One of the biggest yield threats for Iowa corn continues to be corn rootworm. Northern and western corn rootworm are persistent pests in continuous cornfields and can potentially impact the profitability of every farm in Iowa. Read more about Corn Rootworm Education Helps Iowans Identify and Manage this Costly Pest
With 184 licensed goat dairies and approximately 30,000 head of dairy goats throughout the state, Iowa’s dairy goat industry represents an important part of the agricultural economy. However, herd management issues such as caprine arthritis encephalitis (CAE), mastitis and udder inflammation can result in a loss of saleable milk, impacting profits as well as goat health. Read more about Dairy Goat Seminars Improve Herd Management and Marketing Practices
Iowa is the No. 1 pork producing state in the nation and its 50 million hogs create about 165,000 jobs and generate $11.7 billion in economic activity each year. One of the most important production factors keeping this industry viable is properly ventilated swine buildings. Read more about Ventilation Workshops Lead to Improved Swine Facilities
Three years of drought conditions have taken a significant toll on plant health and growth in northwestern Iowa. Since July 2020 to the present, this part of the state has battled dry pastures, while also dealing with rising costs for supplemental feed, like corn, hay and creep. Read more about Extension aids Producers Dealing with Drought Recovery in Northwestern Iowa
Recognizing the challenges and opportunities faced by Iowa’s cow-calf beef producers, a group of educators including the Iowa Beef Center, Iowa State University Department of Animal Science and the Beef Teaching Farm partnered to offer the first annual Fencing and Grazing Clinic in 2021. Read more about Fencing and Grazing Clinic enhances Iowa Cattle Producers’ Management Skills
Many farmers and landowners seek to preserve and improve soil health. A 2022 survey by the Soil Health Institute and Farm Journal’s Trust in Food showed that 66% of farmers were interested in the impact that their farm management practices had on soil health, and 62% were specifically interested in the effects of fertilizers, manures, pesticides and biological amendments. Read more about Iowa Soil Health Workshop Increases the Adoption Rate of Soil Health Practices
In the 2021 growing season alone, field agronomist Michael Witt received multiple inquiries from people who wanted to know what they could do to improve and maximize the use of their pastures. Concerns included the drought, poor grass growth, reseeding options and potential species, weed control and grass health issues. Read more about Equine Pasture Management Leads to Owner Satisfaction
This annual program provides beef cattle practitioners with veterinary continuing education credits that they can use to be more successful in their practice and to more effectively educate their clients. The Update for Veterinarians program is offered each summer at the McNay Memorial Research and Demonstration Farm, using a curriculum approved by the Iowa Board of Veterinary Medicine. Read more about ‘Update for Veterinarians’ Increases Participant Knowledge of Cattle Reproduction and Pinkeye Vaccine Efficacy
As the farm crisis of the 1980s intensified, Iowa State University Extension and Outreach was looking for a way to better understand the situation farmers found themselves in. From that search for information the Iowa Farm and Rural Life Poll was born in 1982. Video Length 4:39 Read more about Iowa Farm and Rural Life Poll
Iowa is home to abundant natural resources. And since 97 percent of the land in Iowa is privately owned, Iowa State University Extension and Outreach is working with landowners to manage the natural resources on their land for sustainability, profit and for improved quality of life. Video length: 4:41 Read more about Protecting Natural Resources
