Agriculture

Upcoming Deadlines/Dates
April 29: Deadline to sign up for Dairy Margin Coverage (DMC)
May 14: Deadline to complete CRP Management Activities
May 15 - August 1: CRP Primary Nesting Season
May 31: Deadline to apply for a Marketing Assistance Loan (MAL) for 2023 crops

Meet Our New Hires!
Hello, my name is Becky Winkie and I just transferred to the Allamakee County FSA in February 2024 from the Houston County, MN FSA Office. I have been working for the Farm Service Agency since February 2016. I grew up on a small beef and grain farm in north central Iowa near Sheffield (Franklin County).

Winner Receives New John Deere 5M Utility Tractor for One Year
 
Nominations are now open for the 2024 Iowa Conservation Farmer of the Year.  Now in its 73rd year, this prestigious honor has been awarded to celebrate conservation progress among select Iowa farmers who are committed to exceptional environmental stewardship and conservation efforts.

The statewide and regional awards, co-sponsored by the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship (IDALS) and the Iowa Farm Bureau Federation (IFBF), honor Iowa farmers who have distinguished track records of commitment to soil conservation and water quality improvement efforts.

The grand prize winner will receive the use of a new John Deere 5M utility tractor for one year courtesy of longtime award supporters, Van Wall Equipment of Perry and John Deere.  

Upcoming Deadlines/Dates
April 29: Deadline to sign up for Dairy Margin Coverage (DMC)
May 14: Deadline to complete CRP Management Activities
May 15 - August 1: CRP Primary Nesting Season
May 31: Deadline to apply for a Marketing Assistance Loan (MAL) for 2023 crops

Prescribed Burning
Spring is here and we are seeing several people out and about conducting burns across the county in their road ditches, hay fields, CRP, and timber. Burns can be very beneficial if completed timely and conducted routinely every 3-5 years. One exception is woody vegetation. It may be necessary to burn two or more consecutive years to control undesirable sprouting of woody vegetation. Having a purpose or a goal in mind before you burn can dictate when your best burn window can be.

Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Mike Naig is encouraging school-aged Iowa students to participate in the 2024 Choose Iowa Calendar Contest hosted by the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship. Choose Iowa is the state’s signature brand for Iowa grown, Iowa raised and Iowa made products.

Submitted artwork should feature at least one aspect of Iowa agriculture, with an emphasis on food, livestock or crop production. Submissions will be judged on creativity and connections to agriculture in everyday life. Entries are due June 3, 2024, and winners will be announced at the 2024 Iowa State Fair.

“The Choose Iowa Calendar Contest is a fun way to showcase the importance of Iowa agriculture to all consumers while also recognizing some of our state’s most creative and artistic students,” said Secretary Naig. “We invite all students from across Iowa to submit their art for a chance to have it published in our popular statewide Choose Iowa calendar.”

Upcoming Deadlines/Dates
April 29: Deadline to sign up for Dairy Margin Coverage (DMC)
May 14: Deadline to complete CRP Management Activities
May 15 - August 1: CRP Primary Nesting Season
May 31: Deadline to apply for a Marketing Assistance Loan (MAL) for 2023 crops

Dairy Margin Coverage Signup Begins
Dairy producers are now able to enroll for 2024 Dairy Margin Coverage (DMC), an important safety net program offered through the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) that provides producers with price support to help offset milk and feed price differences. This year’s DMC signup began on Feb. 28, 2024, and will end on April 29, 2024.

For those who sign up for 2024 DMC coverage, payments may begin as soon as March 4, 2024, for any payments that triggered in January 2024.

Do you know someone who deserves to be considered for the Iowa Master Farmer Award? Nominate them. Nominations for the 2025 Award are due September 6, 2024.

Maybe it’s your parents, a sibling, your neighbors, a friend or a colleague. Perhaps its someone you’ve served with on a board, or someone you’ve long looked up to. Candidates may also nominate themselves.

Henry A. Wallace started the Master Farmer Award program in 1926 to recognize “Good Farming, Clear Thinking, Right Living.” A panel of judges selects the winners each year. Wallaces Farmer recognizes the winners in the magazine’s March issue.

Planter University improves farmer knowledge and profitability with planters

Planting season varies wildly from year to year and technology is always changing. Cool and wet conditions can dramatically delay planting. When soil conditions are remarkably dry, getting seed in the soil at the correct depth is a challenge. But just as each planting season is different, so too are the decisions for optimizing the planting technology.

Farmers and ag industry professionals who spend a day indoors learning to optimize their machinery for conditions in the field are reaping dividends – for their own operations, their communities, and Iowa. When they participate in Planter University, they consider their time well spent and they anticipate greater planting efficiency and farm profitability.

Upcoming Deadlines/Dates
March 29: Deadline to sign up for General CRP
April 29: Deadline to sign up for Dairy Margin Coverage (DMC)
May 14: Deadline to complete CRP Management Activities
May 15 - August 1: CRP Primary Nesting Season
May 31: Deadline to apply for a Marketing Assistance Loan (MAL) for 2023 crops

A unique group of specialists with Iowa State University Extension and Outreach is organizing a new program to help landowners incorporate soil health principles into their farmland. The program brings together specialists in agronomy, conservation, finance and law to assist landowners in making beneficial decisions for their land.

The Landowner Education Program is intended for Iowa landowners who want to learn about soil health practices, understand relevant financial and legal considerations, and build a supportive network of peers and experts.

Landowners can apply through April 19 to be part of the first cohort. Participants will be organized into small groups according to their awareness, motivations and challenges to conservation adoption.

Upcoming Deadlines/Dates
March 29: Deadline to sign up for General CRP
April 29: Deadline to sign up for Dairy Margin Coverage (DMC)
May 14: Deadline to complete CRP Management Activities
May 15 - August 1: CRP Primary Nesting Season
May 31: Deadline to apply for a Marketing Assistance Loan (MAL) for 2023 crops

Taking Second Round applications
Although NRCS takes program applications on a continual basis, we are still taking applications for the second round of funding and have a new way of processing applications more efficiently through ACT NOW.