Agriculture

Upcoming Deadlines/Dates
May 15 - August 1: CRP Primary Nesting Season
July 31: End of July Continuous CRP Batching Period
August 1: Nomination Period for COC Election in LAA

Late Summer Pasture Seeding

by Jacob Hawes, NRCS Area Grazing Specialist

The late summer seeding window begins in August for pasture and hay plantings, and although it is not as popular as the spring seeding option, it can still be a great opportunity to get cool season pastures established this year. There are several advantages to seeding late summer versus the spring, that may ease some apprehensions about seeding during this timeframe.

Amid disease outbreaks, producers should examine their current biosecurity plans

Announcements of Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza should not cause alarm among cattlemen, although this should alert producers to examine their current biosecurity plan, according to a beef specialist with Iowa State University Extension and Outreach.

Denise Schwab said the announcements are reminders of how any disease can spread to cattle.

“Basic biosecurity practices are essential daily steps for the prevention of all diseases, and cattlemen should always be alert to the potential of disease spread,” she said. “Diseases can be spread by aerosol, direct animal-to-animal contact, oral (through feed or water), reproduction, vector-born (biting or sucking insects), or by vehicles and fomites (shoes, clothes, contaminated feed, needles). Everything we do to prevent this spread reduces the risk of diseases.”

Upcoming Deadlines/Dates
May 15 - August 1: CRP Primary Nesting Season
July 31: End of July Continuous CRP Batching Period
August 1: Nomination Period for COC Election in LAA

Farm Service Agency Seeking Nominations for Farmers to Serve on Local County Committees
Nominations are now being accepted for farmers and ranchers to serve on local U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Farm Service Agency (FSA) county committees. These committees make important decisions about how federal farm programs are administered locally. All nomination forms for the 2024 election must be postmarked or received in the local FSA office by August 1, 2024.

Elections for committee members will occur in certain Local Administrative Areas (LAA). LAAs are elective areas for FSA committees in a single county.  

Free, searchable online listing connects Iowa sellers with in-state and out-of-state buyers

Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Mike Naig is encouraging Iowans to take advantage of the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship’s free, searchable online directory for hay and straw. This resource aims to facilitate connections between Iowa farmers looking to sell hay or straw and potential buyers interested in purchasing these products.

Secretary Naig is also urging sellers to update their listings at least annually or whenever they have new inventories available. Organizations involved in promoting and marketing hay and straw may also utilize this free online tool.

Upcoming Deadlines/Dates
May 15 - August 1: CRP Primary Nesting Season
July 12: End of July Continuous CRP Batching Period
July 15: Certification/Acreage Reporting Deadline for FY24
August 1: Nomination Period for COC Election in LAA

Cost sharing available
Cost sharing on conservation practices is still available. Through the State of Iowa Division of Soil Conservation, IDALS, applications are taken continuously for terraces, grade stabilization structures (ponds), sediment basins (dry ponds) and waterways. The cost sharing is 50 percent up to the estimated cost.

Cover crops help prevent nitrate loss and protect soil from erosion, but they also add another step to plant in the fall. What if farmers could have a cover crop that they only had to plant once?

Iowa State University Extension and Outreach will examine this topic during three upcoming field days across the state in July and August.

Registration for all events begin at 11:30 a.m. with the program beginning at 12:30 p.m.

• Wednesday, July 24, Corning, Iowa
• Wednesday, Aug. 7, Nashua, Iowa
• Wednesday, Aug. 14, Boone, Iowa

Participants will learn about recent research on the use of perennial groundcover on farmland. The event is part of a program called “Regenerating America’s Working Landscapes to Enhance Nature Resources and Public Goods through Perennial Groundcover,” also known as Regen PGC. Regen PGC researchers are looking at ways to make year-round groundcover on cropland commonplace.

Upcoming Deadlines/Dates
May 15 - August 1: CRP Primary Nesting Season
July 4: Office Closed – Independence Day
July 12: End of July Continuous CRP Batching Period
July 15: Certification/Acreage Reporting Deadline for FY24
August 1: Nomination Period for COC Election in LAA

Last Call, Don’t Miss Opportunities
Agricultural producers in Allamakee County who have not yet completed their crop acreage reports after planting should make an appointment before the applicable deadline of July 15, 2024.

An acreage report documents a crop grown on a farm or ranch and its intended uses. Filing an accurate and timely acreage report for all crops and land uses, including failed acreage, and prevented planted acreage, can prevent the loss of benefits.

Stay atop of pest issues with this text-based service

Crop farmers and others involved with crop production can receive instant updates on the latest insect pest issues in Iowa.

The Iowa Pest Alert Network provides short, timely updates via text messaging to farmers and crop consultants, agronomists and extension who advise farmers. This free, user-friendly service provides timely scouting information about pests in your area.

The website provides links to information about key pests in the Midwest, degree day mapping, regional updates and supplemental publications. There is also an archive listing of past pest alerts.

All a user needs is a cell phone number. Sign up by visiting the Pest Alert Network website, at https://pestalerts.extension.iastate.edu.

The user can customize the service to receive specific pest alerts based on specific pests, or per region of Iowa.

Upcoming Deadlines/Dates
May 15 - August 1: CRP Primary Nesting Season
July 4: Office Closed – Independence Day
July 12: End of July Continuous CRP Batching Period
July 15: Certification/Acreage Reporting Deadline for FY24

Managing your pasture to reduce soil erosion from the Integrated Crop Management (ICM) News Archive
When it comes to soil erosion and surface runoff from agriculture land, tillage and row-crop management attract a lot of attention. However, most Iowa land currently in pasture is unsuitable for crop production because of steep slopes. These slopes make pasture even more vulnerable to water erosion.

Mismanaged pasture can contribute substantially to water quality degradation due to soil erosion and sediment transport to nearby water bodies.

Oftentimes in rural communities, when a neighbor is in need, farmers are the first to step up and help. Yet when they’re the ones in need of assistance, they hesitate to ask for that same help they so freely give.

Spring can be a stressful time for some area farmers as they prepare for another growing season, and that stress can have a negative effect on their mental health. That’s why officials at Gundersen Health System say farmers need to focus on themselves and reach out when feeling overwhelmed by the demands of their work – even if that’s something they’re not inclined to do.

Fortunately, there are several mental health resources geared specifically toward farmers, as well as those anyone can access. Organizations such the Iowa Farm Bureau Federation supports farmers facing stress due to low market prices, poor weather and other factors.