Agriculture

Communication Is Key in Lending
Farm Service Agency (FSA) is committed to providing our farm loan borrowers the tools necessary to be successful. FSA staff will provide guidance and counsel from the loan application process through the borrower’s graduation to commercial credit. While it is FSA’s commitment to advise borrowers as they identify goals and evaluate progress, it is crucial for borrowers to communicate with their farm loan staff when changes occur. It is the borrower’s responsibility to alert FSA to any of the following:
• Any proposed or significant changes in the farming operation
• Any significant changes to family income or expenses
• The development of problem situations
• Any losses or proposed significant changes in security

If a farm loan borrower can’t make payments to suppliers, other creditors, or FSA on time, contact your farm loan staff immediately to discuss loan servicing options. 

Learn about research results from an innovative and climate-smart project working to solve nutrient water quality issues

Iowa State University Extension and Outreach will host the In-Season Manure Application with Irrigation Field Day December 4 at the Klemme Public Library and Brent Renner’s farm, near Klemme. Commercial and confinement manure applicators, agency staff involved in manure management, manure planners and consultants, watershed coordinators and interested stakeholders are encouraged to attend and learn about innovative strategies designed to address nutrient water quality issues stemming from agriculture.

Prioritize Safety, Mental Health this Harvest Season
With the busy harvest season commencing across the state, Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Mike Naig is urging Iowans to keep safety top of mind in the field, around the farm and on the road. Farming can be physically exhausting and mentally demanding, and agriculture remains one of the most dangerous industries in America. In recognition of National Farm Safety and Health Week, Secretary Naig has provided some safety tips for both farmers and drivers as well as resources for Iowans needing mental health support.

Iowa Learning Farms will host a no-till and soil health field day on Tuesday, November 25, from noon to 2 p.m. at the Badger Community Center. The event is open to farmers and landowners at no cost and includes a complimentary meal.

Field day host Mark Thompson’s farm is located in the heart of the Des Moines Lobe, known for its rich, dark soil. Thompson has used no-till on all soybean acres since 2002 and has transitioned to no-till corn in recent years. During the field day, Thompson will share his experiences with adjusting machinery settings to handle the additional residue in a no-till system and the timing of operations that work best for his system.

Cover Crop Guidelines
The Farm Service Agency (FSA), Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) and Risk Management Agency (RMA) worked together to develop consistent, simple and a flexible policy for cover crop practices.

Cover crops, such as grasses, legumes and forbs, can be planted: with no subsequent crop planted, before a subsequent crop, after prevented planting acreage, after a planted crop, or into a standing crop.

Termination:
The cover crop termination guidelines provide the timeline for terminating cover crops, are based on zones and apply to non-irrigated cropland. To view the zones and additional guidelines visit nrcs.usda.gov/wps/portal/nrcs/main/national/landuse/crops/ and click “Cover Crop Termination Guidelines.”

Farmers who plant fall cover crops can save $5 per acre on next year’s crop insurance premiums as part of the Crop Insurance Discount Program

Secretary of Agriculture Mike Naig and Governor Kim Reynolds are encouraging Iowa farmers to plant cover crops this fall to improve water quality and save money on next year’s crop insurance premiums. The savings are offered through the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship’s (IDALS) Crop Insurance Discount Program.

The innovative annual program, part of the implementation of Iowa’s Nutrient Reduction Strategy, provides farmers who plant fall cover crops the opportunity to apply for a $5 per acre discount on their crop insurance premiums. There is no cap on the number of cover crop seeded acres that can receive the crop insurance discount. 

The microscopic, soil-borne soybean cyst nematode (SCN) is considered the most serious biological threat to the U.S. soybean industry. In North America, it causes yield losses worth more than $1 billion annually. 

The SCN Coalition helps farmers combat this relentless pathogen in a variety of ways. Established by Professor Greg Tylka, director of the Iowa Soybean Research Center, with several colleagues at other universities, the coalition was launched in 2018 and now includes university scientists from 28 states and Ontario, Canada, grower checkoff organizations and corporate partners. 

Each year, Tylka and his team develop an updated list of commercially available SCN-resistant varieties for Iowa that the Coalition helps promote. ISU Extension and Outreach publishes the list in the fall. A preliminary version of the list for 2026 is available online.

Update Your Records
FSA is cleaning up our producer record database and needs your help. Be sure to report any changes of address, zip code, phone number, email address or an incorrect name or business name on file to our office. You should also report changes in your farm operation, like the addition of a farm by lease or purchase. You should also report any changes to your operation in which you reorganize to form a Trust, LLC or other legal entity.

FSA and NRCS program participants are required to promptly report changes in their farming operation to the County Committee in writing and to update their Farm Operating Plan on form CCC-902.

To update your records, contact the Allamakee County USDA Service Center at (563) 568-2148 ext.2. 

Learn methods for managing and minimizing soil compaction impact on crop yields, November 14

Soil compaction caused by farm machinery and field traffic will be discussed at an upcoming Soil Compaction School event on Nov. 14. The event will cover methods to minimize compaction and mitigate any soil compaction that may have already occurred.

“Soil compaction can significantly impact crop yields, as it can push soil particles together, reducing soil infiltration capacities and increasing resistance to crop root penetration and development,” said Kapil Arora, field agricultural engineer with Iowa State University Extension and Outreach. “This, in turn, impacts moisture and nutrient availability to crop plants for growth and development, even under favorable weather conditions. Ten to 20 percent yield loss has been reported under unfavorable weather conditions.”

USDA Offers Options for Signing and Sharing Documents Online
Farmers and ranchers working with USDA’s Farm Service Agency or Natural Resources Conservation Service can now sign and share documents online in just a few clicks. By using Box or OneSpan, producers can digitally complete business transactions without leaving their homes or agricultural operations. Both services are free, secure, and available for multiple FSA and NRCS programs.

Box is a secure, cloud-based site where FSA or NRCS documents can be managed and shared. Producers who choose to use Box can create a username and password to access their secure Box account, where documents can be downloaded, printed, manually signed, scanned, uploaded, and shared digitally with Service Center staff. This service is available to any FSA or NRCS customer with access to a mobile device or computer with printer connectivity.