservation practices.

The workshops are organized by Iowa State University Extension and Outreach and are useful for landowners, active farmers and farm families, and others in the agricultural industry interested in a refresher on agronomic basics. The workshops will include hands-on opportunities in fields to help participants solidify the concepts and information they learn.

Upcoming Deadlines/Dates
May 14: CRP Mid-Contract Management
May 15 - August 1: Primary Nesting Season
June 2: ERP Phase 2
June 2: PARP
July 15: Spring Crop Reporting

Applications will be accepted through June 1 for awards honoring farm ownership of 100 years and 150 years

Upcoming Deadlines/Dates
May 14: CRP Mid-Contract Management
May 15 - August 1: Primary Nesting Season
June 2: ERP Phase 2
June 2: PARP
July 15: Spring Crop Reporting

Many Iowa farmers hire some custom machine work in their farm business or perform custom work for others. Others rent machinery or perform other services.

In order to help producers and custom operators examine the market, Iowa State University Extension and Outreach publishes the Iowa Farm Custom Rate Survey.

This year’s survey, published in March, includes 94 responses and 2,621 custom rates for tasks related to tillage, planting and seeding, spraying, harvesting, farm labor and more. Additions to the survey for 2023 include ground (broadcast) spraying with a self-propelled, tall-crop sprayer and liquid fertilizer high clearance application with drop hose and Y spray nozzle.

Upcoming Deadlines/Dates
May 14: CRP Mid-Contract Management
May 15 - August 1: Primary Nesting Season
June 2: ERP Phase 2
June 2: PARP
July 15: Spring Crop Reporting

April 2023 CCC and FSFL Interest Rates
New rates were issued for the month of April and are as follows:
• MALs: 5.875%
• 4.375% for 3 years
• 4.000% for 5 years
• 4.000% for 7 years
• 3.875% for 10 years
• 3.875% for 12 years

Listen to organic farmers share their experiences in new podcast

Organic farmers and those interested in the industry can tune into a new podcast recorded by Iowa State University Extension and Outreach.

The Innovations in Organic Ag Podcast is available on Iowa State’s Small Farm Sustainability website.

Kathleen Delate, professor and extension organic specialist with ISU Extension and Outreach, interviews four organic farmers and an organic researcher engaged in organic technologies that may offer some value in organic operations. As with all technology, the benefits of technological innovations must be evaluated along with any trade-offs, which are explored in this podcast.

In-field answers from crop specialists provided throughout the year

Crop producers and the crop industry can get timely updates on growing-season challenges by subscribing to Integrated Crop Management News, a web service offered by the crops team with Iowa State University Extension and Outreach.

A team of agronomists, plant pathologists, entomologists, weather experts and others collaborate to write timely articles and blogs that are posted to the ICM News website and emailed directly to subscribers.

The information addresses everything from pre-plant to planting concerns, growing season issues, harvest and reflections on the past growing season. Articles are timely and address real-time concerns growers are experiencing.