Clayton County Extension and Outreach Information for December 31st
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Clayton County ISU Extension & Outreach Media Packet for 12/31/25
January 6
9:00AM Advanced Calving Clinic West Union, IA
7:00 PM Youth Development Committee Meeting Elkader, IA
January 8
9:00 AM Commercial Manure Applicator Certification Elkader, IA
January 19
4:30 PM Annie's Inspired: Grain Marketing (multi-session) Edgewood, IA
January 22
1:00 PM Driftless Region Beef Conference Dubuque, IA
January 23
7:00 AM Driftless Region Beef Conference Dubuque, IA
January 25
4:00 PM New 4-H Member Night Orientation Elkader, IA
Clayton County 4-H & FFA Members Weigh In 234 Market Beef for 2026 County Fair
93 Clayton County 4-H & FFA members have weighed and identified 234 head of market beef as projects this year. This is down four youth and down twenty animals from last year. Identified for 2026 were 167 Market Steers, 30 Dairy Steers and 37 Market Heifers. There will be 228 days for cattle weighed on December 20 used to figure rate-of-gain. For these projects to be eligible for a blue ribbon at county fair, the steers must gain 2.4 lbs. /day and the heifers 2.2 lbs. /day. The Clayton County market beef show will be Friday, August 7. Retinal imagining was also done to qualify state fair animals. This year Clayton County 4-H’ers verified 13 head of cattle for state fair 4-H show. For more information on the 4-H market beef project please contact the Clayton County Extension Office at 563-245-1451.
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Build Confidence in Grain Marketing This Winter
Edgewood, Iowa — With unpredictable crop prices and tight profit margins, grain marketing decisions can make or break the profitability of corn and soybean operations. This winter, farmers in northeast Iowa will have an opportunity to strengthen their marketing skills through Annie’s Inspired: Grain Marketing, a four-week educational course coming to Edgewood.
Hosted by Iowa State University Extension and Outreach, the program is designed to help participants confidently navigate today’s volatile grain markets. While the course is women-centered and taught in the tradition of Annie’s Project, it is open to all and offers a supportive, hands-on learning environment.
The course will be held on Mondays, January 19, January 26, February 2, and February 9, from 4:30 to 7:30 p.m., with a snow date of February 16. Sessions will take place at Woods Edge Golf Course in Edgewood. The cost is $100, which includes all four sessions, take-home materials, and a meal each night.
Participants will learn how to manage price risk using tools such as forward contracts, futures and options, alternative marketing contracts, and crop insurance. The course also provides access to online decision tools and guides participants through the development of a personalized grain marketing plan.
“Grain marketing can feel overwhelming, especially with so many variables impacting prices,” said Joseph Lensing, ISU Extension and Outreach farm management specialist. “This course breaks it down into manageable steps and gives participants the confidence to make informed decisions that protect their bottom line.”
In addition to contract fundamentals, the course emphasizes long-term marketing strategies and the strategic use of options to protect margins and create new opportunities. By the end of the program, participants will leave with the tools to customize a marketing plan tailored to their own farming operation.
“Annie’s Inspired programs are designed to empower women in agriculture with practical tools and strategies,” said Madeline Schultz, program manager for Women in Ag. “This grain marketing course is hands-on, interactive, and focused on real-world applications participants can use immediately.”
Registration is available online at www.extension.iastate.edu/womeninag . For more information, contact Holly Loan at the Clayton County Extension Office at 563-245-1451.
Additional Stories Published Online
The following news releases have been published on the Iowa State University Extension and Outreach website.
After the excitement of the holiday season, many people find themselves facing extra expenses or lingering debt. However, a new year brings new opportunities to take charge of your financial future. Beginning Jan. 22, Iowa State University Extension and Outreach will host “Money Smart: Prioritizing Bills, Credit and Debt,” a free, three-part virtual series that provides practical tools to help you regain control, reduce stress and set yourself up for success in the year ahead.
Specialists with Iowa State University Extension and Outreach are once again teaming up with ISU Agriculture and Biosystems Engineering specialists to bring planter equipment expertise to farms across the state Feb. 2–6, 2026, with Planter University.
SowBridge, the distance educational series for those who work with sows, boars, and piglets and with genetic and reproductive issues, begins its next program year in early February 2026, and registration is now underway. The series is provided online through Zoom, and each session is recorded for later viewing.
Iowa State University Extension and Outreach will offer Boots in the Barn, an educational opportunity for central Iowa beef cattle producers, hosted by Dallas and Boone counties. The four-part meeting series has been set for 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. on Feb. 4, 11, 18 and 25 at the Towncraft Gallery in Perry.
The 2026 Iowa Forage and Grassland Council Annual Conference will be held Feb. 4 in West Des Moines. Cattle producers are invited for a day of learning, networking and continuing to strive for improved forage management across Iowa.
The Iowa 4-H Statewide Fishing Club kicks off its ice fishing series Dec. 29, inviting youth in grades 4-12 to stay active, learn new skills and experience Iowa’s waters year-round. With hands-on learning, expert instruction and friendly competition, the 2025-2026 season is off to a strong start.
To help farmers and landowners better understand and monitor nitrate levels in surface and tile drainage water, the Iowa State University Iowa Nutrient Research Center has released a new publication, Guide to Water Quality Testing for Nitrate. The publication is available for download at no cost from the ISU Extension Store.
The annual Iowa State University Land Value Survey found that average farmland values increased 0.7%, or $83, to $11,549 per acre. The nominal value of an acre of farmland this year increased over last year’s nominal value but is still about $286 per acre lower than the 2023 peak of $11,835.