Agriculture

Join the Northeast Iowa Dairy & Agriculture Foundation for the NRCS Field Day and Annual Meeting Tuesday, Feb. 11. The event will be held at the Wilder Business Center starting at 9 a.m.

This year’s NRCS Field Day theme is Roots and Ruminants: Maximizing Farm Productivity. The event features agricultural experts such as Brian Dougherty, Daniel Olson and Eric Fuchs presenting valuable insight into farm production with topics ranging from managing manure, digestible fiber for your herd and grazing cover crops.

Additionally,  Iowa dairy farmer, Dan Venteicher, will lead the afternoon sessions with a unique perspective of social media in agriculture.

The Northeast Iowa Dairy & Agriculture Foundation annual meeting will begin at 3 p.m. and will feature the business meeting and election of board members.

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

The Importance of Plant Diversity
In a recent article written by Jay Fuhrer, a retired soil health specialist from the NRCS, titled “The Elusive Holy Grail: Plant Diversity and Why You Need It,” he emphasizes that to sustain farming practices indefinitely, it is crucial to cultivate a healthy landscape characterized by nutrient-dense crops, achievable through the adoption of plant diversity principles.

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
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
February 17: Office closed in observance of Presidents’ Day

Upcoming Deadlines/Dates
January 8: Deadline to apply for Marketing Assistance for Specialty Crops Program (MASC)
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
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 8: Deadline to apply for Marketing Assistance for Specialty Crops Program (MASC)
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 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 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.