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www.uvm.edu/extension/cvcrops
http://blog.uvm.edu/cvcrops/
http://blog.uvm.edu/cvcrops/newsletter/
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Contact a Member of the TEAM!!
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UVM Extension Agronomist
(802) 388-4969 ext.332
Agronomy Outreach
ACAP Program
(802) 388-4969 ext.338
Agronomy Outreach
SWAT Program
(802) 388-4969 ext.347
Grazing Outreach
SWAT Program
(802) 388-4969 ext. 346
Agronomy Outreach
ACAP Program
(802) 558-6470
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CV Crop, Soil & Pasture Team
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UVM Extension helps individuals and communities put research-based knowledge to work.
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 FARM NEWS & EVENTS |
Grazing Field Day Who: Ian Mitchell-Innes When: Monday, June 16th Where: Mountain Meadows Farm, Sudbury, VT Register Here or Call (802) 388-4969 We are excited to announce that Ian Mitchell-Innes will be here for a full-day grazing workshop at Mountain Meadows Farm in Sudbury. Ian Mitchell-Innes is an internationally recognized rancher and educator from South Africa. In this day-long workshop, Ian will focus on how to get the best animal performance from managed grazing. We will look at the relationship between the soil, plants and animals and how managing the 'whole' equates to profitability. Mountain Meadows Farm is an organic beef farm owned by Dr. Amiel Cooper and managed by Brian Kemp. The farm raises 350 cow-calf pairs on approximately 900 acres of pasture land. The farm manages almost 3,000 total acres on which numerous conservation practices have been implemented to protect water quality and improve soil health. Recently the farm was recognized for its practices as a 2014 Environmental Stewardship Award Program winner. * * * * * * * * * * * CROP INSURANCE DEADLINES The cropping season is here...and so are your Crop Insurance deadlines. Here are a few key dates coming up: - June 10th: Final planting date for corn and soybeans
- June 30th: Final planting date for sweet corn
- August 31st: Final planting date for fall seeded forages
For a full list of Key Crop Insurance Dates, click HERE 
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Ask ELSIE
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Q: Dear ELSIE...
What did you say last month about agriculture in Vermont?
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Answer :
In Case you Missed it ...
Here are some more highlights from Vermont's 2012 Census Stats: - 7338 farms...the highest number in recent history (at least since 1982)
- 1,251,713 acres of farmland...highest since 1997
- The average acres per farm was 171...the lowest in recent history
- 63% of farms were between 10 and 499 acres.
- There were 39 farms (0.5%) that were 2000 acres or more.
- The total value of farm products sold was $776,105,000...for an average of $105,765 per farm.
- $504,844,000 of farm product sales were in cow's milk (65%).
- Maple syrup sales accounted for $32,419,000.
- 35% of farms had product sales valued at $2,500 or less.
- 82% of farms are owned by a family or individual...that number rises to 90% if you include partnerships.
- The average farmer in Vermont is 57.3 years old...the oldest since at least 1982
- There were 1075 dairy farms...of which 40% had herd sizes between 1 and 49 cows, 28% were between 50 and 99 cows, 25% had between 100 and 499 cows, and 7% had herds of 500 or more cows.
- 337,694 acres were used to grow hay and haylage crops.
- 80,231 acres were used to grow corn silage.
- 11,059 acres were used to grow corn grain.
- 4478 acres were used to grow soybeans.
- 4,171 acres were used to grow vegetables and potatoes.
- 2,360 acres were used as orchards for tree fruit.
- Organic agriculture made up 7.5% of farms and 8% of farm sales in Vermont. The average organic farmer in Vermont is 51.7 years old.
For more Vermont Agriculture Statistics, visit the Vermont 2012 Ag Census results: HERE
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If you would like to Ask ELSIE? a question, please email her by clicking HERE.
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Funding for the Champlain Valley Crop, Soil & Pasture Team and the programs and resources we offer is provided by the following organizations:
- UVM Extension
- Lake Champlain Basin Program
- Great Lakes Fishery Commission
- USDA-Natural Resources Conservation Service
- VT Agency of Natural Resources
- VT Agency of Agriculture, Food & Markets
- USDA-Risk Management Agency
- USDA-National Institute of Food & Agriculture
- NE-SARE Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education
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Issued in furtherance of Cooperative Extension work, Acts of May 8 and June 30, 1914, in cooperation with the United States Department of Agriculture. University of Vermont Extension, Burlington, Vermont.
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University of Vermont Extension, and U.S. Department of Agriculture, cooperating, offer education and employment to everyone without regard to race, color, national origin, gender, religion, age, disability, political beliefs, sexual orientation, and marital or familial status.
