Agri News, MN
05-09-06
Iowa news and notes
Information on environmental rules offered
WAVERLY, Iowa -- The Iowa Pork Producers Association is planning a series of
environmental quality and regulations meetings around the state in June.
Speakers will include IPPA legal counsel Eldon McAfee; Steve Hoff, from Iowa
State University's ag and biosystem engineering department; and Steve
Brinkman, nutrient management specialist with the Iowa NRCS. Meetings are
planned from 7 p.m.-9 p.m. June 12 at the Public Library in Waverly; 1 p.m. to 3
p.m. June 14 at the Foster Community Center in Rock Rapids; 7 p.m. to 9 p.m.
June 14 at the AEA Building in Storm Lake; and 7 p.m.to 9 p.m. June 15 at
Ellsworth Community College in Iowa Falls.
Top Deck Holsteins to host open house
WESTGATE, Iowa -- Top Deck Holsteins at Westgate installed a 700-cow
manure digester in 2001 to generate electricity, to reduce manure storage odor,
to save on their dairy center's heating costs and save on bedding costs.
It is the only manure digester working in Iowa. The project had three partners
Alliant Energy, Iowa DNR and Top Deck Holsteins Farm.
An open house at Top Deck Holstein Farm will be 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. June 13.
The new generating and manure separator equipment people, Alliant Energy
personnel, ISU Extension personnel and the Top Deck Holstein owners will be
on hand to present the data collected, showcase the equipment installed and
discuss how the operation has been working.
The farm is located on Highway C33 two miles west of Westgate or 8 miles west
of Maynard.
Joint effort aims to promote ag research
AMES, Iowa -- Addressing opportunities and challenges facing agriculture while
stimulating on-farm research is the goal of a new collaborative program involving
Iowa State University's College of Agriculture and Extension Sustainable
Agriculture Program and Practical Farmers of Iowa.
Ten projects were chosen from 18 proposals for the 2006 ISU On-Farm
Research and Demonstration grant program. One-time grants up to $5,000 each
will be awarded annually in the three-year program. The $50,000 annual funding
comes from the College of Agriculture. Data will be collected with yield monitors
or weigh wagons. Stand counts will be done after emergence and shortly before
harvest. Producers involved in the project are Brian Kemp, Sibley; Russell Glade,
Sibley; Rodney Mogler, Alvord; Steve Abma, Rock Valley; and Nate Ronsiek,
Hawarden.
ISU crops team does well in national contest
AMES, Iowa -- The Iowa State University crops team placed third at the North
American Colleges and Teachers of Agriculture crops contest held recently in
Macomb, Ill.
The team of agronomy undergraduates placed first in the lab practical portion of
the contest and third in math, plant and seed identification and agronomic
knowledge. The crops contest consists of a series of written, problem-solving and
identification exams.
Landon Ries of Ringstead placed first in the overall individual competition. He
was first in agronomic knowledge and lab practical and third in agriculture math.
Jeff Chalstrom of Webb placed sixth overall and was third in lab practical. Other
team members were Jared Uhlman, Adair; Wade Kent, Algona; Raechel
Baumgartner Ries, Ponce, Puerto Rico; Kellie Tholen, Tipton; Jesse Stayner,
Prairie City; and Michael Schrum, Grand Junction.
Lance Gibson, associate professor of agronomy, coaches the team. It is
sponsored by the Iowa Crop Improvement Association.