Floyd River water quality field day set for July 18 in Sioux County

Jul 16, 2014

Northwest Iowa pork producers interested in learning more about the Clean Water Iowa program and the Iowa Nutrient Reduction Strategy are encouraged to attend a special field day event this Friday, July 18, near Maurice in Sioux County.

The event will be held at the Farmers Coop Society demonstration plot and will showcase the different ways that farming practices can be advanced economically and agronomically, while preparing for the future of agriculture.

The plot was intentionally set-up within the western branch of the Floyd River Watershed, which has been targeted for testing and education to advance the Iowa Nutrient Reduction Strategy. It is part of the Clean Water Iowa program and was selected in partnership with the NRCS, the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship, Iowa State University Extension, Dordt College, Dow and Farm Bureau.

The field day will feature several live equipment demonstrations, eight interactive learning sessions on the latest technology and practices presented by various ag experts and a keynote address by Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Bill Northey.

The live equipment demos may include:

3 different types of anhydrous application equipment, including standard and reduced disturbance
3 different types of manure application equipment, including standard and reduced disturbance
Strip till
No-till planting
RTK land leveling
Turbo till
Hagie Y-Drop

You also can attend any four of these eight breakout learning sessions:

Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) Potential for Nitrogen Management: Exciting new technology to help improve in-season nitrogen management. Presented by the Northwest Iowa Experimental Association in conjunction with Dordt College
Cover Crop Use and Establishment: Discussion of various cover crop options, how to establish and manage, and the overall value of cover crops. Presented by LaCrosse Forage and FCS
The Value of Waterways: The economics of a waterway and planning, establishing and maintaining a waterway. Presented by IDALS, NRCS and ISU Extension
Tools for More Effective Nutrient Applications: New and old product choices, application methods, along with incorporating technology to enhance fertilizer and manure applications. Presented by FCS
Overcoming Weed Control Issues in Reduced or No-Till Situations: Management tips and techniques on effective reduced tillage weed control. Presented by FCS
Farmer Perspectives: A panel of farmers will explain how they have implemented changes in their operations for improved yields and return on investment.
Nitrogen Rate Recommendation, Timing and Application Options: New tools such as Climate PRO, Adapt N, N-Dex, Satellite Imagery, OptRx Sensors and others. Presented by FCS
The Real Cost of Soil Erosion: Exploring how soil loss can have both short- and long-term impact on a field. Presented by ISU Extension

The Iowa Pork Producers Association supports the Clean Water Iowa program and the Iowa Nutrient Reduction Strategy and is a partner in the Floyd River Watershed project. IPPA contributed Checkoff funds toward the demonstration project.

The field day will begin with registration at 8:30 a.m. and the live demonstrations will start promptly at 9:02 a.m. The demonstration plot is 1 ¾ miles east of Maurice on the 470th Street blacktop.

Source: Iowa Pork Producers Association

Video: U.S. Swine Health Improvement Plan | Made by Producers for Producers

Join Jill Brokaw, a third-generation pig farmer and staff member of the National Pork Board, as she dives into the vital role of the US Swine Health Improvement Plan, also known as US SHIP. The program establishes a national playbook of standards for monitoring African swine fever and classical swine fever.

Why Should Pork Producers Care? If a disease breaks out, officials will establish a control area to help contain the disease. This plan is designed to mitigate risk and demonstrate freedom of disease at the site level. The goal is to support business continuity outside of the control area in case of an outbreak.

How Will the Pork Industry Use US SHIP? US SHIP uses already existing programs to support the standards for biosecurity, traceability and disease surveillance.

Biosecurity: This plan uses your completed Secure Pork Supply plan to demonstrate compliance with the biosecurity program standards and shows your ability to reduce the risk of disease introduction.

Traceability: AgView can be used to demonstrate compliance with the traceability standards and the ability to electronically provide State and Federal agencies the traceability information they need to determine where disease is and isn’t.

Disease Surveillance: The Certified Swine Sampler Collector Program helps expand the number of people certified to take samples. In the event of a large-scale foreign animal disease outbreak, we will need a trained group of sample collectors to help animal health officials find where the disease is present. This is to help you demonstrate freedom of disease and support the permitted movement of animals.

Getting Started with US SHIP:

1. Enroll in U.S. Swine Health Improvement Plan

2. Share 30 days of movement data

3. Have a completed Secure Pork Supply Plan

4. Become U.S. SHIP certified

5. Maintain communication with your state

Takeaway: U.S. Swine Health Improvement Plan helps safeguard animal health. Together, we're creating a sustainable future for pork production in the United States and taking steps to strengthen the business of U.S. pork producers everywhere