Year in Review Rosie Roberts ISA Technical Insights Manager rroberts@iasoybeans.com
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s we prepare for the new year, we can’t help but reflect on the previous year’s progress and achievements. 2023 welcomed new projects, insights and expertise to Iowa’s 40,000 soybean farmers. Within the Research Center for Farming Innovation, our agronomists, research scientists, conservationists, wildlife biologists, technicians and analysts diligently focus on improving farmer’s productivity, profitability and sustainability. Here’s the highlight reel of 2023.
Guided by farmers’ interests Our Research Agronomy team conducted 143 on-farm replicated strip trials across the state, spanning from the rolling hills of Fayette County to the plains of Calhoun County and everywhere in between. Our research agronomists and technicians connected 102 farmer cooperators to 15 projects, guided by each participant’s desire to learn about
On-farm research trials by category
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different practices on their farm and provide valuable information to other Iowa farmers. Some of these projects included fungicide’s impact on soybean production, variable rate planting trials and improved nitrogen use efficiency in partnership with Iowa State University.
Translating results into plans After completing an on-farm trial, the Analytics and Insights team worked diligently to translate each trial result into recommendations and actionable management decisions. The team analyzed more than 143 individual sites, and an analysis of combined trials across the state has also been shared on our website. In 2023, our team rolled out a new tool to interpret and compare soil health test results across variable geographies in Iowa. The Soil Health Interpretation Portal (SHIP) allows farmers and advisors to see how their soil health measurements compare to others in their area and think about how this could impact their operation. The SHIP can be found on our website (iasoybeans.com), alongside many other free decision-making tools. Additionally, this team started and published three episodes of the Pods of Potential podcast, a new avenue to share RCFI projects and research insights. After gleaning insights from research, our boots-on-the-ground team is ready to assist with practice implementation and in-season support. The Conservation Agronomist Network covers all 99 counties in Iowa, driving the implementation of conservation practices using both in-field and edge-of-field practices. Each conservation agronomist provides agronomic assistance to ensure farmer success, partners with ag retailers and connects
