2022 April Stewardship Advocate
Happy planting season! Please be safe during this busy time of year!
Next time the rain causes a break in the action, be sure to nominate your friends and neighbors for the Iowa Farm Environmental Leader Awards. Nominations will be accepted until May 2 with the awards ceremony in August at the Iowa State Fair. Click here for more information.
While you’re doing field work, watch out for gullies and other erosion problems. Take time to fix the problem with grass waterways or terraces rather than filling it in with tillage every year. If it’s highly erodible land (HEL), gullies can cause conservation compliance issues and risk USDA farm program benefits.
In cost share program news, USDA has announced a signup period for Clean Lakes, Estuaries and Rivers (CLEAR30). This program is similar to CRP with annual rental payments but with 30-year contracts. Click here for more information about eligibility. The signup period is April 1 to August 5.
Finally, don’t forget about the partnership between National Corn Growers Association and Pheasants Forever (PF). The collaboration provides free technical assistance, including a site visit by a PF biologist, to help farmers evaluate conservation concerns including pollinator habitat. For more information or to request a site visit, click here, email pollinator@pfqf.org, or call Brent Rudolph at 517-980-4570.
Ben Gleason, former Iowa Corn Senior Sustainability Manager is now the Executive Director at the Iowa Nutrient Research & Education Council. Feel free to reach out to Iowa Corn at corninfo@iowacorn.org with any questions or feedback on Iowa Corn’s Water Quality, Conservation and Sustainability Programs.
LATEST INFORMATION
EPA Announces Strategy to Protect Water Quality by Accelerating Nutrient Pollution Reductions
Considerations for Spring Preplant Nitrogen Application for Corn with High Fertilizer Prices
Progress Report for Long-Term No-Till Farm
From Seed to Soil, Cover Crops Amplify the Benefits to the Farm
Transform Nutrient Regulations from Headaches to Opportunities
Northwest Iowa Farmer’s First Time Using Cover Crops
Upstream Investments Making a Positive Impact Downstream in Des Moines
About Half of US Water “Too Polluted” for Swimming, Fishing, or Drinking, Report Finds
UPCOMING EVENTS
April 27 Focus on Phosphorus, Webinar
May 3 Water Monitoring, Webinar
May 24 Monarch Habitat, Webinar
June 6 Continuum Ag Field Day, Washington
FARMER TO FARMER VIDEO
Farmer to Farmer: Cover Crops & Weed Control
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To help farmers and others understand and simplify this area, the Iowa Corn Promotion Board has developed a series of resources to help address questions from farmers about carbon intensity, tax credits, carbon markets and payments and premiums.
To help farmers and others understand and simplify this area, the Iowa Corn Promotion Board has developed a series of resources to help address questions from farmers about carbon intensity, tax credits, carbon markets and payments and premiums.