Iowa CCA Admin

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) recently finalized revisions to the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permitting requirements for concentrated animal feeding operations (CAFOs).

EPA will now require a Nutrient Management Plan (NMP) for manure to be submitted as part of a CAFO’s Clean Water Act permit application. Previous rules required a CAFO operator to use a NMP for controlling manure, but the revised regulation builds on that by requiring the NMP to be submitted with the permit application. The plan will be reviewed by the permitting authority and conditions based on it will be incorporated as enforceable terms of the permit. After reviewing the NMP, the permitting authorities are required to provide the public with an opportunity to review the NMP before it is finalized. (more…)

Iowa CCA Marketing Committee Update

The Iowa CCA Marketing committee is busy getting the word out! Some of the activities of the committee include:

• Print Advertising
• Preparing for a booth at the Farm Progress Show (Aug 26-28, 2008)
• Radio advertising and sponsorship of Ag programming
• Web Page (http://www.iowacca.org/)
• General Power point presentation that can be used by any Iowa CCA to promote the use of CCA’s to any groups
• Recognition program for CCAs

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Submitted by Rich Pope

Several people from around Iowa reported answering questions about corn that has developed pronounced purple coloring. For those of you who are or have clients concerned with purpling of corn please visit the corn management webpage: http://www.agronext.iastate.edu/corn/production/management/early/coldstress.html for the article posted on this matter. Extension Plant Pathologist Alison Robertson and her new graduate student Silvina Stewart report that they are collecting samples of phytophthora for use in their research program and ask that if you have suspected phytophthora-infested plants to consider sending them to her lab. This research is to focus efforts in developing phytophthora-resistance based on what races of the pathogen are present. Samples will be race tested, and later this summer or fall they will share with you the races in your submitted samples. Your assistance is completely voluntary! (more…)