United Group Insurance

KJAN Ag/Outdoor

CLICK HERE for the latest market quotes from the Iowa Agribusiness Network!

CLICK HERE for the latest market quotes from the Brownfield Ag News Network!

Local 24-Hour Rainfall Totals at 7:00 am on Tuesday, March 23, 2021

Ag/Outdoor, Weather

March 23rd, 2021 by Jim Field

  • KJAN, Atlantic  .2″
  • 7 miles NNE of Atlantic  .22″
  • Massena  .15″
  • Anita  .17″
  • Audubon  .25″
  • Guthrie Center  .23″
  • Oakland  .17″
  • Corning  .11″
  • Manning  .43″
  • Carroll  .3″
  • Red Oak  .14″
  • Clarinda  .07″
  • Underwood  .58″
  • Missouri Valley  .51″
  • Logan  .52″

Forecasters predict warmer, drier spring & summer ahead

Ag/Outdoor, News, Weather

March 22nd, 2021 by Ric Hanson

(Radio Iowa) – New climate outlooks being issued show a warm and dry trend for Iowa and for much of the country this spring and well into summer. Climatologist Pat Guinan, who moderated the monthly North Central Region climate update for the National Weather Service, says the warming pattern will start in April. “It does look like above-normal temperatures are anticipated across all of the NWS central region,” Guinan says, “and below-normal precip is in the cards, at least according to the forecasters.”

Guinan says the next 90 days shows warm conditions spreading. “We see a lot of the country covered in above-normal temperatures for the April-May-June period,” Guinan says, “We see below-normal precipitation indicated, not good, when you consider much of the western half of the country is still experiencing some form of drought.” The latest map from the U-S Drought Monitor shows much of northern and western Iowa is abnormally dry, with some areas ranging from moderate to severe to extreme drought.

As the La Nina pattern fades, Guinan says the summer forecast indicates continued warm, dry weather. “All of the Corn Belt, we’re forecasting a slight enhanced likelihood of above-normal temperatures this summer,” Guinan says. “That dryness has shifted a little bit toward the north and northeast for the summer, for below-normal precipitation with the highest likelihood extending through the Dakotas, western Minnesota, northwest Iowa, all of Nebraska and northern Kansas.”

In the short term, Guinan says the expectation is for moderate to heavy rain much of this week across Iowa and into the central U-S.

Rural Iowa Communities Urge More Factory-Farm Regulations

Ag/Outdoor

March 22nd, 2021 by Ric Hanson

by Lily Bohlke (Iowa News Service) DES MOINES, Iowa — Advocates for family farms, rural neighborhoods and the environment are asking Iowa lawmakers to find a more equitable balance between the interests of factory farms and of the communities they’re in. Research has shown higher levels of nitrates and phosphorus in the water, as well as air quality issues, in communities with nearby concentrated animal feeding operations (CAFOs).

Pigs at a factory farm.

Aaron Lehman, president of the Iowa Farmers Union, said the current standards for factory farms, from manure storage to air-quality standards, aren’t strong enough to protect their neighbors or natural resources. “When a facility more resembles an industrial factory than a part of a farm community, it ought to be treated as an industrial operation,” Lehman argued. “And the neighbors in the communities ought to be protected.” The Iowa Farmers Union has joined the call for a moratorium on new CAFOs and expanding existing ones.

Opponents of the bill, House Fire 440, point out Iowa is the nation’s top pork-producing state, and contended a moratorium on factory farms would harm the state’s ag industry. Drew Mogler, public policy director for the Iowa Pork Producers Association, said the state’s economy depends on livestock and other agricultural production, particularly in rural communities. He noted livestock processing has created many jobs as well. “This piece of legislation has surfaced, you know, almost every year that I’ve been up at the Statehouse,” Mogler observed. “But you know, every year it hasn’t moved, even into a subcommittee.”

Lehman pointed out despite the fact a moratorium likely won’t be in the cards for this legislative session, their work must persist. “Our neighbors still need to continue to work and talk to their policymakers about trying to strike a balance, to put in stronger protections for the neighbors of these facilities,” Lehman asserted. “And at least to have the current laws enforced.” He added the goal is simply to protect neighboring communities’ water, air and property values.

New grants considered for meat lockers, more training for butchers

Ag/Outdoor, News

March 22nd, 2021 by Ric Hanson

(Radio Iowa) – A bill that has cleared initial review in the Iowa House has the goals of expanding custom meat processing in Iowa AND training more people how to properly butcher beef, pork and other meats. Republican Representative Chad Ingels, a farmer from Randalia, says he got the idea last spring when local meat lockers were jammed. “Now we’re extended out into 2022, 2023 as far as getting livestock processing at small lockers out across the state,” Ingels says. “A lot of interest from farmers wanting to get livestock into lockers or consumers or people who wanted to buy local meat kept getting put off.”

