The Wallace Foundation was formed in 1990 to enhance agricultural research and education for southwest Iowa. A donation of a 160-acre farm in Adair County by Wayne and Margaret Neely in 1994 established the Neely-Kinyon Research Farm. The farm is managed as a satellite of the Armstrong Research Farm.

Since its inception in 1994, Bob Burcham has managed ISU's Neely-Kenyon Organic Research Farm. During this time, the farm has changed from a small catellite research facility for the Armstrong Research Farm to an Organic research farm of national and international importance.

Research and Demonstration

• Organic crops. A 17-acre block of 40 quarter-acre plots is dedicated to organic research. Plant, soil, pest, grain quality and economic performance of organic and conventional systems are studied.
• Soils. The topography of the area makes soil erosion, cropping rotation and tillage research important. There is ongoing monitoring of soil quality for the organic research study.
• Livestock. Researchers study sustainable livestock production. Studies include winter grazing of stockpiled forages and cornstalks, rotational grazing of dairy heifers and pasture improvements.

Facilities

An erosion control structure was completed in 1997 and new fencing was recently constructed.

OUTCOMES from the February 5, 2008 PLANNING MEETINGS: LIVESTOCK COMMITTEE

Here is the list of ideas discussed by the livestock group at the February 5, 2008 Armstrong and Neely-Kinyon research farm annual review and planning meeting.

Ideas and input needs expressed by Dallas Maxwell:

Need ideas for how to modify/extend the beef feeding comparison. Perhaps look at different stocking rates in the buildings, different bunk space, evaluation of water location scale benefits, or other suggestions?

Ideas carried over from 2007:

    * Supplementing grazing beef with distillers' grains: continuation of last year's project for another year. (Dr. Morrical has a grad student lined up for this)
    * Liquid swine manure application odor assessment and crop utilization economics.

New/expanded ideas:

    * Feeding DGS (distillers' grains & solubles) to cows - long term productivity and health effects on cow herd.
    * Delivery method for feeding DGS to cows - pellets, feeder types, etc.
    * Replacing high quality hay in cow rations as people tend to sell their better quality hay.
    * Adjusting cow management to respond to less available pasture and lower quality hay.
    * Storing WDGS and MWDGS for small herds - bags, upright silos, trench silos, etc.
    * Dry lot options and economics for cow herds.
    * Quantifying the value of pasture (helping the cow manager decide how much they can bid)
    * Quantifying risks and economics of free choice CDS (distillers' syrup) in lick tanks.
    * Feeding CDS: free choice, sprayed on corn stalks, mixed in ground hay, can it be made self-limiting?
    * Mixing & processing equipment for using DGS and CDS in cow rations: equipment field day? Using hoop buildings for cow/calf operations: options? Opportunities?
    * Early weaning calves into bedded confinement buildings (hoops).
    * Hoop confinement for carrying cows/calves between cool season forage in spring and stockpiled forage in fall, in conjunction with improved pasture management.
    * Grass finishing beef: economics? Meat quality?
    * E.coli and feeding beef DGS: need for more research?
    * Meat goat production opportunities - seems to be a growing demand but limited expansion of production - why? More information needed?


Shawn Shouse, ISU FS/Ag Engineering

OUTCOMES from the February 11, 2009 PLANNING MEETINGS: CROPS COMMITTEE

Armstrong and Neely-Kinyon Research Farms Annual Review and Planning Meeting

Crops Committee Report
Jeff Butler & Randy Breach, co-chairs

The Crops Committee session began with an update from Southwest Iowa Field Crops Specialist Kyle Jensen regarding his progress in acquiring new precision agriculture technology software and equipment for use at the Armstrong Research Farm and On-Farm trials. This software/equipment would be fitted to Armstrong Research Farm planting and harvesting equipment and would enable the farm to variable-rate seed and fertilizer based on soil type and to map and record results. This would be a joint collaboration between ISU Research Farms, the Corn and Soybean Initiative, and Ag Leader Technology of Ames. Those in attendance supported the idea, noting that there was little or no research in this area currently being done and that recent ISU information contradicted the results of area producers.

Jeff Butler then provided an overview of new studies for both farms in 2008; committee members were given handouts as well. It was noted that many of the suggestions brought up at the 2007 annual meeting were put into action in 2008; for example the continuous-corn residue removal study and a soybean fungicide trial. Farm improvements at the Armstrong Farm such as the addition of a new plot combine, the reshaping of waterways, and the addition of a small terrace were discussed. New experiments for 2009 were also discussed.

The committee then began discussion regarding possible areas of research for 2009. Most interest was in sustainability and retention of soil productivity. Cover crop research was discussed and it was noted that John Sawyer had implemented a new cover-crop study at the Armstrong Farm. It was also noted that the LTAR plots at Neely-Kinyon could be used as a source of information on the long term effects of cover crops on soil productivity and carbon sequestration. Several members were interested in seeing work done that measured soil micro-organism populations and health following applications of manure or compost. Dan Roseman, who works with Dr. Delate, mentioned that data was being collected at the Neely-Kinyon farm regarding micro-organism populations.

Another area of interest was soybean aphid resistant soybeans. The committee was interested in seeing data on newly released cultivars with different types of resistance and suggested a variety trial with multiple planting dates. This could possibly used as a field day stop with Dr. Matt O'Neal.

Corn planting populations within a traditional corn-soy rotation was also an area of interest. It was suggested the multiple maturities be selected and planted at lower planting populations than had been used in past trials. Another possibility would be a plant population trial comparing soils with contrasting CSR ratings.

The use of CHAR, a by-product of cellulosic ethanol, as a soil amendment was also brought up. This could be used as a possible field crop or horticulture demonstration.

Dr. Delate was asked if any changes were being made with regards to the LTAR plots at Neely-Kinyon. Dr. Delate mentioned that she was considering changing/eliminating the soybean-winter wheat rotation within the LTAR plots. Alternative rotations were discussed that could be used instead, including a rotation that used raw manure (instead of compost) as a Nitrogen source. If the rotation was more than a two year rotation, it would require more acreage at the Neely-Kinyon farm. This sums up the Crops Committee discussion.