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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) — Officials with Iowa’s biodiesel industry are in Washington D-C this week, pushing members of Congress for promised extensions of tax credits. For two years, biodiesel plants have operated under the promise that tax credits will be renewed, but Congress hasn’t passed the necessary bills for 2018 or 2019. Western Iowa Energy President Bradley Wilson says the industry can only hold on for so long. Wilson says, “Quite frankly, if they do not do ’18 and ’19, you’ve already seen some plant closings but it’s nothing like you’re gonna see next year if they don’t take care of it this year.”
Wilson says meetings this week with Democrats and Republicans in both chambers were positive. He’s looking for a bill yet this year that includes tax credits for 2018, ’19 and ’20. Iowa Senator Chuck Grassley met with some of the biodiesel industry leaders and recognizes they need the promised legislation. Grassley offered one biodiesel plant’s math as an example. “Without the tax credit, there’s a $5-million loss. With the tax credit, there’s a $5-million profit, so that’s a $10-million swing,” Grassley says. “If we don’t get this done it’s probably going to be shuttered.”
Grassley says that would eliminate 30 jobs. Several biodiesel plants have already been forced to close this year. Traditional and cellulosic ethanol producers have also reduced production and laid off workers.
(Reporting by Amy Mayer, Iowa Public Radio)
(Radio Iowa) — One week from now, families across Iowa will be gathering at the table to enjoy the taste of turkey — and in many cases, the bird will have been raised and processed in Iowa. Gretta Irwin, executive director of the Iowa Turkey Federation, says Iowa is the nation’s seventh largest producer of turkeys and the fifth largest processor. Irwin says shoppers are finding great deals on the big birds. “Some stores are running specials where if you buy a ham, you get a free turkey,” Irwin says. “Pricing for a good frozen turkey is still a really great value. Fresh turkeys are still a wonderful price as well.” Iowa turkey producers have faced economic challenges over the past year — and longer — given slumping sales due to an oversupply.
“A lot of that had to do with our trade barrier that we have had with China and recently it was announced that it has been resolved,” Irwin says. “That trade barrier had been in place since 2015 when we had avian influenza, so we’ve spent the last four years trying to reopen our second-largest trading partner for turkey.” There’s optimism, Irwin says, that there will be a significant strengthening of the market in the year ahead. For Iowans who are cooking turkeys next week, there is sometimes anxiety about having the time to get a frozen turkey thoroughly thawed.
“If you’re in a rush and the turkey is still frozen or partially frozen, that is perfectly okay. The turkey does not need to be 100% thawed to go into the oven,” Irwin says. “I’ve even gone to the grocery store, bought a fully frozen turkey, removed it from the packaging, salt, peppered and seasoned it, put it in my roaster pan and put it in the oven.” It’s important to note, a fully thawed turkey might take three hours to cook while a frozen turkey might need four-and-a-half hours, depending on the size. Find more tips at: www.iowaturkey.org
(Radio Iowa) — The Board of Supervisors in Adair County have voted to limit development of wind farms. Following a public hearing Tuesday at the Adair County Board of Supervisors meeting, and a waiving of the second and third readings, the supervisors approved an amendment to the Wind Energy Ordinance 31B. The amendment caps the number of commercial wind turbines or wind farms erected within the boundaries of Adair County at a total of no more than 535. Adair County currently has 532 turbines completed or under construction.
Their action comes after neighboring Union County earlier this year passed its ordinance allowing the construction of wind farms to start within the county. At the October 3rd meeting, the Adair County supervisors approved Wind Energy Conversion Property ordinance No. 31A which refers to setbacks. The ordinance defined the non-participating landowner, participating landowner and occupied building as well as made the set back from the nearest occupied building located on anon-participating landowner’s property a distance of not less than 2,000 feet.
Holidays are associated with good food, family, and festivities, but they can also bring winter blues, loneliness, cabin fever, and other challenges to those working to maintain healthy diets, limit alcohol consumption or manage difficult family dynamics.
Healthy Cass County logo
Healthy Cass County encourages all residents of Cass County to make time for personal wellness over the holidays, and in that spirit the group will have a Holiday Wellness Stop at Harvest Market. Harvest Market will be held this coming Monday, November 25, at the Cass County Community Center on the fairgrounds in Atlantic from 3:00-7:00 PM.
