Muscatine Ag, established in 1999, is a full service agronomy and grain dealer located in Muscatine, Iowa. We provide a complete package of ag products and grain services Our expertise and commitment to customer service makes us a valuable partner in your ag business.
From seed, chemicals and fertilizer to grain services, we provide outstanding solutions that help our customers produce a healthier crop with higher yields.
Hot Topics from Muscatine Ag
Coronavirus Food Assistance Program
| Coronavirus Food Assistance Program (CFAP) |
| Call your local FSA office on Tuesday May 26!!
The USDA announced $16 billion in direct aid. Nearly every type of farm operation across the U.S. is eligible. The funding will be a combined payment sourced from two pools of money: Congressional CARES Act and Commodity Credit Corporation (CCC).
Payments for corn, soybeans, and wheat will be a per bushel payment based on either 50% of the 2019 production or 2019 inventory on January 15th, 2020, whichever is the least. The table below summarizes the non-specialty crop payment amounts.
Producers will initially receive 80% of their eligible payment, with the remainder delayed ensuring that as many farmers as possible receive payments before the $16B is exhausted. Payments are capped at $250,000 per person or entity.
If the PPP loan program is an indicator, it will not be surprising if the $16B runs out quickly and Congress must debate if and what additional funds they will add to the program. Make sure you are at the front of the line for the first round. The early bird gets the federal payment.
Call your local FSA office on Tuesday May 26 to schedule an appointment to apply for the program.
Watch this 3-minute video from the USDA describing the application process.
Learn more at the USDA CFAP website. |
Know What You Are Planting!
KNOW WHAT YOU ARE PLANTING!
As spring is right around the corner we all know the challenges we can face with getting the crop planted, but in 2020 it has never been more important to know what seed traits you are planting. With 6 different trait packages available to choose from communication is key in making sure the right herbicide is applied to the correct soybeans. We are not asking you to understand all the different modes of action with these chemicals but for us to better serve you, it all starts with making sure we know what soybeans got planted where.
We are recommending that if a grower chooses a certain trait platform that all the soybeans they plant are that SAME trait.
Also, we would like your help in communicating with your neighbors on all your fields to see what trait package of soybeans they are planting around your fields. You might ask why this is critical? With some of the EPA regulations on certain chemicals there could be added buffers or certain wind directions that we may need to follow to be in compliance with the EPA label.
If you do not purchase your seed from one of our three locations we ask you either save the bag tag or send your agronomist a picture of the bag tag so we can identify the herbicide trait of those soybeans.
It is an exciting time in the soybean industry with all of these options available but WE ALL need to be good stewards and do our part to make sure these traits are around for years to come.
High Clearance Dry Spreader Now Available
HIGH CLEARANCE DRY SPREADER APPLICATION BOOKING UP FAST!
The custom side-dress was a huge success! So if you are considering side-dressing, whether we custom apply or you use a cart, a blend of urea/AMS is a great fit for this program. Give us a call so we can get you scheduled on our list.
Some of the field friendly benefits are a 60 or 90 foot spread. This means fewer trips across the field and less turns on the end rows, not to mention the time savings!
Cover Crops!!
As we rapidly approach the harvest season, cover crops are front and center of possible winter soil building for next years crops.
Nutrient retention throughout the fall and winter months is the hallmark of fields utilizing cover crops, along with providing organic matter and erosion control.
Getting Started
Your management goals will play an important role in helping you decide which cover crop to use and how you manage it. For example:
- Grasses utilize more soil nitrogen.
- Legumes use both nitrogen and phosphorus.
- Deep rooted species provide maximum nutrient recovery.
- Species like rye will produce high volumes of organic matter if allowed to grow longer in the spring.
- To maximize weed suppression, leave cover crop residues on the soil surface to maximize allopathic (chemical) and mulching (physical) effects.
- Select species (i.e. oilseed, radish) that have a large tap root to help alleviate compaction problems.
Because each cover crop performs differently you may want to consider mixtures of two or more species.
http://www.nrcs.usda.gov/Internet/FSE_DOCUMENTS/nrcs142p2_005818.pdf
Muscatine Ag is actively working with growers to provide specialized cover crop seeds and applications!
If you are considering making cover crops part of your agronomy program, stop in or call us and let us assist you with the identifying of the right Cover Crop seed combination.
Want your Cover Crop custom applied? Give us a call!!
