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Nitrogen spill reported in Montgomery County

Ag/Outdoor, News

March 12th, 2024 by Ric Hanson

(Red Oak, Iowa) – State and local officials are investigating a reported liquid nitrogen spill that occurred Monday morning, in Montgomery County. Red Oak Fire Chief John Bruce says his department along with the Iowa Department of Natural Resources and Montgomery County Emergency Management responded to the spill near NEW Cooperative at 203 200th Street.

Bruce said DNR officials were onsite to determine whether the product reached the Nishnabotna River. He says the only risk to the public is if the chemical reached the main river stream.

DNR officials are expected to release further information as it becomes available.

Red Oak Fire Dept. photo

Tyson Foods pork plant in Perry, Iowa closing

Ag/Outdoor, News

March 11th, 2024 by Ric Hanson

A pork plant and major employer in central Iowa is closing. KCCI reports the Tyson Foods plant in Perry will close permanently.

“After careful consideration, we have made the difficult decision to permanently close our Perry, Iowa pork facility. We understand the impact of this decision on our team members and the local community. Taking care of our team members is our top priority and we encourage them to apply for other open roles within the company. We are also working closely with state and local officials to provide additional resources to those who are impacted,” a spokesperson said in a statement. “While this decision was not easy, it emphasizes our focus to optimize the efficiency of our operations to best serve our customers. Iowa remains a key state for Tyson Foods, with employment of more than 9,000 team members across our other Iowa facilities.”

The Tyson plant is Perry’s largest employer, with around 1,200 workers, according to Perry Economic Development.

Hamburg-Mitchell Missouri River boat ramp to close June 30

Ag/Outdoor, News

March 11th, 2024 by Ric Hanson

(Hamburg, Iowa) – A popular boat ramp on the Missouri River, leased for public access by the Iowa Department of Natural Resources (DNR), will close on June 30th. The Iowa DNR had been leasing the ramp and small parcel of land to provide river access since 1985. Known as the Hamburg-Mitchell Access, the land was sold recently and its lease terminated.

The Iowa DNR has been exploring options to provide river access in the area. The next closest boat ramp on the Iowa side is more than 25 miles away.

Feed additive spill reaches tributary of Boyer River

Ag/Outdoor, News

March 8th, 2024 by Ric Hanson

The Iowa Department of Natural Resources is investigating a soybean by-product spill in a tributary of the Boyer River in Harrison County.

On March 8, the DNR Atlantic Field Office was notified about a transportation truck losing control spilling a feed additive called soybean soapstock. KSX Transportation LLC was carrying approximately 40,100 pounds of product when, due to icy road conditions, the truck rolled off the road and released an unknown amount of product.

Upon release, the product reached an unnamed tributary of the Boyer River. Clean-up efforts have begun. The tributary has been dammed. Booms have been placed approximately 250 feet downstream and a pumper truck is on-site removing the product from the tributary for proper disposal. The by-product did not reach the Boyer River.

No injuries were reported and no dead fish were observed. Water samples were collected. The investigation is ongoing.

Cass County Master Gardeners Invite Public to Tree Care Workshop March 23

Ag/Outdoor, News

March 8th, 2024 by Ric Hanson

(Atlantic, Iowa) – Planning to replace a tree? Have questions about tree care or diseases? Attend the Cass County Master Gardener’s Tree Care Workshop on Saturday, March 23 from 1:00 to 4:00 PM at the Cass County Community Center on the fairgrounds in Atlantic (805 W. 10th St. Atlantic, IA 50022).

Iowa DNR District Forester Sarah Bell will give a presentation on native trees and current tree diseases and pest concerns, including emerald ash borer. Bell will discuss how to select appropriate trees for the area, including trees native to southwest Iowa. She will share helpful tree information and resources, as well as advise on how to select and purchase a new tree.

Following the presentation, Bell will lead a walking tour of the Cass County fairgrounds which will cover tree evaluation, pruning, and planting. Looking for symptoms of decay, weakly attached branches, splits, and root problems are examples of tree evaluation. Bell will also demonstrate tree pruning and planting a new tree as time and weather allow.

This workshop is open to the public. Cost to attend is $10. Find more information or register for the Tree Care Workshop by calling the Cass County Extension Office at 712-243-1132 or visiting www.extension.iastate.edu/cass. Preregistration is encouraged by Thursday, March 21 to ensure materials are available. A variety of resource materials will be available for participants to take home, and light refreshments will be available.

For more information about this event and other Master Gardener activities in Cass County, please call the Cass County Extension Office at 712-243-1132, stop by the office at 805 West 10th street in Atlantic, email Cass County Extension Director and Master Gardener Coordinator Kate Olson at keolson@iastate.edu or visit www.extension.iastate.edu/cass.  You are also invited to follow the Cass County Master Gardeners Facebook page at www.facebook.com/CassCoMG to keep up with local events and tips for gardening!

