Agriculture

Upcoming Deadlines/Dates
October 31: Organic Certification Cost-Share and Transition/Education Certification Program

Defining Soil Health
by LuAnn Rolling, District Conservationist
I’ve talked a lot about soil health over the past years, but what truly is the definition?  One definition I found said, “Soil health is the vitality of a soil in sustaining the socio-ecological functions of its enfolding land.” What does that mean?

Soil health can be broken down into three elements, according to H. Henry Janzen, David W. Jansen and Edward G. Gregorich writing in Soil Biology and Biochemistry in August of 2021. The first would be functionality, which they said can be defined as, “the condition of an organism in which it performs its vital functions normally or properly.”  They add that function cannot be evaluated by measuring soil composition but by observing how well its ecosystem thrives.

The Iowa Nutrient Research Center at Iowa State University announces funding of over $1.4 million to support a dozen water quality and nutrient management projects for 2022-2023.

“This year, INRC celebrates its first decade. We are very pleased to have the opportunity to continue supporting this important work to improve Iowa’s water quality and agricultural systems,” said Matt Helmers, Iowa Nutrient Research Center director and professor of agricultural and biosystems engineering at Iowa State. “These projects represent new approaches, as well as continuing study of areas where more work is needed to inform recommendations for farmers, policymakers and stakeholders.” The new projects, listed below, fall into INRC’s edge-of-field, multi-objective and nutrient management categories. Lead researchers are located at Iowa State unless otherwise indicated. Projects will extend for one to two years.

The Iowa State University Extension and Outreach Women in Ag Leadership Conference is seeking Women Impacting Agriculture nominees. The winners will be honored at the 2022 Women in Ag Leadership Conference, to be held Nov. 29-30.

“The goal of the award is to honor women who are making positive changes in Iowa agriculture,” said Madeline Schultz, Women in Ag program manager with ISU Extension and Outreach.

Schultz invites nominations for women in all areas of agriculture including owners, managers and employees of Iowa farms, agricultural businesses and organizations. Nominees must also have a connection to ISU Extension and Outreach, either serving as a volunteer, Iowa State University alum or any unpaid position within the organization.

Upcoming Deadlines/Dates
October 31: Organic Certification Cost-Share and Transition/Education Certification Program

Farm Loan Presence in Allamakee County
The USDA/FSA Farm Loan team will have a Loan Officer in our office every Tuesday during normal business hours (8 a.m.-4:30 p.m.).  If you would like to visit with the loan officer, feel free to call or stop in.

Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Mike Naig today welcomed Iowans and interested organizations to nominate qualified individuals to serve on the Local Food and Farm Program Advisory Council. The Council exists to support and advise statewide efforts to increase the availability of locally grown, raised, and produced foods.

“One of my top priorities as Secretary of Agriculture is expanding markets for Iowa farmers internationally, domestically, and locally. We have an opportunity here in Iowa to help shorten supply chains by increasing the availability of locally grown, raised, and produced meat, dairy, fruits, vegetables, and other foods,” said Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Mike Naig. “The Local Food and Farm Advisory Council helps guide the strategy and efforts to increase the availability local foods across the state and we are looking for passionate individuals who care about local foods to serve on the Council.”

Upcoming Deadlines/Dates
October 31: Organic Certification Cost-Share and Transition/Education Certification Program

The Wonderful Smell of Healthy Soil
by LuAnn Rolling, District Conservationist
You may not have heard of geosmin but, wherever you may be on this planet, it is highly likely that you’d recognize its smell.

Geosmin is the soil-based compound that gives the earthy smell so characteristic of spring. It’s the wonderful smell after recent rainfall or while digging in the soil and is also the source of the earthy taste in some vegetables. The human nose is so sensitive to the compound that it is detectable at one hundred parts per trillion.  To put that in context, a shark can smell blood at one part per million. That means human noses are 200,000X more sensitive to geosmin than a shark is to blood.

Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Mike Naig, Iowa Farm Bureau Federation President Brent Johnson and Vice President Joe Heinrich honored 351 Iowa farm families with Century or Heritage Farm designations at the Iowa State Fair August 18. The program celebrates farms that have been owned by the same families for 100 and 150 years, respectively.

Allamakee County Heritage Farm honorees included the George and Helen Beardmore family of Dorchester, Susan Cahoon family (Indian Hill Farm, LLC - Dorchester) and the Krystal Johnson family of Waukon. Century Farm honorees included the Sandra Koehring family of Postville and Kathy Kruse family of Dorchester, with the Pat and Kate Curtin family of Waukon honored with both awards. Two Allamakee County families attended the August 18 ceremony and are pictured below.

On-farm visits will introduce producers to creative and efficient ways to manage feed costs

The dairy team with Iowa State University Extension and Outreach will offer a half-dozen nutrition-related field days this fall, beginning with a visit to an organic grazing dairy farm September 27.

“Grass to Glass: Soil and Nutrition Systems for Organic Dairies,” will be held at the Wedemeier Dairy near Maynard, Iowa. Participants will learn about best practices related to grazing, followed by a tour of the Wedemeier Dairy in the afternoon. Lunch will be provided, sponsored by Organic Valley.

Upcoming Deadlines/Dates
October 31: Organic Certification Cost-Share and Transition/Education Certification Program

Farm Loan Presence in Allamakee County
The USDA/FSA Farm Loan team will have a Loan Officer in our office every Tuesday during normal business hours (8-4:30).  If you would like to visit with the loan officer, call or stop.

Lenth Herefords of Postville brought home some championship honors from the Hereford Show judged at the 2022 Iowa State Fair held in Des Moines August 11-21. Lenth Herefords showed both the Champion and Reserve Champion Cow/Calf combination, as well as the Reserve Champion Bull Calf, which also claimed first-place Junior Bull Calf honors.

The Postville producer also placed second in the Produce of Dam competition, and also placed fifth in the Junior Bull Calf (January 1 - February 28, 2022) class.

Young Cattle Company of Lexington, IL took home Grand Champion Horned Female honors at the show. Tyler Davisson of Calamus received Reserve Champion Horned Female and Champion Iowa Horned Female accolades.

Tjardes Farms of Foosland, IL claimed the Grand Champion Bull banner, and Young Cattle Company received Reserve Grand Champion Bull honors. Putz Cattle & Working Aussies of Otley earned Champion Iowa Bull recognition.