Agriculture

Top dairies competed for honors in the Guernsey Dairy Cattle show judged Friday, August 11 at the 2017 Iowa State Fair in Des Moines. Prairie Moon Guernseys, owned and operated by the Sivesind family of Waukon, claimed Reserve Champion Premier Breeder and Reserve Champion Premier Exhibitor honors.

South Lane Farm of Epworth was awarded the Grand Champion Female banner. Knapp Guernseys of Epworth exhibited the Reserve Grand Champion Female and was awarded the Champion Premier Exhibitor title and Champion Premier Breeder title.

The Premier Breeder Award is given to the competitor who earns the most points for animals bred and exhibited by the entrant or others during the day's show. The Premier Exhibitor Award is given to the exhibitor who accumulates the most points based upon the day's placings.

Prairie Moon Guernseys placed in the following classes during the show:

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

Upcoming Deadlines and Important Dates
• September 1 - December 15: 2018 Margin Protection Program Sign-Up

CRP Participants Must Maintain Approved Cover on Acreages Enrolled in CRP and Farm Programs
Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) participants are responsible for ensuring adequate, approved vegetative and practice cover is maintained to control erosion throughout the life of the contract after the practice has been established. Participants must also control undesirable vegetation, weeds (including noxious weeds), insects and rodents that may pose a threat to existing cover or adversely impact other landowners in the area.

Congress has started to shape the 2018 Farm Bill, policy that will impact farmers, rural residents, and consumers. Iowa residents are invited to voice their opinion at three upcoming listening sessions co-hosted by the Iowa Farmers Union, Center for Rural Affairs, and Practical Farmers of Iowa.

“The goal of the meetings is to hear from farmers about their goals and challenges relating to conservation, beginning farmers, and other farm programs,” Johnson said. “You can ask questions about Farm Bill policies and learn about opportunities to engage with lawmakers. You can help set the agenda for rural America and the 2018 Farm Bill.”

The following meetings are set:

Wednesday, Aug. 23, 1 p.m.
Decorah Public Library
202 Winnebago St., Decorah, Iowa 52101

Thursday, Aug. 24, 10 a.m.
Washington Public Library
115 W. Washington St., Washington, Iowa 52353

Record number of farmers sign-up to try cover crops, no-till/strip till or nitrification inhibitor
 
Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Bill Northey announced today that a record number of Iowa farmers signed up to install nutrient reduction practices on their farm through the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship’s statewide water quality cost share program.

More than 2,600 farmers signed up to try cover crops, no-till/strip-till or nitrification inhibitor on more than 270,000 acres in 98 counties. The state will provide nearly $4.8 million in cost share funds to match the $8.7 million investment by Iowa farmers.

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

Upcoming Deadlines and Important Dates
• September 1 - December 15: 2018 Margin Protection Program Sign-Up

Elections for the 2017 County Committee
Elections for USDA’s Farm Service Agency (FSA) County Committees are underway in Allamakee County.

It is important that every eligible producer participate in these elections because FSA county committees are a link between the agricultural community and the USDA. The 2017 election in Allamakee County will be conducted for the representative Local Administrative Area (LAA): Ludlow, Jefferson, Post, Franklin, Linton, and Fairview townships.

County committee election ballots will be mailed to eligible voters Nov. 6, 2017.  The last day to return completed ballots to the Allamakee County USDA service center is Dec. 4, 2017.
Unauthorized Disposition of Grain

Helicopters and planes have become more noticeable over rural Allamakee County with crop dusting in full swing. Pictured above, Will Powell, owner and pilot for Alabama-based Xtreme Aviation, lands a helicopter on top of the truck used for refueling and refilling the water/chemical combination used on fields. Powell is one of several contractors applying fungicide to corn and beans in eastern Iowa. Powell is pictured below applying fungicide at a rural Lansing farm. Standard photos by Joe Moses.
 

The Annual August Field Day at the ISU Northeast Research and Demonstration Farm will run from 1:00 to 4:15 p.m. Friday, August 25. Chad Hart, ISU Economist, will kick-off the program in the Borlaug Learning Center, by providing his insights on the grain markets. Shawn Shouse, ISU Extension Ag Engineer, follows with tips on grain drying and storage for the upcoming harvest. We will then convene outside for the farm wagon tours; Alison Robertson, Extension plant pathologist, will share crop disease research results from the farm and their practical applications, and Bob Hartzler, Extension weed management specialist, will discuss Iowa’s first season with dicamba resistant soybeans and other weed management priorities.

Precision management in calf care is needed as there are many ways to add value to these heifers before they join the milking string. Join these on-farm calf workshops August 31, for a first-hand look at how fellow dairy farmers are housing pre-weaned calves using technology to help manage their calf program. These include automatic calf feeders, pasteurizers, and milk cooling systems. Areas of focus will include basic sanitation for automatic calf feeders, equipment hygiene, and housing and ventilation.

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

Upcoming Deadlines and Important Dates
• September 1 - December 15: 2018 Margin Protection Program Sign-Up

USDA Farm Service Agency Offers Text Alerts to Allamakee County Producers
Allamakee County producers can now receive notifications from their county office through text messages on their cell phone. Whether producers are in the field, on a tractor or even on horseback, this service enables FSA customers and stakeholders to receive notifications while on the go. Producers will receive text messages regarding important program deadlines, reporting requirements, outreach events and updates.

Soil health experts Ray Archuleta and Doug Peterson drew a crowd of 150 to the Steinlage family’s Flolo farms in West Union for a full-day soil health workshop supported by Fayette County Extension, Fayette County NRCS, and Iowa State University Extension and Outreach, Region 4. Those attending included professional farmers, Natural Resource and Conservation Services agents, community members, and visitors from as far away as Saskatchewan and Arkansas.

Ray Archuleta is known around the world for his analysis of soils under different tillage systems and his promotion of healthy soils and conservation tillage systems. He has 25 years of experience with the USDA’s National Resources Conservation Service across the United States, and has lectured internationally, earning the nickname “Ray the Soils Guy.” Doug Peterson is the Regional Soil Health Specialist with the USDA’s Natural Resources and Conservation Service, who also runs a cow-calf operation in northern Missouri.