Free Nitrogen Soil Sampling Offered in 26 Counties

The Nitrogen Soil Sampling Project is offering free nitrogen soil testing for farmers in 26 counties upstream from the Des Moines and Cedar Rapids metro areas. The project provides field-level data to help optimize fertilizer use and benefit water quality.

Free fall nitrogen soil sampling is available in the following counties: Audubon, Benton, Black Hawk, Boone, Buena Vista, Calhoun, Carroll, Clay, Dallas, Dickinson, Emmet, Greene, Grundy, Guthrie, Hamilton, Hancock, Humboldt, Kossuth, Palo Alto, Pocahontas, Polk, Sac, Tama, Webster, Winnebago and Wright.

This is a three-year project from the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship and the Iowa Nutrient Research & Education Council (INREC).

Learn more and sign up online. 

Thank You To Our 2026 Gold & Silver Affiliates

Gold and Silver Affiliate Members place extra value on their relationship with AAI and have stepped up to support the association financially beyond the basic membership level. 

Your company can be a Gold or Silver Affiliate for the 2027 member year starting Oct. 1. Visit the members section of the AAI website to discover the extra benefits available to these members, including early registration for Showcase exhibitor booths and extra recognition.

Farm Rescue Offers Assistance For Farmers & Ranchers In Crisis

In times of injury, illness, or natural disaster, Farm Rescue can step in to help farmers and ranchers tackle the most pressing work to ensure the success of the season – and those to come.

If you know of a farmer or farm family affected by these situations this harvest season, visit the Farm Rescue website for more information on the options available for help.

Out And About

Iowa Nutrient Research & Education Council Board Meeting

Attended by: Ben Gleason, INREC Executive Director; Julie Kenney, AAI CEO

Ag Cooperative Safety Leaders of Iowa Meeting

Attended by: Heath DeYoung, AAI Membership Director

Sept. 21

AAI Showcase Committee Meeting

1:30 p.m. - AAI Main Office Board Room



ISU Grain Harvest Webinar Sept. 21

The Iowa State University Extension and Outreach Agriculture and Biosystems Engineering team will hold the 2026 Iowa Grain Harvest webinar Monday, Sept. 21 at noon.  

Planned for grain producers and anyone with an interest in this fall’s grain harvest in Iowa, the webinar will feature segments discussing grain quality concerns and potential issues, harvest losses and equipment set up and planning for successful grain storage. 

The webinar is available at no cost to participants, but online registration is required.

For more information, contact Tony Mensing at tmensing@iastate.edu or 515-290-0952. For registration inquiries, please contact Melissa McEnany at mmcenany@iastate.edu or 515-294-9075. 

Seed Corn Cover Crop Signup Open

As seed corn harvest gets underway, growers have a unique opportunity to take advantage of the earlier harvest window to establish cover crops and achieve greater fall growth. The Iowa Seed Corn Cover Crop Initiative provides cost-share assistance for these farmers of $20 per acre for winter-hardy cover crops and $10 per acre for non-winter-hardy cover crops, with an additional $10 per acre available to first-time cover crop users.

The 2026 cost-share application period is still open and growers can apply as they finalize their fall cover crop plans. Applications should be submitted before cover crops are planted. There is no acreage cap.

For more information on how to apply, visit Iowa Seed Corn Cover Crops Initiative Website. Questions can be directed to Erica Lydolph, project coordinator, at covercrops@agribiz.org.