The Healthy Cass County Holiday Wellness Stop will provide resources promoting ways to eat well, move more, and feel better over the holidays. Participating organizations include:
Healthy Cass County reminds all residents and visitors to Cass County, to take the Produce in the Park Survey. Those who complete the survey by November 24th will be entered into a drawing to win a $25 gift card to Harvest Market (contest entry not required to participate in survey). The survey is part of a Healthy Cass County initiative to ensure Produce in the Park is meeting the needs of the community. Whether or not you have visited Produce in the Park your feedback is valued. The survey can be found at the Atlantic Public Library and the Atlantic Area Chamber of Commerce or online through www.produceintheparkatlanticiowa.com or directly at https://forms.gle/9bVkA5Ej12bQvQnX6. Your responses will guide decisions for Produce in the Park in 2020.
Healthy Cass County is a community-focused network of organizations and individuals working to promote the health and well-being of Cass County residents. For more information or to join visit https://www.atlanticiowa.com/relocate/health-wellness-2/healthy-cass-county/ or contact Brigham Hoegh, Cass County Wellness Program Coordinator at 712-249-5870, of by email at bhoegh@iastate.edu.
(Radio Iowa) — The ethanol plant in northwest Iowa that makes the fuel from corn cobs and corn stalks is downsizing and 30 employees will be laid off in early 2020. The POET-D-S-M’s Project Liberty cellulosic ethanol plant in Emmetsburg broke new ground in the industry according to Hugh Welsh, the company’s president for North America.
“The technological advancements that we’ve already made will pay dividends for decades to come as we move towards a low carbon future, a future that we would move to much quicker if the EPA would do their job,” Welsh says.
Welsh says several E-P-A decisions have crippled the market for cellulosic ethanol. The plant will shift to research and development and Welsh says the company is looking to license its technology elsewhere.
“As far as jurisdictions outside of the United States, we’ve historically looked to Brazil, to South America, some of the European countries and to China,” Welsh says. After layoffs in February, just 40 of 70 jobs will remain at the Emmetsburg plant.
(Reporting by Iowa Public Radio’s Amy Mayer)
Sponsors of the Cass County Conservation Board’s Trumpeter Swan arrival date contest, have determined the official arrival of the swans was November 8th. There was on that day, 15 Trumpeter Swans at the Schildberg Recreation Area that stayed more than twenty-four hours. The person who picked their arrival date, was Todd Roecker.
He will receive a Trumpeter Swan 8-by-10 print from the Cass County Conservation Board. Cass County Conservation thanks to all who participated!
Atlantic Parks and Recreation Department Director Bryant Rasmussen, Monday evening, updated the Parks Board on various projects and studies. Rasmussen said there’s been a lot of progress at the Schildberg Recreation Area over the past month.
The portable toilets at Schildberg will be removed, since the waterless restroom is open for use. The bathhouse is also done, but will remain closed for the Winter. It will be opened up in the Spring at the same time as the Campground. The small at Schildberg is also in-place. The big dock will likely be installed next Spring. Both were heavily damaged during flooding earlier this year.
Rasmussen said the roads at Sunnyside Park will remain open until at least the first moderate snowfall. Work on the Ice Skating Rink will be underway before the ground gets too hard. He said they hope the rink will be more successful this year than last.
New Gazebo installed on the southwest corner of the Atlantic Sports Complex, as part of a T-Bone Trail attraction. (Ric Hanson/photo)
And, as we mentioned earlier, the T-Bone Trailhead gazebo on the southwest corner of the Atlantic Sports Complex is up and ready for use. He said they are working with Nishna Valley Trails’ Dave Chase on what he thinks needs to be located inside the gazebo.
Rasmussen said also, they harvested seeds from the AMU Well Field for planting in the parks to create wildlife refuges and better stabilize the banks along Bull Creek.
He said the seeds include Kentucky Blue Grass and other native plants. And, he said a Fluvial Geomorphologist and District Forester did a walk through of the Bull Creek pathway to help identify solutions to property erosion along the creek.
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