Ingels says the problem is two-fold. There aren’t enough local custom meat lockers and there aren’t enough butchers with the chops to break down carcasses to meet consumer demand. “The skills to work in a small locker are different, I think, than working in a meat processing plant on a line where you’re making the same cut on every carcas,” Ingels says. The bill Ingels is working on calls for a task force to study whether it makes sense to expand Iowa State University’s already existing meat science program or set up an “artisanal butchery” program at a community college. Ingels and other legislators are hoping to extend state grants to new or expanding custom meat lockers.

The Iowa Department of Agriculture distributed four MILLION dollars in federal pandemic relief grants to Iowa meat lockers last year. “But through that process they found there was at least an additional at least $3 million in need,” Ingels says, “and so we’re trying to find a way to fill some of that need and I’m sure there’s probably even more out there.” Nebraska lawmakers are considering grants for meat lockers with 25 or fewer employees. Wyoming has a law that lets ranchers butcher their own animals and deliver the meat directly to consumers who’ve purchased shares in their livestock.

Governor Reynolds signs “Meat on the Table Month” Proclamation

Ag/Outdoor

March 19th, 2021 by Ric Hanson

Today (Friday), Gov. Kim Reynolds proclaimed April as “Meat on the Table Month.” During this time, she encourages Iowans to support the livestock industry through meat consumption and purchases. The Iowa Cattlemen’s Association and Iowa State Beef Checkoff Program, alongside beef producers and other industry leaders, appreciate the state’s initiative to promote our meat products. The livestock industry takes great pride in caring for its animals. Beef producers invest in herd development, health and nutrition planning, and best management practices to ensure they provide consumers with a high-quality source of protein.

We encourage consumers to join us in learning about beef production and most importantly, understanding how beef gets from pasture to plate. Beef producers collectively work to meet consumers in the marketplace by listening to their concerns, addressing questions about how cattle are raised, and even opening up their farms and ranches for tours. As the ultimate “upcyclers,” cattle turn otherwise unusable material into a high-value product and play an important role as part of the biogenic carbon cycle.

As Iowans embark on their journey to explore the benefits of beef and other meat products, consider purchasing beef in a showing of solidarity for local restaurants, food service, and fellow Iowa beef producers. The Iowa State Beef Checkoff Program provides resources online that will make the next month, and beyond, exciting for your taste buds.

As always, thank you for supporting your local farm families by purchasing beef and other meat products.

Where To Buy Beef Locally: https://www.iabeef.org/raising-beef

Beef Recipes: https://www.iabeef.org/recipes

“MEAT ON THE TABLE MONTH” PROCLAMATION

WHEREAS, Iowa feeds the world with high-quality products including pork, beef, lamb, poultry, eggs, and fish; according to the last USDA census of agriculture, Iowa generated almost $29 billion in crop and livestock sales, putting us 2nd in the nation.

WHEREAS, Iowa producers are leading the way in animal health care, husbandry, and handling practices; from our largest meat processing companies, to small family-owned meat lockers, Iowa plays a critical role in the food supply chain.

WHEREAS, these products are packed with wholesome and nutritious protein and play a critical role in combating hunger and fighting food insecurity throughout Iowa, America and around the globe;

WHEREAS, producers are under constant scrutiny from ill-informed politicians and social media influencers, who diminish the brand of everyday food, mislead consumers, and disregard sound research supporting the quality and safety of animal agriculture;

WHEREAS, now, more than ever, it is imperative that agricultural leaders unite and stand up for our industry, the products, and the people who produce the meat and animal protein products that feed an ever-growing global population;

NOW, THEREFORE, I, Kim Reynolds, Governor of the State of Iowa, do hereby proclaim April 2021 as MEAT ON THE TABLE MONTH in Iowa, and call upon the people of Iowa to purchase and eat pork, beef, lamb, poultry, eggs, fish, or another kind of meat from one of Iowa’s many meat and poultry processors or retailers.

Drought persists and could last into summer

Ag/Outdoor, News, Weather

March 19th, 2021 by Ric Hanson

(Radio Iowa) – Hydrologists predict an “average” flood risk in much of the Missouri River Basin this spring, in large part due to dry conditions, as much of the region is experiencing moderate to severe drought. Brian Fuchs, a climatologist with the National Drought Mitigation Center, says soils in the basin are dry and have a lot of room to take in water from rain and melting snow, which lowers the flood risk. Fuchs says, “Think of them as a big sponge, that when they are dry and there’s room in that profile for moisture to get in, any type of rain that hits them is going to get soaked in.”

Parts of northwest Iowa are shown to be in severe and extreme drought in this week’s map from the U-S Drought Monitor. Fuchs says the ground will be able to take in moisture from runoff, but if those soils aren’t replenished, plants aren’t going to have the moisture deep enough in the soil to tap into and grow. “It’s kind of a balancing game of getting that moisture into the soil so plants can utilize it if it does get dry and drought starts developing,” Fuchs says. “And if you don’t have that, what you end up seeing is the impact of that drought really taking off more so in a hurry than if that moisture was there.”

Fuchs says he expects the drought to persist in the High Plains through June. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration is predicting -no- major flooding across the country for the first time in three years.

