Agriculture

Iowa State University Extension and Outreach offers workshops designed to answer questions that land owners and tenants have about farmland leasing and land management issues.

These workshops will be held across northeast Iowa counties starting July 26 through August 16.

Melissa O’Rourke, ISU Extension Farm & Agribusiness Management Specialist will present a wide range of topics related to farmland values and leasing.

“Year after year, I receive numerous contacts from persons who have questions about farmland values and rental rates,” says O’Rourke.

“The interest in and conversations about farm leasing arrangements continues to grow, and 2022 is no different,”

O’Rourke noted. “We expect strong attendance and discussion at these meetings.”

More than half of Iowa farmland is rented. In some Iowa locations, as much as 70 percent of the land is farmed by farmers who don’t own the land.

Free listing connects Iowa buyers and sellers

The Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship offers a free directory to connect farmers who sell hay or straw with local producers who are interested in purchasing it. Organizations associated with promoting and marketing hay and straw can also access the free, online tool. The Department encourages users to update their listing every year.

To search by product and county, visit the online directory. Anyone can view the hay and straw directory, but only Iowa sellers are included on the list.

If you are a farmer interested in selling hay or straw and need to update your information, create an account in the online system, or reach out to Judy Allison at 515-281-8604 or judy.allison@iowaagriculture.gov, to do so.

Upcoming Deadlines/Dates
May 15 – August 1: Primary Nesting Season
July 15: Spring Crop Reporting

Beaver Dam Research Shows Many Impacts
by LuAnn Rolling, District Conservationist
An Iowa Nutrient Research Center-funded study being conducted at Iowa State University seeks to quantify beaver dam impacts on water quality, hydrology, and stream morphology (how dams shape the stream itself). Here are the researcher’s top three observations after one year of study.

A Grand Prize Winner Will Receive $7,500

Iowa Farm Bureau Federation (IFBF) is seeking applications for the next “Grow Your Future” Award winner. This competition, reserved for IFBF members ages 18-35, is for entrepreneurs with a farming-related niche or specialty business.

First, second and third place finalists will receive $7,500, $5000 and $2,500, respectively, to expand their businesses. To apply, submit an application and short video to www.iowafarmbureau.com/growyourfuture.

Upcoming Deadlines/Dates
May 15 – August 1: Primary Nesting Season
July 15: Spring Crop Reporting

A recent report from the Iowa Farm and Rural Life Poll at Iowa State University indicates that a major nutrient management effort called the 4R Plus initiative is having a positive impact.

4R Plus, a science-based framework designed to guide improved nutrient management among farmers, is promoted by a coalition of more than 50 public and private agricultural stakeholders and non-governmental conservation organizations.

A soil health workshop will be held August 4 at Iowa State University’s Field Extension Education Laboratory southwest of Ames. Participants will learn how to evaluate soil health and communicate about soil health related topics more effectively. They will also have the opportunity to network and learn from both new and seasoned soil health professionals from across the state and become more knowledgeable and confident in discussing soil health information.

Topics will include how current fertility tests relate to soil health, the science of using cover crops for weed control, and evaluating soil health with a microscope.

“This workshop is a great opportunity to learn about management practices that affect soil health,” said Brian Dougherty, field agricultural engineer with Iowa State University Extension and Outreach. “People will be able to see how what is happening in the hidden world beneath our feet affects productivity and profit.”

Upcoming Deadlines/Dates
May 15 – August 1: Primary Nesting Season
July 15: Spring Crop Reporting

Greenhouse Gas Emissions Rise as Tillage Increases
by LuAnn Rolling, District Conservationist

Research has proven that an in increase in tillage increases greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions according to research published in the journal Nature Food in April 2022. Scientists Chaoqun Lu, Iowa State University, Zhen Yu, Nanjing University in China, David A. Hennessy and Hongli Feng, Iowa State University, Hangin Tian, Auburn University and Dafeng Hui, Tennessee State University examined two fluctuations in the recent past of U.S. tillage, a decrease in tillage from the years 1998 to 2008, and a subsequent increase in tillage between 2008 and 2016. The decreases were observed in both carbon dioxide (CO2) and nitrous oxide (N2O). Researchers focused exclusively on tillage practices in corn-soybean rotations.

Nearly 360 women landowners in Iowa shared their experiences on owning and operating farmland in a recent survey conducted by Iowa State University Extension and Outreach.

A study in 2017 showed that women own nearly half of the farmland in Iowa, and specialists with ISU Extension and Outreach wanted to improve their understanding of this important segment of the state’s agriculture.

The current survey asked women landowners a variety of questions related to farmland leasing, conservation practices, and farmland transition plans. According to the results, a majority of women are interested in information about landowner responsibilities, the economics of farmland ownership, crop production costs, and determining the right rental rates.

The survey also shows how women prefer to receive farmland management information, with the majority preferring newsletters, followed by webinars, fact sheets and infographics, and half-day educational meetings.

Upcoming Deadlines/Dates
May 15 – August 1: Primary Nesting Season
July 15: Spring Crop Reporting