If you would no longer like to receive this newsletter, feel free to Unsubscribe by clicking the SafeUnsubscribe™ button at the bottom of this newsletter.
Although, we hope you won't!
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| News and Events
For Vermont Farmers in the Lake Champlain Watershed
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Jeff's Intro
June is a fine month. Lots of Corn planting still has to be done, lots of Haylage to be chopped, and finally some sunshine. Most of the Rye cover crops were terminated before corn, some is still being chopped for "forage extender" feed. The quality is low when seeds are in pre-milk stage, but still good for maintaining dry beef cows and heifers. We have Kirsten heading up a crew who is out there planting summer annuals like millet and Sudangrass into pastures and hay fields for extra summer feed, trying some new forage brassicas and forage chicory for better grazing in the summer months. We are moving both No-Till grain drills to farms in a pretty large area, all the way from South Hero down to Pawlet. Most farmers are repairing new seedings that look bad after last year's wet summer and then a hard winter. The folks with grazing pasture want to plant clovers, brassicas, and all sorts of forage seed mixtures. Now we have several farms using the drills to try a hand at soybeans or to plant cereal grains for nurse crops or for grain. May was not so nice as Rico and Jeff tried to plant No-Till corn on clay, but the fields that did get planted will help show what is possible when you mix together a good system with cover crops, manure and no-till. In two weeks Cheryl has arranged to have Ian Mitchell-Innes lead a Grazing Workshop at Mountain Meadow Farm, hosted by Brian Kemp and Amiel Cooper. He brings a wealth of knowledge and enthusiasm that will help local grass farmers sharpen their pasture business skills. That should be the best meeting for grazing farmers this year. See the side bar to sign up for that day. I just attended the Water Quality Conference sponsored by The Vermont Environmental Consortium. The Governor signed the Lakeshore Protection Bill (H526) into law, and the entire conference was focused on how we will all have the conviction and willpower to clean up the Phosphorus pollution problem in Lake Champlain. Everyone who lives here has a stake in this, so everyone has to help. This reminded me that all farmers and the whole Ag Community needs to stay focused on this issue every day. Clearly, Agricultural producers will be the dominant player in this task to clean up the lake. And the urban areas, streams, forests, roads and wastewater treatment plants are all part of the mix in a strategy to reduce the current load of 533 metric tons/year of Phosphorus going into the lake down to the 343 MT/yr target. The Agency of Natural Resources - Watershed Management Division submitted Vermont Lake Champlain Phosphorus TMDL Phase 1 Implementation Plan to EPA last week and now comes the hard part: How will Vermont Farmers reduce their Phosphorus contribution (pollution) to the lake by almost 40% over the next several years? The many farm practices like manure injection, Manure storage and spreading bans, spreading setbacks, cover crops, no-till planting, conversion of corn land to hay, fencing to keep livestock out of streams all help, But there is still a long way to go. The State and Federal Agencies have been, and will continue to put Millions of dollars into the solutions, but is it enough? Many say the polluters should pay, others say the public who wants clean water should pay. How do we all realize the Value of Clean Water? We all have a connection with the streams and lakes and with leaving the land and water in good (or better) condition for the next generations of Vermonters to come. What wi  ll your story be?
Jeff Carter
UVM Extension Agronomy Specialist
http://www.uvm.edu/extension/cvcrops
https://www.facebook.com/ChamplainCropSoilPasture
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COVER CROP CORNER
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Manure and Cover Crops...A Winning Combination
by Kirsten Workman
Fall applied manure is often a subject of concern - for farmers, water quality advocates and even the general public. As you know, most farmers have the conundrum of having ideal field conditions for spreading manure in the fall (dry, open, great weather oftentimes) and a need for making sure they have adequate winter storage, but not wanting to lose out on the nutrients in that manure. This is especially true for producers who farm heavier soils with higher clay content, that try and avoid as much spring tillage as possible. If you are a no-till farmer, you know even better that fall applied manure without incorporation will not yield much of that nitrogen for your next year's corn crop. You can lose up to 90% of your ammonium nitrogen with the right (or rather wrong) conditions.
So how do we make the most of fall applied manure... plant a cover crop, of course!! Fall applied manure as part of the establishment of a cover crop can be a win-win. Not only do you better utilize your manure, potentially doubling the amount of nitrogen retained, but your cover crop will perform better too. This all leads to better soil coverage, less erosion, better nutrient cycling, and lower fertilizer costs. Not a bad deal.
