Agriculture

The Allamakee SWCD is coordinating a project through the Regional Conservation Partnership Program (RCPP), a program funded through the USDA. The practices funded through this project are:

1. Cover crops on manure applied acres
2. Cropland conversion to hay/pasture (and all related practices including fencing, watering systems, prescribed grazing, and heavy use protection)
3. Adding a small grain to a rotation
4. Utilizing cover crops as part of a 3-crop system (corn-soybean-small grain)

Only a fraction of conventional row crop farmers grow cover crops after harvest, but a new global analysis from the University of Illinois shows the practice can boost soil microbial abundance by 27%.There are many benefits to planting cover crops including reducing erosion, increasing organic matter, reducing compaction, improving nutrient cycling, and providing food for beneficial soil microorganisms.

Upcoming Deadlines/Dates
May 15 – August 1: Primary Nesting Season – No MCM work on CRP acres
June 30: 2020 ARCPLC Election
July 15: Crop Certification
September 30: PLC Yield Update

2020 Crop Certification
The on-going COVID19 situation has changed the way we operate at the office.  We are doing much more through phone and email.  Unfortunately, at this time, it appears we will not be able to certify crops face-to-face at the office.  While the final details are still being decided, it looks like we will be mailing out farm maps to the operator for them to mark the crops planted, date planted, and shares.  Then return them to us via mail, email or the drop-box outside the office.  We would then load them and determine the best way for you to sign the certification whether via mail, email, or drop box. Our goal is to start getting maps mailed out the week of May 11.

by Erin Hodgson, associate professor, Ashley Dean, extension program specialist, Integrated Crop Management News and Iowa State University Extension and Outreach

Bean leaf beetle adults (Photo 1) are susceptible to cold weather and most die when air temperatures fall below 14°F (-10°C). However, they have adapted to winter by protecting themselves under plant debris and loose soil. Each spring, adult beetles emerge from their overwintering habitat and migrate to available hosts, such as alfalfa, tick trefoil, and various clovers. As the season progresses, bean leaf beetles move to soybean and other hosts. While adult activity can begin before soybean emergence, peak abundance often coincides with early-vegetative soybean.

by Erin Hodgson, associate professor, Integrated Crop Management News, and Iowa State University Extension and Outreach

Seedcorn maggot is a seed and seedling pest of corn and soybean. Plant injury is especially prevalent during cool and wet springs. The larvae, or maggots, feed on germinating corn and soybean seeds or seedlings (Photo 1). Feeding can delay development or kill the plant. Infestations tend to be field-wide instead of in patches like for many other pests. To confirm seedcorn maggot injury, check field areas with stand loss and look for maggots, pupae and damaged seeds (hollowed out seeds or poorly developing seedlings).

Upcoming Deadlines/Dates
May 15 – August 1: Primary Nesting Season – No MCM work on CRP acres
June 30: 2020 ARCPLC Election
July 15: Crop Certification
September 30: PLC Yield Update

Sign Up for the 2020 ARCPLC Program by June 30!
Producers can enroll in the Agriculture Risk Coverage (ARC) and Price Loss Coverage (PLC) programs for the 2020 crop year. Many got this completed during the recent 2019 signup, however there are still many farms that need to get enrolled. 

ARC provides income support payments on historical base acres when actual crop revenue declines below a specified guaranteed level. PLC provides income support payments on historical base acres when the effective price for a covered commodity falls below its reference price.

by Bob Hartzler, professor of agronomy, Meaghan Anderson, field agronomist and extension field specialist, Prashant Jha, associate professor and extension weed specialist, Integrated Crop Management News, and Iowa State University Extension and Outreach

Preemergence herbicides are the foundation of herbicide-based weed management systems, and effective use of these products is essential to protect crop yields and reduce selection pressure for herbicide resistant weeds. In a perfect world, applying preemergence herbicides immediately after planting would provide the greatest likelihood of maximum performance, but equipment and labor availability limit many farms from using this approach. This article will provide a brief overview of the pros and cons of different application strategies.

We are excited to announce that the Allamakee County Soil and Water Conservation District has been awarded $235,907.00, for a three-year project, that involves interseeding cover crops into V4-V7 Corn. The funding for this project came from the USDA Conservation Innovation Grant (CIG) program.

Short planting windows after commodity crop harvest has some producers frustrated and looking at other methods of getting cover crops established. One option is interseeding cover crops into corn between the V4-V7 growth stages. Doing this allows cover crops to get established prior to corn canopy.  After canopy the cover crop will go dormant from being shaded out and then restart growth once the corn is harvested. The overall goal of this project is to get more producers to try interseeding as an option for cover crop establishment.

Upcoming Deadlines/Dates
May 15 - August 1: Primary Nesting Season - No MCM work on CRP acres
June 30: 2020 ARCPLC Election
July 15: Crop Certification
September 30: PLC Yield Update

CRP Reminders
The primary nesting season runs from May 15 - August 1. Please contact the FSA office if you need to perform spot maintenance activities on your CRP acres during this time. Cosmetic mowing of your CRP acres is always prohibited, but you can spot treat areas that are threatened by undesirable vegetation throughout the year. A written request must be made before the County Committee grants approval to conduct maintenance during the nesting season.

As a reminder, volunteer trees and woody vegetation must be controlled and removed from CRP acres. Failure to control undesirable vegetation on CRP can result in financial penalties.

Iowa Learning Farms will visit the farm of Wade Dooley April 24

Iowa Learning Farms, in partnership with the Iowa Nutrient Research Center and Conservation Learning Group, is hosting a free virtual field day Friday, April 24 at 1 p.m.

The event will include video footage from the field and live interaction with Marshall County farmer Wade Dooley as he shows changes he is making within the family farming operation to adjust to changing markets and climate.

Dooley is farming for the future, finding systems that allow him to learn, adapt and get excited to try again next year.

For Dooley this means making big changes: moving away from row crops to CRP acres, raising cover crops for seed, extending his rotations and growing a grass-fed, cow-calf operation.

Iowa State University Extension and Outreach offers multiple resources to help Iowa’s farmers during this difficult time

As the COVID-19 pandemic continues to impact agricultural markets and supply chains, Iowa State University Extension and Outreach has resources that can help. “We are seeing the financial crunch hit across all of agriculture,” said Chad Hart, associate professor in economics and extension grain markets specialist with Iowa State University.

Resources
Hart said one of the resources Iowans are turning to are the farm financial associates, who volunteer with the Farm Financial Planning Program at Iowa State University Extension and Outreach.

There are six financial associates who cover the state, with backgrounds in banking and lending. The associates work with farmers on individual financial plans and advising.