Agriculture

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.

Upcoming Deadlines/Dates
June 2: ERP Phase 2
June 2: PARP

submitted by Matthew Welsh, Resource Conservationist, Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS), USDA

Measuring erosion occurring on the land can be done in a number of different ways. The type of erosion will dictate how that is evaluated. A common type of erosion in our landscape that is often not quantified is ephemeral gully erosion. This type of erosion is characterized as small channels formed by concentrated flow. They are small enough to be leveled back off by tillage and will reform in the same location after rainfall events.

New resource gives producers insight into the relationship between environment and production practices

The negative impacts of drought, high nitrogen prices and other high prices associated with pasture management have left some pastures in the state in less-than-ideal condition.

As the 2023 growing season approaches, Aaron Saeugling, field agronomist with Iowa State University Extension and Outreach, discusses important considerations when improving thin or over-grazed pastures. A recent article written by Saeugling for ISU Extension and Outreach’s Acreage Living Newsletter highlights these considerations and provides resources for pasture improvement.

Oftentimes in rural communities, when a neighbor is in need, farmers are the first to step up and help. Yet when they’re the ones in need of assistance, they hesitate to ask for that same help they so freely give.

Spring can be a stressful time for some area farmers as they prepare for another growing season, and that stress can have a negative effect on their mental health. That’s why officials at Gundersen Health System say farmers need to focus on themselves and reach out when feeling overwhelmed by the demands of their work – even if that’s something they’re not inclined to do.

“Often there are worries about a stigma associated with mental health, and people are afraid to seek help. They don’t know where to seek help,” said Kimberly Lansing, MD, a physician at Gundersen Health System and director of curriculum for the Wisconsin Academy for Rural Medicine. “For farmers, it’s always been this ‘pull yourself up by the bootstraps.

Upcoming Deadlines/Dates
June 2: ERP Phase 2
June 2: PARP

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. to 4:30 p.m.). If you would like to visit with the loan officer, feel free to call or stop in.

Upcoming Deadlines/Dates
June 2: ERP Phase 2
June 2: PARP

submitted by Matthew Welsh, Resource Conservationist, Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS), USDA

Farming industry publications such as magazines and online content are full of advertising for seed corn, insurance, chemicals, implements and many other agricultural products. In the February 2023 issue of  Successful Farming a particular ad caught my attention. The add was a foldout page with a picture of tilled cornstalks with the caption “Your Ideal Soil Profile Starts Here”. When opening the fold out, it points to the start of an “ideal soil profile” as a tillage implement, specifically a multi tool vertical tillage implement from a well-known implement line. I think this advertisement begs two questions: What is an ideal soil profile? and what do vertical tillage machines do to the soil?

Applications will be accepted through June 1 of this year

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 of this year.

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.

“Iowa’s multi-generational farm families are the backbone of our state and the Century and Heritage Farm Program recognizes their hard work, strength, resilience and perseverance,” said Secretary Naig. “Each year I look forward to recognizing these families, hearing their stories, and celebrating their legacies at the Iowa State Fair.”

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:

Upcoming Deadlines/Dates
March 15: ARCPLC Signup
June 2: ERP Phase 2
June 2: PARP

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. to 4:30 p.m.). If you would like to visit with the loan officer, call or stop in.

Rolling Out Revenue Based Disaster and Pandemic Assistance Programs
Beginning January 23, 2023, agricultural producers can begin to apply for two new important programs for revenue losses, from 2020 and 2021 natural disasters or the COVID-19 pandemic. Both programs equitably fill gaps in earlier assistance.

Farm trends publication highlights the changing landscape of Iowa agriculture

A recent farm trends publication from Iowa State University Extension and Outreach discusses changing farm trends between 2011 and 2021, including farm sizes, production values, net incomes and debt.

In Rural Iowa at a Glance, Farm Trends (2022 Edition), David Peters, professor and extension rural sociologist at Iowa State University, shares data that shows the way agriculture in the state is shifting.

One aspect of farming that has seen a great deal of change is farm size. In the past 10 years, the number of large commercial farms has doubled, while the number of small farms has decreased by 27%. Small farms have also seen sizable reductions in sales and acres farmed, with sales dropping by 59% and acres farmed dropping by 47%.

Upcoming Deadlines/Dates
March 15: ARCPLC Signup

submitted by Matthew Welsh, Resource Conservationist, Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS), USDA
In his Upstream Ag Insights - July 24th edition, analyst Shane Thomas says if we were to ever see products - like The Weed Seed Destroyer - become mainstream on combines, it could significantly help lower the tolerance for weed seed escapes in a specific area. He noted the ongoing intelligence going into sprayers and harvesting equipment illustrates “why equipment companies are strongly positioned in the fight against resistance weeds and supporting the sustainable production of crops around the world.” The Weed Seed Destroyer is a combine bolt-on unit utilizing mild warming and intense LED rays to saturate weed seed as it passes with the chaff flow during harvest, and the seed-killing device is ready for spring cutting trials in Tennessee wheat and Ohio barley.