Last fall, we conducted a small demo/experiment at the Farm at VYCC in Richmond, Vt. Although this is not 'scientific research' per se, we did utilize a randomized split block design with three different treatments with and without manure.On October 2 nd, we seeded 100 pounds of winter triticale per acre with different treatments of 'Purple Bounty' hairy vetch...either 10, 20 or 30 pounds per acre with the triticale. Five days later, liquid dairy manure was broadcast over half of all the plots at a rate of around 4,000 gallons per acre. We then measured percent cover one month later in November 2013 and then collected forage samples to analyze nutrient content, measured biomass, and re-measured percent cover on May 15 th, right before the cover crop was plowed down. We found that the plots that received manure out performed those that didn't in all aspects that were measured. Not surprisingly, a fertilized cover crop does better!! Plus you have better utilized your fall manure. The manured plots had double the biomass, double the nitrogen and phosphorus and potassium, and roughly one and half times the soil coverage in the fall and spring. These plots have now been plowed down and were planted to 'Early Riser' corn (an 80 day flint/dent variety) on June 7 th. No starter fertilizer was applied, and PSNT's will be taken to make a recommendation for nitrogen later in the season. 
There is more to come on this topic. This fall we will be commencing a two year research project that will investigate combinations of winter rye and tillage radish (in comparison to straight winter rye) established with dairy manure. We hope to determine if the addition of the radish in manured systems can amplify cereal rye's effectiveness as a winter cover crop. We also hope to determine the most effective seeding rates and establishment methods.
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GRAZING GREENER
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Harvesting Free Energy to Produce more Meat & Milk
by Cheryl Cesario
The UVM Extension Crop, Soil and Pasture team will be hosting Ian Mitchell-Innes for a full-day grazing workshop at Mountain Meadows Farm in Sudbury. Ian is an internationally recognized rancher and Holistic Management educator from South Africa. Ian will touch on many topics including achieving the best animal performance from managed grazing, building soil carbon to improve soil health, and biological monitoring. We will focus on how these practices improve soil health and water infiltration, to improve both water quality and farm profitability. Our host farm, Mountain Meadows, is a large, well-managed organic beef farm owned by Dr. Amiel Cooper and managed by Brian Kemp. The farm raises 350 cow-calf pairs and has implemented numerous conservation practices (including 10 miles of fencing along riparian areas) on their acreage. This is an exciting opportunity to bring a wealth of grazing knowledge to Vermont livestock producers, while also showcasing one of our largest grazing farms.
Our primary audience is 50 pasture-based beef and dairy producers in the Lake Champlain watershed. In addition, this will also be a training for 10 NRCS planners, agricultural professionals, and technical service providers on advanced grazing and pasture management topics. The workshop will show farmers how to use better grazing practices to protect water quality and meet upcoming TMDL requirements.
There will be both a classroom and field segment led by our speaker. Attendees will have the opportunity to evaluate pasture quality and animal condition in the field and see conservation measures that have been implemented (including EQIP contract practices for manure management, grazing systems and CREP projects for livestock exclusion of surface waters). There will be ample time build into the schedule to allow for question and answer sessions as well as farmer to farmer information sharing. We will ask attendees to complete an evaluation of the field day and have all presentation materials available for participants.
Contact Cheryl today if you would like her to create a grazing plan for your farm for 2014!
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SOILS & TILLAGE
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Keep Long-Term Hayfields Productive with Aeration Tillage
by Rico Balzano
It's no secret that not all hay meadows are equal. Fertility and species
 mix are the usual suspects when poor yields are a problem, but compaction can also be holding yields back. Three cuts a year means a lot of traffic over the same ground, and if the soil is wet then the compaction is exasperated. Tilling and reseeding is not cost effective for most hay meadows, but timely aeration may help alleviate compaction and keep yields up.
This summer and next summer, the Champlain Valley Crops, Soils, and Pasture Team will be conducting trails with a SARE Partnership Grant on the effects of aeration tillage on hay yields and soil health in clay soils in the Champlain Valley. We will be working two farms that will install side by side plots of aerated and non-aerated treatments to compare the yield, quality, and soil health characteristics of aeration tillage. Look for our results starting later this summer right here in this newsletter!
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CHAMPLAIN VALLEY FARMER COALITION
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Vermont Farmers working together for a clean Lake Champlain
& thriving agriculture in Vermont
In addition to our continued outreach and education pursuits, the Champlain Valley Farmer Coalition Directors are also pursing unique partnerships with other organizations as they think outside the farming box for opportunities to work with groups who may not seem to be likely partners. If we as farmers are going to improve water quality, it will take an open mind and a lot of teamwork. We also aim to be at the table and part of the discussion as decisions about agriculture in Vermont are made. If we are to be a 'unified voice for farmers and water quality,', then sometimes this takes sitting at the table with groups and individuals who we have not sat next to in the past. Do you know of an organization that may make an interesting partnership with CVFC? Drop us a line any time to share your thoughts!
