Did you know PFI farmers planted more than 360,000 cover crops last year, as part of our cover crop cost-share program? Or that PFI membership grew to more than 6,000 members in 2022 (a record high)?

Our 2022 annual report is out and the results are in - the PFI network continues to grow and work hard towards diverse farms, healthy food and vibrant communities.

Read our annual report online (members, look for it in your mailbox soon!) to learn more about how we're deploying multiple approaches to help farmers achieve their goals.

With our Labor4Learning program, you can get paid, on-the-job training with experienced farmers in Iowa.

The program is designed for beginning farmers seeking employment and extra training in farm management and production.

Experienced farmers, who will serve as trainers, are hiring now for the upcoming growing season.

Carly Zierke joins the PFI staff as digital content coordinator.

She handles all aspects of PFI’s social media channels and email newsletters to communicate with PFI’s more than 6,000 members as they build a more regenerative agricultural system.

Want to help PFI equip farmers to build resilient farms?

We're currently hiring four team members. Visit our employment page for full details!

Winter just won't let up, with freezing temperatures across the state for the next week or so.

The silver lining: the freezing and thawing temperatures are ideal for frost seeding.

Foolproof frost-seeding legumes – like red clover – into a winter small grain – like cereal rye and grow some nitrogen for 2024!

On Tuesday, state regulatory experts Julie Kraling and Kurt Reuber from Iowa’s Department of Inspections & Appeals presented Iowa's new cottage foods law for unlicensed home-based food businesses.

Join us to learn from inaugural grazing cost-share recipient Heath Hoppes of Hidden Hollow Farm. 

You'll learn about how he rotationally grazes his permanent pasture and cover crops, as well as how he used the cost-share to expand his grazing practices and grow his production to include other species.

Can you help us reach our response goal for the 2023 Practical Farmers of Iowa member survey?

If you are a current member and have yet to respond, please look for an email sent on March 9 to the primary person listed on your membership.

This survey, sent just once every three years, is important for us to get a snapshot of our membership and to plan relevant programming. We appreciate your input!

Need help? Email Steve Carlson if you can't find your link.

Lee Tesdell of Slater, IA, and Marshall McDaniel of Ames, IA, were featured in Agri-View: Strips help farmers, wildlife, pollinators

Practical Farmers of Iowa was mentioned in a guest column in The Gazette: Iowa needs regenerative farming

Lydia English, field crops viability manager for PFI, was quoted in Fast Company: The hottest climate job you've never heard of

Sarah Carlson, senior programs and member engagement director for PFI, was mentioned in Le Mars Daily Sentinel: Chamber Ag Business Luncheon returns March 22

PFI was mentioned on The Nature Conservancy's website: Agroforestry Project Aims for Climate Solutions on Ag Lands

Have you been featured in the media? If you're a PFI member, tell us when and where to find a link to the article, and we'll feature you in a future issue of Practical News.

Contact: tamsyn.jones@practicalfarmers.org

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