MARCH 2018 STEWARDSHIP ADVOCATE UPDATE

MONTHLY UPDATE FROM BEN GLEASON, IOWA CORN SUSTAINABLE PROGRAMS MANAGER

Spring is finally here! As the ground warms for planting, remember to maintain conservation compliance on highly erodible land. Smoothing out gullies with tillage is not acceptable. Instead, you should be controlling gully erosion with grassed waterways or have other conservation practices in place that address this issue. Click here for more information on conservation compliance.

While you’re getting ready for planting, Congress is working on a new farm bill. House and Senate agriculture committees hope to have their versions of the legislation on the floors of their respective chambers in April. But if that doesn’t happen, there may not be enough time to pass a new farm bill by its expiration in September.

Failure to get significant movement on the farm bill this spring could lead to a one-year extension of the current bill. Budget considerations are always a concern, especially with 80 percent of the appropriations going to the nutrition title (food stamps). 

Other farm bill issues include raising the cap on the Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) - which is needed to allow more acres into the program - and improving working lands conservation programs that provide cost share, such as the Conservation Stewardship Program and the Environmental Quality Incentives Program. Click here for ICGA’s farm bill priorities.

One last thing: Before you get too busy in the field, nominate a friend, a neighbor or yourself for the Iowa Farm Environmental Leader Award. This award is a joint effort of the Governor, Lt. Governor, Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship and Iowa Department of Natural Resources to recognize farmers committed to healthy soils and improved water quality. The nomination deadline is June 15, but you can nominate a worthy peer before you turn your focus to spring fieldwork. Click here for more information.

FARMER TO FARMER:

let's talk soil health

Iowa farmers Theo Bartman and Rob Stout, along with Soil Health Partnership Field Manager Jacob Ness, discuss the benefits of conservation practices.

UPCOMING EVENTS:

• March 29: 4R Nitrogen Management, Webinar

• March 29: Cover Crop Field Day, Story City

• March 29: Soil Health Field Day, Readlyn      

• March 29: Pollinator and Prairie Field Day, Crawfordsville

• March 30: Miscanthus Update, Iowa City

• April 3: Cover Crop Field Day, Jefferson

• April 3: Upper Wapsi Watershed Meeting, Independence

• April 4: Cover Crop Field Day, Postville

• April 5: Cover Crop Field Day, Cumberland/Atlantic

• April 5: Little Bear Creek Watershed Meeting, Brooklyn

• April 9: Manure & Cover Crop Field Day, New Albin

• April 10: No-till Through High Residue, Webinar

• April 10: Southfork Watershed Meeting, Iowa Falls

• April 12: Cover Crop Field Day, Newell

• April 17: Missouri River Public Meeting, Omaha

• April 18: Clear Creek Watershed Meeting, Coralville

• April 24: Emerging Farmer Workshop, Sioux Center

LATEST INFORMATION:

• Watersheds Reduce Flooding, Improve Water Quality

• Senators Introduce Bipartisan Bill to Protect Rural Economies Through Conservation Reform

• Planting a Billion Milkweeds for Monarchs

• Judge: Corps Responsible for Flooding, Damage in 4 States

• Conservation Partnership Day Highlights Watershed Approach

• No-Till Farmer Seeks Practices to Further Soil Health

• Soil Health Partnership Builds One of Largest Databases of Soil Health

• Nutrient Stewardship Research Fund to Receive $6 Million

• Cover Crops Growing on More Iowa Acres

• Harrison County Project Battles Herbicide Resistant Weeds

• Residue Offers Erosion Protection, Planting Challenges