Agriculture

Wed
02
May

What's Up at the FSA Office?

by Jeremy Leitz, Allamakee County Executive Director (563) 568-2148

Upcoming Deadlines and Important Dates
• Through June 1: Margin Protection Program Signup
• May 15 - August 2: Primary Nesting Season. No Mid-Contract Management Activities on CRP Acres
• May 31: Marketing Assistance Loans for Prior Year Harvested Corn and Soybeans
• July 15: 2018 Crop Reports
• August 1: ARC/PLC Sign-up

Soil Health Meeting for Women Landownders
A fun and informative day is planned for local women landowners Wednesday, May 9, at the Winneshiek Wildberry Winery located at 1966 337th St, Decorah. Women Food and Agriculture Network is working with the Winneshiek Soil and Water Conservation District and local NRCS offices to host this meeting to facilitate the visit about soil health. All women landowners are invited.

Wed
02
May

ISU Nematologist urges farmers to refocus on soybean cyst nematodes


Greg Tylka ... Submitted photo.

Farmers preparing for spring planting would do well to renew their commitment to managing soybean cyst nematodes, according to an Iowa State University plant pathologist.

“I’m doing everything I can to convince farmers that we are on a slow-moving train heading towards a cliff,” Greg Tylka said of the push to revive a program called the SCN Coalition (https://www.thescncoalition.com).

The SCN Coalition started in the 1990s to raise awareness and provide information about the yield-robbing pest of soybeans. The program was successful in getting farmers to test for soybean cyst nematodes (SCN) and take steps to manage them if they were found to be a problem.

Wed
02
May

Free soil health meeting in Decorah May 9 for women landowners in Winneshiek and surrounding counties

Women who own or manage farmland near Decorah are invited to participate in a free conservation discussion focused on soil health Wednesday, May 9, 2018 at the Winneshiek Wildberry Winery located at 1966 337th St, Decorah, IA. The program, sponsored by Women, Food and Agriculture Network, the Allamakee and Winneshiek Soil and Water Conservation Districts and USDA offices is called Women Caring for the LandSM.

Registration and resource sharing start at 8:30 a.m. with the meeting beginning promptly at 9 a.m. Lunch will be served, and during an afternoon field tour, participants will travel via bus to a nearby farm to see conservation practices and watch a demonstration of soil testing. The tests will measure for soil structure, stability and infiltration.

Participants will walk a short distance into a field, so please wear or bring appropriate clothing and footwear. The meeting will end with dessert and wrap-up at the winery by 3 p.m.

Wed
25
Apr

What's Up at the FSA Office?

by Jeremy Leitz, Allamakee County Executive Director (563) 568-2148

Upcoming Deadlines and Important Dates
• April 9 - June 1: Margin Protection Program (MPP) Signup
• May 15 - August 2: Primary Nesting Season. No Mid-Contract Management Activities on CRP Acres
• May 31: Marketing Assistance Loans for Prior Year Harvested Corn and Soybeans
• August 1: ARC/PLC Sign-up

New Signup for the Margin Protection Program Signup for Dairy Producers
The registration and re-enrollment period for coverage year 2018 began April 9, 2018, and continues through June 1, 2018. The re-enrollment period allows dairy producers, including those that previously signed up and those that did not, an opportunity to make new elections for 2018. Coverage begins January 1, 2018. If a dairy operation previously elected coverage for 2018, a new coverage election for 2018 must be made during the re-enrollment period.

Wed
18
Apr

What's Up at the FSA Office?

by Jeremy Leitz, Allamakee County Executive Director (563) 568-2148

Upcoming Deadlines and Important Dates
• April 9 - June 1: Margin Protection Program (MPP) Signup
• May 15 - August 2: Primary Nesting Season. No Mid-Contract Management Activities on CRP Acres
• May 31: Marketing Assistance Loans for Prior Year Harvested Corn and Soybeans
• August 1: ARC/PLC Sign-up

New Signup for the Margin Protection Program Signup for Dairy Producers
The registration and re-enrollment period for coverage year 2018 began April 9, 2018, and continues through June 1, 2018. The re-enrollment period allows dairy producers, including those that previously signed up and those that did not, an opportunity to make new elections for 2018. Coverage begins January 1, 2018. If a dairy operation previously elected coverage for 2018, a new coverage election for 2018 must be made during the re-enrollment period.

Wed
18
Apr

New online tool can help farmers see value of cover crops and paths to profitability

A new decision-making tool that can help crop and livestock farmers assess the economics of cover crops in their operations is now available for free on Iowa State University’s Ag Decision Maker website.

The tool, “Economics of Cover Crops,” consists of three in-depth budgeting worksheets designed to help farmers analyze the costs and benefits of cover crops – and paths to profitability – in their row crop operations with or without the integration of livestock:

• Cover Crops Budget looks at the economics of cover crops in systems without grazing or harvesting
• Grazing Cover Crops Budget estimates the costs and benefits with grazing or harvesting for feed
• Grazing Cover Crops Results uses farmers’ farm data to calculate the actual economic value of grazing or harvesting cover crops from the prior year

Wed
11
Apr

What's Up at the FSA Office?

by Jeremy Leitz, Allamakee County Executive Director (563) 568-2148

Upcoming Deadlines and Important Dates
• April 9 - June 1: Margin Protection Program (MPP) Signup (Additional details below)
• May 15 - August 2: Primary Nesting Season. No Mid-Contract Management Activities on CRP Acres
• May 31: Marketing Assistance Loans for Prior Year Harvested Corn and Soybeans
• August 1: ARC/PLC Sign-up

Wed
11
Apr

High Herd Production Award for Milk and Protein ...

Enyart Farms, LLC of Postville was awarded the High Herd Production Award for both milk and protein at the 2018 Allamakee County Dairy Banquet Saturday, March 24 at the Allamakee County Fairgrounds Pavilion in Waukon. Pictured above, left to right, are Avery, Steve, Alex and Adam Enyart. Not pictured: Paula Enyart. Submitted photo.

Wed
11
Apr

PFI research shows corn after a cover crop can be successful with proper management

As the date for corn planting approaches, farmers who planted cover crops last fall need to prepare to terminate that growth and apply the right amount of nitrogen at corn planting to ensure the best corn yields.

Research by Practical Farmers of Iowa has found that killing the cover crop two to three weeks before corn planting, the common timeframe on most Iowa farms, combined with an effective fertilizer strategy can maintain corn yields while saving farmers money.

Stefan Gailans, research and field crops director for Practical Farmers, says there’s a misconception among new or inexperienced cover crop farmers that extra nitrogen beyond their typical corn fertilization rates must be applied to corn following a cover crop, a belief that leads these farmers to spend money needlessly. In reality, it’s not rate that matters, he says, but the timing of application.

Wed
04
Apr

What's Up at the FSA Office?

by Jeremy Leitz, Allamakee County Executive Director (563) 568-2148

Upcoming Deadlines and Important Dates
• May 15 - August 2: Primary Nesting Season. No Mid-Contract Management Activities on CRP Acres
• May 31: Marketing Assistance Loans for Prior Year Harvested Corn and Soybeans
• August 1: ARC/PLC Sign-up

CRP Mid-Contract Management
We would like to remind CRP producers who have Mid-Contract Management (MCM) scheduled for 2018 that the activity must be completed by May 14, 2018. Upon completion of the MCM activities, you will need to notify the FSA office that MCM has been completed by signing the FSA-848B form and providing acceptable evidence of the practice completion to determine proper cost share payment. Cost share for MCM is 50% Not to Exceed the per acre rate established for each MCM activity.

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