(Radio Iowa) — Ancient, unusual and a tongue-twister — just a few of the words Iowa lawmakers are using to describe a pre-historic weapon that’s made its way onto the pages of proposed legislation. A three-member panel of senators took up a bill this week that would let people use what’s essentially a spear-thrower to hunt deer in Iowa. The name of this weapon is a little weird. Pronouncing it properly is a challenge. “No, we don’t seem to have an agreement on that.” That is Senator Tom Shipley. He admits there was a good bit of laughter as senators in a subcommittee took at shot at it. “Everybody seems to know what we’re talking about when we mumble through it,” Shipley says. It’s called an atlatl (at-LAT-ull). That is the preferred pronunciation from hunters who’ve posted videos about the weapon online.

Archaeologists believe the atlatl was first used in North America about 13-thousand years ago. The bow-and-arrow began replacing the atalt for hunting about three-thousand years ago. Senator Shipley, who is from Corning, says some hunters from his area asked if hunting deer in Iowa with an atlatl could be legalized. “I looked into it and realized that two of our neighboring states close to me — Nebraska and Missouri — allow it,” Shipley said. Alabama does, too. So, Shipley’s sponsoring a bill to do the same in Iowa. “These things have been used for thousands of years to hunt with, so it’s probably the oldest form out there,” Shipley says.

According to the World Atlatl Association, atlatls are one of humankind’s first mechanical inventions. The atlatl is “essentially a stick with a handle on one end.” There’s a socket at the other. The spear is placed in that socket and “the flipping motion of the atlatl propels the spear much faster and farther than it could be thrown by hand alone.” As for whether it’s an effective hunting weapon, Shipley offers this opinion: “It’s just like everything else. It depends on who’s on the other end of it.”

Atlatls have long been legal to use in Alaska for spearing fish and big game animals.

w/Denny Heflin.

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(Radio Iowa) — Leaders of a group that’s been critical of industrial farming say they’ll again push Iowa legislators to ban any expansion or new construction of confined animal feeding operations. Jess Mazour of Iowa Citizens for Community Improvement, says they’ve been asking for changes in existing state rules for where large-scale livestock barns may be built. “We’ve given the DNR and the legislature ample opportunities to make small tweaks and improvements to our permitting system for factory farms here in Iowa and they’ve taken every opportunity to just dismiss or avoid or not pass anything to approve changes,” Mazour says. “We’re going to go for a moratorium this year. It’s going to be our big bill.”

Iowa Citizens for Community Improvement helped form a coalition of groups last year to lobby for a moratorium. Mazour says the group believes it’s important to prevent expansion of existing facilities as well as a moratorium on construction of new livestock confinements. “That way we have a two-prong thing,” she says. “We need to stop the expansion of the factory farm industry here in Iowa through a moratorium, and then for the existing 10,000-plus facilities that we have in the state, we need strong Clean Water Act implementation to hold them accountable to protecting our water.”

Mazour says they’re targeting larger facilities in two categories. “For our definition of a factory farm, sometimes we can go by numbers. So medium and large facilities are any facilities that, for hogs, is 1,250 hogs or more,” Mazour says. “If you go by animal units, which takes into account all different kinds of animals, that would be 500 A.U. or above.” Mazour says the primary motivating factor is keeping one of Iowa’s most vital resources, our waterways, safe from pollution. “The other thing that’s really important to us is it’s not just about the size, it’s about the fact that these are no longer independent family farms,” she says. “These are corporate integrated sites.”

Critics of a moratorium say it would hurt Iowa’s rural economy. The Coalition to Support Iowa’s Farmers says there is already a “maze of state and federal regulations” producers must navigate before building a new livestock barn.

w/Kate Olson.

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DES MOINES –Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Mike Naig today (Tuesday), announced the extension of three water quality demonstration projects focused on innovative ways to encourage adoption of water quality-focused conservation practices. The projects were initially funded in 2015 and are being extended for three years to scale-up their efforts and accelerate practice implementation in support of the Iowa Nutrient Reduction Strategy. Naig says “By extending these projects, we can build on their strong foundations and early successes. These projects are great examples of innovative approaches to engage farmers and encourage the adoption of water quality-focused practices. We look forward to adding new partners to these projects and continuing to work with local farmers and agribusinesses to make measurable progress toward our water quality goals.”

Among the three projects receiving extensions, is the Taylor County Water Quality Initiative – The project works with farmers in Taylor County by promoting alternative land management practices on farmed areas identified to be marginal or potentially unprofitable. The project works with farmers to evaluate the specific production levels and goals within their farming operation. It utilizes several tools to evaluate current farm-scale profitability combined with conservation practice and land use alternatives. Rather than focus on the entire field, this project demonstrates which areas of a field should be considered for alternative forms of production, thus making them more profitable and more sustainable.

The project has already engaged 85 participants in the first two years, and 60 of those farmers have already implemented conservation management changes on their fields. More than 30 additional farmers are on a waiting list to participate in the project. The other projects are the Iowa Seed Corn Cover Crops Initiative, and the Central Iowa Watershed Management Authority WQI Project. The three projects will receive over $2 million in additional funding through the Iowa Water Quality Initiative over the next three years. In addition to the state funds, these projects will generate an estimated $5 million in matching funds and other in-kind contributions to support water quality improvement efforts.

Additional details about these and all other demonstration projects that are part of the Iowa Water Quality Initiative is available at https://www.cleanwateriowa.org/farm-1/.

