Agriculture

Upcoming Deadlines/Dates
December 25: Office closed in observance of Christmas Day
January 1: Office closed in observance of New Years Day
January 2: Deadline to report number of honeybee colonies for NAP and ELAP programs
January 9: FSA County Committee Meeting
January 20: Office closed in observance of Birthday of Martin Luther King Jr
January 31: Deadline to request 2024 MALs and LDPs for all eligible wool, mohair and unshorn pelts

Upcoming Deadlines/Dates
December 13: Deadline to apply for Organic Dairy Marketing Assistance Program (ODMAP)
December 15: Deadline to certify fall-seeded crops - Note: Although cover crops can be reported at any time, we encourage you to do it this fall (2024)
December 25: Office closed in observance of Christmas Day
January 1: Office closed in observance of New Years Day

Available Funding Opportunities and Cover Crop Extension
The first application cutoff for Iowa farmers and other private landowners to apply for conservation practices was November 22, 2024. Although this date has past, we still accept and process applications for future funding rounds.
Commonly used NRCS Farm Bill programs by Allamakee County Producers:
• Conservation Stewardship Program (CSP)
• Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP)

Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Mike Naig announced today that the sign-up for the state’s Crop Insurance Discount Program is now open and available. Farmers who planted cover crops this fall can apply for a $5 per acre discount on their spring crop insurance premiums.

The sign-up period opened on Monday, December 2, 2024, and will close on Friday, January 24, 2025. Farmers and landowners can enroll by visiting Apply.CleanWaterIowa.org or by contacting their crop insurance agent.

Upcoming Deadlines/Dates
December 13: Deadline to apply for Organic Dairy Marketing Assistance Program (ODMAP)
December 15: Deadline to certify fall-seeded crops - Note: Although cover crops can be reported at any time, we encourage you to do it this fall (2024)
December 25: Office closed in observance of Christmas Day
January 1: Office closed in observance of New Years Day

USDA Extends Deadline for Organic Dairy Marketing Assistance Until Dec. 13  
USDA is extending the application deadline for the Organic Dairy Marketing Assistance Program (ODMAP) 2024 to Dec.13, 2024. This extension gives organic dairy producers two additional weeks to apply for the program. Eligible producers include certified organic dairy operations that produce milk from cows, goats and sheep.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced the launch of a new online portal to manage civil rights discrimination complaints more efficiently and transparently. The USDA Civil Rights Management System (CRMS) Program Discrimination Complaint electronic submission portal will streamline the filing of complaints by USDA customers who believe they have experienced discrimination when they apply for USDA services or participate in USDA programs or USDA-funded programs. The portal is administered by USDA’s Office of the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights (OASCR).

“The online portal is part of our efforts to better serve USDA customers and ensure Department-wide efficient, fair, consistent, and equitable application of civil rights,” said Dr. Penny Brown Reynolds, USDA Deputy Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights.

Upcoming Deadlines/Dates
November 28: Office closed in observance of Thanksgiving
November 29: Deadline to apply for the Organic Dairy Marketing Assistance Program (ODMAP)
December 2: Deadline to return COC ballots to FSA Office
December 15: Deadline to certify fall-seeded crops - Note: Although cover crops can be reported at any time, we encourage you to do it this fall (2024)

$58 Million Available, Program Improvements Include Increased Payment Rate and Production Cap  

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is extending the application deadline for the Organic Dairy Marketing Assistance Program (ODMAP) 2024 to Dec.13, 2024. This extension gives organic dairy producers two additional weeks to apply for the program. Eligible producers include certified organic dairy operations that produce milk from cows, goats and sheep.  

ODMAP 2024 helps mitigate market volatility, higher input and transportation costs, and unstable feed supply and prices that have created unique hardships in the organic dairy industry. Specifically, through ODMAP 2024, USDA’s Farm Service Agency (FSA) is assisting organic dairy operations with projected marketing costs in 2024 calculated using their marketing costs in 2023.

Upcoming Deadlines/Dates
November 28: Office closed in observance of Thanksgiving
November 29: Deadline to apply for the Organic Dairy Marketing Assistance Program (ODMAP)
December 2: Deadline to return COC ballots to FSA Office
December 15: Deadline to certify fall-seeded crops - Note: Although cover crops can be reported at any time, we encourage you to do it this fall (2024)

Upcoming Deadlines/Dates
November 28: Office closed in observance of Thanksgiving
November 29: Deadline to apply for the Organic Dairy Marketing Assistance Program (ODMAP)
December 2: Deadline to return COC ballots to FSA Office
December 15: Deadline to certify fall-seeded crops - Note: Although cover crops can be reported at any time, we encourage you to do it this fall (2024)

Tuesday, November 19, from noon to 1 p.m. the Winneshiek Energy District will host a webinar about solar grazing in Ames. This free program will feature details on solar grazing in the city of Ames, addressing topics such as how this project started, what its benefits and challenges are, what kind of infrastructure is needed for a solar grazing program, why it is important, and the potential for solar grazing outside the city of Ames and across the country. There will be 15 minutes at the end of the webinar for questions from the audience.

Register at energydistrict.org/events/ by Monday, November 18 to receive the Zoom link for the webinar. Anyone with further questions about the webinar may contact the Winneshiek Energy District at contact@energydistrict.org or 563-382-4207.