Agriculture

Deadlines/Dates
April 17: Deadline to submit a General CRP Offer; Deadline to apply for the Farmer’s Bridge Assistance (FBA) Program
April 30: Deadline to apply for SDRP Stage 1, SDRP Stage 1 Quality Loss, and SDRP Stage 2
May 14 - August 2: Primary Nesting Season 

USDA Announces Changes to Livestock Insurance Programs for 2026 and Subsequent Years
The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Risk Management Agency (RMA) approved changes to improve insurance coverage for American livestock producers. These updates will take effect for the Livestock Risk Protection (LRP), Livestock Gross Margin (LGM), and Dairy Revenue Protection (DRP) insurance programs beginning with the 2026 crop year.

Deadlines/Dates
March 9: General CRP Opens
April 17: Deadline to submit a General CRP Offer; Deadline to apply for the Farmer’s Bridge Assistance (FBA) Program
April 30: Deadline to apply for SDRP Stage 1, SDRP Stage 1 Quality Loss, and SDRP Stage 2
May 14 - August 2: Primary Nesting Season 

Exploring Land Restoration Options for Allamakee Producers
For Allamakee producers considering how to manage their land for both productivity and environmental benefit, exploring various options can be valuable. Many farmers across the Midwest have found approaches that integrate conservation with their agricultural operations. It’s often observed that certain areas within a farm’s fields may not consistently produce high yields.

Deadlines/Dates
March 9: General CRP Opens
March 20: Deadline to submit a Continuous CRP Offer
April 17: Deadline to submit a General CRP Offer; Deadline to apply for the Farmer’s Bridge Assistance (FBA) Program
April 30: Deadline to apply for SDRP Stage 1, SDRP Stage 1 Quality Loss, and SDRP Stage 2
May 14 – August 2: Primary Nesting Season 

FSA Interest Rates for March 2026 Commodity: 
9-month = 4.500%
Facility Loans:
3 yr. = 3.625%
5 yr. = 3.750%
7 yr. = 4.000%
10 yr. = 4.250%
12 yr. = 4.375%

Newly released survey includes averages and ranges for common farming tasks and machinery rent in Iowa

Farmers who depend on custom work or provide custom services can review rates reported by others across the state in the latest Iowa Farm Custom Rate Survey.

For over 50 years, the survey, conducted by Iowa State University Extension and Outreach, has provided guidance for Iowans who hire custom work and those who do custom work for others. According to the most recent Iowa

Farmland and Tenure Survey, only 3% of Iowa farmland is fully operated under custom farming agreements. A much greater proportion of farm operations within the state utilize custom work for occasional operations throughout the year.

Deadlines/Dates
March 9: General Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) is now open
March 20: Deadline to submit a Continuous Conservation Reserve Program (CRP)Offer
April 17: Deadline to submit a General Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) Offer; Deadline to apply for the Farmer’s Bridge Assistance (FBA) Program
April 30: Deadline to apply for the Supplemental Disaster Relief Program (SDRP) Stage 1, SDRP Stage 1 Quality Loss, and SDRP Stage 2
May 14 – August 2: Primary Nesting Season 

The Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship is now accepting nominations for the 2026 Iowa Farm Environmental Leader Award. Families selected for this year’s honor will be recognized during a ceremony at the 2026 Iowa State Fair as part of Iowa’s America250 celebration, commemorating American independence and highlighting agriculture’s enduring role in our nation’s strength and prosperity.

The Iowa Farm Environmental Leader Award recognizes farm families who demonstrate outstanding voluntary efforts to improve and protect Iowa’s soil and water resources while also serving as leaders in their community. Each year, farm families from across the state are honored for leadership in implementing conservation practices such as cover crops, no-till and reduced tillage, nutrient management, grassed waterways, wetlands, saturated buffers, bioreactors and many other innovative water quality practices that filter the water and hold soil in place.

Deadlines/Dates
March 9: General CRP Opens
March 20: Deadline to submit a Continuous CRP Offer
April 17: Deadline to submit a General CRP Offer; Deadline to apply for the Farmer’s Bridge Assistance (FBA) Program
April 30: Deadline to apply for SDRP Stage 1, SDRP Stage 1 Quality Loss, and SDRP Stage 2
May 14 – August 2: Primary Nesting Season 

USDA Announces Continuous and General Conservation Reserve Program Enrollment for 2026 
USDA announced the enrollment periods for agricultural producers and landowners to submit offers for the Continuous and General Conservation Reserve Program (CRP). USDA’s Farm Service Agency (FSA) is accepting offers for Continuous CRP from February 12, 2026, through March 20, 2026. Enrollment for General CRP will run from March 9, 2026, through April 17, 2026. FSA will announce dates for Grassland CRP signup in the near future.

Program supports on-farm dairy processing and labor-saving technology

Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Mike Naig today announced that applications are now open for the third year of Choose Iowa Dairy Innovation Grants. The program welcomes eligible dairy farmers and processors to apply for cost-share funding that supports on-farm dairy processing and labor-reducing technologies, helping bring more locally produced dairy products to Iowa consumers. The grant program is administered by Choose Iowa within the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship.

Deadlines/Dates
April 30: Deadline to apply for SDRP Stage 1, SDRP Stage 1 Quality Loss, and SDRP Stage 2

Get Ready For Spring Prescribed Burns In Allamakee County
Excerpts pulled from Bailey Yotter, NRCS State Forester
Winter and early spring provide some of the best opportunities for Allamakee County landowners to prepare their grasslands and timber stands for prescribed burning. With the county’s rugged topography and extensive woodland acres, advance preparation is especially important to ensure burns can be carried out safely and efficiently once favorable weather conditions arrive. Constructing firebreaks well ahead of the spring burn window not only improves safety, but also helps landowners follow their written burn plans with confidence.

Iowa Learning Farms virtual field day is scheduled for March 12 at 1 p.m. CT; Discussion of manure application and cover crop planting time to maximize water quality benefits in corn

Iowa Learning Farms, in partnership with the Iowa Nutrient Research Center, will host a virtual field day on Thursday, March 12, at 1 p.m. Central time. The event, which is available at no cost, will feature a live discussion with Dan Andersen, associate professor and extension agriculture engineering specialist at Iowa State University, Raj Raman, Morrill Professor of agricultural and biosystems engineering and Philip Rockson, agricultural and biosystems engineering graduate research assistant at Iowa State.

The virtual field day aims to provide valuable insights into the impacts of different cover crop systems and manure application methods on water quality and corn yield.