University of Minnesota Extension - Rice & Steele Counties

09/01/2026

September's Newsletter is here.

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Agriculture and Natural Resources

08/14/2026

Join us in the Straight River Room at the Rice County Fairgrounds on Tuesday, August 25 from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. for an evening focused on farm and roadway safety. Topics will include highway safety, load securement, ATV/UTV safety. Speakers from the Minnesota State Patrol, Rice County Sheriff’s Office, Minnesota DNR and UMN Extension will share practical safety information. Enjoy a free meal from the El Jefe food truck and take home some great giveaways, including, high visibility vests, slow moving vehicle signs, seatbelt cutters and more. The door prize will be a vehicle jump pack and we will have 15 youth ATV helmets thanks to a generous donation from Polaris. Please RSVP for the meal count to Kelley at [email protected] or 507-412-0155.

07/17/2026

We are now less than two weeks away for the 3rd annual Passport to Agriculture We have some volunteers signed up and we are still looking to fill a few more slots. Come work a shift and enjoy a free meal on us. z.umn.edu/Passport2026

Passport to Agriculture is less than 30 days away and we are looking for a few more volunteers. There are multiple positions and shifts available. z.umn.edu/Passport2026 Rice Soil and Water Conservation District Northfield FFA Cannon River Watershed Joint Powers Organization Rice County Master Gardeners (U of MN) Clean River Partners UMN Extension Rice County 4-H Dakota and Rice counties Corn / Soybean Growers Association Rice County Sheriff's Office Southern Agricultural Center of Excellence Rice County American Dairy Association Bethlehem Academy FFA Minnesota Farmers Union Faribault Fire Department Faribault Police Department Faribault FFA

07/01/2026

Passport to Agriculture is less than 30 days away and we are looking for a few more volunteers. There are multiple positions and shifts available. z.umn.edu/Passport2026 Rice Soil and Water Conservation District Northfield FFA Cannon River Watershed Joint Powers Organization Rice County Master Gardeners (U of MN) Clean River Partners UMN Extension Rice County 4-H Dakota and Rice counties Corn / Soybean Growers Association Rice County Sheriff's Office Southern Agricultural Center of Excellence Rice County American Dairy Association Bethlehem Academy FFA Minnesota Farmers Union Faribault Fire Department Faribault Police Department Faribault FFA

06/18/2026

New to farming or looking to build confidence with equipment operation? Join us for this hands on workshop designed for beginning and inexperienced farmers ages 18 and older.

Participants will learn essential farm safety practices and gain practical experience hooking up and unhooking a trailer, driving and backing up a pickup with a trailer attached, and operating a tractor with an implement.

This supportive, beginner friendly workshop provides the opportunity to get behind the wheel and develop skills that are important on many farms.

Register today and gain the confidence to safely operate farm equipment. z.umn.edu/regOwatonna

05/27/2026

Producer Spotlight on June 10, featuring beginning sheep producers Matti Boomgaarden and Kyle Blume. Hear firsthand about the challenges, lessons learned, and successes of building a sheep operation from the ground up. Great insights for new and experienced producers alike. Register here: z.umn.edu/GSBoom

05/21/2026

Small or beginning pig farmer? Join a free live Q and A webinar on Monday, June 1 at 6 p.m. CT. Get answers from experienced swine specialists on health, nutrition, management, and everyday challenges. z.umn.edu/AskSwineSpecialist

05/13/2026

🚜🌾 Did You Know? 🌾🚜

Modern tractors are powerful, high-tech machines that help farmers do everything from planting and harvesting to hauling and field preparation. Today’s tractors can use GPS guidance systems that allow farmers to plant crops in perfectly straight rows with incredible precision—sometimes accurate within just an inch!

These advancements help farmers reduce overlap, save fuel, and use fewer inputs like seed and fertilizer, which is better for both the environment and their bottom line. Some tractors even have computer monitors in the cab that track field conditions and equipment performance in real time.

🚜 Want to climb into a real tractor and see how it works? Join us at Passport to Agriculture on July 30th at the Rice County Fairgrounds!

05/13/2026

Fall 2026 Program Details
Enrollment period: May 1–August 31, 2026
Payment: $35/acre for single-species cover crops and mixes
Contract length: 1 year
Eligibility: Fields may be enrolled regardless of previous cover crop history
Acreage cap: 2,000 acres per farm entity
Crop requirement: Corn, soybeans, wheat, or sorghum must be planted on the same FSA farm ID as the enrolled acres (happy to clarify this with farmers)
Stacking: Stackable with many state and local programs; not stackable with federally funded programs (e.g., EQIP, CSP, RCPP, or other AMP programs if paying for cover crops)
Support:
Guided enrollment and verification assistance
Year-round, farmer-led technical support through our Cover Crop Coaches
We follow the NRCS 340 Cover Crop Standard, including minimum seeding rates and deadlines. However, we do have approved variances for select species

Reach out to Theresa Pedretti for more information 507-459-9079
[email protected]

05/10/2026

Come learn the latest in dairy nutrition and management at the at the La Crosse Center on June 3 and 4, 2026, for the annual Four-State Dairy Nutrition and Management Conference. This is a collaborative effort between the Extension services of Iowa State University, the University of Illinois, the University of Minnesota, and the University of Wisconsin.