Agriculture

Upcoming Deadlines/Dates
May 15 – August 1: Primary Nesting Season
July 15: Spring Crop Reporting

Human Health is Related to Soil Health
by LuAnn Rolling, District Conservationist
New research from Penn State shows that tillage on farms may significantly reduce the availability of ergothioneine (ERGO) in crops.  ERGO is an amino acid produced by certain types of soil-borne fungi and bacteria that is known as a “longevity vitamin” due to its potent antioxidant properties. This research, conducted by an interdisciplinary team at Penn State, is among the first to demonstrate that soil disturbance can directly impact a key dietary factor associated with long-term human health.

Pasture walks scheduled in Iowa, Wisconsin, Minnesota

The Kickapoo Grazing Initiative (KGI), now in its tenth year, is a public/private conservation partnership focusing on the promotion of economic and environmental incentives for landowners and farmers to adopt the managed grazing of grass-fed beef, dairy and multi-species. “Because of the benefits of increased soil organic matter, reduced runoff, and value-added healthy food production, the KGI believes that managed rotational grazing can help protect water quality while sustaining our small farmers in the area,” remarked Cynthia Olmstead, KGI Project Director.

Know the 4-inch soil temperature before putting seed in the ground

Soil temperature is one of the most important factors crop farmers use to guide their planting decisions. The rule of thumb is to wait until the upper 4 inches reach at least 50° degrees Fahrenheit, with a warming trend in the forecast.

One way farmers can keep track of soil temperature in their county and across the state is by using the soil temperatures map available at https://mesonet.agron.iastate.edu/agclimate/soilt.php, compiled by the Iowa Environmental Mesonet at Iowa State University. Updated daily in the spring, this map provides current and historical soil temperatures for each county in Iowa.

Upcoming Deadlines/Dates
April 15: Spot Market Hog Pandemic Program
May 15 – August 1: Primary Nesting Season
July 15: Spring Crop Reporting

What’s New and Improved for Specialty Crop Producers?
Does your operation include specialty crops? Whether you grow fruits, vegetables, tree nuts, dried fruits, horticulture, or nursery crops - USDA is here for you.

Over the past year, USDA has stepped up our support of specialty crop producers and local and regional food systems. USDA believes specialty crop producers are integral to the food system of the future, and we are working to improve available options for specialty crop producers as well as ensure equity in program delivery.

Being aware and taking prevention measures are keys to safety

Unloading grain bins and delivering corn to local elevators, feed mills and ethanol plants has been in full swing for several weeks across the Midwest. In this article, Dirk Maier, professor of agriculture and biosystems engineering with Iowa State University Extension and Outreach, provides some basic safety guidance.

Ideally, corn will gravity flow into the center floor outlet (sump), is transferred with an under-floor conveyor out of the bin and from there to another conveyor that fills a truck or to an overhead load-out bin to gravity-fill a truck.

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, available online at https://www.extension.iastate.edu/agdm/crops/html/a3-10.html.

This year’s survey, published in March, includes 122 responses and nearly 3,400 custom rates for tasks related to tillage, planting and seeding, spraying, harvesting, farm labor and more. Most custom rates saw an increase of 3-10%, according to Alejandro Plastina, associate professor in economics and extension economist at Iowa State, and one of the authors of the report. The cost for labor increased almost 14%, reflecting the challenges of a tight labor market nationwide.

Upcoming Deadlines/Dates
April 15: Spot Market Hog Pandemic Program
May 15 – August 1: Primary Nesting Season
July 15: Spring Crop Reporting

Manure is a Valuable Resource
by LuAnn Rolling, District Conservationist
We know what a busy time Spring can be. The window for field work can be short, and spring rainfall can keep soils wet, leading to concerns of compaction. There can be some clear economic and environmental advantages to applying manure in the spring, however. As input costs rise, producers using manure for crop production should consider how they can integrate more spring application into their production systems.

Winner receives use of new John Deere 6E utility tractor for one year

Nominations are now being sought to recognize the 2022 Iowa Conservation Farmer of the Year.  Now in its 70th year, this prestigious honor has been awarded to celebrate conservation progress and Iowa farmers who are committed to exceptional environmental stewardship and conservation efforts.

The statewide and regional awards, co-sponsored by the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship (IDALS) and the Iowa Farm Bureau Federation (IFBF), honor Iowa farmers who have distinguished track records of commitment to soil conservation and water quality improvement efforts. The grand prize winner will receive the use of a new John Deere 6E utility tractor for one year.

A research project by Iowa State University soil scientists provides new insight into the complex picture of phosphorus loss from farmland and evidence proving phosphorus runoff is often underestimated.

One of the project’s primary objectives was to determine how much dissolved phosphorus (P) in surface runoff may not be accurately measured by common methods. The work was conducted over three years with funding from the Iowa Nutrient Research Center at Iowa State.

“Conventional views of P loss are that most of it is tightly bound to soil particles, so P is not a problem as long as erosion is controlled. Our study shows this is not necessarily the case,” said Antonio Mallarino, professor of agronomy and ISU Extension and Outreach soil fertility and nutrient management specialist. He led the project, working with Mazhar U. Haq, research specialist in agronomy, and former graduate student John D. Jones, Jr.

Upcoming Deadlines/Dates
April 15: Spot Market Hog Pandemic Program
May 15 – August 1: Primary Nesting Season
July 15: Spring Crop Reporting