CSP Fits Iowa Farm to a 'T'

BURT, Iowa -- Gene Meister's farm has a tradition of land stewardship.

Gene thought his farm might qualify when he heard that the Blue Earth Watershed had been selected for the pilot sign-up for the Conservation Security Program.

He and his son, Mark, who farms with him, attended an informational meeting last June. Their 850-acre farm, northeast of Burt, is at the watershed's southern end.

"As we listened to them describe the type of farm that would be eligible, Mark and I looked at each other and said, 'This is our farm,''' Gene said.

Gene's late father, Bernard, built his own waterways in the 1950s, dipping out areas with a bucket on the tractor and seeding them down.

"We had gullies, and he figured there had to be a better way,'' Gene said. "We've continued to add and maintain waterways.''

In the mid 1960s, they got a chisel plow followed by V-rippers and soil savers. In 1980, they quit plowing and started V-ripping corn stalks. They quit fall tilling bean ground.

In the late 1990s, the Meisters bought a conservation planter and this year they bought a new field cultivator.

For about five years, Gene has used GPS techniques to fine-tune nutrient applications. Working with his farm supply cooperative, samples are taken 4.4-acre grids. Nutrients are applied with variable rate technology.

To apply for CSP, the Meisters assembled their production, fertilizer and pesticide records, which wasn't difficult since they sell all their grain and get their inputs and crop scouting services from a single source, Gene said.

They found that the entire farm qualified for Tier 3 or the highest level of payments. The farm provides wildlife habitat and employs soil, nutrient, pest and energy management practices for which they received enhancements.

Gene said going to a no-till system will give them additional enhancement payments. He's not ready to take that step, but he's thinking about it. He'd also consider a third crop in his corn-soybean rotation if a feasible one is found.

"I never say never because we didn't get where we are now by not being willing to change,'' Gene said.

His advice to farmers during the current CSP sign-up which continues until May 27: Take the time to see if they qualify.

"Our NRCS people are very easy to work with and very helpful,'' Gene said. "If your whole farm doesn't qualify, try to get part in and work on changes to get the rest in.''

Story by Jean Caspers-Simmet, Agri News.