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Iowa legislature passes two key bills to aid the dairy industry

Ag/Outdoor, News

May 20th, 2021 by Ric Hanson

(Radio Iowa) – Leaders of Iowa’s dairy industry are praising the state legislature for passing a pair of bills before adjourning to address the hauling of milk and also what are known as anaerobic digesters. Mitch Schulte, executive director of the Iowa State Dairy Association, says permission to use those digesters will mean Iowa dairies can improve their sustainability and environmental footprint — in addition to their financial pictures.

“It’s going to give us the ability to have more animals in an area,” Schulte says. “We’re still going to care for those animals in the same way, but as long as we have that anaerobic digester in place, we’re going to be able to clean the manure, we’re going to clean the water, and we’re going to clean that air as it comes out of there. And, we’re going to produce a fuel source that can be used by our consumers out there.”

One byproduct of anaerobic digestion is biogas, which can be burned to generate electricity and heat. It can also be processed into transportation fuels and into renewable natural gas.”The dairy industry has a collective goal of being carbon neutral or better by the year 2050 and it’s going to take everyone in our industry to work together to do that,” Schulte says. “A lot of what we need to do to be carbon neutral is just documenting the great work that our farmers are already doing today.” He says some of those efforts include the reusing of water at farming operations and the planting of cover crops to reduce erosion.

Schulte says the other piece of legislation to relax regulations on hauling milk will allow producers to truck larger loads on Iowa’s interstates starting in January of 2022. They’re now restricted to local roads and state highways. “It’s going to allow our milk haulers to get up on the interstate system with overweight loads,” Schulte says. “The way this bill is structured, our milk haulers will be able to obtain an overweight permit for the interstate system. We think this is beneficial, not only for our sustainable footprint and moving the product more efficiently, but it’s also good for the community.”

Schulte says being able to move milk on the interstate system will create a much safer environment by getting those vehicles off of town roads and out of congested areas.

Local 24-Hour Rainfall Totals at 7:00 am on Thursday, May 20, 2021

Ag/Outdoor, Weather

May 20th, 2021 by Jim Field

  • KJAN, Atlantic  .18″
  • 7 miles NNE of Atlantic  .16″
  • Massena  .2″
  • Anita  .23″
  • Guthrie Center  .13″
  • Manning  .15″
  • Red Oak  .32″
  • Creston  .4″
  • Corning  .63″
  • Clarinda  .83″
  • Missouri Valley  .81″

Iowa Student Anglers Set To Compete for State Championship

Ag/Outdoor, Sports

May 19th, 2021 by Jim Field

The Bass Federation and Student Angler Federation is preparing to host the first Conductix Wepler Iowa Junior and High School Bass Fishing Champions this Saturday May 22nd, at Prairie Rose State Park southeast of Harlan, Iowa.

Fifty junior and high school student anglers from across the state of Iowa will compete off 25 boats. Two student teams and their boat captain will launch their boats at 7:oo am criss-cross the 173 acre lake to find and reel in their best five Bass. The Junior team will return first at 2:00pm to weigh-in in their catches from the day and the high school teams weigh in at 3:00pm.

The winning team in the High School division will qualify to fish at the 2021 High School National and World Championships four days in Anderson, South Carolina on Lake Hartwell. Millions of dollars of prizes and scholarships will be up for grabs for the students anglers.

The winning team in the Junior division will qualify to fish at the 2021 Junior World Champions, a three day competition, launching from Rapids City, Illinois. The TBF Junior program includes all anglers 8h grade and under at the time they qualified through their home state’s Junior program. Only te top percentage of Junior angler teams from each state’s sanctioned programs are invited to attend and compete for their share of well over $10,000 in scholarships and prizes.

