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Sink or Swim: Managing the Financial Risks of the Aquaculture Industry
For anyone entering a new industry like Iowa aquaculture, the opportunities are great, but it’s vital to ask some key questions first. “Do your homework,” said Allen Patten, a vice president with Farm Credit Services of America, who spoke at the 2014 Iowa Aquaculture Conference. “If you can answer these key questions, you’ll probably be...
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FCS America Supports Farmers through Investment in CSIF
WEST DES MOINES, Iowa – January 8, 2015 – Farm Credit Services of America, (FCSAmerica) a company dedicated to serving the agricultural credit and financial needs of farmers and ranchers, reaffirmed its support of Iowa agriculture through an investment in the non-profit Coalition to Support Iowa’s Farmers (CSIF). The financial commitment made by FCSAmerica will...
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Conference to Feature Experts to Help Livestock Farmers Grow Responsibly
Livestock experts share innovative ways to mitigate risk on the farm WEST DES MOINES, IOWA – January 6, 2015 – The Coalition to Support Iowa’s Farmers (CSIF) is hosting its tenth annual Farming for the Future Conference January 23 from 10:00 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. at the Quality Inn and Suites in Ames. This year’s...
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Aquaculture 101: What Every Producer Needs to Know
Feel like the waters for aquaculture farming in Iowa are uncharted? Iowa State University Extension aquaculture experts offer a wealth of tips to help you get your aquaculture business off to a good start. “There are some standard operating procedures (SOPs) to follow to help your operation succeed,” said Allen Pattillo, an Iowa State University...
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CSIF Tips of the Month – January 2015
Rules and Regulations Highlight Manure Applicator Certification: What You Need To Know State law requires all commercial manure applicators and confinement site manure applicators (specifically those with over 500 animal units in confinement) to attend annual training to handle, transport or land-apply manure. Commercial Manure Applicators To become certified as a commercial manure applicator, there are...
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Concerned to Confident: The Leichty Family
Henry County, located in rural southeast Iowa, has an economy largely powered by agriculture. Just over twenty percent of the jobs in the county are related to agriculture, and over half of those are in the livestock industry. The area is well known for its turkey production. Ben Leichty is one of the area’s turkey...
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Lessons from the Tank: Iowa Producers Share an Insider’s Look at Aquaculture
When Mark Nelson looked at his old, empty sow unit a few years ago, he began brainstorming creative ways to put it back into production and add a new profit center to his Hamilton County farm. He and his cousin, Jeff Nelson, decided to explore aquaculture after talking to a feed system vendor who was...
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Assessing Iowa Aquaculture’s Opportunities and Challenges
The opportunity to diversify and create a new income stream is hooking farmers on aquaculture. Global demand for seafood is growing, even at a time when U.S. seafood consumption is declining, noted Chris Weeks, a regional aquaculture specialist with the North Central Regional Aquaculture Center and Michigan State University. While the world aquaculture market totaled...
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CSIF Tips of the Month – December 2014
Rules and Regulations Highlight Precautions Needed with Manure Application Even though the cold temperatures arrived early this year, it is still possible to apply manure with a few precautions and common sense. The rules restricting application on snow-covered ground (defined as soil having one inch or more of snow cover or one-half inch or more...
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New Study Shows Iowa Agriculture Even Stronger Driver of State Economy
WEST DES MOINES, Iowa – December 1, 2014 – Iowa’s 88,637 family farms continue to be a key driver of Iowa’s economy, contributing six percent more to the state economy than in 2007, according to a new study commissioned by the Coalition to Support Iowa’s Farmers (CSIF). The study shows that more than 33 percent...
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