DES MOINES – United States Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue has approved Gov. Reynolds request for a Secretarial disaster declaration for Benton, Boone, Cedar, Clinton, Dallas, Guthrie, Hamilton, Hardin, Jasper, Johnson, Jones, Linn, Marshall, Polk, Poweshiek, Scott, Story, and Tama Counties.

In accordance with the Consolidated Farm and Rural Development Act, 24 additional counties were designated contiguous natural disaster counties, including: Adair, Audubon, Black Hawk, Buchanan, Butler, Carroll, Cass, Delaware, Dubuque, Franklin, Greene, Grundy, Iowa, Jackson, Keokuk, Louisa, Madison, Mahaska, Marion, Muscatine, Warren, Washington, Webster, and Wright.

Gov. Reynolds said “This designation by Secretary Perdue extends a low-interest lifeline to farmers affected by this devastating storm in the 42 counties considered primary and contiguous natural disaster areas.”

A Secretarial disaster designation makes farm operators in primary counties and those counties contiguous to such primary counties eligible to be considered for certain assistance from the Farm Service Agency (FSA), including FSA emergency loans. Farmers in eligible counties have 8 months from the date of a disaster declaration to apply for emergency loans.

Governor Reynolds and Lt. Governor Adam Gregg joined U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Perdue, U.S. Senator Joni Ernst and Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Mike Naig for an aerial tour of crop and structural damage caused by the recent derecho storm and ongoing drought. The flight was part of a tour hosted by the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship featuring conservation and innovation in Iowa agriculture.

Cass County Emergency Management Coordinator Mike Kennon reports a ban on open burning will be in place for Cass County beginning today (Thursday), at 5:00 p.m. The ban prohibits open and controlled burning in Cass County, Iowa; including all incorporated city limits within the county. Kennon says the current drought conditions in combination with unharvested crops present an increased risk for the potential of rapid fire spread. Controlled fires can quickly become uncontrollable.

During these dry conditions, citizens are reminded to not throw out cigarettes from moving vehicles and to discontinue burning yard waste, piled tree debris, grass/agricultural ground and set-asides or other items during the ban. Small recreational patio or camp fires are permitted only if they are conducted in a fire place of brick, metal or heavy one-inch wire mesh. Any camp fire not in an outdoor fire place is prohibited.

Violation of a burn ban can subject a person to citation or arrest for reckless use of fire or disobeying a burn ban. The ban — which was approved by the State Fire Marshal – will remain in place until environmental conditions improve. Any questions regarding this burn ban should be directed to your local Fire Chief.

An Atlantic resident is spearheading a new opportunity for area youth that are interested in competitive fishing. Bob Harris is working on starting a High School and Junior Fishing Team.

A Zoom meeting is being held tonight (Thursday, September 3rd) at 8:00 p.m. to explain the program. If you have children interested in joining send your email address, child’s name and age to swifishingteam@gmail.com. A link to the Zoom call and a packet of information about the club will be sent back to you.

Find out more about the group on their Facebook page Southwest Iowa Fishing Team

The latest version of the U-S Drought Monitor shows an expanding area of EXTREME Drought in western and west central Iowa. The conditions mean pastures are dry; producers sell cattle; crops are tested for toxins; and crops may have pest infestation. In addition, seasonal allergies are worse; farmers are stressed about high feed prices, trees drop leaves; acorns are underdeveloped, and warm water leads to fish kills; streambeds are low to dry. Parts of northwest, central and southwest Iowa are categorized as being in a SEVERE drought, while other parts of the State are in a Moderate drought, or are Abnormally dry. No part of the State has escaped the drought conditions.

Unfortunately, little rain is forecast for the next five days at least, that will have any sort of impact on the drought conditions.

