NOVEMBER 2019 STEWARDSHIP ADVOCATE

Posted on November 25, 2019 at 1:50 PM by Iowa Corn

MONTHLY UPDATE FROM BEN GLEASON, IOWA CORN SUSTAINABLE PROGRAMS MANAGER

Happy Thanksgiving! We have much to be thankful for this year. Our amazing soils and natural resources have provided for a resilient crop despite the past 18 months having been the wettest on record for Iowa. Hopefully next year the only records will be for high yields!

There are many events listed below, but here’s some additional information on a couple of events:

Registration is now open for the cover crop boot camp to be held December 18-19 at the Gateway Hotel in Ames. The free event will provide the latest cover crop information from farmers and researchers, and attendees will learn ways to hone your cover crop message and share it with others. This is a great opportunity to compare notes with other cover crop farmers. Click here to register.
Iowa Corn will have a booth and host two seminars at the Iowa Power Farming Show on January 28-30. Our seminars will feature tenants and landowners discussing how they work together to implement conservation practices that benefit both parties. The seminars will be followed by free lunch and networking. Let me know if you would like complimentary tickets to the farm show.

The latest cost share opportunities include:

The Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) will have a general sign up in December. This is a great opportunity to get paid for environmental benefits while retiring unproductive land.
The Iowa Department of Agriculture is offering a $5 per acre reduction on 2020 crop insurance premiums to those who planted cover crops this fall. The deadline to apply is January 15, 2020. Click here for more information.

Photos of cover crops from a November 13 field day in Poweshiek county. The host farmer harvested cereal rye for seed in July, had tile work done, and planted these cover crops in August.

FARMER TO FARMER: LET'S TALK WHY CONSERVATION MATTERS

Doug Adams of Humboldt County talks about why conservation matters and how he uses cover crops, reduced tillage, and soil testing to boost productivity.