Agriculture

   Proposed changes to the Federal Milk Marketing Order will be the focus of an Oct. 16 webinar with the dairy team from Iowa State University Extension and Outreach.

   The webinar will run from noon to 1 p.m. and will cover what some are calling the most important changes in two decades, potentially affecting milk prices and dairy farm profitability for years.

   Dairy farmers and their cooperatives will vote on whether to accept the proposed changes once they are finalized in November.

   The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is announcing the launch of the Distressed Borrowers Assistance Network, an initiative designed to provide personalized support to financially distressed farmers and ranchers across the nation.

   Through a series of Cooperative Agreements, this national network will connect distressed borrowers with individualized assistance to help them stabilize and regain financial footing. USDA’s Farm Service Agency (FSA) made this announcement in late September at the Farm Aid Festival in Saratoga Springs, N.Y.

   With the busy harvest season commencing across the state, Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Mike Naig is urging Iowans to keep safety top of mind in the field, around the farm and on the road.

   Fall is a great time to plan for seasonal ventilation maintenance and manure pit pump-out.

   Brett Ramirez, an agriculture and biosystems engineer with Iowa State University Extension and Outreach, says taking time now will help ensure these critical steps are completed before cold weather arrives.

   “It’s critical to get barns ready for winter to help reduce heating costs and provide a good environment for the pigs,” he said. “Routine equipment inspections and maintenance will pay dividends in the long run.”