CLICK HERE for the latest market quotes from the Iowa Agribusiness Network!
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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!
(Radio Iowa) – The development of the corn and soybean crops continues to be ahead of past years. The U-S-D-A crop report says 35 percent of the corn is at or beyond the silking stage of development– which is eight days ahead of last year and two days ahead of the five-year average. The report says 58 percent of the soybeans are blooming — which is two weeks ahead of last year and two days ahead of the five-year average.
Around ten percent of the beans have set pods — which is also two weeks ahead of last year. Both the corn and bean crops each are rated 83 percent in good to excellent condition.
The Cass County Conservation Board is hosting an art program called Blooming Artists, for families and individuals of any age. Learn how to use nature to create art while being inspired by the nature around you at the Outdoor Educational Classroom, in Massena. There will be a variety of crafts and art projects available for all ability levels. Children must be accompanied by an adult.
The program takes place from 2-until 4-p.m. July 25th. Pre-register by July 23rd by calling (712) 769-2372, emailing lkanning@casscoia.us, or through our Facebook event that can be found on the Cass County Conservation Facebook page.
(By MICHELLE CHAPMAN AP Business Writer) – Burger King is staging an intervention with its cows. The chain has rebalanced the diet of some of the cows by adding lemon grass in a bid to limit bovines contributions to climate change. By tweaking their diet, Burger King said Tuesday that it believes it can reduce a cows’ daily methane emissions by about 33%. Cows emit methane as a by-product of their digestion. Methane emissions from livestock comprised more than a quarter of the emissions from the agriculture sector.
With an over-the-top social media campaign that teeters between vulgarity and science, Burger King is banking on the heightened awareness of climate change and its responsibility to limit its own role.
Officials with the Montgomery County Fair have released the results of the Champion Horse Show:
Championship Division –
The latest climatological/agricultural data show a high pressure system over the south central and parts of the southeastern U-S, is keeping southwest and southern Iowa abnormally dry, and adding stress to the crops during their peak growing season. Aaron Saeugling, ISU Extension/Outlook Field Agronomist based in Lewis, reports Atlantic, Greenfield, Glenwood, Creston and Clarinda are in the top five for rainfall deficit in southwest Iowa, with Atlantic short nearly 7.7-inches, for the period covering April 1st 2020 to July 14th, 2020.
See the data below:
(Radio Iowa) — The recent U-S Drought Monitor report shows abnormally dry conditions in about 35 percent of the state, with eight west-central counties classified as being in moderate drought. Iowa D-N-R analyst Tim Hall says the state remains in a contrast when it comes to water conditions. “You almost can draw a north-south line along Interstate 35. And to the west of the interstate in the last month — those areas have been short of rainfall. And on the east side of I-35, we’ve had excess rainfall,” Hall says.
While parts of the state are characterized as dry — Hall says there are two different ways to look at it. “In drought terminology we sometimes talk about an agricultural drought versus a hydrological drought,” he says. “And the agricultural drought comes much more quickly because those crops need moisture and they typically get it from the upper part of the soil profile.” The other type of drought impacts more long-term water needs. “For drinking water for groundwater. So, we’re concerned and we are watching it, but right now the impacts are primarily agricultural. But if things don’t improve, then we’ll start to see those impacts move into other parts of the system,” Hall says.
He says not all rain will help get rid of the dry conditions. Hall says we often get thunderstorms this time of year that dump big amounts of rain and that tends to run off the ground quickly, and is not as helpful to crops. He says a slow, steady rain would be the most helpful right now. Hall says the longer the drought continues, the more you have to worry about the time it takes to come out of it. “Drought conditions typically are a long time building up — they don’t come generally very quickly. And on the other side of the coin — to move a drought out of the state doesn’t come in one rainstorm — typically it takes a prolonged period of wet weather,” according to Hall.
Hall says the rains can also be sporadic this time of year and help one area agriculturally — while leaving another area still in need of rain.
For the first time in its 38 year history, the annual Governor’s Charity Steer Show (GCSS) will not be held at the Iowa State Fair. Due to the cancellation of this year’s fair, Iowa State University will host the event. Dr. Dan Thomson, chair of the Department of Animal Science at Iowa State University, says “We are very honored to host the 38th Annual Governor’s Charity Steer Show at the Jeff & Deb Hansen Agriculture Learning Center here at Iowa State University. This event is a great opportunity to showcase how the people of the Iowa cattle industry care about our neighbors in need of help by fundraising for a very worthy cause. We are so excited to help continue this tradition to support the Ronald McDonald Houses of Iowa.” Dr. Thomson will serve as this year’s Showmanship Judge.
The event, which raises money for the Ronald McDonald House Charities of Iowa, will be held on August 15, 2020. Organized by the Iowa Cattlemen’s Association and Iowa Beef Industry Council, the GCSS has raised over $3.8 million to help provide a home away from home for families of children who are being treated in nearby hospitals. Ronald McDonald Houses are located in Des Moines, Iowa City, and Sioux City.
Twenty-five steers from across the state will compete for the championship designation, showmanship honors, and the People’s Choice award. The steers have been raised by Iowa youth involved in the cattle industry, and celebrities will accompany the young steer owners in the ring. Immediately following the competition, the steers will be sold at auction with proceeds going to the Ronald McDonald House Charities of Iowa. Last year’s auction raised more than $284,000.
The event will be invite-only, and participants will be encouraged to follow the university’s social distancing guidelines. The show and auction will be streamed live online, and fans can donate to the cause and vote for the People’s Choice award online.
Worker advocates have filed a civil rights complaint with the U.S. Department of Agriculture alleging that meat processing companies Tyson and JBS have engaged in racial discrimination during the coronavirus pandemic. The complaint filed Wednesday alleges the meatpacking companies haven’t implemented appropriate social distancing on production lines or slowed production speeds. As a result, it says, Hispanic, Black and Asian workers have suffered.
The complaint alleges the policies violate the Civil Rights Act of 1964, which protects individuals from racial discrimination by recipients of federal financial assistance. The companies have together received more than $150 million from USDA programs this year.