http://www.IowaFarmer.com/001209/fbgreen.htm Iowa ag groups form environmental alliance By Gene Lucht Iowa Farmer Today DES MOINES - Some Iowa agricultural groups announced last week formation of an alliance to coordinate conservation, the environment and water quality. The alliance was announced during the Iowa Farm Bureau Federation annual meeting on Nov. 29. Joining the alliance were Farm Bureau, Agribusiness Association of Iowa, Iowa Cattlemen's Association, Iowa Corn Growers Association, Iowa Dairy Products Association, Iowa Pork Producers Association, Iowa Poultry Association, Iowa Sheep Industry Association, Iowa Soybean Association, and Iowa Turkey Federation. The alliance is at least partly the result of work by the Iowa Nutrient Management Task Force. That task force, formed in 1999, released its final report last week. Among its recommendations were formation of the alliance to help farmers and farm organizations deal with environmental issues. "Environmental quality and regulations will continue to have a significant impact on agriculture for many years to come," explained Rippey farmer Roy Bardole, former Iowa Soybean Association president who headed the Nutrient Management Task Force. He said task force members agreed agriculture needs to deal with environmental issues and to find solutions that are environmentally sound and economically feasible. That includes continuing to develop and encourage the use of best-management practices. The groups hope to develop voluntary, incentive-based programs, Bardole added. One area of success this year is with fall anhydrous ammonia applications. "Some people say that we've had an 80 percent drop in ammonia applications this fall," said John Hester of Nichols Agriservice, LLC in Nichols. Hester, a member of the Agribusiness Association of Iowa, conceded the weather was responsible for some of that drop because soil temperatures stayed warm for so long. But he said efforts by the Agribusiness Association and by professional organizations of crop scouts in the state also helped discourage businesses from selling anhydrous when soil temperatures were still warm Most soil scientists do not recommend applying ammonia in the fall until soil temperatures drop below 50 degrees. He added high anhydrous ammonia prices probably played little part in the drop because analysts expect prices to be even higher in the spring. Even that news may not be all good, according to Bardole. "Everybody is going to be screaming bloody murder in the spring (when they try to find the time and the fertilizer for application)," he says. --- end forwarded text -- ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ Rex L. Bavousett Photographer University of Iowa Our old name: University Relations - Publications Our new name: University Communications & Outreach - Publications 100 OPL, Iowa City, IA 52242 http://www.uiowa.edu/~urpubs/ mailto:[log in to unmask] voice: 319 384-0053 fax: 319 384-0055 ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - For SC email list T-and-C, send: GET TERMS-AND-CONDITIONS.CURRENT to [log in to unmask]