DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — The federal government has finalized rules for most U.S. pork processing plants that remove limits on the speed of production lines and place more animal inspection and food safety tasks with company employees.

The pork industry says the first significant pork processing rule changes in 50 years were long overdue. Officials applauded the new regulatory freedom finalized Tuesday by the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
Advocacy groups for workers, animals, consumers and the environment say the changes will endanger workers, increase suffering for pigs and threaten the food supply.

USDA Secretary Sonny Perdue says the change ensures food safety while eliminating outdated rules and allowing companies to innovate. Among the critics is Washington-based Food & Water Watch, which says the Trump administration is prioritizing the meat industry’s interests over food safety.

Nonresidents now have another option to purchase the annual vehicle permit for Lake Manawa and Waubonsie state parks. The Iowa DNR says starting September 18, 2019, customers will be able to go the state park reservation system at www.iowastateparks.reserveamerica.com and purchase the $40 annual vehicle permit. A $4 convenience fee will apply. The permit decal will be mailed to the customer the following business day. Customers may continue to purchase the annual permit and the second vehicle permit at Lake Manawa and Waubonsie state park offices.

For more information about the nonresident user fee, visit www.iowadnr.gov/parks or call Lake Manawa State Park at 712-366-0220 or Waubonsie State Park at 712-382-2786.

DES MOINES, Iowa (Sept. 16, 2019) – Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Mike Naig, Monday, commented on the Iowa Crop Progress and Conditions report released by the USDA National Agricultural Statistics Service. The report is released weekly from April through November. “An unexpected complex of thunderstorms moved through the state on Saturday producing heavy precipitation. This put a damper on the annual Cy-Hawk game but helped improve conditions, according to the U.S. Drought Monitor,” said Secretary Naig. “We also experienced a nice stretch of above-average temperatures last week which is helping the later-planted corn mature.”

The full weekly report is also available on the USDA’s site at nass.usda.gov.

Crop Report:

Heavy rains fell across much of Iowa with just 3.7 days suitable for fieldwork statewide during the week ending September 15, 2019, according to the USDA, National Agricultural Statistics Service. Fieldwork activities included harvesting hay and seed corn, chopping silage, and seeding cover crops. Topsoil moisture condition was rated 1 percent very short, 13 percent short, 81 percent adequate and 5 percent surplus. Precipitation this past week helped increase topsoil moisture levels in all districts. However, the topsoil moisture rating in east central, south central and southeast Iowa districts remains above 25 percent short to very short. Subsoil moisture condition was rated 3 percent very short, 18 percent short, 76 percent adequate and 3 percent surplus.

Ninety-four percent of the corn crop was in or beyond the dough stage, over two weeks behind both last year and the 5-year average. Seventy-four percent of the crop has reached the dented stage, 15 days behind last year and 10 days behind average. Eight percent of corn reached maturity, 19 days behind last year and 13 days behind average. Corn condition improved slightly from the previous week to 65 percent good to excellent. Nearly all of the soybean crop has started setting pods at 96 percent statewide, over two weeks behind average. Forty percent of the crop has begun coloring, 11 days behind last year and 8 days behind average. Five percent of soybeans began dropping leaves, almost 2 weeks behind last year and 10 days behind average. Soybean condition also improved slightly from the previous week to 63 percent good to excellent.

The third cutting of alfalfa hay reached 84 percent, 4 days behind average. Pasture condition rated 43 percent good to excellent. There were a few reports of high numbers of insects around livestock and concerns for livestock in permanent pastures.

(Radio Iowa) — A second Iowa ethanol plant is shutting down production. Siouxland Energy is a farmer-owned cooperative in Sioux Center. The plant’s board of directors has “decided to halt production.” A written statement blames the Trump Administration’s waivers so ethanol doesn’t have to be blended in gasoline produced at what the board said were “many large oil refineries.”

Siouxland Energy’s board president says the actions have “unfairly” benefited the oil industry at the expense of farmers and, “if not addressed soon, will impact the livelihoods of many.” As The Des Moines Register first reported, this is the second ethanol plant to cease production. The first was Plymouth Energy, also in northwest Iowa.

