Agriculture

Cattle in the Green is a  five-part series on farm business management designed to assist cattle producers with a new way of looking at management and economic decisions. Instead of the traditional focus on working harder, this series focuses on effective strategies to work smarter and more profitable.

“In this series, you’ll learn how to financially analyze your livestock/farm operation in a different way,” Denise Schwab, ISU Extension beef specialist said. “This will help you find more profit, eliminate money pits and lower your stress level.”

The five sessions are set for January 17, 24 and 31 and February 7 and 21. All will be held from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. at St. Paul’s Lutheran Church, 116 E. Military Rd, Postville.  Because of the evening time, a light meal will be served sponsored by the Allamakee County Extension, Clayton and Fayette County Cattlemen, Nicholas Wilz Financial Advisor and the Allamakee, Clayton, Fayette and Winneshiek County Extension staff.

Upcoming Deadlines/Dates
December 25: Closed for Christmas Holiday
January 31: Livestock Forage Program (LFP)

Tax Resources for USDA Program Participants
Navigating filing taxes can be challenging, especially if you are new to running a farm business, participating in disaster programs for first time, or trying to forecast the farm’s tax bill. Receiving funds from USDA through activities such as a conservation program payment or a disaster program is considered farm income that includes a tax liability for farm businesses. USDA technical assistance is free and creates no tax implications.

Timely updates on current cow-calf and stocker topics

The Three-State Beef Conference will be held January 17 in Iowa and is designed to provide beef cattle producers and others in the industry a regular update on current cow-calf and stocker topics.

The Iowa event is organized by Erika Lundy-Woolfolk and Chris Clark, beef specialists with Iowa State University Extension and Outreach. The content is based on prior attendee feedback and current industry economic conditions.

“The committee pursued topics that we feel will help cattlemen get more bang for their buck,” Lundy-Woolfolk said. “This is reflected in this year’s theme, ‘Reevaluating Today’s Management Practices for Future Success.’”

Iowa State University Extension and Outreach will host Boots in the Barn, a program for women dairy and beef producers, in February and March in Edgewood and Decorah. Boots in the Barn is a four-part series for women involved in the dairy and beef industry.

The course will be held February 13, 20, 27, and March 12 in Edgewood and February 15, 22, 29, and March 14 in Decorah. At each location, the dairy session will run from 1-3 p.m. and the beef session will run from 6:30-8:30 p.m.

Upcoming Deadlines/Dates
December 15: Crop Reporting for Fall-Seeded Small Grains
January 31: Livestock Forage Program (LFP)

Before You Break Out New Ground, Ensure Your Farm Meets Conservation Compliance
The term “sodbusting” is used to identify the conversion of land from native vegetation to commodity crop production after December 23, 1985.  As part of the conservation provisions of the Food Security Act of 1985, if you’re proposing to produce agricultural commodities (crops that require annual tillage including one pass planting operations and sugar cane) on land that has been determined highly erodible and that has no crop history prior to December 23, 1985, that land must be farmed in accordance with a conservation plan or system that ensures no substantial increase in soil erosion.

Learn to financially analyze your livestock/farm operation in a different way to find more profit, eliminate money pits and lower your stress level. Sound too good to be true? Iowa State University Extension Beef specialist, Denise Schwab, would beg to differ.

“The Cattle in the Green series was developed to meet the needs of beef operations regardless of size,” Schwab said. “This program was designed to look at financial and business management from a different perspective. Most beef producers view financial records as a necessity for taxes, but Cattle in the Green uses that basic data to analyze the operation to look for and use simple management changes for better results.”

Workshops to be held in five locations across Iowa

Specialists with Iowa State University Extension and Outreach are once again teaming up with Iowa State ag and biosystems engineering specialists to bring planter equipment expertise to farms across the state Feb. 5-9.

The workshops are an opportunity for farmers, agricultural service providers, equipment and precision ag dealers, and others to gain insight into how planters function, optimize settings for individual seed, field and equipment needs, and improve understanding of planter wear and calibration.

“Planter University goes far beyond a typical planter clinic and provides attendees direct access to specialists with expertise in planter technology and settings,” said Meaghan Anderson, field agronomist with ISU Extension and Outreach. “We are excited to host this workshop across the state again this February.”

Upcoming Deadlines/Dates
December 4: Last Day to Return COC Ballots
December 15: Crop Reporting for Fall-Seeded Small Grains
January 31: Livestock Forage Program (LFP)

Tax Resources for USDA Program Participants
Navigating filing taxes can be challenging, especially if you are new to running a farm business, participating in disaster programs for the first time, or trying to forecast the farm’s tax bill. Receiving funds from USDA through activities such as a conservation program payment or a disaster program is considered farm income that includes a tax liability for farm businesses. USDA technical assistance is free and creates no tax implications.

The dry growing conditions of 2022 and 2023 have led to supply and quality issues of hay and other forages in some areas of the state. Cattlemen may be faced with a short supply of hay, corn silage with the potential for nitrates, and poor pastures that resulted in stored hay being fed most of the summer. Unfortunately, tight hay supplies will likely lead to higher prices later in the winter feeding period, according to Iowa State University extension beef specialist Denise Schwab.

“Controlling feed cost while meeting all of the cow’s nutrient requirements requires knowledge of both the feed supply and the animal’s requirements,” Schwab said. “ISU extension beef specialists have developed a series of workshops to help producers plan for their beef cow winter feeding programs.”

The Iowa State University Extension and Outreach Dairy Team will host its annual Dairy Goat Management Seminar Friday, December 8 at the Historical Village Visitors Center, 715 D Avenue in Kalona, and Saturday, December 9 at the Dordt College-Agriculture Stewardship Center, 700 7th Street NE in Sioux Center. Both events begin with registration at 9 a.m. and the program runs from 9:30 a.m. to 3:15 p.m. This year’s focus is on milk quality and functional type animals.