Ag News Information & Resources March 2020

Fayette County

ISU Extension & Outreach

218 South Main Street

Fayette, IA 52142

Phone: (563-425-3331)

Fax: (563)425-3339

http://www.extension.iastate.edu/fayette/

Extension Links

Ag Decision Maker

http://www.extension.iastate.edu/agdm/

Beef Center

http://www.iowabeefcenter.org/

Dairy Team

http://www.extension.iastate.edu/

dairyteam/

ISU Nutrient Reduction Strategies

http://www.nutrientstrategy.iastate.edu/

Iowa State Research Farms

http://farms.ag.iastate.edu/farms

Iowa Water Quality Initiative

http://www.cleanwateriowa.org/

Manure Management

http://www.agronext.iastate.edu/immag/

Pesticide Management

http://www.extension.iastate.edu/psep/

Pork Center http://www.ipic.iastate.edu/

Northeast Iowa Research Farm Annual Meeting

Contact: Brian Lang, Extension Agronomist, 563-382-2949, bjlang@iastate.edu

Spring Planting Tips to Maximize Emergence and the Latest on Glypho-sate and Cancer to be Highlighted at the ISU Northeast Research Farm on Wednesday, March 11

Matt Darr, professor, Agricultural and Biosystems Engineering, Iowa State University, and Charles Lynch, professor, Epidemiology and medical director, University of Iowa, will speak at the annual meeting of the Northeast Iowa Ag-ricultural Experimental Association (NEIAEA) at the Borlaug Learning Center, ISU Northeast Research Farm, Nashua. The program starts at 9:30 a.m. with a Call to Order for the board meeting. From 10:00 a.m. to Noon will be key presentations from Matt Darr and Charles Lynch. Darr will discuss “Tillage and Planting Tips for a Successful Spring”, and the next hour, Lynch will share information with us on “Glyphosate (Roundup) and Cancer”. After lunch, Ken Pecinovsky, Farm Su-perintendent, will review 2019 research trial results conducted at the Re-search Farm. Provided free at the meeting is the 2019 Research Farm Report. A Dutch Treat lunch will be served by the Riverton Lucky Clovers 4-H Club. Following Pecinovsky’s presentation, the NEIAEA board of directors will meet. The day’s sessions qualify for three free CCA credits (2 CM, 1 PM). The meeting is free and open to the public. The program will be held at the Borlaug Learning Center on the ISU Northeast Research Farm. Directions: From Nashua at the Jct of Hwy 218 (Exit 220) and Co. Rd. B60, go west on B60 1.1 miles to Windfall Ave., then south 1 mile to 290th St., then east 0.2 miles to the farm. For more information about the event, call Terry Basol at 641-426-6801.

Receive a free copy of the 2019 Annual Research Farm Progress Report which includes summaries of many of the research trials conducted at the farm.

Protecting Your Swine Building Investment

Contact: Mark Storlie, Extension Swine Specialist, 563-425-3331, mstorlie@iastate.edu

Iowa State University Extension and Outreach ag engineer and Iowa DNR will host the meeting on Monday, Mar. 23, at the Borlaug Learning Center near Nashua. The meetings will be offered at four other Iowa locations Mar. 9-24. All sessions will be held 9:45 a.m. to 3 p.m. Livestock producers, swine building contractors, and others interested in swine building maintenance are encouraged to attend.

The workshop will discuss concrete pit maintenance and constructions, truss management, roof and moisture manage-ment, and other repair and maintenance issues that can help protect the building and extend its life. The workshop will also cover a new way of making clean air enter into the attic space to minimize pit ventilated gases from entering the attic during periods of minimum ventilation during winter months. Workshop will also cover ways to maintain concrete slats including their repair to help enhance their usable life.

