Small Farms & Acreage Living - Iowa State University Extension

The Iowa State University Pesticide Safety Education Program has updated its EPA-approved narrated video and PowerPoint to train agricultural workers and pesticide handlers in accordance with the 2015 Worker Protection Standard and the 2024 Application Exclusion Zone Rule. Visit the Pesticide Safety Education Program at https://www.extension.iastate.edu/psep/

The Worker Protection Standard is a federal regulation issued by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and enforced, in Iowa, by the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship. Employers using pesticides that have an “Agricultural Use Requirements” section on the product label must provide annual pesticide safety training to workers and handlers before they begin working in treated areas or handling pesticides.

The updated training has been issued a new EPA approval number: EPA WPS PST W/H 00022-0925. Previous training materials bearing EPA approval number EPA Worker and Handler PST 00022 are no longer valid and should not be used.

For more information or to access the updated materials, visit the program website or contact Betsy Danielson at [email protected].

Attend Iowa Pork Industry Center's biosecurity workshop to learn about swine diseases such as porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome (PRRS) and porcine epidemic diarrhea virus (PEDV), and demonstrate best practices for preventing disease spread. This program is open to anyone involved in swine production but caters to daily caretakers and producers.

Iowa State University has designed a trailer to aid in conducting in-class training and trailer demonstrations for all ages and audience education levels. Every workshop includes an educational presentation on the importance of biosecurity, followed by a live demonstration with the trailer. An interactive Glo GermTM exercise is conducted with all audiences. The trailer also demonstrates the bench entry process, showering in, security, and much more.

Date: Wednesday, May 6

Time: Tentatively scheduled for 2–4 p.m.

Location: Johnson County Extension Office, 3109 Old Highway 218 South, Iowa City, IA 52246

Cost: No cost for attendees. Workshop funding is provided by the Iowa Pork Industry Center and Iowa Pork Producers Association.

You can register at https://forms.cloud.microsoft/Pages/ResponsePage.aspx?id=mthHA3QB002t6zM5yJw19dOc7AoM09lJtH01_fKPnmNUMldRU0wwMFI5QVY3VkpOM0czNE4yS1kwOS4u

Iowa Pork Industry Center Iowa State University Biosecurity Trailer Walk-through

Owners of private wells still have plenty of opportunity to connect with local experts and access funding to test their wells by attending one of several workshops being held across the state in April. The Private Well Stewardship Program, offered by Iowa State University Extension and Outreach, educates well owners about the responsibilities and risks of being a private well owner and connects them with additional resources to manage their wells.

The sessions are offered at no cost thanks in part to funding from the Iowa Farm Bureau. The one-hour-and-15-minute educational program explains the responsibilities of being a private well owner, how to test your well water quality and who can help, common contaminants found in Iowa and factors that can affect well water quality.

Private Well Stewardship Program Helps Iowans Safeguard Drinking Water Owners of private wells can connect with local experts and access funding to test their wells by attending one of several workshops being held across the state in March and April. The Private Well Stewardship Program, offered by Iowa State University Extension and Outreach, educates well owners abou...

People new to crop scouting, as well as those wanting to refresh their knowledge and skills, are invited to the 2026 Crop Scout School. Attendees may choose from two dates and locations this year:

👉May 20 at the Southeast Research and Demonstration Farm, located at 3115 Louisa-Washington Road, Crawfordsville.
👉May 26 at the Field Extension Education Lab, located at 1928 240th Street, Boone.

Topics include
• Crop scouting tips and tricks
• Corn and soybean staging
• Crop disease identification
• W**d identification
• Insect pest identification
• Other crop issues and challenges (nutrient deficiencies, herbicide injury, etc.)
•Field sessions covering stand assessments, herbicide injury plots and other in‑field diagnostics

You can learn more through the link below 👇

Registration Open for 2026 Crop Scout School People new to crop scouting, as well as those wanting to refresh their knowledge and skills, are invited to the 2026 Crop Scout School. Attendees may choose from two dates and locations this year.

Sheep producers preparing for the lambing season can sharpen their skills and build confidence at the upcoming Cyclone Lambing School, an educational program focused on effective lambing management and problem‑solving.

The Cyclone Lambing School on Friday, April 17, provides practical instruction on ewe and lamb care before, during and immediately after lambing. This event will take place at the Iowa State University Sheep Teaching Farm at 3640 520th Ave in Ames.

You can learn more and register through the link below!

Cyclone Lambing School Offers Practical Training for Sheep Producers The Cyclone Lambing School on April 17 provides practical instruction on ewe and lamb care before, during and immediately after lambing. This event will take place at the Iowa State University Sheep Teaching Farm in Ames.