For more information, see the Drought Monitor web page at https://droughtmonitor.unl.edu/CurrentMap/StateDroughtMonitor.aspx?IA

The Cass County Conservation Board is holding “Acorn Explorers” Programs. The public programs will be in-person monthly, with virtual options available. The programs are targeted for 5th grade and younger doing at-home learning. The “Acorn Explorers” programs will be held on Thursdays. Dates/times and places include:

• September 24th 1 pm- Monarch Butterflies Cold Springs Park Campground shelter
• September 17th 1pm- Virtual
• October 22nd 2pm- Batty for Bats- Lake Anita Shelter 5
• October 15th 2pm- VirtualNovember 19th 2pm- Terrific Turkeys- Hitchcock House Barn
• November 12th 2pm- virtual
• January 14th 2pm- Trumpeter Swan- Schildberg Rec. Area Lake 4
• January 7th 2pm- virtual
• *February 11th 2pm- Great Backyard Bird Count- Outdoor Educational Classroom (maybe recorded for virtual) Massena- Follow Hwy 148 South of Massena, turn Left onto Tucson Rd for 1 ½ mile the park will be on your right.
• *March 11th 2pm Turtles- Outdoor Educational Classroom (maybe recorded for virtual)
• April 8th 2pm Signs of Spring- Cold Springs Park (maybe recorded for virtual)

Please pre-register for the February/ March dates. If filled Conservation officials will add another time slot. Please pre-register also, if you plan on attending virtually so that the zoom link can be sent to you. You may pre-register by emailing lkanning@casscoia.us or calling 712-769-2372.

(Updated 9-a.m.) OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — Tyson Foods says it is planning to open medical clinics at several of its U.S. plants to improve the health of its workers and better protect them from the coronavirus. The Springdale, Arkansas-based company, which processes about 20% of all beef, pork and chicken in the U.S., said Thursday that its plan to open the clinics was in the works before the coronavirus struck this year, but that they will undoubtedly help the company respond to the pandemic.

Tyson says it would initially set up clinics near seven of its plants, including in Storm Lake, Iowa, and Holcomb, Kansas, in a pilot program. Tyson joins a long list of companies that have clinics on or near their worksites.

(Radio Iowa) – California Congresswoman Katie Porter says one of the lessons she learned growing up in southwest Iowa during the Farm Crisis was that Washington politicians weren’t there for Iowans when it really mattered.  “Iowa’s not just a place you visit every four years,” Porter said. “It is a home. It is a place where people are raising families and building an economy, taking care of loved ones.”

Porter was last (Wednesday) night’s keynote speaker for Progress Iowa’s 6th Annual, but first-ever virtual Corn Feed fundraiser. Porter, who was born in Fort Dodge and grew up in Lorimor, talked about the day in 1983 when the bank in Afton failed and was closed. Porter shifted to the 2020 campaign as she concluded, telling Iowa Democrats there’s work to be done at both the national and local level.

“I know that campaigning this year looks a little different,” Porter says, “…It’s more phone calls and less large rallies, but those conversations count just as much.”

Porter is a former consumer protection lawyer and law professor who won a first term in the U.S. House in 2018. She’s garnered the attention of Democratic Party activists for the way she questions witnesses at congressional hearings, including her quizzing of the U.S. Postmaster General last month. She now joins past presidential candidates like 2020 Iowa Caucus winner Pete Buttigieg as having been a keynote speaker at the Progress Iowa Corn Feed.

w/Kate Olson.

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(Radio Iowa) – Planting was ahead of schedule and that along with the drought could push the harvest time up this year. Iowa State University Extension agronomist Joel DeJong says there are several area soybean fields that have begun turning color and showing signs of drying. “Significantly earlier than we would normally expect, but we did plant our soybean crop earlier this year too — and I think that is part of the reason,” DeJong says.  He says the soybeans need more rain to fill out the beans in the pods. He says there are many fields where the beans are shutting down their growth prematurely and he believes that will impact the soybean size pretty dramatically.

DeJong says not all the crops are hurting. He says there will be huge ranges where beans on sandy ground shut down weeks ago without rain and their pods didn’t fill, while there are others that hung on and they are filling the pods a lot better.  DeJong sees a lot of the same thing in cornfields. “Parts of those fields you’ve seen the ears drop – and that’s pretty much an indicator they’ve quit growing,” DeJong says. He says the early shutdown will also impact the final product in corn. He says the kernel size is likely to be a little smaller. DeJong says it could end up with the soybean and corn harvest happening in about the same time.

DeJong says he never had a good rain at his home in Le Mars this growing season. The Iowa State University crops specialist says the only saving grace to this year’s yield is that we began the season with adequate amounts of subsoil moisture.