Joel DeJong,
crops field specialist
Situation
Making timely management decisions based on research during the growing season
is difficult for crop producers. Extension Specialists do not have the time
and numbers to make individual contacts directly with producers when a problem
arises. Many producers rely on local agronomists for input in these management
decisions. How do we get good research replicated decision-making information
into the hands of producers when there are not many Extension Crop Specialists
in Iowa?
Response
The "Crop Update" newsletter was first distributed 7 years ago. This
newsletter was originally designed and targeted to agronomists, but as they
shared it with producers, the demand became more widespread. "Crop Update"
is sent mostly by e-mail (it was originally a FAX version newsletter), with
just a few receiving it by fax at this time. The newsletter is sent almost weekly
during the crop-growing season, and about monthly in the winter months. Topics
include what is being observed in northwest Iowa and surrounding areas, what
problems to be scouting for at any point in time, and information on what threshold
levels need to be used when considering a pesticide treatment. At this point
in time, 390 people are receiving the "Crop Update" newsletter - with
a survey indicating that this newsletter is forwarded to at least another 140
readers. Approximately one-third are agronomists/seed dealers, etc.; the rest
are crop producers. Most are located in northwest Iowa, a few are regional agronomists
- some managing agronomists from multiple states.
Impact
A survey was included as a part of the last issue in 2003. Forty-two readers
responded to the survey. Of the respondents, 39 indicated on their survey that
they made better agronomic or pest management decisions (or recommendations)
because of information supplied by this newsletter. Examples include insect
management pests -specifically soybean aphids, rootworms, western bean cutworms,
potato leafhoppers, stored grain pests, and others. Soil fertility, tillage,
planter settings and general management hints were other items mentioned.
Some lenders replied that the newsletter kept them up to date on what was happening
in the crop production area - one said he tells his borrowers to follow the
advice given in the newsletter. A producer noted that over the years this newsletter
has added 5 - 10 bushels per year to his soybean yields - and probably more
for corn. Some indicated pests they did not treat because of threshold numbers
- others noted what they did treat because thresholds were exceeded. Several
agronomists noted that this was very valuable in helping them make recommendations
to their clients. One agronomist said that parts of this newsletter were shared
with agronomists in her company - and used on over one million acres.
One question on the survey asked what effect these changes, made because of
information gleaned from this newsletter, had on their operation (or their customer's
operations because of agronomist recommendations using this information) in
dollars per acre, and on how many acres. The 17 respondents who fully answered
this question had answers that ranged from $3/acre to $56/acre, and from 50
acres to 15,000 acres impacted. When multiplying each answer together and adding
them up, the total of these 17 responses was $467,520. In addition, three more
mentioned a dollar value per acre, but did not list acres. Others noted acres
impacted - but did indicate the dollar value per acre (although one noted it
was "significant"). And two more just noted that this information
was used on thousands of acres.
It seems that timely use of e-mail aids in the rapid distribution of research-based
decision-making information. This newsletter will continue, because it has great
impact on decision-making in northwest Iowa.
Page last updated:
July 9, 2006
Page maintained by Linda Schultz, lschultz@iastate.edu