House approved tax break for beekeepers

Ag/Outdoor, News

March 8th, 2024 by Ric Hanson

(Radio Iowa) – A bill being considered in the legislature would eliminate the state sales tax on Iowa beehives. Beyond honey production, hives are often sold or rented so the bees can pollinate fields or orchards. Representative Megan Jones of Sioux Rapids guided the bill through the House this week. “It treats bees as we treat any other livestock,” Jones said. The bill passed the House unanimously — after Representative Chuck Isenhart of Dubuque rattled off some puns.

“This is a sweet bill, I have to say. It’s creating a lot of buzz around the capitol and I promise you if you vote for the bill you won’t get stung,” Isenhart said. “In fact, your constituents will swarm around you with adultation.”

According to the state apiarist, there are around half a million beehives in Iowa and about a dozen beekeepers raise bees on a commercial scale, with thousands and thousands of hives. Iowa currently ranks 16th in honey production.

(Updated) Audubon & Montgomery County Burn Bans rescinded

Ag/Outdoor, News

March 8th, 2024 by Ric Hanson

(Red Oak, Iowa) – The Montgomery County Emergency Management Agency reports the Open Burn Ban for Montgomery County has been lifted effective immediately. Officials say, “If you plan to burn, please contact Montgomery County 911 at 712-623-5107 so they have contact information should an issue arise.”
Officials in Audubon County have also lifted a Burn Ban was in effect.
As always, use caution when burning and have adequate water and resources on site should your fire become out of control. Conditions will be monitored, and a future burn ban is not out of the question if dry conditions persist prior to Spring green up.

Local 24-Hour Rainfall Totals Reported at 7:00 am on Friday, March 8, 2024

Ag/Outdoor, Weather

March 8th, 2024 by Jim Field

  • KJAN, Atlantic  .48″
  • 7 miles NNE of Atlantic  .3″
  • Massena  .26″
  • Elk Horn  .22″
  • Bridgewater  .5″
  • Villisca  .5″
  • Manning  .26″
  • Red Oak  .58″
  • Carroll  .1″
  • Clarinda  .32″
  • Creston  .08″

Diesel spill reaches Middle Nodaway River

Ag/Outdoor, News

March 7th, 2024 by Ric Hanson

DES MOINES – The Iowa Department of Natural Resources is investigating a diesel spill on the Middle Nodaway River in Adair County.

On March 7, the DNR Atlantic Field Office received a call from an Adair County Conservation Officer reporting a red sheen on an unnamed tributary located on G27 between Indian and Jordan Avenues in Adair County. Field Office staff responded and discovered that diesel had overflowed from a vent tube of an above ground storage tank at a farm operation owned by Kading Land Company, Inc.

The discharged diesel reached a stormwater intake located inside the secondary containment area and continued flowing via field tile, eventually reaching an unnamed tributary of the Middle Nodaway River.

The amount of diesel spilled is unknown. No dead fish have been observed. Staff will continue to work with the responsible party to clean up the spill. The investigation is ongoing.

Red sheen at tributary of Middle Nodaway River: Photo Courtesy: Iowa DNR

To report a release after hours, please call the DNR’s emergency spill line at (515) 725-8694. Quick reporting can help DNR staff identify the cause of an incident. The DNR website has more information about spill reporting requirements.

DNR watching water temperatures as it prepares for spring trout stocking

Ag/Outdoor, News

March 7th, 2024 by Ric Hanson

(Radio Iowa) – The Iowa D-N-R is keeping an eye on the weather as it prepares for its annual spring trout stocking. Trout are a cool water fish naturally found in northeast Iowa streams and the D-N-R’s Mike Siepker says the unseasonably warm weather may bring up water temperatures in urban ponds and lake. “That is something we will keep an eye on as we get later into the spring. You know our April 19th and 20th stockings we will definitely keep an eye on it,” he says. “But you know, it’s Iowa so you never know what the weather is going to do. And it may cool down and allow us to stock those trout.” Siepker says they started the urban stocking program to introduce people to trout fishing.

“For folks that live in the bigger urban areas of Iowa it gives anglers an opportunity to catch trout, in a close to home area and instead of having to drive in northeast Iowa,” Siepker says. Siepker is the Northeast Iowa Region Fisheries Supervisor, where he oversees the hatcheries that produce the trout. “We spawn all of our trout at the Manchester Fish Hatchery. And then once they reach about a three to four inch size we move those fish to Big Spring or the Chuck Gipp Decorah Fish Hatchery. And they’re in the hatcheries from egg to stocking size for about 18 months,” Siepker says.

The stocking size for trout is usually ten to 12 inches. Siepker says the ultimate goal is to get people interested in trout fishing and some may end up taking a trip to northeast Iowa to catch the trout in their natural stream habitat. The stocking starts April 19th, and there is a list of locations on the Iowa D-N-R website. Siepker says you don’t have to be there when the trout are released into the water to catch one. “There are fish in these ponds quite a while after we stock them, so even if anglers can’t make it to the opening day stocking, we definitely encourage anglers to go out and give it a try because there will be trout in those ponds for quite a while after we stock,” Siepker says.

You do need an Iowa fishing license and trout stamp to take the trout from the lakes and ponds. They plan to stock one to two-thousand trout in nine different lakes.