Agriculture

Cover Crop Fact Sheets Explain Many Options Available to Iowa Farmers

Iowa State University Extension and Outreach and USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) are collaborating on a series of cover crop fact sheets for Iowa farmers interested in adopting the practice or trying new cover crops to achieve specific goals on their operation.

Thousands of Iowa farmers plant cover crops annually to help reduce soil erosion, increase soil organic matter, suppress weeds, minimize soil compaction, scavenge excess nutrients, or provide supplemental livestock grazing. A large percentage of Iowa farmers use cereal rye, oats, wheat, radishes and turnips. However, there are many other cover crop options available.

The collection of fact sheets includes legumes like hairy vetch and cowpeas, broadleaves like flax and buckwheat, grasses such as millets and triticale, and brassicas like camelina and rapeseed.

by Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Mike Naig

Over the past few months, following the devasting storms and floods that have affected so many Iowans, I have traveled to communities, visiting farms, businesses and homes that have endured the worst of Mother Nature’s power. I had the opportunity to listen to farmers, business owners, community leaders and many others in the ag community who were directly impacted. My heart goes out to all who experienced these catastrophic disruptions.

Immediately following a disaster, the focus is on ensuring the health and safety of our families, community members and those in our care, including pets and livestock. But soon, the work of clean up eventually progresses toward rebuilding and recovery. I’ve been inspired by the kindness, generosity, grit and fortitude of Iowans as they demonstrate a deep determination to help each other and to rebuild stronger than ever.

Upcoming Deadlines/Dates
May 15 - August 1: CRP Primary Nesting Season
July 31: End of July Continuous CRP Batching Period
August 1: Nomination Period for COC Election in LAA

Learn the many options available when considering which cover crops to plant

Iowa State University Extension and Outreach and the United States Department of Agriculture’s Natural Resources Conservation Service are collaborating on a series of cover crop fact sheets for Iowa farmers interested in adopting the practice or trying new cover crops to achieve specific goals on their operation.

Thousands of Iowa farmers plant cover crops annually to help reduce soil erosion, increase soil organic matter, suppress weeds, minimize soil compaction, scavenge excess nutrients or provide supplemental livestock grazing. A large percentage of Iowa farmers use cereal rye, oats, wheat, radishes and turnips. However, there are many other cover crop options available.

The collection of fact sheets includes legumes like hairy vetch and cowpeas, broadleaves like flax and buckwheat, grasses such as millets and triticale, and brassicas like camelina and rapeseed.

Upcoming Deadlines/Dates
May 15 - August 1: CRP Primary Nesting Season
July 31: End of July Continuous CRP Batching Period
August 1: Nomination Period for COC Election in LAA

Late Summer Pasture Seeding

by Jacob Hawes, NRCS Area Grazing Specialist

The late summer seeding window begins in August for pasture and hay plantings, and although it is not as popular as the spring seeding option, it can still be a great opportunity to get cool season pastures established this year. There are several advantages to seeding late summer versus the spring, that may ease some apprehensions about seeding during this timeframe.

Amid disease outbreaks, producers should examine their current biosecurity plans

Announcements of Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza should not cause alarm among cattlemen, although this should alert producers to examine their current biosecurity plan, according to a beef specialist with Iowa State University Extension and Outreach.

Denise Schwab said the announcements are reminders of how any disease can spread to cattle.

“Basic biosecurity practices are essential daily steps for the prevention of all diseases, and cattlemen should always be alert to the potential of disease spread,” she said. “Diseases can be spread by aerosol, direct animal-to-animal contact, oral (through feed or water), reproduction, vector-born (biting or sucking insects), or by vehicles and fomites (shoes, clothes, contaminated feed, needles). Everything we do to prevent this spread reduces the risk of diseases.”

Upcoming Deadlines/Dates
May 15 - August 1: CRP Primary Nesting Season
July 31: End of July Continuous CRP Batching Period
August 1: Nomination Period for COC Election in LAA

Farm Service Agency Seeking Nominations for Farmers to Serve on Local County Committees
Nominations are now being accepted for farmers and ranchers to serve on local U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Farm Service Agency (FSA) county committees. These committees make important decisions about how federal farm programs are administered locally. All nomination forms for the 2024 election must be postmarked or received in the local FSA office by August 1, 2024.

Elections for committee members will occur in certain Local Administrative Areas (LAA). LAAs are elective areas for FSA committees in a single county.  

Free, searchable online listing connects Iowa sellers with in-state and out-of-state buyers

Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Mike Naig is encouraging Iowans to take advantage of the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship’s free, searchable online directory for hay and straw. This resource aims to facilitate connections between Iowa farmers looking to sell hay or straw and potential buyers interested in purchasing these products.

Secretary Naig is also urging sellers to update their listings at least annually or whenever they have new inventories available. Organizations involved in promoting and marketing hay and straw may also utilize this free online tool.

Upcoming Deadlines/Dates
May 15 - August 1: CRP Primary Nesting Season
July 12: End of July Continuous CRP Batching Period
July 15: Certification/Acreage Reporting Deadline for FY24
August 1: Nomination Period for COC Election in LAA

Cost sharing available
Cost sharing on conservation practices is still available. Through the State of Iowa Division of Soil Conservation, IDALS, applications are taken continuously for terraces, grade stabilization structures (ponds), sediment basins (dry ponds) and waterways. The cost sharing is 50 percent up to the estimated cost.

Cover crops help prevent nitrate loss and protect soil from erosion, but they also add another step to plant in the fall. What if farmers could have a cover crop that they only had to plant once?

Iowa State University Extension and Outreach will examine this topic during three upcoming field days across the state in July and August.

Registration for all events begin at 11:30 a.m. with the program beginning at 12:30 p.m.

• Wednesday, July 24, Corning, Iowa
• Wednesday, Aug. 7, Nashua, Iowa
• Wednesday, Aug. 14, Boone, Iowa

Participants will learn about recent research on the use of perennial groundcover on farmland. The event is part of a program called “Regenerating America’s Working Landscapes to Enhance Nature Resources and Public Goods through Perennial Groundcover,” also known as Regen PGC. Regen PGC researchers are looking at ways to make year-round groundcover on cropland commonplace.