(Lincoln, NE.) – Farm Credit Administration CEO Glen R. Smith, of Atlantic, spoke with KJAN recently, about the Farm Credit System’s “Young, Beginning and Small (YBS) Farmer” program, something he’s been pushing for. FCA defines young farmers as those who are 35 years of age or younger, those who have been farming for less than 10-years, and small farmers with gross annual sales of less than $250,000. Plans for promoting the program were put on hold last year – like most other things – due to the pandemic.

Smith said he has been interested in the YBS since he came to the SBA four-years ago, especially in the relationship formed between lenders and young farmers.

Both the dollar volume of the System’s total loans outstanding and the dollar volume of YBS loans outstanding increased in 2020. The total number of loans outstanding both for the System as a while and for YBS borrowers, also grew in 2020.

Glen R. Smith

The dollar volume of loans made in 2020 increased significantly for the System as a whole, and even more for the YBS categories. The number of loans made during the year also increased substantially. In a statement at the FCA’s August Board meeting, Smith said “The Farm Credit System has made consistent efforts to serve YBS Farmers, but the average age of American Farmers has continued to rise.” He said also, “USDA reported in 2017 that the average age of U.S. Farm producers was 57.5, up 1.2 years from 2012. There obviously is work to be done in continuing to improve and advance the System’s YBS programs. It makes sense from a business development standpoint. It makes sense for the security of American agriculture.”

The symposium in Lincoln, NE, featured a series of in-depth panel discussions, with those in attendance having heard from farmers who are getting started in both traditional and nontraditional operations. Attendees also learned about financial and risk management resources available to farmers to grow their operations.

More area news from Ric Hanson.

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (4.0MB)

Subscribe: RSS

The 7:07-a.m. broadcast News from Ric Hanson.

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (3.7MB)

Subscribe: RSS

(Anita, Iowa) – The CAM School Board held a regularly scheduled meeting Monday evening in Anita. Shared CAM/Nodaway Valley Superintendent Paul Croghan discussed the results of the Tuesday, Nov. 2nd School Election.

Todd McKee defeated Gary Dinkla for the CAM Director District at-large seat, 702 to 361, and Cara Murphy defeated Christopher Spieker, 674 to 509. Charles Kinzie ran unopposed for the Director North seat, and he received 941 votes. Croghan talked also about the $30-million bond referendum that was defeated by a vote of 825 No to 389 Yes.The measure would’ve funded the construction, furnish, remodel repair, improve, provide and equip the existing South Elementary/Middle School building and Senior High building. The proposal would’ve also enhanced the sites, transitioned to a single elementary site in Massena, a single Junior/Senior High site in Anita, and enhanced athletic complexes and areas.

Paul Croghan said the new Board will have to think about how to move forward in the District, but the issue with the facilities is still there.

He said there wasn’t any particular reason that stood out as to why district patrons failed to approve the referendum.

In other business, Paul Croghan said the Board approved the resignation of Paraeductor Becky Grubbs, and they hired a High School Wrestling Coach. Croghan said the SIAC (School Improvement Advisory) Committee reported to the Board information pertaining to student achievement.

The Board accepted the goals presented. Mr. Croghan said there are a lot of positive things going on in the CAM School District,

Part of the way the students carry themselves on and off the football field, he says, is due to Coach Bower.

Mr. Croghan wished the CAM Cougars and Audubon Wheelers the best of luck at State, and safe travels. He said “I think it’s kind of neat that two schools 20 miles apart have to travel three hours to play a football game. It’ll be a fun time and an exciting time.”

(Radio Iowa) – Today (Tuesday) is going to be the start of a downhill slide for temperatures in the state which have been unseasonably warm. National Weather Services meteorologist, Kenny Podrazik, says that’s going to change as cold air moves in. “We’ll still be in the 50’s for a good chunk the state — lower 50’s up north — and then mid-upper 50’s and even a couple of 60’s across the south-southeastern part of the state,” he says. “So, another nice day before we get the bottom dropping out as the rain starts to move in Wednesday.” Podrazik says we had a nice run of warmer than normal temperatures.

“We just had kind of had this thermal ridge over us providing some nice warm air into the state. Every now and then we will get these types of high pressure over us and provide some late-summer weather, so to speak,” he says. He says the rain will start early Wednesday. He says it looks to be moving in form the west and really spread and cover much of the state by the afternoon and evening Wednesday. “Thursday night into Friday we could see some snow showers across the northern part of the state Thursday into Friday,” Podrazik says. He doesn’t expect any accumulation of snow.

Podrazik says if you haven’t gotten your winter coat out yet — you’ll need it by Friday. “We’re looking at wind gusts between 30 and 40 miles-per-hour. And temperatures are going to be really dropping throughout the day,” he says. “Highs are going to be struggling to get to the high to mid-upper 30’s Were talking wind chills in the afternoon in the 20’s — low 20’s.”

After a series of warm weekends for fall yard work — this weekend is one where people will probably stay inside. “We’re looking at highs Saturday and Sunday middle 30’s north to lower 40’s south, and then the overnight lows are going to be ranging in the 20’s. Certainly typical mid-November weather,” Podrazik says.

