Agriculture

Nearly 750 youth delegates, along with 4-H staff and volunteers, attended the 2017 State 4-H Conference & Animal Science ROUNDUP held on the Iowa State University (ISU) campus in Ames. Delegates participated in educational and fun workshops, were inspired by motivational speakers and enriched others' lives through community service projects before they enjoyed nightly entertainment of dancing, swimming, bowling, awards banquet and more. Youth experienced life in residential halls during their three-day stay. Animal Science delegates participated in specialized workshops with ISU faculty and staff focusing on beef, sheep, swine, poultry and horses, learning about new animal technologies and potential career opportunities. During the conference the 2017-18 Iowa State 4-H Council members were inducted and introduced, including northeast Iowa youth Hanna Schmitt and Hope Dohlman.

Submitted by Sara Berges, Allamakee SWCD

If you rent out farmland, it is important to know how your land is being managed by your tenants. Even if your tenant is a friend or relative, we encourage you to talk to them about their tillage, rotation, and conservation practices so that you are aware of the management.  Often, the only conversations between the landowner and tenant surround the rental rate and acres.  If you are a landowner who doesn’t live near your land or don’t see it often, good communication can be even more important.  Landowners may be more willing to reduce rent or offer longer leases if they feel that their ground is being well-managed through open, honest conversations with their tenant.

Assistance available through Iowa Water Quality Initiative

Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Bill Northey today reminded Iowa farmers that funds are available to help install practices focused on protecting water quality.  Practices eligible for this funding are cover crops, no-till or strip till, or using a nitrification inhibitor when applying fertilizer.

The cost share rate for first-time users of cover crops is $25 per acre, no-till or strip till are eligible for $10 per acre and farmers using a nitrapyrin nitrification inhibitor when applying fall fertilizer can receive $3 per acre. Farmers are eligible for cost share on up to 160 acres.

First-time users that apply by July 28 will be the first applications funded.  First-time users that apply after July 28 will still receive priority consideration, but funds will also be made available to farmers that have used cover crops in the past for cost share assistance at $15 per acre.

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

Upcoming Deadlines and Important Dates
• UPDATED: September 1 - December 15: 2018 Margin Protection Program Sign-Up
• May 15 - August 1: Primary Nesting Season
• August 1: ARC/PLC Sign-up
• August 1: Last day to request a farm/tract reconstitution for 2017 crop year
• August 1: Final date to submit a nomination for the FSA Committee Election

Corn and soybean farmers can learn from fellow farmers how to improve cover crop seeding success, as well as seeding cover crops before planting corn the following spring at an education event on Monday, July 24, near Arlington.

The event is sponsored by the Fayette County Corn Growers, Iowa Corn, Iowa Department of Agriculture & Land Stewardship, Iowa Seed Association and Oregon Ryegrass Growers Commission.

WHEN: Monday, July 24 at 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

10 a.m. Arlington corn and seed corn grower Tim Recker and Iowa Seed Corn Cover Crops Initiative coordinator Shannon Moeller will talk about cost share for seed corn ground.

11 a.m. Waverly corn and soybean grower Mark Mueller, a Bremer County Corn Growers and Iowa Corn Growers Association board member, will discuss his experience with cover crops and the Soil Health Partnership.

More than half of Iowa farmland is rented. In some Iowa locations, as much as 70 percent of the land is farmed by farmers who don’t own the land.

In Northeast Iowa, the result is many conversations and negotiations between farmland owners and producer-tenants to determine what makes sense for farmland leases and cash rental rates - both fixed rent and flexible arrangements. Strong landlord/tenant relationships are important for the long-term viability of Iowa’s farming communities.

These are just a few reasons why Iowa State University Extension and Outreach offers workshops designed to answer questions that land owners and tenants have about farmland leasing and land values.

These workshops will be held across northeast Iowa counties starting August 7 through August 17.

Melissa O’Rourke, ISU Extension Farm & Agribusiness Management Specialist will present a wide range of topics related to farmland values and leasing.

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

Upcoming Deadlines and Important Dates
• UPDATED: September 1 - December 15: 2018 Margin Protection Program Sign-Up
• May 15 - August 1: Primary Nesting Season
• July 15: 2017 Crop Reports   
• August 1: ARC/PLC Sign-up
• August 1: Last day to request a farm/tract reconstitution for 2017 crop year
• August 1: Final date to submit a nomination for the FSA Committee Election

Crop Reporting by July 15
The Allamakee County FSA office reminds all county farmers to come in and report their 2017 crops.  Certifying your crops is a requirement for many FSA programs.  This includes all spring planted crops and land uses.  100% of the farm must be reported to be eligible for programs. Please report what is planted on your farm by the deadline of July 15.

submitted by Sara Berges, Allamakee SWCD

Farm landowners, now is a great time to consider conservation on farmland that you rent out. We encourage all landowners to be aware of what is written in their NRCS conservation plans, what their renters are implementing for crop rotation/tillage/conservation, and what their own goals are for their land.
You have the right to say how you want your land to be managed. For example, if you would like no-till to be implemented on your ground or if you want to ensure that waterways and headlands are seeded down, you can specify that in your farm lease.  You can even revise your NRCS conservation plan to include it in your lease as part of the lease terms. If you do not feel very knowledgeable regarding conservation practices, there are many people who can help you gain a better understanding including the local NRCS office, ISU extension, and local producers.

Small grains planted in Iowa are now a rolling carpet of green that will be ready to harvest in a few short weeks. These crops – barley, cereal rye, oats, triticale and wheat – are increasingly popular with farmers because they are cheap to raise and can be used in a number of different ways. Small grains can be harvested and used as food-grade grain for people, as feed-grade grain for animals, or as seed for planting cover crops or small grains next year. They can also be baled for straw or grazed as livestock feed.

Despite this range of practical uses, marketing small grains crops can be challenging. To help address this issue, Practical Farmers of Iowa created a directory of businesses that buy small grains in Iowa and neighboring counties of other states. The annual directory, first published last year, is updated yearly. The 2017 edition is now available online at practicalfarmers.org/small-grains, under the “PFI Resources” tab.

The Northeast Iowa Food and Farm Network will be holding its July gathering at Kymar Acres between Waukon and Decorah Sunday, July 16, beginning at 4 p.m. The farm is located at 2168 Winnmakee Road, Waukon, and the event will include a farm tour and potluck meal. Attendees are asked to bring a dish to pass and also RSVP in order to help the host facility prepare for visitors. RSVPs can be confirmed by contacting Kayla Koether at 563-382-2949 or at koether@iastate.edu.

Kymar Acres was started by Kyle and Mari Holthaus in 1998, and their children, Teddy and Violet, help on the farm. In 2008, Mari’s sister, Anna, joined the operation. Kymar grows four acres of vegetables and herbs, sold by special order and at four farmers markets.