Proposals sought for Ag
in the Classroom programs
BISMARCK– The North Dakota Department of Agriculture (NDDA) and the North Dakota Agriculture in the Classroom Council are seeking proposals for developing and conducting educational programs and materials to help young people understand the importance of agriculture in North Dakota and in their own lives.
“Agriculture in the Classroom programs help young people learn where their food comes from and how to make better food choices for themselves,” said Agriculture Commissioner Doug Goehring. “The program provides teachers with curricula and class lesson development materials, training seminars, a magazine, website and other tools to make agriculture part of the school day.”
Goehring said about $55,000 will be available for the programs.
Information on grant opportunities and on preparing and submitting proposals is available at www.nd.gov/ndda or by contacting Sonia Mullally at (701) 328-4759 or smullally@nd.gov
Proposals must be received by 5 p.m. (CT), April 3.
Goehring announces
new round of land
enhancement grants
BISMARCK – Agriculture Commissioner Doug Goehring has announced a second round of grants to help landowners enhance their property and restore habitat damaged by overland flooding, erosion, and infestation by noxious and invasive species.
“The Land Enhancement and Habitat Renewal Program is designed to help private land owners restore their land or to make it more productive,” Goehring said. “The program will provide up to 50 percent reimbursement of most costs associated with reclamation, landscaping, soil conditioning, revegetation and weed control.”
Proposed projects must involve land that has at least 10 percent woody vegetation or be adjacent to wooded vegetation. Control of noxious weeds and invasive species is the focus of all proposed projects.
Goehring said $50,000 is available for this year’s program. Last year, the North Dakota Department of Agriculture distributed 11 grants totaling $40,000.
Application forms and a complete description of requirements are available on the NDDA website at www.nd.gov/ndda or by calling Chelsey Penuel at (701) 328-2983.
“Sign-up begins Monday, March 17, and the deadline for the first round of applications is April 18,” Goehring said. “Each application will be judged on its merits and on a case-by-case basis.”
Goehring said priority will be given to projects that:
Work cooperatively with state and private landowners
Employ Best Management Practices
Restore habitat
Prevent and reduce the establishment of noxious and invasive weeds
Utilize integrated pest management
Enhance future land use and access
Managing snowmelt
on farmsteads
By Larry D. Jacobson and Kevin A.Janni, Extension agricultural engineers
ST. PAUL, Minn. (3/14/2014) — A few actions now can help prevent springtime snowmelt problems on farmsteads with big snow piles and drifts.
Reported frost depths range from 8 to 45 inches across Minnesota. With the coming warmer weather, farmers should consider where the snowmelt will go and how it could impact farm operations. Early snowmelt and spring rains can run across frozen ground, gather in low spots and create flooded areas. Melting snow can flood buildings and feed storages in low areas, which can damage feeds, bedding or equipment.
It can be hard on both animals and equipment to go through flooded roads or lanes. Refreezing can convert flooded lanes into slippery ice-covered areas that can give way as equipment or animals go over them.
Animal exercise lots or outdoor feeding areas can also become messy with snowmelt running across or gathering. Feedlot runoff needs to be managed properly to prevent contaminating surface waters. It is also important to prevent snowmelt from entering in-ground manure storage pits or basins.
Here are three actions to take now:
1. Remove deep snow
Plow or scrape snow off to the side if you have big snow piles or large drives within or uphill of outdoor exercise lots, feeding areas or heavy traffic lanes. This will reduce snowmelt that is in—or drains through—the lot. Avoid removing manure or wasted feed with the snow unless it will be land applied to cropland properly.
2. Pile snow strategically
Carefully consider where you place snow when you move it around the farm. Locate piles so snowmelt will drain away from animal lots or traffic lanes rather than through them.
3. Check covers on manure storage pits and basins
Ensure pump-out covers on deep manure pits are properly seated so snow and roof runoff do not drain into the pit. Adding snowmelt and rain runoff to a manure storage facility adds to land application costs.
Take these steps during summer to help avoid future snowmelt problems:
1. Divert drainage in the spring, take a good look at the overall farmstead drainage pattern. If other parts of your property drain through the animal yards, feed storage areas, or high traffic areas, regrade the slope or add shallow diversion ditches so runoff water flows around the areas you want to protect.
2. Manage roof runoff
On some farms, water runs off the barn roof into animal lots. A shallow trench or ditch beneath the overhang can help direct this water out of the yard. Better yet, install gutters and downspouts that empty away from the cows. Also, grade the ground around farm buildings to slope away from the building. This helps move snowmelt and rain runoff away from the building and its contents.
3. Add a pad or use geotextile fabrics
Concrete or all-weather geotextile pads along feedbunks and around waterers can help keep eating and drinking animals high and dry. Make pads 10 to 12 feet wide for best results.
Geotextile fabrics can also be added to traffic lanes to improve stability. Pads at the entrances to outdoor feed storage areas and machine sheds can be helpful, too.
For more information on geotextile pads and lanes, see “Using All-Weather Geotextile Lanes and Pads” from MidWest Plan Service, Iowa State University. To order, visit http://www-mwps.sws.iastate.edu/ and look in the “construction” section under “catalogs” or call 800-562-3618.
4. Raise your grade
Another long-term solution is to grade your animal yard and farmstead to provide continuous drainage away from the animals, feed storage, and high traffic areas. A 4 to 6 percent slope is recommended.
Maps now help pesticide
applicators avoid sensitive locations
BISMARCK – Pesticide applicators can now use Global Information System (GIS) maps from North Dakota Department of Agriculture (NDDA) to locate sensitive application areas, such as certified organic acreage, beeyards and vineyards.
“NDDA is the only state agency maintaining these maps,” said Agriculture Commissioner Doug Goehring. “Putting the service under one roof ended some duplication and ensures that information on the maps is current.”
Goehring said letters have been sent to the seven companies currently certifying organic acreage in North Dakota, asking them to provide information on the certified land, including:
· Legal descriptions, including latitude and longitude;
· Producers’ contact information.
· Crops grown on the land.
“The contact and crop information for each organic producer is important, but if a producer does not want to provide that information, it will not be published on the map,” Goehring said. “Certifying agencies should not send any information a client does not want published, but should remind clients to submit changes in their information during the growing season.”
Certifiers currently offering services in North Dakota include Global Organic Alliance, Inc., Bellefontaine OH; International Certification Services, Inc., Medina ND; Minnesota Crop Improvement Assn., St. Paul, MN; Montana Department of Agriculture, Helena, MT; Oregon Tilth, Corvallis, OR; Organic Crop Improvement Association, Lincoln NE; Quality Assurance International, San Diego CA, and Stellar Certification Services, Philomath, OR.
In addition to certified organic acreage, the maps also show vineyard and bee colony locations.