The closures at both Iowa ethanol plants are temporary, at this point. The Sioux Center plant was buying 23-and-a-half MILLION bushels of corn from farmers in the area each year and has 42 employees on its payroll.

(Radio Iowa) — This is National Farm Safety Week and an Iowa State University expert says tractor rides for kids are one cause of accidents that can be avoided. Professor Charles Schwab says tractors are a draw for kids — but they create dangerous situations. “When you have that extra individual on the tractor that really is not there serving a purpose, that creates a problem — you know it’s a distraction to the operator and puts that extra person at risk of being run over — because that’s usually what happens,” Schwab says.

The National Children’s Center estimates one child dies about every three days in an agriculture-related incident. He says it’s not any safer to give kids rides on lawn tractors and it is actually often more dangerous because of an increased danger of rolling over.  “That extra weight of that child impacts the overall balance of that tractor. Whereas a larger field tractor, the difference of that individual isn’t as much. The overturn possibilities or falling off it on a garden tractor are huge,” Schwab explains.

Schwab says adults need to be strong and avoid the desire of the kids to get into these dangerous situations. “Realize that as much as you’d like to share that time, that’s not the best way of doing it. And to keep a tradition of a strong and healthy family — don’t give that ride,” Schwab says. “Part of it is looking at other ways of engaging the individuals or young people in a connection.” He says you can still share the farm experience with the kids without putting them in danger. “It’s not just about the ride on the tractor — it’s about connecting with the people and the values of the individuals that are operating it. Find other ways of making that connection,” he says.

Schwab there are a variety of other farm accidents this time of year. “This past month we’ve already seen auger injuries, falls, tractor overturns and collisions. They start to peak this time around harvest,” Schwab says. He says everyone has the responsibility of helping farmers prevent accidents. “Realize that there’s going to be a lot more agricultural equipment out on the roadways and so we need to be aware. And as motor vehicle operators understand that they’ll be there and are slower than other vehicles,” Schwab says.

He says farmers must understand the dangers while they are out on the road too. “As agricultural equipment operators make sure that you keep engaged with what you are doing and signal your intent. And make sure all your reflective stickers and emblems and lights are all functioning,” Schwab says. This year’s national theme is “Shift Farm Safety Into High Gear.”

(Radio Iowa) — Governor Kim Reynolds is predicting President Trump will announce new ethanol production guidelines this week. “I can’t say too much because we’re waiting to see the final wording,” Reynolds says. Reynolds flew to Washington, D.C. last Thursday for a meeting at the White House to discuss how to increase the federal ethanol production mandate. President Trump in August gave the green light to waivers so 31 oil refineries do not have to blend ethanol into gasoline. Trump has said he had to save those refineries “from certain closing” — but he’s promised a “giant package” will be unveiled to boost corn-based ethanol. Reynolds says she “feels really good” about last week’s White House meeting with Trump and farm-state senators. “If what we agreed on is what we see in writing, we’ll be supporting it and inviting him here to announce it,” Reynolds said.

The governor says the ethanol waivers granted to the oil industry erased any gains from President Trump’s June announcement that gasoline with a higher 15-percent blend of ethanol could be sold year-round. She says that message has been delivered. “It’s going to have a direct impact on our farmers and our communities and our economy in rural Iowa and, you know, we helped put him there and he said when he ran for office that he supported renewable fuels,” Reynolds said. “And it was a really good meeting.”

Reynolds made her comments at the Clay County Fair in Spencer during an interview with K-I-C-D Radio. The Des Moines Register is reporting the Siouxland Energy Cooperative in Sioux Center has quit producing ethanol — the second ethanol plant in Iowa to close down this fall.

(Radio Iowa) — Governor Kim Reynolds met with the president Thursday to talk about ethanol policy. Governor Reynolds Tweeted last night (Thursday night) that she “appreciated the opportunity to meet with Trump at the White House to discuss the importance of ethanol to rural America!” She used an exclamation point at the end of that sentence, then concluded by saying she’ll “never stop fighting for” ethanol. A month ago, Trump gave the green light to waivers so oil refineries do not have to blend as much ethanol into gasoline. Reynolds has said Trump did not fully understand the negative impact that would have on the ethanol industry.