A hunting incident late Sunday morning in northwest Iowa’s Clay County has claimed the life of a Granville man. The Iowa DNR reports at around 11:15-a.m., Sunday, Clay County Sheriff’s deputies, Iowa DNR conservation officers and local emergency personnel responded to a report of a hunting incident near County Highway B53 and 160^th Ave., in Clay County. 47-year old Kirk Struve, of Granville, was struck by a round believed to be fired from another member of his hunting party. The incident occurred while Struve was coyote hunting with a large group of hunters.

Struve was taken to a hospital where he was pronounced dead. The investigation into the shooting is on-going and further information will be released throughout the investigation as necessary.

CHEROKEE, Iowa (AP) — An idle meat processing plant that closed in 2014 in northwest Iowa will reopen this week with new owners. The Sioux City Journal reports the Iowa Food Group has hired about 35 people initially and plans to increase that to about 100 this year. The company plans to process beef, chicken, pork and lamb that is slaughtered elsewhere and package it for retail.

Arkansas-based Tyson Foods closed the plant in September 2014, taking 450 jobs with it. Tyson held onto its lease and weathered criticism that it was holding the county hostage economically.

(Radio Iowa) — Media mogul Martha Stewart addressed nearly a thousand people over the noon-hour Friday, at a conference in downtown Des Moines. “I’ve always wanted to come to Iowa,” Stewart said, with a laugh. “I have some ties here. Meredith Corporation is publishing ‘Martha Stewart Living’ and ‘Martha Stewart Wedding’ and our special issues and it was a great opportunity to come and visit…and to see what’s going on here in farm country. ” Stewart was the keynote speaker at the 12th annual “Land Investment Expo” which draws bankers and farmers for a day-long series of seminars. Stewart described her own 150-acre farm in New York State. “I do get dirty. I do get out into the garden. I do clean out the chicken coops. I do know how to do all of that stuff, so it’s authentic,” Stewart said. “…When you’re trying to teach people, if you’re not authentic, you’re not a very good teacher.”

Stewart used the phrase “backyard farm” to describe her operation and she listed the wide variety of livestock, poultry, vegetables and fruits produced there.  “Even though I’m just on a little ‘farmette’ I like the idea of farming and growing,” Stewart said. Most Americans are “really ignorant” about where their food comes from, according to Stewart.  “I think there is room for more exploration and more teaching in that area,” Stewart said. “I think all the fabulous farmers in this room should promote, more, about how it happens.”

Stewart, an advocate of organic food and farming practices, said consumers are growing more concerned about “chemicals and byproducts” in their food. Developing more small-scale organic farms is important, according to Stewart. “The big farms, of course, they’re important and they feed the world,” she said, “but the small farms, too, should be encouraged and subsidized in some way.”

The third season of Stewart’s television collaboration with rapper Snoop Dogg, an advocate for recreational marijuana, starts in February. Stewart emphasized that she does not smoke pot on the show, but Stewart said she is investing in research of the potential medical benefits from cannabis in products for pets as well as humans.

AMES, Iowa ― Iowa State University Extension and Outreach will host a MarketReady workshop for area producers in Atlantic on Tuesday, February 26. The training is designed to provide producers with the skills and knowledge needed to make sound decisions about diversifying operations into wholesale, retail, and institutional market outlets. The workshop will be held from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Cass County Community Center, 805 West 10th St., Atlantic. This training will focus on best marketing practices when dealing with these market outlets, including communications and relationship building, regulations, packaging and labeling, grading, pricing, logistics, and more.

The workshop will also include a buyer panel. The intent of this part of the program is for buyers to meet farmers and producers, and for both sides of the sales transaction to understand what the other needs in order to supply and buy local food. Panelists will include chefs, grocers, and institutional buyers such as those working for school districts and hospitals.

Cost for the workshop is $20 per person or $35 per couple (or two employees from the same farm). The fee includes training materials, lunch, and refreshments. Pre-registration is required by 4 p.m. Friday, Feb. 22. To register, visit www.extension.iastate.edu/cass, stop by the Cass County Extension Office, or call (712) 243-1132 by 4 p.m. Friday, Feb. 22. For more information about the workshop, contact Emily Coll, program assistant with ISU Extension and Outreach Local Foods and Value Added Agriculture Programs, at ecoll@iastate.edu or (515) 296-0586.

LYONS, NEBRASKA – The Center for Rural Affairs has a new helpline available for farmers and ranchers. Farmers and ranchers need to manage risk, whether from weather, markets, or other forces. Crop insurance can be used to manage some of their risk. “There can be several reasons why many farmers and ranchers don’t buy crop insurance,” said Anna Johnson, policy manager with the Center for Rural Affairs. “Maybe they haven’t found an option that covers their operation. Maybe they don’t know how to find a crop insurance agent to work with, or don’t know what questions to ask when they meet with an agent.”

Staff on the helpline can address questions on available crop insurance options, how crop insurance works, and how to decide which option is right for an operation. Farmers and ranchers may call the Center for Rural Affairs’ crop insurance helpline at 402.687.2100 ext. 1027 or 1012. In early January, the Center for Rural Affairs hosted a three-part webinar series, covering crop insurance for beginners, an introduction to Whole Farm Revenue Protection, and livestock insurance options. Questions on these topics are also welcome on the crop insurance helpline. Recordings of the webinars can be accessed at cfra.org/crop-insurance-resources.

This project is funded in partnership by the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Risk Management Agency, under award number RM18RMEPP522C015.