Agriculture

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

Join the Northeast Iowa Dairy Foundation in celebrating National Dairy Month with Breakfast on the Farm Saturday, June 25, from 8:30 a.m. – Noon at Iowa’s Dairy Center located just south of Calmar at 1527 Highway 150 South.

Enjoy a wholesome, dairy-rich breakfast of Dad’s Belgian Waffles served with real butter and whipped cream, sausage, cheese, yogurt, milk and, of course, ice cream. In addition to breakfast, visitors will enjoy activities including guided tram tours of Iowa’s Dairy Center, hand-milking a cow, petting zoo, inflatables, corn pools, Story Time with the Dairy Princess and more.  

Breakfast on the Farm will be held rain or shine. Parking is available on-site and donations are appreciated. This event is made possible by generous support from community sponsors.  

Hands-on field days will explore soil health in grazing systems

Farmers, landowners and ag support providers are invited to learn more about soil health in grazing systems July 6, 7 and 8. The classes, offered by Iowa State University Extension and Outreach and Iowa Learning Farms, are free to attend and include complementary lunch; however, reservations are required. Lunch will be served at 12:30 p.m., and the program will be 1-3 p.m. each day.

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

Forage legumes provide valuable N and Save Money
by LuAnn Rolling, District Conservationist

The Annual Spring Field Day at the Iowa State University Northeast Research and Demonstration Farm will run from 1 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. Wednesday, June 22. Dennis Todey, Director of the USDA Midwest Climate Hub, will kick-off the program, by providing his insights on crop weather and trends for the 2022 growing season.

Antonio Mallarino, professor and extension fertility specialist, will share his insights on proper soil fertility management with regards to current fertilizer prices.

Greg Tylka, professor and extension pathologist and nematologist, will provide updates on soybean cyst nematode management.

Alison Robertson, professor and extension plant pathologist, will provide an update on crop diseases and tar spot management.

According to Iowa State University Extension, warm-season annual grasses, such as sorghums, millets and teff grasses, are usually planted from mid- to late-May through early July or when the average four-inch soil temperature is 65°F and increasing. They are typically used for two to three months during summer and autumn. Most are ready for first harvest or grazing about 50 days from emergence, and if managed properly, often result in more than one forage crop per year.

June 7 of this year, Penn State University Extension provided a list of potential summer cover crop options to consider this summer.  They posted this in Seeding Practices, Soil Health on the Extension website, https://extension.psu.edu/summer-cover-crop-options.

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

June 2022 CCC and FSFL Interest Rates
New rates were issued for the month of June and are as follows:
• 2.875% for 3 years
• 2.875% for 5 years
• 3.000% for 7 years
• 2.875% for 10 years
• 3.000% for 12 years

Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Mike Naig today encouraged producers of pesticide sensitive crops to renew their field and beehive entries on the Iowa Sensitive Crops Registry.  “The Iowa Sensitive Crop Registry is an effective tool to support communication between producers of specialty crops, beekeepers and pesticide applicators – all important aspects of Iowa agriculture,” said Secretary Naig. “Now is a good time for farmers, beekeepers and pesticide applicators to reference and update their information using this user-friendly online platform.”

The latest version of Iowa State University’s Research and Demonstration Farms summary reports are now available online and in print.

Nine farm reports are available, with a new look that includes larger headings, expanded tables and color photography.

“I think the public will be excited by the new look, but they will also appreciate the fact that the reports contain the same data and the same information people are used to, just in a modernized package,” said Tim Goode, director of research and demonstration farms at Iowa State.

The reports date back to the early 1930s and were part of the agreement made with farmers and Iowa State’s College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, when the first research farm was established in north central Iowa.