Agriculture

by Joyce Davidshofer, Allamakee County Executive Director

The next Allamakee County Committee meeting will be announced at a later date.

by Joyce Davidshofer, Allamakee County Executive Director

The next Allamakee County Committee meeting will be announced at a later date.

A group of 43 dairy producers participated in a California Dairy Tour organized by the Northeast Iowa Dairy Foundation from March 5-10 to learn more about the state’s dairy industry.
The trip offered opportunities for the group to learn more about dairy operations in California, which is currently the number one dairy production state in the U.S. Members of the tour group – who collectively manage 4,834 milk cows in Iowa, Wisconsin, Minnesota, and Illinois – met with representatives of the Western United Dairymen, toured dairies in Escalon, Oakdale and Hillmar, CA and observed the many environmental struggles farmers are facing in the state, particularly with severe drought conditions and water use restrictions.

by Joyce Davidshofer, Allamakee County Executive Director

The Allamakee County Committee meeting will be Thursday, March 26 in the Allamakee County FSA Office conference room at 9 a.m.

Reminder
March 31 is the deadline for ARC/PLC program elections – ARC-CO, ARC-IC or PLC. Contact the Allamakee County FSA Office if you have any questions on this deadline.
Postcards will be sent to owners/operators who have not made an election for ARC- CO, ARDC-IC or PLC. Please do not disregard this postcard. Give the Allamakee County FSA Office a call if you have any questions.  

Changing Bank Accounts
All FSA payments should be electronically transferred into your bank account. In order to make timely payments, you need to notify the office if you close your account or if your bank is purchased by another financial institution. Payments can be delayed if we are not aware of changes to account and routing numbers.     

by Joyce Davidshofer, Allamakee County Executive Director

The Allamakee County Committee meeting will be held Thursday, March 26 in the Allamakee County FSA Office conference room at 9 a.m.

The Executive Director for the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Farm Service Agency (FSA) in Allamakee County, Joyce Davidshofer, urges producers who want to purchase coverage through the Noninsured Crop Disaster Assistance Program (NAP) to do so before the sales closing date of  March 15.
NAP provides financial assistance to producers of noninsurable crops when low yields/grazing loss, loss of inventory or prevented planting occur due to natural disasters including drought, freeze, hail, excessive moisture, excessive wind or hurricanes.

The annual meeting of the Northeast Iowa Dairy Foundation will be held Friday, March 20 at Iowa’s Dairy Center in Calmar. Registration for the event will begin at 10:30 a.m.
The events for the day start at 11 a.m. and include a cooperative presentation by Dave Lawstuen, Michelle Elliott and Corey Meyer about the conservation efforts of the Dairy Foundation, Northeast Iowa Community College (NICC) and the Winneshiek County Soil and Water Conservation District through the Turkey River Watershed Project. Chuck Gipp, Iowa DNR Director, will also discuss and answer questions about regulations facing Iowa livestock producers.
There will be a meal at noon, followed by the annual meeting. The meeting includes the election of officers at 1:15 p.m. In addition, there will be displays from leading dairy industry businesses that support the Dairy Foundation.

by Joyce Davidshofer, Allamakee County Executive Director

The Allamakee County Committee meeting will be held Thursday, March 26 in the Allamakee County FSA Office conference room at 9 a.m.

Reminders
March 31 – Deadline for ARC/PLC program elections – ARC-CO, ARC-IC or PLC. Contact the Allamakee County FSA Office if you have any questions on this deadline.

The Iowa State Fair, Tractor Supply Co. and WHO News Radio 1040 are searching for six farm families to recognize with the Way We Live Award at the 2015 Fair, August 13-23. These families must exemplify farm values derived from hard work and a love for the occupation of farming.
To enter, submit an entry form along with a 500-1,500 word essay describing how living on a farm and choosing the occupation of farming has shaped the family’s life. All entries must include a family picture that illustrates the family’s commitment to their farming operation. Entry forms can be downloaded from the Iowa State Fair website: http://www.iowastatefair.org/competition/the-way-we-live-award/. All entries must be postmarked or e-mailed to ewynn@iowastatefair.org by May 1.

by Joyce Davidshofer, Allamakee County Executive Director