Agenda and speakers for all five locations are the same. As such, participants may register for one location only. Space at each workshop is limited to first 50 participants. Pre-registration is required. Registration Fees: Fees include morning refreshments, lunch, and workshop materials. Fee per participant is $35.00 if received by the registration deadline (4 days prior to meeting date). Add $10 for late registrations. Participants must pre-register to ensure a meal at the workshop. Click here: Workshop Brochure ... agenda and directions

Produce Safety Alliance Training Offered in Waterloo

Contact: Ellen Johnsen, Dept. of Food Science & Human Nutrition, 515-294-6773, johnsene@iastate.edu

Iowa State University Extension and Outreach will host twelve Produce Safety Alliance Grower Training meetings this winter, including one in Waterloo on March 26. The training sessions are for fruit and vegetable growers interested in learning about produce safety, the Food Safety Mod-ernization Act (FSMA) Produce Safety Rule, and Good Agricultural Practices (GAPs). The cost for the workshop is $20 for Iowa residents and $120 for out-of-state growers. Get more infor-mation at https://www.safeproduce.cals.iastate.edu/fda-produce-safety-rule or call 515-294-6773.

Learn More About Ractopamine and Swine

Contact: Chris Rademacher, Extension Swine Veterinarian, 515-294-8792, cjrdvm@iastate.edu

Several United States meat processors have recently announced their intention to process only pigs that are free of ractopamine. This has led to many questions about what it means to sell “ractopamine-free pigs.”

Locke Karriker, professor with the Department of Veterinary Diagnostic and Production Animal Medicine at Iowa State, and Chris Rademacher, clinical professor and extension swine veterinar-ian at Iowa State, have developed a frequently asked questions document to help answer those questions.

The article “Ractopamine Free Pork and Implications for Use in Growing Pigs: Frequently Asked Questions” (https://www.ipic.iastate.edu/information/RactopamineFAQ2020.pdf)offers a summary of the relevant scientific data about rac-topamine, and includes producer experiences and anecdotal information to guide producers adjusting to the new re-quirements. This document is intended for pork producers, swine exhibition participants, feed manufacturers and vet-erinarians. It will be updated as new questions arise.

Also, a new document from Jodi Sterle, associate professor in the Department of Animal Science at Iowa State, incor-porates available information into the decision-making process for management of market hog exhibitions, fairs and shows, by providing options for consideration.

The article “Ractopamine (PayleanTM) Use in Show Pigs: Show Management Considerations for 2020” (https://www.ipic.iastate.edu/information/RactopaminePigShowConsiderations2020.pdf) offers information, options and expla-nations for organizers, exhibitors and others associated with swine shows. It cautions readers that every situation is unique, and each show, fair and exhibition must make the decision that works for their specific circumstance.

Ractopamine is an FDA-approved feed additive used to produce leaner pork. For more information, visit the Iowa Pork Industry Center online (https://www.ipic.iastate.edu/).

Slippage in the Markets Contact: Chad E. Hart, Extension Economist, 515-294-9911, chart@iastate.edu

There’s that old saying, "May you live in interesting times." There is no doubt that we do. The agricultural markets have been buffeted by a string of announcements and events within the first month of the year. We have seen

positive news on the trade front, with the signings of the USMCA and US-China Phase 1 agreements. The an-nouncement of the outbreak and spread of the coronavirus has significantly negatively impacted a number of markets, including agricultural ones. But while the general trend in crop pricing for the first month of 2020 has been lower, the markets are still providing signs that 2020 could be a better year for crop prices than the previ-ous several years have been.

Crop prices have worked their way down since the start of the year. Corn has given up 10-15 cents per bushel, while soy-bean has lost roughly 50 cents. Some of these losses are profit-taking following the trade agreement announcements, a "buy the rumor, sell the fact" story. Crop prices had risen by roughly the same amounts in December, boosted by the progress in the US-China trade talks (which led to the Phase 1 deal) and the legislative action on USMCA. Thus, when both deals were signed by President Donald Trump last month, they were positive news stories for agricultural demand, but prices reacted negatively with the market reaction with the pricing moves in the middle of January, in the days just after the signing of the Phase 1 deal. Soybean prices declined by 15 cents, while corn lost 10 cents. While corn was able to recapture some of that loss in the week after the initial reaction, soybean prices continued to slide.