As digital tools become essential to modern agriculture, Iowa farmers face growing risks from both cyber threats and extreme weather events. To help producers strengthen their digital resilience, Iowa State University Extension and Outreach is offering a three‑part webinar series, Digital Farming Systems Risk Awareness and Management, April 7–9, during ISU Extension and Outreach Week.

The webinar series will equip farmers and agricultural professionals with practical tools to identify, prepare for and manage risks affecting Iowa’s increasingly digitally connected farming systems.

All webinar sessions will be held from noon to 1 p.m. CDT.
👉Tuesday, April 7: Weather Disasters Impact on Digital Farming Systems
👉Wednesday, April 8: Cyber Threats Impact on Digital Farming Systems
👉Thursday, April 9: Managing Weather and Cyber Risks in Digital Farming Systems

Participants are also encouraged to attend an upcoming in-person Digital Farming Systems and Crisis Management workshop in Ames on Aug. 24.

The one-day workshop will highlight the digital technology used on Iowa farms and how weather disasters or cybercrimes can cause serious disruptions. Producers will learn about digital risk management and preparedness strategies that can significantly reduce losses in an emergency.

Participants must register online to attend.

To learn more and get registered, use the link below!

ISU Extension and Outreach Week Webinar Series Helps Farmers Manage Digital Farming Risks To help producers strengthen their digital resilience, Iowa State University Extension and Outreach is offering a three‑part webinar series, Digital Farming Systems Risk Awareness and Management, April 7–9, during ISU Extension and Outreach Week.

Farmers, rural landowners and natural resource professionals can attend the in-field and hands-on Windbreak School on Wednesday, April 8, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., at the Southeast Research and Demonstration Farm near Crawfordsville. The workshop is hosted by Iowa State University Extension and Outreach and aims to provide the knowledge and skills needed to effectively plan, implement, maintain and renovate windbreaks.

To attend, online pre-registration is required by April 3. The registration fee is $30, which covers lunch, refreshments and course materials. This fee, payable by cash or check, is due to ISU Extension and Outreach Washington County by April 5.

Iowa State University Extension and Outreach to Host Windbreak School on April 8 Farmers, rural landowners and natural resource professionals can attend the in-field and hands-on Windbreak School on April 8 at the Southeast Research and Demonstration Farm near Crawfordsville, Iowa. The workshop is hosted by Iowa State University Extension and Outreach and aims to provide the kno...

🌳 Do you have a windbreak on your farm or acreage?

Windbreaks provide important benefits—protecting livestock, reducing energy costs, improving wildlife habitat, and controlling dust and odor. But many windbreaks across Iowa are aging and need renovation or better management.

Windbreak School, hosted by Iowa State University Extension and Outreach, is a hands-on program designed to help farmers and landowners learn how to plan, establish, maintain, and renovate effective windbreaks.

📍 Multiple sessions offered across Iowa.

Buena Vista County (March 27, 2026)
Washington County (April 8, 2026)
Boone County (September 4, 2026, details forthcoming)
Hamilton-Webster County (late summer 2026, details forthcoming)
Dickinson County (late summer 2026, details forthcoming)

For more information you can visit https://naturalresources.extension.iastate.edu/programs/windbreak-school

Are you curious about soil health and conservation? Are you interested in improving your land? Then consider attending ISU Extension's Landowner Program. This unique learning experience will bring together ISU experts on conservation, agronomy, financial, and legal topics to help Iowa landowners improve soil health on their farmland. All knowledge levels are welcome! Events will take place in June and July, 2026 in the Ames area. More information, including the dates of events and a short application, can be found on our website: https://naturalresources.extension.iastate.edu/programs/landowner-education.

The goal of the program is to help landowners incorporate soil health principles into their farmland. This unique learning experience will bring together experts on conservation, agronomy, financial and legal topics. Landowners will have the opportunity to learn from ISU experts and from each other as part of a small learning group.

We are now recruiting for the 2026 Cohort! The application is open until April 10. This program is targeted to landowners whose land is primarily in row crops and who are willing to travel to five in person events in the Ames area in June and July, 2026. This program is currently offered at no cost because of grant funds, but will transition to registration costs after the grant is complete in 2026.

🍄‍🟫 Mushroom gatherers who wish to sell wild-harvested mushrooms can attend certification workshops held in Ames:
📍 March 28
📍April 11

The Iowa Wild-Harvested Mushroom Certification is required for those selling any of the eight state-regulated mushrooms in Iowa. Participants will learn how to distinguish those eight from look-alikes that could be poisonous.

Register and learn more 👉 https://www.extension.iastate.edu/news/wild-harvested-mushroom-certification-classes-provide-iowa-required-training