Prepare for this year’s Planting Season by proactively taking care of your planter technology setup by leveraging essential pre-season maintenance and calibration to ensure field-ready performance. Iowa State University Extension and Outreach recommend a structured approach to prevent costly in-season issues and improve overall efficiency and yield. The agricultural season can be viewed as a continuous loop of preparation, execution, and review.

Key phases include:

As the 2026 planting season approaches, the focus for every row crop farmer in Iowa is clear: emergence is the name of the game. Uniform germination and consistent spacing are the foundation of a high-yielding crop, ensuring every plant has equal access to the sunlight, water, and nutrients it needs to thrive. To achieve this, your planter must be precision-tuned.

AMES, Iowa – Members, farmers and ag business professionals are invited to attend the North Central Iowa Research Association annual meeting on Wednesday, March 25, at the Northern Research Farm, located at 310 South Main Street, Kanawha.  

The association, in partnership with Iowa State University, oversees the Northern Research Farm and works with ISU Extension and Outreach to provide agronomic research, demonstrations and educational events.