         

(Photo credit to Alisha Hass)

Conductix-Wampfler USA is proud to sponsor and host 1st TBF / SAF State Championships tournament for the student anglers across the state of Iowa. Conductix-Wampfler USA, a growing manufacturer and leader in the mobile electrification industry, is headquartered in Omaha, NE. In addition to the corporate and sales offices, Omaha also has a manufacturing facility of about 50,000 square feet used to make large spring reels, motorized reels, slip rings and large festoon systems.  Their second, and larger plant is located in Harlan, IA. With about 110,000 sq. ft. of manufacturing space, Harlan builds all conductor bar, C-track festoons, small spring reels, and assembles push button pendants and radio remote controls.  The Harlan location is currently looking for team members who are self-directed, dependable and want to be an active part of continuous improvement.  Apply in person at 1605 Industrial Parkway in Harlan or on their website: http://webassets.conductix.net/applicants/  

The Bass Federation (TBF), the nation’s largest grassroots fishing organization, offers bass fishing for junior and high school students under the Student Angler Federation. Bass fishing is a co-ed sport allowing young men and women to compete side-by-side. “We are excited to partner with TBF to offer bass fishing as an official activity for students in Southwest Iowa,” said Bob Harris, President of SWIFT. Harris goes on to say “With the growth of youth bass fishing, we are proud to offer this activity for student anglers in Southwest Iowa  and to provide them with the opportunity to win a Iowa Junior & High School State Championship. We look forward to seeing who will hoist the first championship trophy on Saturday at Prairie Rose State Park, in Harlan. We thank TBF and all of our corporate partners for their generosity and commitment in promoting junior and high school fishing in Southwest Iowa.”

For more information SWIFT, or for details, rules, and future schedule announcements, visit www,southwestiowafishingteam.teamapp.com and the Facebook page- .https://www.facebook.com/swifishingteam.

For regular High School Fishing updates, photos, tournament news and more from across the  country, visit HighSchoolFishing.org and follow SAF on Facebook. You can follow the latest news from FLW High School Fishing presented by Favorite Fishing at FLWFishing.com and FLW’s social media outlets at FacebookTwitterInstagram, and YouTube.

Sunnyside Block Party hosted by Atlantic Parks and Recreation set for May 29th

Ag/Outdoor, News

May 19th, 2021 by admin

Atlantic Parks and Recreation will be hosting a community event on May 29th. The Sunnyside Block Party will be held on the 29th from 11:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. at Sunnyside Park.

The event will feature food and drink vendors, carnival and recreation games, and live music. Local band Dirt Road Divide will be performing at the bandshell for attendees listening and dancing pleasure. Fire trucks and police cars will also be present for kids to check out. A dunk tank will also be part of the fun.

The event is free to attend and everyone is welcome.

Cass County Extension Report 5-19-2021

Ag/Outdoor, Podcasts

May 19th, 2021 by Jim Field

w/Kate Olson.

Play

It’s shaping up to be the slowest severe weather season in Iowa history

Ag/Outdoor, News

May 18th, 2021 by admin

Iowa is on track to have its quietest severe weather season in history. Senior meteorologist Brad Small, at the National Weather Service in Johnston, says their office covers 51 counties across western and central Iowa and practically the only time the warning sirens have wailed this year has been during the monthly tests.

All three warnings issued were for severe thunderstorms. By comparison, the busiest year for severe weather was 2001, a year in which there had already been more than 200 warnings by this date. Small says the last time a tornado warning was issued by his office was in July of last year. Eastern Iowa has seen two relatively small tornadoes this year so far, but ordinarily there would’ve already been at least a dozen statewide. Iowa saw a total of 28 tornadoes touch down last year, which is well below the average number of around 50. As for this year, Small says conditions simply haven’t been conducive for strong storms.

Small assures he’s not tempting fate by calling attention to this being such a quiet season, as virtually nobody is itching for a tornado to spin out of black clouds on the horizon.

The forecast does call for the possibility of warmer weather and thunderstorms later this week, but Small says overall, the chances for severe weather threats remain low.

John Deere program helps Nigerian farmers succeed during ‘hunger season’

Ag/Outdoor, News

May 17th, 2021 by admin

Iowa’s largest manufacturing employer is being recognized for the success of its farming education program in Nigeria. Quad Cities-based John Deere partnered with a non-profit and local farmers on the Rayuwa (RAY-oh-wuh) project last year, which aims to teach Nigerian farmers better agricultural techniques. Out of more than four-thousand applicants, Fast Company magazine has named Deere the winner of its 2021 award for World Changing Ideas, which stunned Nate Clark, president of the John Deere Foundation.

