Agriculture

USDA’s national survey is conducted every five years

Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Mike Naig today encouraged Iowa farmers and producers to participate in the 2022 Census of Agriculture, which is underway across the nation through February 6, 2023.

The Census of Agriculture, which is conducted every five years by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS), is the nation’s most comprehensive count of America’s farms and ranches, the people who operate them, and the crops and livestock they raise.

Women landowners can learn more about agronomy via zoom meetings

Women landowners, farmers and ag retailers will have the opportunity to meet again this winter to learn more about agronomy and related agricultural topics through distance-learning sessions of Agronomy in the Field. The goals of Agronomy in the Field are to strengthen agronomic skills for women that allow for better decision-making, provide a better understanding of inputs for crop production, see and understand different conservation practices and increase confidence in communication with a spouse, farming partner, ag retailer or tenant.

These programs are hosted by extension field agronomists Angie Rieck-Hinz, Meaghan Anderson, Rebecca Vittetoe, Leah Ten Napel and Clarabell Probasco.

Upcoming Deadlines/Dates
December 15: Crop Reporting for Fall-Seeded Small Grains

Landlords Must Take an Active Role in Management of Their Farm
by LuAnn Rolling, District Conservationist
Landowners leasing land to farmers need to view their properties as an asset much like a retirement account and heed investment advice that says: “If you’re spending down your principal, you’re likely to run out of money.”

To help farm families build relationships and set family goals, Iowa State University Extension and Outreach is offering two “Farm Couple Getaways.” Both events are aimed at farmers wanting to take advantage of activities to improve farm family communication, work on farm or family goal setting, farm transitions or looking for a weekend away to discuss farm and family issues.

The first getaway will be held Friday, February 10 through Saturday, February 11 at the Best Western Plus Hotel in Dubuque. The second getaway will be held Friday, March 3 through Saturday, March 4 at the Cobblestone Inn & Suites in Holstein.

The getaways run from 12:30 p.m. on the first day to 3:15 p.m. on the second day. There is no cost to attend the program as food, lodging and other expenses are covered by sponsorships. However, there is a $50 per couple deposit to hold each reservation, refundable on the second day of the event.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has extended the deadline for producers to enroll in Dairy Margin Coverage (DMC) and Supplemental Dairy Margin Coverage (SDMC) for program year 2023 to Jan. 31, 2023. DMC is a voluntary risk management program that offers protection to dairy producers when the difference between the all-milk price and the average feed price (the margin) falls below a certain dollar amount selected by the producer. “We recognize this is a busy time of year with many competing priorities, so we’ve extended the DMC enrollment deadline to ensure every producer who wants coverage for 2023 has the opportunity to enroll in the program,” said Farm Service Agency (FSA) Administrator Zach Ducheneaux. “Early projections indicate DMC payments are likely to trigger for the first eight months in 2023. We all know that markets fluctuate, sometimes at a moment’s notice and sometimes with no warning at all, so now’s the time to ensure your operation is covered.

Upcoming Deadlines/Dates
December 9: Dairy Margin Coverage Program
December 15: Crop Reporting for Fall-Seeded Small Grains

Farm Loan Presence in Allamakee County
The USDA/FSA Farm Loan team will have a Loan Officer in our office every Tuesday during normal business hours (8 a.m. - 4:30 p.m.). If you would like to visit with the loan officer, feel free to call or stop in.

2023 Dairy Margin Coverage Program
Sign-up for the 2023 Dairy Margin Coverage Program began October 17 and runs through December 9. Signup is voluntary unless you locked in coverage at the initial signup. A decision tool has been created and can be found at https://dairymarkets.org. This tool provides forecasted estimates of feed and milk prices through 2023, historical analysis of the program for the past 5 years, and remaining 2022 projections.  

Research from Iowa State University shows periodically projecting randomly moving, dot-sized laser lights on the floor of broiler pens stimulates birds’ predatory instincts and encourages them to be more active. This is especially important as broilers approach market weight and become more sedentary, which can negatively impact their quality of life.

Elizabeth Bobeck, associate professor of animal science, and Anna Johnson, professor of animal behavior and welfare, partnered with Signify, a livestock lighting company, to create a second-generation novel laser device for this research. With support from the U.S. Poultry and Egg Association, USDA and its National Institute of Food and Agriculture, they conducted a study to assess how these devices influence animal behavior.

Upcoming Deadlines/Dates
December 5: Last day to return COC ballots
December 9: Dairy Margin Coverage Program
December 15: Crop Reporting for Fall-Seeded Small Grains

Upcoming Deadlines/Dates
December 5: Last day to return COC ballots
December 9: Dairy Margin Coverage Program
December 15: Crop Reporting for Fall-Seeded Small Grains

Farm Loan Presence in Allamakee County
The USDA/FSA Farm Loan team will have a Loan Officer in our office every Tuesday during normal business hours (8 a.m.-4:30 p.m.). If you would like to visit with the loan officer, feel free to call or stop in.

Soil organic carbon defined and explained in latest extension resource

Soil organic carbon plays a wide range of crucial roles in agriculture and in the evolving world of carbon credits and carbon markets.

Soil organic carbon impacts crop productivity, soil health, the movement of water and the removal of contaminants. To help landowners and others better understand soil organic carbon, Iowa State University Extension and Outreach recently published a new resource called “Measuring Soil Organic Carbon: A Crucial Iowa Resource.”

This four-page guide defines soil organic carbon, explains how it is measured and the roles it plays in agriculture and the environment.