Iowa Farm Environmental Leader Award Nomination Deadline Extended

May 02, 2024

The deadline to nominate Iowa farmers and Iowa farm families for the Iowa Farm Environmental Leader Award has been extended from Monday, May 6 to Monday, May 20.

Iowa farmers and landowners who implement proven practices to improve water quality and incorporate farming practices that conserve and protect our natural resources are eligible for the award. Awardees must also actively serve as leaders within the Iowa agriculture community. Since the creation of the award in 2012, 777 farm families have been recognized.

The nomination form can be found on the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship’s website. An appointed committee representing conservation and agricultural groups will review the nominations and select the winners. To be considered for recognition in 2024, nominations will be accepted through Monday, May 20.

The recipients of the award will be honored during a ceremony on Wednesday, August 14, 2024, at the Iowa State Fair. Governor Kim Reynolds, Lieutenant Governor Adam Gregg, Secretary of Agriculture Mike Naig and Department of Natural Resources Director Kayla Lyon will present each awardee with an Iowa Farm Environmental Leader Award sign and certificate.

Source : iowaagriculture.gov

Video: Not only is corn getting sweatier, it's getting smarter

Over the past several weeks, much of the U.S. Midwest has experienced prolonged episodes of extreme heat, a trend also observed in other major corn-producing regions of North America such as eastern South Dakota, southern Ontario, and parts of Kansas and Missouri. These high-temperature events can place significant physiological stress on maize (Zea mays L.), which is cultivated on approximately 90 million acres across the United States, with leading production in Iowa, Illinois, Nebraska, and Minnesota. Like all maize, Bayer’s PRECEON™ Smart Corn System is subject to transpiration-driven water loss under high heat. However, this system incorporates agronomic traits designed to improve standability through enhanced stalk strength, thereby reducing lodging risk during stress conditions. Furthermore, the system supports precision agriculture practices by enabling more targeted fertilizer and crop protection applications. This approach not only helps to optimize input efficiency but also contributes to maintaining or increasing yield potential under variable environmental stresses such as heat waves, which are becoming more frequent in corn belt and fringe production regions.