The 2017 Crop Advantage Series offers a unique opportunity for farmers and crop advisers to hear current research and crop production information from Iowa State University in their own back yard. Iowa State University Extension specialists will travel to 14 locations around Iowa from January 4 to 27, providing updated management options and recommendations on current and future crop production issues.

In addition, meetings will also offer continuing educations credits for Certified Crop Advisors (CCA) and pesticide safety recertification.

Meetings will occur in January 2017 at sites throughout Iowa
“There is no other program in our crop production education year that we are able to bring this many ISU Extension specialists together to individual sites across the state like we are able to do for these crop advantage meetings,” says Joel DeJong, field agronomist in northwest Iowa with ISU Extension.

In 2016, a total of 2,094 individuals attended the meetings across the state, representing 97 of the 99 counties in Iowa. When asked the impact of information about managing operation margins for 2016 and beyond, 44% of attendees estimated a value of $5 to $10 per acre and 24% estimated a value of $10 to $20 per acre. “Our goal is to prepare producers to manage potential issues when they arise, or even before they arise, by sharing the most up-to-date scientific knowledge from ISU,” says DeJong. “Content at the meetings is driven by county needs and production issues.”

Various timely topics will be discussed at this winter’s meetings
Topics on the agenda this year include: managing economic challenges, nitrogen dynamics with rye cover crop, new and emerging corn diseases to look for in 2017, pest resistance management plan for soybean aphid, and drainage design for profits and water quality. Other topics will include a crop market outlook and preventing Palmer amaranth from moving onto your farm.

“Palmer amaranth will be a large discussion topic since it’s now been identified in the majority of Iowa counties, along with the risk and return of specific management factors in all inputs of crop production,” says DeJong. “Almost all topics will relate back to the narrow or negative margins many have been seeing in production agriculture.”

Crop Advantage Series has two new meeting locations in 2017
The series features two new meeting locations for 2017. Denison will replace the Carroll meeting location, and the Davenport meeting is a joint effort between ISU Extension and Outreach and University of Illinois Extension. For locations, times, program content and host information visit cropadvantage.org.

Early registration for each location is $50; late registration made less than seven days prior to the meeting or on-site is $60. Registration includes lunch, printed proceedings, private pesticide applicator recertification and CCA credits. Online registration and additional information is available at cropadvantage.org or from your county extension office. For questions, contact ISU/ANR Program Services at 515-294-6429 or [email protected] or contact your regional ISU Extension field agronomist.

2017 Crop Advantage Series meeting dates and locations:
Jan. 4 – Sheldon
Jan. 5 – Okoboji
Jan. 6 – Burlington
Jan. 10 – Storm Lake
Jan. 11 – Ames
Jan. 12 – Moravia
Jan. 13 – Mason City
Jan. 17 – Atlantic
Jan. 18 – Fort Dodge
Jan. 19 – Waterloo
Jan. 24 – Le Mars
Jan. 25 – Iowa City
Jan. 26 – Denison (new location for 2017)
Jan. 29 – Davenport (new location for 2017)

The Crop Advantage Series is presented by Iowa State University Extension and Outreach with support from the Iowa Soybean Association and from the North Central SARE Program–Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education. Related links: cropadvantage.org and extension.iastate.edu/ag/field-agronomists