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Tour Highlights Benefits of Calving Under Roof
By: Bethany Pint, Iowa Farm Bureau Posted with permission of the Iowa Farm Bureau Spokesman Calving under roof instead of outside on a dirt lot is a whole lot better for Justin Graves and his livestock. The Grundy County Farm Bureau member hosted more than 250 farmers on his Grundy Center farm last week as...
Read MoreHansen Family to Receive February Wergin Good Farm Neighbor Award
West Des Moines, Iowa – February 11, 2013 – The Coalition to Support Iowa’s Farmers (CSIF) commends the Jay and Jeanne Hansen family of Black Hawk County for their outstanding efforts as neighbors and community leaders. Iowa Deputy Secretary of Agriculture Jay Johnson will present the award to the Hansen family on Thursday, Feb. 14 at...
Read MoreCSIF Bus Tour to Focus on Calving Under Roof
Industry experts share insight into calving, cattle health and rules and regulations WEST DES MOINES, IOWA – February 4, 2013 – The Coalition to Support Iowa’s Farmers (CSIF) is hosting a “Calving Under Roof Facility Tour” to provide livestock farmers an opportunity to see existing calving barns, provide an update on cattle confinement rules and regulations...
Read MoreCSIF Tips of the Month – February 2013
Rules and Regs Highlight: DNR to Inspect ALL Medium and Large CAFOs Over the next 6 years, the Iowa DNR will be inspecting all medium and large concentrated animal feeding operations (CAFOs) in the state. These inspections are being required by EPA who, after being sued by environmental groups, has required DNR to make a...
Read MoreGuidelines for Selecting Trees
Source: Iowa State University Extension and Outreach, RG 702 Revised February 2013; Prepared by Jeff Iles, extension horticulturist To read more, visit http://bit.ly/11Q39kd Selecting a single “good tree” for your yard or several hundred for your community will be more rewarding if you take time to critically evaluate the proposed planting site and the reasons...
Read MoreGuest Blog: Tree Planning from a Farmer’s Perspective
By: Katie Olthoff, On the Banks of Squaw Creek Last week, we braved the cold and stood outside planning some tree plantings around our turkey barns. We’ve talked about doing this for awhile, especially since two of our barns on along a well-traveled state highway. But we weren’t sure exactly what to plant or where....
Read MoreWindbreaks for Livestock Operations
Source: University of Nebraska Cooperative Extension EC 94-1766-X By: Vernon Quam and LaDon Johnson, North Dakota State University; Bruce Wight, Soil Conservation Service; and James R Brandle, University of Nebraska To read the full article: http://bit.ly/ZPCmn5. Windbreaks play an important role in the protection of livestock, particularly in young animals and in areas with cold...
Read MoreMedium-Sized Livestock Farms Under Scrutiny
During the last month, there have been rumors about EPA focusing on medium-sized livestock farms and forcing them to get costly permits. Before you panic, remember the Coalition to Support Iowa’s Farmers is here to help. Neither EPA nor DNR can force a farm to get a National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permit unless...
Read MoreFarm Credit Services of America Invests in the Coalition
DES MOINES, Iowa – January 3, 2013 – 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 assist CSIF...
Read MoreCSIF Tips of the Month – January 2013
Rules & Regs Highlight: Keep Your Farm in Compliance This Winter Is your winter feeding area in compliance? Areas where cattle are wintered on corn stalks or other crop residue are on environmental regulators’ radar. EPA and DNR officials have indicated over the next few months they will be looking closely at these areas. In...
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