The latter part of January was dominated by the discussion surrounding the coronavirus and the possible impacts of the out-break on both the Chinese and global economies. With the Chinese government implementing a quarantine around Wuhan and limiting travel within the country, it is expected that China’s economic output will decline. As various countries and industries move to reduce possible transmission pathways (see, for example, British Airways cancelation of flights to and from China), global economic output is likely to decline as well. Those concerns manifested themselves in a slew of markets, from energy and agriculture to stocks and bonds. The coronavirus outbreak has also been added to the list of reasons for skepticism on the Phase 1 trade deal. Combined with the African Swine Fever (ASF) outbreak, China is dealing with significant health challenges for its human and livestock populations. While the ultimate impact of the coronavirus on Chinese agricultural demand is un-known, the impact of African Swine Fever is much easier to predict. The loss of hogs in China is dramatic and has and will continue to curtail the need for soybean. While China has re-emerged as our top soybean export market, soybean sales are still below pre-trade war levels. ASF has diminished China’s need for soybean as livestock feed, but has increased China’s need for meat, especial-ly pork, and other protein sources to offset the swine losses.

Calving Season: Are You Ready? Contact: Grant Dewell, Extension Beef Veterinarian, gdewell@iastate.edu

With the onset of calving it is vital that you are prepared and ready to deal with any surprises that may come your way. Facilities should be clean and in good working order. Have all the supplies you need such as a flash-light, OB lube, calf chains, etc. on hand, as well as plenty of bedding. Observe cows regularly and provide assistance in a timely manner to ensure calves have the best chance of survival. A good rule of thumb is to assist females that have been in active labor for 30-60 minutes without pro-gress to minimize calf death loss. Contact your veterinarian if you have difficulty pulling calf and are not making progress in 15-30 minutes. Most calving problems can be solved with lots of lubrication, patience and the correct application of traction. The single most important factor for healthy calves once the calf has been born is ade-

quate intake of colostrum within 6 hours. All dystocia calves should be supplemented with colostrum milked from the dam while the cow or heifer is still restrained. Good sanitation and management of pairs will help to further reduce the impact of calf diar-rhea. For more details on observing for dystocia, correcting specific dystocia problems, managing neonatal calves and nutritional re-quirements of cows. refer to the Iowa Beef Center’s online Calving Management Manual (http://www.iowabeefcenter.org/calvingmanagement.html)

Read more (https://www.extension.iastate.edu/agdm/articles/hart/hartFeb20.html)

Contact: Integrated Crop Management Newsletter

While seasonal weather can be the difference between a good and a bad harvest, it is the soil that moderates the long-term productivity of a field. The inherent properties of soils are vital to know when it comes to management practices on any agricul-tural landscape. The state of Iowa has the agricultural economy that it does largely because of its soils. Iowa relies on soil for so many different things, the list can be overwhelming at times and includes crop production, water management, and land valuation. Iowa State University researchers are working to update Iowa’s soil survey, which was completed about 30 years ago, with small tweaks since then. Those original maps were produced by the Cooperative Soil Survey, which was a partner-ship between Iowa State University and the United States Department of Agriculture’s Natural Resources Conservation Ser-vice. The maps were compiled county by county and each took about four years to complete. The existing soil maps were meant to give a general idea of the soil resources, but as we get into precision agriculture, a lot of farmers—because they don’t have a better resource—are using these maps to decide on their management zones within the field, even though the creators of these maps never intended them for that. Read more (https://crops.extension.iastate.edu/cropnews/2020/02/algorithms-used-

update-state-soil-survey)

Algorithms Used to Update State Soil Survey

In accordance with Federal law and U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) civil rights regulations and policies, this institution is prohibited from discriminating on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, age, disability, and reprisal or retaliation for prior civil rights activity. (Not all prohibited bases apply to all programs.)

Contact: Charles Schwab, Ag &

Biosystems Engineering, 515-294-4131,

cvschwab@iastate.edu and Dirk Maier,

Iowa Grain Quality Initiative, 515-294-

0140, dmaier@iastate.edu

Safe choices can prevent grain entrapments, avoid suffocation, and improve grain quality

Following the wet and late harvest of 2019, several Midwest states are on the edge of a dangerous cliff when it comes to emptying their grain bins. Conditions are aligning to create the potential for tragic accidents and grain suffocation deaths to occur when grain bins start to be emptied.

It is common knowledge that quality harvested grain placed in storage, coupled with a best management practice of caring for grain, yields quality grain leaving storage for market. Inversely, either poor quality

grain being placed in storage or poor management practices for caring for grain leads to spoiled grain leaving storage.