“We’re still pinching ourselves about it,” Clark says. “It’s powerful confirmation that when people look at opportunities or activities that can change the world, that they realize that farmers play an important part in making the world a better place.” Rayuwa means “life” or “livelihood” in the Hausa (HOUSE-ah) language and according to data from its inaugural year, the project is living up to its name. Nigeria experienced a 10-percent decrease in food scarcity during the summer of 2020 — a time of the year known as “hunger season.” Lekan Tobe (LAY-con TOE-bay) oversees the Rayuwa project and says the program weathered the pandemic because he hired team members from the 11 target villages.

“Most of the guys are actually in the village, some right in the community, some 5-10 minutes from the village,” Tobe says. Three months before harvest season, farmers in the region run low on food, and a lack of steady income depletes their savings. But despite a global pandemic and growing poverty in Nigeria, these farmers produced more and earned more — about one-point-three million dollars more. While the program started with 2,500 veteran farmers and 4,000 newcomers, Tobe says the total number of participating farmers in the region now tops 8,000. This year, the Rayuwa project hopes to expand from 11 villages to 21.

Atlantic Parks & Rec Board to meet Monday (5/17/21)

Ag/Outdoor, News

May 16th, 2021 by Ric Hanson

The City of Atlantic’s Parks and Recreation Department Board of Directors is set to meet 5:15-p.m. Monday, at City Hall. Discussion/Action items and/or New Business on their agenda include:

  • Sunnyside Bathrooms
  • Summer Programs
  • Street Dept. take over of the campground
  • Summer Help
  • Sunnyside Pool
  • Plastic Bags to Benches
  • and, Walkability Maps.

Parks Director Bryant Rasmussen will update the Board on the following:

  • Nesting Boxes
  • Groundskeeper applications
  • Trees/Flowers planted
  • and public parking areas mulched.

The Board’s next regular meeting will be at 5:15-p.m. June 21st, at Cedar Park.

2nd explosion reported at a Jefferson grain elevator

Ag/Outdoor, News

May 16th, 2021 by Ric Hanson

Police in Jefferson, Saturday, have confirmed there was a second explosion at the Landus grain elevator Saturday night, in Jefferson. The first explosion occurred Friday morning at the Landus Cooperative, in Jefferson. Landus officials said smoldering grain in a self-contained bin located next to the grain elevator led to the second, smaller dust explosion, which happened at around 7:15-p.m., Saturday. Authorities said there were no injuries in either explosion.

Movie in the Park- The Secret Garden; “Stand Up Paddleboard” Demonstration

Ag/Outdoor, News

May 15th, 2021 by Ric Hanson

The Cass County Conservation Board is holding a “Movie in the Park” Campground Program! Cass County Naturalist Lora Kanning says they will be showing “The Secret Garden”. The public program will be held at the Campground Shelter at Cold Springs Park in Lewis, on Friday May 28th 2021, beginning at 9:00 pm. There is no charge. In the movie, Mary Lennox , a young orphan, living with her domineering uncle stumbles upon a whimsical garden tucked away on the far reaches of the estate. Mary then experiences a series of fantastical adventures in her newfound playground. It’s based on the novel by Frances Hodgson Burnett. Bring a blanket or chair, Dress for the weather. The movie may be rescheduled to a later date if it rains, and You DO NOT have to be a registered camper to attend the program.

And, the Cass County Conservation Board is holding “Stand Up Paddleboard” Demonstration. The public demonstration will be held on Saturday May 29th from 1 until 4 pm at the Cold Springs Park Beach. Again, there is no charge to participate. SUP is the fastest growing sport in the paddling community not only across the country, but especially right here in land-locked areas like Iowa. It’s fun, healthy as a total body work-out and offers a unique perspective when it comes to being on the water. After a quick demonstration try out the boards for yourself.

If you do not bring a life jacket, one will be provided to you. Children must be 16 years or older. Paddler must weigh LESS than 250 LBS. The Stand Up Paddleboard programs will be on the last Saturday of every month, Ending Labor Day Weekend on Saturday September 4th. Programs will be cancelled if there is unsafe weather conditions on the Lake.

Saturday May 29th

1PM- 5 spots

2:30PM- 5 spots

June 26th

1pm- 5 Spots

2:30pm- 5 Spots

Cold Springs Park- Beach

You MUST CALL to get your spot! 712-769-2372.