(By Katie Peikes, Iowa Public Radio)

Cass County Conservation News: Rescheduled “Common Bird Feeders” & “Owl Prowl” Programs; Bald Eagle Program set for March 28th

Ag/Outdoor, News

March 19th, 2021 by Ric Hanson

You are invited to join the Cass County Conservation Board for the “Common Feeder Bird Identification” and Owl Prowl Programs, this Sunday, March 21st 2021 at the Outdoor Educational Classroom near Massena. You can enhance your birding skills, by learning how to identify common Iowa birds that like to visit your feeders. Join Kelly McKay from ‘Building Better Birders’ as he shares about Common Feeder Bird Identification. Funding for the program is made possible by the Resource Enhancement and Protection – Conservation Education Program (REAP – CEP). The workshop will be conducted by Kelly McKay (BioEco Research and Monitoring Center), with assistance from Mark Roberts (Clinton County Conservation) and Brian Ritter (Nahant Marsh Education Center).

The Common Feeder Birds session will start indoors at 2-p.m.. The Owl Prowl Hike will be outside, starting at 4-p.m.. Pre-Registration is appreciated. Call  769-2372 or email to sign up lkanning@casscoia.us . To find the Outdoor Classroom: take Highway 148 south of Massena; Turn Left on Tucson Road; Follow it East for about two miles, and then make a right hand turn into the parking lot. The programs qualify for the 120hrs Outdoor Challenge, don’t forget to use #120hrsCassCoIA as a hashtag for your adventures.

Milan Bottoms Bald Eagle Night Roost Program

Join Cass County Conservation Board for Milan Bottoms Bald Eagle Night Roost Program on March 28th beginning at 3-p.m., also at the Outdoor Educational Classroom. Join Kelly McKay from ‘Building Better Birders’ as he will define and describe what a Bald Eagle communal night roost is, as well as discussing Bald Eagle winter ecology. Additionally, he will summarize the background and preliminary results of this 6 year project. Funding for this program is also provided by the Resource Enhancement and Protection Program. Mark Roberts will also be there.

Pre-Registration is appreciated. Call  769-2372, or email Lora Kanning.

Anita Town and Country Hosts Food Box Giveaway March 27

Ag/Outdoor, News

March 18th, 2021 by Ric Hanson

Cass County Wellness Coordinator Brigham Hoegh says the food box distributions are going so well, Anita Town and Country will hold another USDA Farmers to Families Food Box distribution one week from this Saturday. The event takes place March 27th at the Anita Community Center (805 Main Street), from 10:30 – 11:30 AM, or until supplies are gone. All you have to do is to pull-up in your vehicle, stay in your car, and open the trunk. The food boxes will be placed inside.

A USDA Farmers to Families Food Box is seen at a Des Moines Area Religious Council mobile food pantry stop at the downtown bus station, Thursday, Feb. 18, 2021, in Des Moines, Iowa. Agricultural groups and anti-hunger organizations are pushing the Biden administration to continue the Farmers to Families Food Box program launched by President Donald Trump that spent $6 billion to prevent farmers from plowing under food and instead provide it to millions of Americans left reeling by the coronavirus pandemic. (AP Photo/Charlie Neibergall)

Anyone is welcome to visit the drive-through food box pick-up, and no documentation or proof of need is required. Boxes will be given away at no cost. People from surrounding towns and communities are welcome. The USDA Farmers to Families Food Boxes are likely to contain fresh fruits and vegetables, dairy products, and meat.

(For more information, contact Jodi Irlmeier, Anita Town and Country, 712-762-4234)

Atlantic Parks & Rec seeks renters for raised garden bed boxes

Ag/Outdoor, News

March 18th, 2021 by Ric Hanson

If you have a “Green thumb” or an interest in growing your own produce or even flowers, the Atlantic Parks and Recreation Department is offering you the opportunity to do so, through the use of one of 10 raised garden bed boxes in the Community Gardens at Mollett Park. The park is located at 1020 E. 3rd Street Place, which curves off of N. Mulberry Street and has a cul-de-sac. Parks and Rec Director Bryant Rasmussen says when you rent one of the boxes. you can plant just about anything, and they even give you some of the tools needed to make your garden grow.

The raised gardens are designed to show people they can become self-sufficient by raising their own food for themselves and/or others.

The raised beds allow nutrients in the soil to be stored in the box, and they allow for proper soil drainage.

The boxes can be rented for $35 each.

Rasmussen says a couple of the main rules are, to make sure what you’re growing doesn’t encroach on a neighboring garden box, and that any use of chemicals not be sprayed or drift onto adjacent boxes. For more rules and regulations, or more information, contact Bryant Rasmussen, Atlantic Parks & Rec Director, at (712)-243-3542.

Burn ban set to end at Noon Thursday for Page County

Ag/Outdoor, News

March 18th, 2021 by Ric Hanson

A ban on open burning in Page County is set to end at Noon today (Thursday). That’s according to the State Fire Marshal’s Office. The ban is being lifted at the request of Page County Emergency Management Coordinator Kris Grebert, and on behalf of the county’s fire chiefs.

Grebert requested a prohibition on burning nearly two weeks ago because of a rash of brush fires in the county due to high winds and extremely dry soil conditions.