Agriculture

A new publication from Iowa State University Extension and Outreach helps horse breeders determine the dietary needs of their mares during gestation and lactation. A mare’s gestation or pregnancy is approximately 340 days, or 11 months, according to Peggy Auwerda, associate professor in animal science and extension equine specialist at Iowa State University. The dietary needs change significantly during gestation and lactation, and are critical to the health of the horse and its foal.

“Special attention must be given to the diet of the pregnant mare from conception to foaling,” said Auwerda. “This publication provides some background and definition as to what the gestating and lactating mare needs, and illustrates it with both tables and figures.”

According to Auwerda, the foal does not gain much weight during the first eight months of pregnancy, but growth becomes rapid during the second half, when the foal typically gains 75% of its final birth weight.

Upcoming Deadlines/Dates
Feb 4: Organic and Transition Education Certification Program (FY20, FY21)
Feb. 18: Dairy Margin Coverage Program
Feb. 25: Spot Market Hog Pandemic Program
Mar. 15: ARCPLC Program Deadline

Conservation Reserve Contractors
With just over 17,000 acres in CRP throughout Allamakee County, contract holders are constantly looking for folks who can help complete establishment or maintenance activities.  If you are someone who can help with these services (seeding, mowing, spraying, burning, pruning, etc.) please contact our office so we can get you added to our contractors list.

New specialist will help growers with challenges

Corn and soybeans may be the dominant crops grown in Iowa, but there is plenty of opportunity for specialty crops, including fruits, according to the newest fruit crop specialist with Iowa State University Extension and Outreach.

Suzanne Slack, assistant professor and fruit crops specialist, plans to help Iowa’s fruit crop growers overcome challenges and increase their chances of success.

“My goal is to help them improve their fruit crops, both in helping with grower knowledge as well as making recommendations that can increase yields, crop diversity and sustainability,” said Slack, who began with the university in November. “I think there are a lot of opportunities here in Iowa and I look forward to working with Iowa growers and the fruit crop industry.”

Confinement site manure applicators and anyone interested in learning about manure issues should plan to attend a two-hour workshop offered by Iowa State University Extension and Outreach in January or February 2022. These workshops are offered in cooperation with the Iowa Department of Natural Resources. Registration is required. No walk-ins allowed. There is no fee to attend the workshops, but applicators will need to pay certification fees and send the forms in to the Iowa Department of Natural Resources to complete certification requirements.

Upcoming Deadlines/Dates
Dec. 31: Office closed in observance of New Year’s Day holiday
Jan. 7: Organic and Transition Education Certification Program (FY20, FY21)
Feb. 18: Dairy Margin Coverage Program
Feb. 25: Spot Market Hog Pandemic Program
Mar. 15: ARCPLC Program deadline

Some Waterhemp has Developed Dicamba Resistance

by LuAnn Rolling, NRCS District Conservationist

According to a recent article in Successful Farming University of Illinois (U of I) weed scientists have confirmed resistance to the herbicide dicamba in a Champaign County (east-central Illinois) waterhemp population.

The population had never been sprayed with dicamba or its relative 2,4-D (both Group 4 synthetic auxin herbicides), to which it is also resistant.  According to the researchers waterhemp in the study population resists herbicides in five other site of action groups.

Verbio Nevada Biorefinery begins making renewable natural gas from corn residue

One of the state’s most abundant resources – corn “stover” – is being used to create renewable natural gas that heats Iowa homes and businesses.

As of December 7, the Verbio North America plant in Nevada, Iowa, has been converting chopped cornstalks into natural gas that enters an Alliant Energy pipeline that traverses central Iowa.

Using anaerobic digestion, eight large digesters combine the corn stover with the bacteria of livestock manure, which results in the conversion of corn residue into biomethane gas that is equivalent to the natural gas found in fossil fuels.

12 local food experts make suggestions on how to improve sales to institutional buyers

A diverse group of local food experts from across the state submitted a set of recommendations to the Iowa Legislature that are intended to improve the farm to table supply chain.

The Farm to Table Task Force commissioned during the 2021 state legislative session and led by the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship and Iowa State University Extension and Outreach met over the last several months.

The charge was to identify strategies to improve the farm to table supply chain in Iowa, with a special focus on increasing sales to institutional purchasers, including schools. The task force consisted of 12 local food experts representing farmers, distributors, food pantries, small scale processors and customers.

Upcoming Deadlines/Dates
Dec. 24: Office closed in observance of Christmas holiday
Dec. 31: Office closed in observance of New Year’s Day holiday
Jan. 7: Organic and Transition Education Certification Program (FY20, FY21)
Feb. 18: Dairy Margin Coverage Program
Feb. 25: Spot Market Hog Pandemic Program
Mar. 15: ARCPLC Program deadline

Stay safe with these helpful tips and suggestions

Farmers and those employed in the agricultural industry should be mindful of the risks involved with internet security and what they can do to keep themselves and their companies safe.

With so much activity being done online, farmers share the same risks as those employed in other industries – sometimes even more so.

According to Doug Jacobson and Ally Frickel, electrical and computer engineering specialists at Iowa State University, the farming sector is sometimes targeted by cybercriminals because of farming’s critical function – supplying the food and fiber that humans and animals depend upon.

Farmers and the food industry cannot afford to be without their computer system for long, a fact some cybercriminals have used to their advantage.

Educational event for Iowa’s dairy producers

Iowa dairy producers will have the opportunity to hear Iowa State University Extension and Outreach specialists share information on emerging dairy industry issues at the 2022 Dairy Days, scheduled at four eastern Iowa locations and one northwest Iowa location.

At this year’s program, producers will learn about methods of euthanasia, composting mortalities, farm personalities, transition cow nutrition, milk marketing, industry updates and more.

“The Iowa State Extension Dairy Team is excited to bring back our annual Dairy Days program in person this year,” said Jenn Bentley, dairy specialist with ISU Extension and Outreach. “This program gives producers a chance to learn about a variety of topics and be able to network with other producers and industry representatives.”