Extension Communications
3614 Administrative Services Building
Ames, Iowa 50011-3614
(515) 294-9915
8/28/00
To: Farm Media
From:
John Creswell, Extension Nutrient Management Education
Project coordinator, (515) 727-0656, creswell@iastate.edu
and Elaine Edwards, Extension Communications Specialist,
(515) 294-5168, eedwards@iastate.edu
Best Management Practices Press Briefing Sept. 11
Information on an Iowa State University Extension project for Best Management Practices in the fall application of anhydrous ammonia will be presented at a press briefing on Monday, Sept. 11 beginning at 9:30 a.m. It will be held in 275 Scheman at Iowa State University.
ISU is developing a Web page featuring a soil temperature map for each county and the statistical probability of temperatures over a period of time. The goal of this World Wide Web project is for producers, agricultural businesses and fertilizer dealers to apply anhydrous ammonia when soil temperatures are 50 degrees F. and trending lower.
The World Wide Web site would use soil temperature data from weather stations around Iowa. The observed soil temperature data will be placed on the World Wide Web and used with air temperature readings to compute soil temperatures for counties without actual observations.
The agenda and speakers will be:
Gerald Miller, associate dean in the College of Agriculture. Miller will present an overview of the project and make introductions.
John Sawyer, associate professor and extension soil fertility specialist. Sawyer will discuss why there is a concern and agronomic issues related to fall N application.
Elwynn Taylor, professor of agronomy and extension climatologist. Taylor will demonstrate the program and how to find it on the World Wide Web.
Ed Beaman, executive director, Agribusiness Association of Iowa. Beaman will discuss the policy position that the Agribusiness Association of Iowa has taken on fall application of NH3.
Jim Gulliford, director, Division of Soil Conservation, Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship. Gulliford will discuss how this tool fits into input management aspects of Iowa's water initiative.
Lyle Asell, interim director, Iowa Department of Natural Resource. Asell will discuss how this new program helps address Iowa's water quality issues.
Extension programs are available to all without regard to race, color, national origin, religion, sex, age, or disability.