AMES, Iowa — Iowa Learning Farms, Iowa State University Extension and Outreach, Warren County Soil and Water Conservation District and USDA-Natural Resource Conservation Service will host a cover crop field day on Tuesday, March 17 from 12:30-2:30 p.m. in Agri-Tech Aviation’s airplane hangar near Indianola. The event is free, open to the whole family and includes a complimentary meal.
Cover crops continue to grow in popularity in Iowa due to their many benefits, reduced soil erosion, weed suppression potential, reduced nitrogen and phosphorus loads entering water bodies, and increased soil organic matter. Fall 2019 was another difficult harvest season, with the priority on getting the crop in the field there was limited time to complete fall tillage. Cover crops and no-tillage work together to help increase water infiltration and reduce erosion during the heavy rain events. This field day aims to equip attendees with a good termination plan and best management practices to maintain yields during the transition to a higher residue system of no-tillage and cover crops.
The workshop agenda will include Joe Dunn, Warren County farmer, sharing his experiences with cover crops and tips for successfully adding them to your operation. Meaghan Anderson, Iowa State Extension Agronomist, will provide cover crop termination considerations and best management practices. Julie McMichael, NRCS Area Resource Soil Scientist, will discuss how cover crops and no-tillage work together to improve soil health for long-term profitability. Mark Gutierrez, deputy director for USDA’s Risk Management Agency, will highlight how cover crops and crop insurance can work together to benefit the entire farm enterprise. An optional tour of the airplanes and hangar will be available following the program.
The field day will be held at Agri-Tech Aviation, 12871 Geneva St, Indianola. The event is free and open to the whole family, but reservations are suggested to ensure adequate space and food. For reasonable accommodations and to RSVP please contact to Liz Ripley at 515-294-5429 or ilf@iastate.edu.
Iowa Learning Farms field days and workshops are supported by the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service. For more information about Iowa Learning Farms, visit www.iowalearningfarms.org.
Established in 2004, Iowa Learning Farms is building a Culture of Conservation by encouraging adoption of conservation practices. Farmers, researchers and ILF team members are working together to identify and implement the best management practices that improve water quality and soil health while remaining profitable. Partners of Iowa Learning Farms include the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship, Iowa State University Extension and Outreach, Leopold Center for Sustainable Agriculture, Iowa Natural Resources Conservation Service, Iowa Department of Natural Resources (USEPA section 319) and GROWMARK, Inc.
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— Iowa Learning Farms
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