Iowa field crop handbook available
Growing successful field crops is a science, one that is learned and improved upon with years of experience. But sometimes it just makes sense to start with the basics.
That’s the approach of a new publication from Iowa State University Extension and Outreach called the Field Crop Production Handbook.
This 144-page handbook provides a general overview of the essential aspects of producing field crops in Iowa. It focuses on the basics of crop establishment, but also on care and harvest, as well as the impacts on soil, water and wildlife.
Sixteen chapters cover the most common field crops grown in Iowa, including corn and soybean, but also small grains and forages. Each chapter includes a glossary of terms and additional resources, if producers want to learn more.
The printed copy includes glossy pages with pictures and graphics, at a cost of $12 per copy or $6 per copy if purchased in boxed quantities of 37. The publication is also available digitally on the Iowa State University Extension Store at https://store.extension.iastate.edu/product/15968 and can be downloaded for $6.
The handbook is also useful for high school and college ag programs, where students and teachers may be looking for a basic primer that covers crop production.
Licht said it was an enjoyable project that included input from a diverse group of faculty and staff at Iowa State. The publication is written and organized in a way that is intended to be accessible to those with or without a farming background, and to audiences not traditionally associated with agriculture.