While the temperatures will drop — they won’t be anything like 1991. The N-W-S says unusually early bitter cold temperatures settled across Iowa on November 7th and 8th of that year with most stations experiencing their earliest subzero temperatures on record. Low temperatures on the 8th included -2 F at Burlington, -8 F at Bedford and Grinnell, -11 F at Sac City, -12 F at Atlantic and Le Mars, -13 F at Cherokee and Perry, and -14 F at Guthrie Center.

(Creston, Iowa) – The driver of a 2011 Chevy pickup suffered suspected minor, non-incapacitating injuries during a collision in Creston at around 3:45-p.m., Monday. Creston Police say the pickup, driven by 67-year-old Kathleen Ann Ford, of Creston, was traveling north on Osage Street and came to the T-intersection with Howard. As she attempted to turn west, her vision was blocked by a semi and the sun.

A 2008 Ford Escape driven by 18-year-old Mallory Marie Tallmon, of Afton, was traveling south on Osage heading straight through the intersection. The front of her SUV struck the right front of the pickup, causing a total of $5,000 in disabling damage. Ford suffered unknown injuries, but was not transported to the hospital. There were no citations issued.

(Des Moines, Iowa) – The 14-day COVID-19 test positivity rate in Iowa is rising once again, along with the number of persons hospitalized with the virus. According to the Iowa Department of Public Health, the state’s 14-day test positivity rate climbed from 8.4% to 8.7% since Friday. There were 7,912 positive tests in the last seven days, up from 7,501 as of the last report on Friday.

Hospitalizations, which had been declining for several weeks, are on the rise again. There are 481 people hospitalized with COVID-19 in Iowa, up from 464 on Friday. Of those hospitalized with COVID-19, 71.3% are unvaccinated, while 83.5% of those listed in intensive care with COVID-19 are unvaccinated. The number of Iowa’s long-term care facilities reporting an outbreak increased from 27 to 28 since Friday.

There have been 3,838,670 vaccine doses administered in Iowa, with 68.2% of those 18 and older fully vaccinated and 70.8% of those 12 and older with at least one dose.

(Radio Iowa) – The U-S-D-A is scheduled to release an updated estimate of the 2021 corn crop. Iowa State University economist Chad Hart says the mid-October prediction was a 15 billion bushel corn harvest — the largest ever.  “So we are talking about a massive crop,” Hart says. “Basically the same story on the soybean side as we’re looking out there, a very large soybean crop as well.”

Iowa is the nation’s top corn producing state. Justin Glisan, the state climatologist, says it’s been a rollercoaster year for weather, as Iowa has been in a structural drought since the spring of 2020.  “But those timely rainfalls during the drought, during the growing season, really held the crop on,” Glisan says. “…The yields look great.”

Hart says farmers had the option of choosing seed varieties that can withstand dry weather. “The idea is what we have done over the last 40, 50, 60 years with these hybrids is we’ve developed hybrids that are more tolerant of a wider range of weather conditions,” Hart says, “and those changes are definitely paying off as we look out there.”

Hart and Glisan made their comments during a weekend appearance on Iowa P-B-S. The latest U-S-D-A crop and weather report for IOWA shows the state’s corn harvest was 84 percent complete by Sunday. Ninety-five percent of Iowa’s soybean crop was harvested by the end of the weekend. Most of the soybeans fields still to be harvested are in southwest and south central Iowa.

(Glenwood, Iowa) – A man and a woman from Pottawattamie County face drug charges in Mills County, following an extended investigation into the sale and distribution of illegal narcotics in Mills County. The Mills County Sheriff’s Office reports during the investigation, undercover deputies conducted a controlled purchase of more than one-half pound of methamphetamine from 66-year-old Jackie Lee Ward, Jr., and 59-year-old Vicky Kay Delezene. Both suspects are from Council Bluffs.

After the meth was delivered, Ward and Delezene were taken into custody without incident and were transported to the Mills County Sheriff’s Office, where they were charged with Delivery of Meth and Failure to Affix a Drug Tax Stamp. Their bonds were set at $30,000 each.

Ward & Delezene (Mills CO. S/O photo)

A vehicle used in the commission of the delivery, along with related U-S currency, were seized during the investigation.

(Thurman, Iowa) –  The Fremont County Sheriff’s Office reports a woman from Page County was arrested Monday, following a call about a disturbance in Thurman. Upon further investigation, Deputies discovered that 31-year-old Ashley McClarnon, of Clarinda, had allegedly entered a residence in Thurman, uninvited, causing a disturbance, while several small children were present. McClarnon then broke a window in the residence, causing damage.

Ashley McClarnon (Fremont CO S/O photo)

McClarnon was placed under arrest for:
1 count Criminal Mischief 5th Degree (Simple Misdemeanor)
3 counts of Child Endangerment, (Aggravated Misdemeanor)

She was being held without bond pending an initial appearance with the Fremont County Magistrate.