Jack Knight
Allamakee SWCD Commissioner
Why?
Producer interest
Program Participation
EQIP
CSP
Timing
Not enough time for
cover crops to grow in
the fall
○ Typical killing frost
October 10
○ Soybean harvest Oct 1
Why?
No local retailers offered aerial cover
crop application
Not enough acres
Too busy to mix and deliver seed
Aerial Applicators didn’t see the demand
Not enough acres from individual producers
to justify the cost of moving equipment
Didn’t know about interest in cover crops
Goals of the Project
Timely cover crop establishment
Give producers another option to seed
cover crops
Demonstrate a demand for products and
services so private companies will offer
aerial cover crop seeding
How
Attempted to contact several aerial
seeding companies
Only Klinkenborg Aerial Spraying
returned our calls
Needed about 200 acres to justify the
expense of moving into the area
Needed to find a way to get seed delivered
and loaded on to their loader truck
How
Contacted local seed vendors to get prices on seed and coordinate delivery of seed
Developed seed mixes Meet NRCS Standards
Meet program rules
○ Winter kill mixes
○ Winter hardy
Cost between $20-$30 per acre
How
6 weeks before
seeding had a face
to face meeting with
aerial application
and seed dealer
Determined
responsibilities of
each partner
District Responsibilities
Work with producers Select seed mixes
Determine locations
Bill producers for seed and application 50% down payment, 50% due 15 days after
seeding
Enter producer data into online flight plan Producer info
Field location
Seed mix
Seed Dealer Responsibly
Mix seed
Load seed into 2000 lb totes
Deliver seed to airports
Provide forklift and operator to put seed
in loader truck
Aerial Applicator Responsibilities
Notify seed dealer when deliveries are
needed
Notify airports that they will be using
their facilities
Load the plane
Apply the correct seed to the correct
fields
2012 Aerial Seeding Project
Aerial Seeded Cover Crops ○ Over 1500 acres seeded Aug 23-26, 2012 In Clayton, Allamakee, and Winneshiek Counties
Used 3 different airports
○ Seeded 4 mixes into standing crops Cereal Rye
Oats and radishes
Cereal rye, radishes, red clover
Annual ryegrass and radishes
○ Costs $15 per acre for application
Seed cost was $21-33 per acre
2012 Aerial Seeding Project
Overall project was a success
Excellent seed distribution
No problems with wrong fields being seeded
All species grew
Overall, producers were satisfied
Everyone paid their bills
Generated a lot of interest in cover crops
Brought people in the door to discuss
conservation
2012 Aerial Seeding Project
Problems Rainfall
○ Didn’t rain until 10 days after application
Herbicide carry over
○ Radishes and clovers were harmed in some fields
Annual ryegrass may have winter killed
Ran out of seed for one mix
○ 7 acres short
○ District adjusted acres for payment
Cows ran through a gate Applicator paid for a gate
2013 Project
Worked with neighboring districts with project Winneshiek, Fayette, Clayton, and Houston
County, Minnesota
Assisted with seed, seed mixes, and flight plans
Acres increased from 2012 1500 ac in 2012 to over 9,000 acres in 2013
2,700 ac in Allamakee
3,100 ac in Clayton
1,500 ac in Winneshiek
1,500 in Houston
700 ac in Fayette
Considerations
Districts should focus on offering technical
knowledge
Get local businesses involved
If possible get them to work with their flying
service to aerial seed cover crops
Offering this service takes staff time and puts
district at financial risk
Producers are interested in this program
even if they do not receive cost share
Spreader on Plane
Loader Truck
Loading the Truck
Loading the Plane
Seed in the Plane
Seeding the Cover Crops
Seed on the Ground
Seed in Crop Canopy
3 Weeks After Seeding Cereal Rye
3 Weeks After Seeding Oats and Radishes
3 Weeks After Seeding Seedlings emerging from earth worm holes
6 Weeks After Seeding Cereal Rye
3 Weeks After Seeding Ryegrass and Radish
6 Weeks After Seeding Oats and Radishes
7 Weeks After Seeding
8 Weeks After Seeding Oats and Radish
8 Weeks After Seeding Cereal Rye in Corn
9 Weeks After Seeding Cereal Rye in Soybeans
9 Weeks After Seeding Ryegrass in Soybeans
13 Weeks After Seeding
Radishes
Above Ground Below Ground
13 Weeks After Seeding Radishes on left grew in full sun/ Ones on right were in
crop canopy
13 Weeks After Seeding Cereal Rye
Spring 2013 Cereal Rye in Soybeans April 23, 2013
Spring 2013 Cereal Rye in Corn May 15, 2013
Contact Information
Allamakee SWCD
635 9th St NW
Waukon, IA 52172
(563) 568-2246 EXT 3
Photos from 2012 and 2013 may be
seen on the district website:
allamakeeswcd.org