Agriculture

Upcoming Deadlines/Dates
May 15 – August 1: Primary Nesting Season – No MCM work on CRP acres
May 26 – August 28: Coronavirus Food Assistance Program (CFAP) Signup
June 30: 2020 ARCPLC Election
July 15: Crop Certification
September 30: PLC Yield Update

by Dr. Greg Tylka, professor, Integrated Crop Management News, and Iowa State University Extension and Outreach

Iowa State University professor and nematologist Dr. Don Norton found nearly two dozen species of nematodes feeding on corn in Iowa in the 1960s, 1970s, and 1980s. These microscopic worms usually are present in low numbers and do not affect yields. But the potential for plant-parasitic nematodes that feed on corn to cause yield reductions is real and warrants attention. The wide diversity of species have varied feeding habits, lengths of life cycles, soil preferences, and other attributes, but one aspect that is consistent for all of the nematodes is that yield loss on corn always is preceded by development of above-ground symptoms such as stunting or chlorotic foliage. This means that sampling to determine if damaging nematode population densities are present need only be done in areas of fields where corn plants are showing symptoms.

Celebrate National Dairy Month with a Dairy Drive-Thru ScAGvenger Hunt hosted by Iowa’s Dairy Center. The event will be held Saturday, June 27 from 1-4 p.m. at 1527 Hwy. 150 S, Calmar.

Visitors will get a close-up look at cows by driving their vehicle around the farm, even right through the maternity and freestall barns. Attendees will be given a scavenger hunt card at the beginning to look for agriculture-related clues throughout the experience. At the end, the Winneshiek County Dairy Promoters will be serving Moo Mobile shakes right to your vehicle. This family-friendly event is free to the public.

The event will be weather permitting with a rain date scheduled for Saturday, July 11. There will be no building access for restrooms during the event. All attendees must stay inside their vehicle at all times.

Upcoming Deadlines/Dates
May 15 – August 1: Primary Nesting Season – No MCM work on CRP acres
May 26 – August 28: Coronavirus Food Assistance Program (CFAP) Signup
June 30: 2020 ARCPLC Election
July 15: Crop Certification
September 30: PLC Yield Update

Coronavirus Food Assistance Program (CFAP)
www.farmers.gov/cfap
Between May 26 and August 28, FSA will be accepting applications from agricultural producers who have suffered losses due to the coronavirus pandemic.  Additional information and application forms can be found at www.farmers.gov/cfap. Documentation to support the producer’s application and certification may be requested.

 by Dr. Greg Tylka, professor, Integrated Crop Management News, and Iowa State University Extension and Outreach

Iowa’s early planting season means that pests like the soybean cyst nematode (SCN) also are off to a quick start this year, which could result in a greater risk of severe damage from SCN throughout the growing season. This nematode is a major yield-reducing pathogen of soybean and is widespread across Iowa and other Midwestern states. Research conducted in recent years indicates that many fields have not been checked for SCN.

Farming can be stressful in the best of times. Financial worries, erratic weather, unpredictable commodity prices, plant pests, livestock diseases and isolation all contribute to farmers’ anxiety. Now Iowa’s rural communities and families are coping with the economic impact and unpredictability produced by the COVID-19 pandemic. Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds has described the effect of COVID-19 on Iowa’s farm economy as devastating.

Gov. Reynolds and Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Mike Naig communicated that Iowa’s meatpacking plants are operating at only 80% capacity. In addition, the U.S. pork industry has lost about 25% of its processing capacity due to COVID-19. As a result, some livestock producers are having to euthanize animals.

“The economic impact is devastating. However, the personal and emotional impact also is taking a heavy toll,” said Tammy Jacobs, coordinator for Iowa Concern and other ISU Extension and Outreach hotlines.

Upcoming Deadlines/Dates
May 15 - August 1: Primary Nesting Season - No MCM work on CRP acres
May 26 - August 28: Coronavirus Food Assistance Program (CFAP) Signup
June 30: 2020 ARCPLC Election
July 15: Crop Certification
September 30: PLC Yield Update

Submitted by Eric Novey, Project Coordinator, Allamakee SWCD

Nick Rolling, who farms near Waterville, recently tried a different farming practice. He band applied herbicide (1 ½ pt Dual and 1 qt Roundup) on corn and soybeans while planting into fall seeded rye cover crop. His goals were to suppress weed growth, capture nitrogen from leeching, reduce soil erosion, increase water infiltration, and to increase his overall soil health by getting as much root growth as possible from the rye. Rolling plans to terminate the rye soon.

Research done through the United Soybean Board has shown when cereal rye grew an extra three weeks prior to soybeans, they produced about 300-400% more biomass with a 100% increase in nitrogen retention, compared to early terminated cover crops, with no yield reduction.

Farmers, ag professionals and other interested parties are invited to participate in a virtual field day webinar series being hosted by Iowa State University Extension and Outreach in conjunction with the Southeast Iowa Agricultural Research Association from June 23-26.

“This virtual field day webinar series is being offered this year instead of the annual face-to-face spring field day that is held at the Iowa State Southeast Research and Demonstration Farm due to the current COVID-19 pandemic,” said Rebecca Vittetoe, field agronomist with ISU Extension and Outreach.

Each webinar will start at 8 a.m. with a 20-minute discussion on the day’s topic, and will include time for a questions and answers session at the end. Sessions will be limited to 30 minutes.

Upcoming Deadlines/Dates
May 15 – August 1: Primary Nesting Season – No MCM work on CRP acres
May 26 – August 28: Coronavirus Food Assistance Program (CFAP) Signup
June 30: 2020 ARCPLC Election
July 15: Crop Certification
September 30: PLC Yield Update

Sign Up for the 2020 ARCPLC Program by June 30!
We mailed out the remaining ARCPLC contracts earlier this spring for farms that still need to be enrolled for the 2020 program year.  A postcard reminder was mailed to those folks that we were still waiting for theirs to come back.  So if you received a postcard, please review the previous letter and contract to ensure everything is completed correctly. If you have any questions, or need the contract modified, please call our office. The deadline to get these approved is June 30, so please don’t delay in getting these back to us.