Agriculture

Private landowners in nine Iowa watersheds that cover portions of 19 counties have until July 17 to sign up for conservation practices to help reduce nutrient loading in focus watersheds across the state.
Through the Regional Conservation Partnership Program (RCPP), USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) is offering higher than normal payment rates on conservation practices such as cover crops, grassed waterways, nutrient management, and terraces.
“There are more than a dozen conservation practices available for adoption through this sign-up,” said Paul Goldsmith, who coordinates RCPP for NRCS in Iowa. “We are offering higher payment rates through RCPP than we do for most of our other programs.”
The nine selected watersheds currently have water quality improvement projects. Goldsmith said the assistance through RCPP will help build momentum toward completing those efforts. Private landowners in the following watersheds are eligible:

by Joyce Davidshofer, Allamakee County Executive Director

Reminders
June 15 - August 3: Nomination period for the COC elections.
June 15 - September 30: ARC/PLC sign-up for 2014/2015 program deadline.
July 1 -  September 30: 2015 2016 MPP (Dairy) Program.
July 15: Deadline to certify all crops and CRP acres for FSA purposes.
August 1: Last day to request a reconstitution for 2015.

2015 Crop Certification
Currently the county office is certifying crops. The deadline to certify is July 15. After July 15, it will cost $46 per farm to late file certifications. CRP, ARC/PLC and other programs require crop certification before any payments will be issued in the programs. For more information, call the FSA Office at 563568-2148.

Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Bill Northey recently highlighted the Iowa Legislature’s continued commitment to partnering with farmers to make significant long-term progress in protecting Iowa’s soil and water resources. The Legislature approved $9.6 million to support the Iowa Water Quality Initiative in the next fiscal year, which starts July 1. The legislation now goes to Governor Branstad and must be signed before going into effect.
“Farmers have greatly increased their financial commitment to improving water quality in recent years and I appreciate our state’s leaders doing the same. Iowa is a model nationally for the progress that can be made on this important issue. These funds will allow us to continue to expand our water quality efforts and engage more Iowans,” Northey said.

by Joyce Davidshofer, Allamakee County Executive Director

Reminders
June 15 - August 3: Nominations can be received for the COC elections.
June 15 - September 30: ARC/PLC sign-up for 2014/2015 program.
July 3: Office closed for the Independence Day.
July 15: Deadline to certify all crops and CRP acres for FSA purposes.
August 1: Last day to request a reconstitution for 2015.

2015 Allamakee County Committee Elections
The nomination period began June 15 and ends August 3. Request nomination forms from the Allamakee County FSA Office or obtain a nomination form online at http://www.fsa.usda.gov/elections.
The townships involved for the elections are Iowa, Lansing, Center, La Fayette, Paint Creek and Taylor.

The Annual Spring Field Day at the ISU Northeast Research and Demonstration Farm will run from 1-4:15 p.m. Wednesday, June 24. The program will start with Elwynn Taylor, ISU Extension Climatologist, providing a crop-weather forecast; followed by Matt Liebman, ISU Agronomist, to address the economics of diversified crop rotations; then Antonio Mallarino, ISU Extension Soil Fertility Specialist, will cover N management in crop rotations; and Matt Helmers, ISU Extension Ag Engineer, will address various water quality project on the research farm and their implications.

by Joyce Davidshofer, Allamakee County Executive Director

Reminders
June 15- August 3: Nominations can be received for the COC elections.
July 3: Office Closed for the Independence Day.
July 15: Deadline to certify all crops and CRP acres.
August 1: Last day to request a reconstitution for 2015.

Farm Loan Officer Trainee
Effective May 17, Kim Welsh, former farm loan program technician, entered into the Farm Loan Officer Trainee (FLOT) program. She will be stationed at the Winneshiek County FSA Office and will be traveling with Vicky Hinsenbrock, farm loan manager (FLM), and Gina Hanson, farm loan officer (FLO), this summer. Kim will be working with FSA loan programs – youth loans, beginning farmer loans, operating loans, emergency loans, etc. The program will last approximately two years and, pending successful completion of the course, Kim will be hired as a farm loan officer or farm loan manager.

The Northeast Iowa Dairy Foundation will host the 6th Annual Breakfast on the Farm event Saturday, June 20 from 8:30 a.m. to 12 noon at Iowa’s Dairy Center in Calmar. The center is located just south of Northeast Iowa Community College’s (NICC) Calmar campus at 1527 Highway 150 South.
Northeast Iowa Dairy Foundation members, NICC staff and area producers will be serving a wholesome breakfast and providing guided tram tours of the nationally-recognized Iowa’s Dairy Center. Children and families attending will enjoy the chance to meet some calves, visit several educational exhibits, milk a cow and watch robots milk cows. New this year is an expanded eating area and faster serving line.
This year, Breakfast on the Farm will be serving up Belgian waffles and sausage, along with dairy products produced and processed right in northeast Iowa from Country View Dairy. Takeouts are available along with on-site parking. Donations for the breakfast are appreciated.

by Joyce Davidshofer, Allamakee County Executive Director

The next Allamakee County Committee meeting will be held in the Allamakee County FSA Office conference room Thursday, June 11 at 9 a.m.

Reminders
June 15 - August 3: Nominations can be received for the COC elections.
July 4: Office closed.
July 15: Deadline to certify all crops and CRP acres.
August 1: Last day to request a reconstitution for 2015.

During the next several weeks, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) will conduct two major mid-year surveys, the June Agricultural Survey and the June Area Survey. The agency will survey over 5,000 operators across Iowa to determine crop acreage and supply levels for 2015.
NASS gathers the data for the June Agriculture Survey online, by mail and/or by phone. For the June Area Survey, a NASS representative will visit randomly selected tracts of land and interview the operators of any farm on that land. Growers will provide information on crop acreage, as well as grain stocks, livestock inventory, cash rents, land values, and value of sales.

Acreage Reporting
Filing an accurate acreage report at your local FSA office can prevent the loss of benefits for a variety of programs. Failed acreage is acreage that was timely planted with the intent to harvest, but because of disaster related conditions, the crop failed before it could be brought to harvest. Prevented planting must be reported no later than 15 days after the final planting date. Annual acreage reports are required for most Farm Service Agency programs. Annual crop report deadlines vary based on region, crop, permanent vs. annual crop type, NAP or non-NAP crop and fall or winter seeding.