Agriculture

The Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship is advising Iowa pet owners to keep their cats and dogs away from sick or deceased wild birds and animals. Pet owners should also discourage indoor/outdoor cats from hunting wildlife because of the ongoing threat posed by Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (H5N1 HPAI) circulating within wild and migratory birds.

Upcoming Deadlines/Dates
March 31: Deadline to request Marketing Assistance Loans (MAL) for prior year harvested wheat, barley, canola, crambe, flaxseed, honey, oats, rapeseed, and sesame.
March 31: 2025 Dairy Margin Coverage (DMC)  Program Sign-up deadline
April 15: 2025 Agriculture Risk Coverage & Price Loss Coverage Program (ARC/PLC) Signup deadline

Water Quality
by Eric Novey, NRCS
In a recent article by Brian Dougherty, Understanding Ag consultant, titled “Busting myths on the road to water quality” he discussed the significance of nitrogen source and how plants obtain nutrients in healthy soil. He notes that ammonium and nitrate are both inorganic forms of nitrogen, with nitrate being the most likely to leach because of its negative charge and higher water solubility.

Upcoming Deadlines/Dates
March 3: Deadline to submit 2024 ELAP, LIP, and LFP applications
March 31: Deadline to request Marketing Assistance Loans (MAL) for prior year harvested wheat, barley, canola, crambe, flaxseed, honey, oats, rapeseed, and sesame.
March 31: 2025 Dairy Margin Coverage (DMC)  Program Sign-up deadline
April 15: 2025 Agriculture Risk Coverage & Price Loss Coverage Program (ARC/PLC) Signup deadline

2025 ARC/PLC Program Signup
The 2025 Agricultural Risk Coverage & Price Loss Coverage Program (ARC/PLC) signup began January 21, 2025. Our office has worked diligently to mass mail out all 2025 contracts to be signed and returned. We are requesting these be returned by March 31, 2025.

Upcoming Deadlines/Dates
March 3: Deadline to submit 2024 ELAP, LIP, and LFP applications
March 31: 2025 DMC Sign-up deadline
April 15: 2025 ARC/PLC Sign-up deadline

Cons of Regenerative Ag
by Eric Novey, NRCS

The Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship, Iowa Department of Natural Resources (DNR) and Iowa State University (ISU) introduced updates to Iowa’s Nutrient Reduction Strategy (INRS) today. The three Principals modernized the INRS – the state’s soil health and water quality framework – to reflect new research, practices, partnerships and funding that have emerged since the strategy was finalized in 2013.

“We’ve learned valuable lessons working alongside farmers and landowners to implement conservation practices, and that’s helping accelerate and scale-up adoption. The strategy must reflect real-world scenarios, challenges and work that’s happening in priority watersheds,” said Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Mike Naig. “The document will continue to evolve with new research and technology, but we’re unwavering in our commitment to working alongside our public and private partners to achieve the goals outlined in Iowa’s Nutrient Reduction Strategy.”

Upcoming Deadlines/Dates
February 17: Office closed in observance of Presidents’ Day
March 3: Deadline to submit 2024 ELAP, LIP, and LFP applications
March 31: 2025 DMC Sign-up deadline
April 15: 2025 ARC/PLC Sign-up deadline

Producers Can Now
Enroll in Agriculture Risk Coverage (ARC) and Price Loss Coverage (PLC)
The United States Department of Agriculture’s (USDA’s) Farm Service Agency (FSA) is accepting enrollments and elections for the Agriculture Risk Coverage (ARC) and Price Loss Coverage (PLC) for 2025 from January 21 to April 15. ARC and PLC provide financial protections to farmers from substantial drops in crop prices or revenues and are vital economic safety nets for most American farms. The American Relief Act, 2025 extended many Farm Bill-authorized programs for another year, including ARC and PLC.

Free digital tool empowers corn growers to make input decisions that maximize productivity and environmental performance

Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Mike Naig is encouraging Iowa corn growers to leverage the new Nitrogen Fertilizer Application Consultation Tool (N-FACT) to inform nutrient application decisions this growing season. The N-FACT tool takes multiple field-level production variables into account, then recommends an optimal nitrogen application rate to help farmers balance productivity, environmental stewardship and input costs. The Iowa Nitrogen Initiative, led by Iowa State University (ISU), debuted the N-FACT tool at the Iowa Ag Expo held in early February at the Iowa Events Center in Des Moines.

Upcoming Deadlines/Dates
February 17: Office closed in observance of Presidents’ Day
March 31: 2025 DMC Signup deadline
April 15: 2025 ARC/PLC Signup deadline

Offseason Management of CRP
Now is a great time for landowners to consider winter management of lands enrolled in the Conservation Reserve Program or CRP. The next few months are an ideal time to begin scouting for weeds, trees, and shrubs that are beginning to sneak their way in. Although you may be required to burn or mow as part of your mid-contract management, these onetime practices alone often aren’t sufficient to remedy unwanted vegetation.

Iowa Learning Farms, in partnership with the Iowa Nutrient Research Center and Iowa Geological Survey, is hosting a free virtual field day Thursday, February 13 at 1 p.m. Join the virtual for a live discussion with Alison Robertson, Iowa State University Plant Pathology, Entomology and Microbiology Professor, and Peter O’Brien, United States Department of Agriculture Agricultural Research Service Research Agronomist.

Cereal rye is the most common cover crop grown in Iowa because of its winter hardiness as well as its contribution to soil health and water quality. Greater cereal rye biomass increases the benefits received. However, there are trade-offs associated with increased cereal rye biomass - most importantly for growers is the potential for corn yield drag.

Upcoming Deadlines/Dates
January 31: Deadline to request 2024 MALs and LDPs for all eligible wool, mohair and unshorn pelts
February 17: Office closed in observance of Presidents’ Day
March 31: 2025 DMC Signup deadline
April 15: 2025 ARC/PLC Signup deadline