Getting spoiled grain out of storage always poses an increased safety risk

for entrapment and suffocation to a farm operator and worker. There are years of documentation that illustrate the direct connection from spoiled grain leaving storage to a tragic grain entrapment and the resulting fatality.

“Grain’s tremendous force that holds victims in grain, and the speed that entrapment occurs are often misunderstood,” said Charles Schwab, professor of agricultural and biosystems engineering with Iowa State University Extension and Outreach.

Schwab says it’s important to shift attention once the operator determines that unloading the grain is becoming difficult. The priority of “getting the grain out” should switch to “keeping everyone involved safe.”

However, there is still time and a strong likelihood of acceptable weather to alter the grain storage conditions, before leading to more problematic conditions that put people at risk of entrapment and loss of life.

Dirk Maier, professor in agricultural and biosystems engineering at Iowa State, said that evaluating CO2 concentrations can be effective in monitoring stored

grain quality and early detection of grain spoilage. A hand-held CO2 sensor, available from several retailers, can be used at exhaust vents or access ports for measuring concentrations.

“CO2 concentrations around 450-600 parts per million (ppm) are a safe range to continue storage, 600-1,500 ppm indicates onset of mold or moisture infiltration, and 1,500-4,000 ppm is a severe condition,” Maier said.

These measurements can assist farmers in identifying grain bins that need immediate attention.

Maier offers the management tip that when you locate a grain bin with a CO2 concentration range above 600 ppm and increasing from week to week, use the proper weather conditions and aeration fans to bring the condition back into acceptable range.

Additional Resources: Aeration Module. https://store.extension.iastate.edu/product/14569

Iowa Grain Quality Initiative. https://www.extension.iastate.edu/grain/

Make Safety Your First Priority When Emptying Grain Bins

Upcoming Events

Mar 4 — Ornamental & Turf CIC, 9 am, Extension Office

Mar 11 — Certified Handlers CIC, 9 am, Extension Office

Mar 15 — 4-H Omelet Brunch Fundraiser, 9 am—1 pm, Dance Pavilion, Fairgrounds

Mar 17— WIA—Agronomy in the Field, 6-7:30 pm, Extension Office

Mar 17 — Extension Council, 7:30 pm, Extension Office

Yard and Garden: Start Seeds with the Right Supplies Contact: Richard Jauron, Extension Horticulturist, 515-294-3108, rjauron@iastate.edu

Many gardeners like to get a head start on the gardening season by starting flower and vegetable seedlings indoors. Successfully growing seedlings indoors requires high quality seeds, a germination medium, containers, lights and other supplies, note horticulture specialists with Iowa State University Extension and Outreach.

What should I consider?

When germinating seeds, the medium should be lightweight, porous and free of pathogens. Excellent seed-starting media are commercially prepared soilless mixes, like Jiffy Mix.

There are plenty of container options that can be used to start transplants. Gardeners can purchase flats, trays, pots, compressed peat or coir pellets and other products. Previously used flats, trays and pots should be cleaned and disinfected before use. Wash previously used containers in soapy water, then disinfect them in a solution of one-part chlorine bleach and nine-parts water. Cut-off milk car-tons, plastic jugs, paper cups, plastic food boxes and other containers can also be used to start seeds. Holes should be punched in the bottom of milk cartons, jugs, paper cups and similar contain-ers to allow for drainage.

Most flower and vegetable seeds germinate best when the temperature of the germination medium is 70-75 degrees Fahrenheit. Placing containers in a warm location in the house, such as near a heat register, usually works fine. In cool environments, electric heat mats can be used to ensure medium-warm temperatures.

While seedlings can be grown in a sunny window, they often become tall and spindly because of insufficient light. For best results, grow seedlings under fluorescent lights. Expensive “grow lights” are not necessary. A standard fluorescent fixture with two 32- or 40-watt tubes works fine. The fluores-cent lights should be positioned no more than 4-6 inches above the seedlings. Keep the lights on for 12-16 hours each day. Starting Garden Transplants at Home Brochure (https://store.extension.iastate.edu/product/4183)