This (Friday) morning, Bloomberg News is reporting President Trump has revealed Iowa Senators Chuck Grassley and Joni Ernst, both U.S. Senators from South Dakota and Nebraska Senator Ben Sasse (SASS) were part of a “big meeting” at the White House about ethanol.

No doubt you have heard how the latest clean water crisis now looms in rural America: the Des Moines Register has reported unsafe levels of bacteria and nitrates continue to pollute Iowa’s water, according to findings over the past 16 years. Clean water protections are jeopardized by recent escalated federal attempts to deregulate, slash budgets and restrict supervision and enforcement. Matt Russell, Executive Director of Iowa Interfaith Power & Light and fifth-generation owner of Coyote Run Farm in Lacona, spoke with KJAN News about the work being done to protect and preserve Iowa’s environment. He said there are four practice areas that are very effective: Conservation tillage, extend crop rotation – grow more than corn and soybeans, have something growing all year around, and integrating livestock by managing manure better…rotational grazing and more.

Russell grew up on a farm south of Anita. His parents, Bill and Connie Russell, and his brother and sister-in-law Todd and Cathy, still farm the same land. On his Lacona farm, they took 110 acres and turned it all into a managed grazing system. They used EQUIP, CRP and other conservation programs, partnering with the tax payers to help put practices on the farm that will help them sell their meat directly at a higher value. They built ponds, and changed to a rotational grazing system as well.

He said Interfaith Power and Light works with farmers in getting them engaged in their profession in terms of climate change and water clean-up. Those that are already using practices to be “High-level” stewards of the land in conservation, he says, take more risk and get less return than the farmers who take short cuts. The trick, according to Russell, is how to “shift the economics.” He says “We have an economic situation that does not reward those farmers who do the highest levels of conservation. Those who do the least level and sometimes poor conservation – they actually pay very little cost. The economics do not encourage better stewardship, and we don’t have a way of calling-out those farmers who are doing a poor job.”

Russell says “We know we have these increased nutrients and bacteria as well, and that’s not changing. That’s not getting better. We can’t just keep doing what we’re doing, expecting that something is going to change.” The Nutrient Reduction Strategy (NRS) is a solution to address nutrient pollution and reduce Iowa’s inputs by up to 45%. However, despite significant investments in the NRS – including a $242 million dollar water quality bill passed by the legislature in January 2018 – the implementation rates of water quality practices are actually slowing rather than ramping up.

The efforts of good land stewardship, Russell says, creates economic opportunities. “What we have to think about as Iowans, is that this water is all of ours. There are multiple problems with the water, but also gives a lot of opportunities for strategy to fix it and work together to do it. This is a great opportunity for that rural-urban divide that we hear about. How do we partner together instead of making this farmers against other folks in the State. How do we come together to all take responsibility to get solutions that are based in concrete efforts that works. We’ve got to move past talking about the problem to really engaging ‘How do we get the dollars, how do we get the practices, how do we get the partnerships to get to a place where everybody has access to clean drinking water, everyone can jump in a close-by body of water, and float and paddle, fish, and hunt water fowl.'”

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — A judge has allowed a lawsuit challenging Iowa’s management of fertilizer and hog farm pollution in rivers and streams to move forward, handing a significant  victory to environmental and community activist groups challenging the state’s voluntary farm pollution regulations. Judge Robert Hanson says in a ruling filed Wednesday that Iowa Citizens For Community Improvement and Food & Water Watch may proceed to trial in their effort to prove the state isn’t doing enough to clean up the Raccoon River, a drinking water source for 500,000 central Iowa customers of Des Moines Water Works.

The lawsuit claims the state has violated the rights of citizens to clean water for recreational and drinking water uses. It asks the court to order mandatory limits on nitrogen and phosphorous pollution and for a moratorium on new and expanding hog confinement facilities. A spokesman for the Iowa attorney general’s office says the state is reviewing the ruling and considering next steps. A spokesman for Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds says she will not comment on the decision.

w/Kate Olson.

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