(Radio Iowa) — Iowa Senator Chuck Grassley says he’s hearing encouraging news about progress on the U-S Mexico Canada Agreement. The trade deal must first go before the U-S House before it would go to the Senate, and Grassley says he’s seen recent reports in the media quoting House Speaker Nancy Pelosi saying a vote will come very soon. “She expects it to be done yet this year,” Grassley says. “Those are the strongest points I’ve heard from her. I’ve heard nothing but positive comments from her about USMCA since I discussed it with her three months ago in her office.”

Many Republicans are critical of the Democrat-led House for focusing so much time on trying to impeach President Trump, but Grassley says this word from Pelosi on U-S-M-C-A is cause for optimism. “This is the first that we’ve heard a period of time for it to be brought up,” Grassley says. “If it’s brought up even late this year in the House of Representatives, if it passes the House of Representatives, we can get it up right away in the United States Senate.” Grassley says Pelosi told him she didn’t want to bring the trade agreement up in the House until she was sure it had the votes to pass, and he remains confident of its chances in the Senate.”There is a limit on debate ahead of time so we know at a certain time after this debate starts, we have an up or down vote, we don’t have any amendments, we have just one vote,” Grassley says. “I think it’ll be approved, easy, in the United States Senate.”

According to data released last month from a group called Americans for Free Trade, Iowa farmers and businesses have faced 343-million dollars in retaliatory tariffs since the trade war began in February of 2018.

Produce in the Park is surveying Cass County and surrounding communities. Produce in the Park is a weekly farmers market held Thursday evenings in the Atlantic City Park from June through October. The Produce in the Park Board wants to make sure they are meeting the needs of the community. Whether you’ve been to Produce in the Park or not, your feedback is appreciated.

Everyone who completes the survey and provides contact information will be entered to win one of two $25 Gift Cards to Harvest Market. Harvest Market is held the Monday before Thanksgiving, November 25 from 3-7 PM at the Cass County Community Center. Find local produce, baked goods, and more to enjoy at your Thanksgiving celebrations, in addition to holiday gifts and décor by local crafters and artisans.

The Produce in the Park survey can be found online through www.produceintheparkatlanticiowa.com or at www.facebook.com/ProduceInThePark. Printed copies of the survey can be found at locations including the Atlantic Public Library at the Atlantic Area Chamber of Commerce. The survey is open until November 24th (day before Harvest Market). Winners will be announced the day of the market.

A full list of Harvest Market vendors, and information on pre-orders will be posted online at the Produce in the Park website www.produceintheparkatlanticiowa.com. You can also follow the Produce in the Park Facebook page (www.facebook.com/ProduceInThePark) for current event information. Vendor spaces are still available for Harvest Market, and local farmers, bakers, artisans or crafters are invited to sign up. Vendors interested in participating can find details and a registration form online at www.atlanticiowa.com or www.produceintheparkatlanticiowa.com, or at the Atlantic Area Chamber of Commerce.

Harvest Market is sponsored by the City of Atlantic Community Promotions Commission and Aunt B’s. The event is endorsed by the Atlantic Area Chamber of Commerce.

(Radio Iowa) — The U-S-D-A crop report says there were four days suitable for farm work last week and that helped with the harvest. The report shows 43 percent of the corn crop has been harvested — up from 26 percent last week. The harvest is still eight days behind last year and 11 days behind the five-year average.

Producers in the north central district were able to harvest more than one quarter of their crop this past week. Eighty percent of the soybean crop is now out of the fields — that compares to 66 percent last week. The bean harvest is three days behind last year and one week behind the five-year average.

The Page County Sheriff’s Office in investigating the theft of a tractor and wagon from rural Clarinda. 59-year old Mark Christopher Holt, of Clarinda,  reported Saturday, the theft of a 1990 John Deere 4455 2- wheel drive tractor he owned, and a green 605 Parker wagon, owned by Hunter Farms LLC. The tractor and wagon were stolen from field near Highway 2 and V Avenue.

The wagon was empty. Both the tractor and wagon have been entered as stolen nationwide. The incident set off a string of other people reporting that their tractor’s were stolen. All of the others have been recovered and appeared to have been stolen from one location and then left at the next location where another tractor was stolen.

The John Deere tractor and green Parker wagon was still missing at last report. The Page County Sheriff’s Office is seeking the public’s help in recovering this as well as solving these crimes. Anyone with information is asked to contact the Page County Sheriff’s Office at 712-542-5193 or their local Law Enforcement agency.