If you are interested in becoming a member, please give us a call or just apply! You can find our membership application HERE. It is a valuable way to stay informed, be proactive, and add
your voice to the discussion.
 Or come to our next meeting on June 11th at 10:00 at the Middlebury UVM Extension office.
For more information about this farmer organization visit our website at:
www.champlainvalleyfarmercoaltion.com
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FARM FINANCE SPOTLIGHT
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Status of the Dairy Producer Margin Protection Program
by Dennis Kauppila and Bob Parsons, UVM Extension
Most of us have heard of and are wondering about the status of the Dairy Producer Margin Program in the New Farm Bill. Here what is going on:
- USDA is currently working on details, rules, and regulations
- Supposed to start 9/1/14, signup will be with FSA
The MPP is designed to:
- Protect dairy farmers from severe downturns in milk price,
rising feed prices or both
- Pays indemnity when difference between national all-milk price and
average feed costs fall below a selected amount
Dairy farmers will have decisions to make:
- Participate or not
- How much of annual production to include, 25%-90%
- How much margin to cover, $4/cwt up to $8/cwt
Livestock Gross Margin Insurance will continue to be available for purchase.
Some additional sources of information and videos:
A description produced by Farm Bureau:
http://www.fb.org/index.php?action=issues.farmbill.dairy
Penn State has more written information here. http://extension.psu.edu/animals/dairy/news/2014/getting-a-handle-on-the-farm-bill-and-the-dairy-margin-protection-program
Here is a website, with a talk about Dairy Producer Margin Protection by Brian Gould, U Wisconsin, go about 2/3 of the way down, to the March 17 webinar. http://www.farmmanagement.org/aginuncertaintimesenglish/2014/03/
John Newton, U of Illinois, has an interactive tool, Dairy Dashboard, to help with thinking about your situation. http://farmdocdaily.illinois.edu/2014/05/2014-farm-bill-mpp-dairy-dashboard.html
The USDA has funded training modules that will be available later this summer! UVM Extension is planning to coordinate the training programs about the MPP when rules are finalized with cooperation from FSA, Farm Credit, Dairy Coops, VT Agency of Ag, VACC, and others.
Also, from Cornell:
Tuesday, June 10, 2014 webinar - Dairy Margin Protection Program (MPP)
enabled by the recent Farm Bill. This FREE webinar, hosted by Farm Credit East, will take place on at 10:00 AM. Northeast dairy producers are invited to participate. To sign up, visit
This webinar will feature Dr. Andy Novakovic, of Cornell University, and Dr. John Newton, of University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, as they talk about the MPP and take a look at what we know now and what USDA has yet to decide on.
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CONSERVATION PARTNER SPOTLIGHT
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From the Field...an update from the Poultney-Mettowee NRCD
by Jennifer Alexander
With corn planting underway or completed, I wanted to remind people to scout your crops afterwards to check on germination, growth and pests. While this may be too late for some, it is a good thing to get off your tractor once and a while and check what your planter is doing. Not all fields are the same so don't expect your planter to plant the same on all fields.
It looks as though black cut worm has a high probability of being an issue again this year. Purdue University has had record black cutworm moth captures/counts with Penn State showing increases numbers in traps as well.
Eastern NY vegetable producers have been reporting some black cut worm damage and army worm has been reported in some sweet corn fields. Many seed varieties have some type of insecticidal seed treatment already applied and while this should help it is not a guarantee that you will not have damage. Remember that scouting your fields is the first line of defense. If you experience crop damage deciding whether or not to replant untimely comes down to one question: Will the potential yield of the replant overcome the cost of that replant? If the answer is no, then consider planting an alternative crop for feed. See http://www.uvm.edu/pss/vtcrops/articles/lateseasonplantings2011.pdf for more information.
Fore more about the Poultney-Mettowee NRCD, visit their website:
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If you know someone else who might be interested in receiving
this  newsletter, please share it and encourage them to join our mailing list. Meanwhile, please call if you have an interest in helping us move forward with selecting projects that you feel are important to you. We are hearing more about how soil health is so critical to your farm profitability and will protect the lake water quality, we just need to be sure any moves toward reduced tillage and more soil cover are based on good field research data.
Jeff Carter,
Extension Agronomist
UVM Extension- Champlain Valley Crop, Soil & Pasture Team
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