Board of Directors Election: Ballots Due August 4

Ballots have been sent to all AAI voting members for the 2023 Board of Directors Election. Three board seats are on the ballot - District 4 Director, Grain Director, and an At Large Director.

Directions for submitting your vote were included with the ballot packet. If you have questions or if you did not receive your ballot, contact Sally Thompson - sally@agribiz.org or 515.868.0323.

INREC Hiring Project Coordinator for Batch and Build Projects

The Iowa Nutrient Research & Education Council (INREC) is partnering with the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship, Iowa Pork Producers Association, Iowa Select Farms, and other partners on a “batch and build” project. The Pig Farmer Batch and Build Project targets bioreactor and saturated buffer implementation by pig farmers and landowners who utilize manure as a fertilizer source in targeted watersheds. These conservation practices are very effective at reducing nitrate loss from tile drainage.

INREC is seeking candidates to apply for a project coordinator position, who will serve as the primary contact and organizer for project implementation activities including recruiting farmers and landowners, surveying sites, planning construction, and enrolling participants in financial assistance programs.

Download the position description: INREC Project Coordinator

For more information or to apply, contact Ben Gleason, INREC Executive Director, at bgleason@agribiz.org. 

Registration is open for the 2023 Summer Grain Grading Workshops. Three sessions will be held on consecutive days - August 29 & 30 in Altoona at the Ziegler CAT facility, and August 31 in Creston at the Viterra facility.

These one-day hands-on workshops will feature the latest information on grain quality. The Grain Grading workshop will address and display many different grain samples but will emphasize corn and soybeans. Presentations on the grading and appeal process will be given. Participants will learn what the official U.S. grades are and how to obtain a representative sample. Attendees will also learn how to recognize major grain damage factors.

Workshop registrants will be assigned on a first come, first-served basis. The same workshop is held on all three days, so participants only need to attend one session. 

The workshop is under the direction of Federal Grain Inspection Service inspectors from the National Grain Center.

AAI Golf Outings

Summer Crops Workshop - August 3

SESSION HIGHLIGHT

Seed Corn Pollen Harvesting

Advancement in corn seed production technology. Learn how harvesting and applying corn pollen improves corn seed production efficiency, and ultimately higher quality corn seed for your customers.

Equipment will be on-site.

Full Schedule Online

Showcase Attendees: $50

Non-Attendees: $75

LOCATION:

Jeff & Deb Hansen Agriculture Student Learning Center 

Iowa State University | 2508 Mortensen Rd | Ames, Iowa

9:00 AM - 4:00 PM | Lunch included

Seed Corn Cover Crop Initiative Signup

The Iowa Seed Corn Cover Crop Initiative is a project developed by the Iowa Seed Association in partnership with the Agribusiness Association of Iowa, Iowa Corn, and Iowa Farm Bureau Federation. Farmers continue to show interest in the adoption of cover crops on acres used for seed corn production. Nearly 200 seed corn growers signed up for funding in 2022, covering over 41,000 acres, saving almost 125,000 tons of soil, and spending an estimated $1.6 million of their own money to implement cover crops. 

Partnerships with eight seed companies, representing the vast majority of seed corn production in Iowa, provide cost share, technical assistance, outreach, and education dedicated to seed corn growers. Funding incentives available to seed corn growers are $15 per acre for winter-hardy and $10 per acre for winter-kill cover crops. An additional $5 per acre incentive is available for first-time cover crop users. Visit www.sustainableseedcorn.org to apply. Applications must be submitted before cover crops are planted.

EPA Seeks Nominations for the Pesticide Program Dialogue Committee

EPA is accepting nominations for membership on the Pesticide Program Dialogue Committee (PPDC). Established in 1995, the PPDC is a diverse group of stakeholders chartered under the Federal Advisory Committee Act to provide feedback to EPA on various pesticide regulatory, policy, and program implementation issues.

To maintain a broad representation of members for the PPDC, nominees will be selected from among the following:

• Federal, state, local and tribal governments;
• Pesticide industry and trade associations;
• Pesticide users;
• Grower and commodity groups;
• Environmental and public interest groups;
• Farm worker organizations;
• Public health organizations;
• Animal welfare groups; and
• Academia.

Nominations must be emailed or postmarked no later than August 10, 2023, and can be submitted by email to the Designated Federal Official (DFO) listed below with the subject line “PPDC Membership” or by mail to: 

Jeffrey Chang

PPDC Designated Federal Officer

Office of Pesticide Programs

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency

1200 Pennsylvania Ave. NW

Washington, DC 20460 

For additional information, read the Federal Register notice on nominations for the PPDC or contact the DFO, Jeffrey Chang (chang.jeffrey@epa.gov) or call (202) 566-2213.

Additional information about PPDC