(Radio Iowa) — Associated Milk Producers Inc., or A-M-P-I, plans to shut down its factory in Arlington, Iowa, that produces nonfat dry milk. Company leaders say the decision stems from the continued decline in dairy farm numbers and milk production in the region. The 49 Arlington employees have been informed. AMPI is working with them to provide access to resources, training and opportunities to apply for available jobs at AMPI facilities.

Milk previously processed at AMPI’s Arlington location will now be routed to other plants in the surrounding area, including AMPI’s Blair, Wisconsin, cheese plant. AMPI will continue to meet customer needs for dependable supplies of high-quality dairy products from its other manufacturing plants. AMPI leadership is exploring options for the facilities’ future.

(Radio Iowa) — The governor, late last week, signed a proclamation temporarily suspending certain regulation on the hours of service for the delivery of propane. Early winter weather conditions the late harvest are all creating a big demand for the liquid gas. The president of Demmer Oil Company in the Worthington, Steve Demmer, says supplying his northeast Iowa customers with liquid propane (LP) has not been easy. “We have gotten 25 percent of what we actually need. We are working very hard — we are getting propane out of Chicago and Kansas — but those are long deliveries,” Demmer says. “So this is going to be something to try and get through this year.”

It is not uncommon for fall demand to slow the deliveries — but he says this year is tougher. “This is the worst we’ve ever seen it. We’ve gotten through every other year and we’ve always gotten propane — 2008 and 2013 were our worst years and we’ve always kept people in propane,” Demmer says, “but this year it certainly is not going to be the case.”  State Senator Dan Zumbach, is also a farmer and says the propane supply is there – it’s just hard to keep up with the demand.)”Yeah it’s discouraging for a lot of folks and you have to keep it in perspective and keep your head on straight. You know it is not our suppliers problem. It is not anyone’s real fault,” Zumbach says. “But what is going on and what created the situation is — we have a huge supply of L-P — but we are using the L-P so fast with today’s modern combines, with today’s modern driers and with the late crop, everyone in the midwest want’s L-P and everyone is consuming it.”

Wet grain has to be dried or it can spoil in the storage bins and become useless. “It’s a very real problem and it’s going to slow harvest down tremendously, because you have to dry the crop as you’re harvesting and it may very cut that rate by half. And that is concerning for a lot of farmers,” Zumbach says. ” I am sweating it out myself — but am willing to take my turn so that suppliers can spread that out the best they can.”  Zumbach says there’s not much more that can be done to speed up the process. “People just have to be patient and realize it’s not your driver’s fault. It’s not your suppliers fault — it’s just a huge demand. The state of Iowa did everything they can to allow drivers to deliver as quickly and as long hours as is safe,” Zumbach says.

The harvest has been running way behind normal and wet weather has also kept crops from drying in the fields.

(A-P) — A new report says farm bankruptcies have risen in Nebraska and Iowa. The American Farm Bureau Federation shows Chapter 12 bankruptcies rose 24% nationwide over the previous year. The report covers the 12 months ending Sept. 30. The report cited severe weather and trade disputes among the problems faced by farmers.

There were 37 farm bankruptcies in Nebraska and 24 in Iowa over those 12 months — a year-over-year increase of six in Nebraska and 10 in Iowa. The highest number of farm bankruptcies was in Wisconsin, with 48. Nebraska tied for second with Georgia and Kansas.

The report cites U.S. Department of Agriculture estimates that farms will bring in $88 billion in 2019 — 29% below the record set in 2013.

Adair County 4-H’ers will hold their annual 4-H awards program Sunday, November 3rd at the Warren Cultural Center located on the east side of the square in Greenfield. The program is slated to begin at 2 pm. During the program all members and leaders of our ten Adair County 4-H clubs will be recognized. In addition, thirteen adults will be recognized with Awards of the Clover for their tenure as 4-H volunteers.

The public is invited. Immediately following the program refreshments will be served by the Summit Superstars 4-H Club.

Bob Bebensee with Conservation Officer Grant Gelly.

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VINING, Iowa (AP) — Iowa environmental officials are investigating a manure spill that led to a fish kill in east-central Iowa. The Iowa Department of Natural Resources said in a news release Friday that the fish kill was found on Wolf Creek about 2 miles northwest of Vining.

Department staff say a manure applicator for Mayo Farm Inc. reported Thursday morning that a drag hose leaked about 2,600 gallons of manure during land application. The applicator built a berm to dam up the spilled manure, but estimates that up to 500 gallons reached the creek.

Staff saw live fish at the site Thursday, but found some dead fish just downstream were found Friday morning. The department will monitor cleanup activities and consider appropriate enforcement action.