The Shelby County Emergency Management Agency is requesting participating businesses and County Fire Departments, to “Please place your Local Fire Danger Signs in the LOW category.” EMA Coordinator Bob Seivert says “This was a very short season, and not as dry as we typically see. The number of fire responses was markedly low, as compared to the past. We hope the regular updates on the potential for fires to spread have  reduced the number of fire responses, during our typically drier spring and fall seasons.”

Seivert said also, “The number of calls we get from the public reporting their controlled burns, and involvement of our Local Volunteer Fire Chiefs, is a partnership which improves many aspects of public safety. Thank you for your participation in this program!”

The 2017 East Pottawattamie County annual 4-H Jamboree awards ceremony was held on Sunday, November 12, 2017 at the Oakland Community Center in Oakland, Iowa at 1:00pm.  With approximately 100 people present, the afternoon got started with the Pledge of Allegiance, followed by recognizing past honorary members, County Youth Committee, County Extension Council and our Extension Staff.  The new 2017-2018 County Youth Council members were introduced and installed.  Those members include Sarah Butcher, Claire Denning, Symantha Fisher, Julia Kock, Alexis Meek, Kyley Nelsen, Sidney Nelsen, Abigale Petersen, Camryn Pierson, Kinsey Scheffler, and Lydia Wede.

2017-2018 County Youth Council: Top row, left to right: Lydia Wede, Symantha Fisher, Sarah Butcher, Claire Denning, Alexis Meek, Camryn Pierson. Bottom row, left to right: Kinsey Scheffler, Kyley Nelsen, Abigale Petersen, Sidney Nelsen, Julia Kock.

The 2016-2017 Clover Kids members present got the chance to introduce themselves in front of the group and those who have completed 3rd grade and are graduating the Clover Kids program were recognized.  The afternoon followed with club introductions and project awards.  2016-2017 4-H members were recognized for their commitment to their goals in the project areas they have chosen.  To receive these awards, youth must have completed a record book, project records and worksheets associated with their chosen project areas.  A prayer and a short break for finger food snacks brought by all 4-H families to share followed the project awards.

As the awards ceremony started back up, winners were drawn for the 4-H raffle.  Shooting Sports awards were given by Steve and Amy Meek to those East Pott Hot Shot members who participated in the State 4-H Shoot Out.  Outstanding Member Awards were given next; those awards went to two 4-H members in each 4-H age group who were outstanding members in the 4-H program.  The next award was the 4-H Spirit Award, given to a 4-H member who is always excited about 4-H and show enthusiasm year round.  The award went to Abigale Petersen.  Each year 4-H club officers from each 4-H club are encouraged to complete their officer record book and submit them for awards.  This year 18 officers worked hard to complete and submit their books.  As the award ceremony continued, senior 4-H member’s record books were judged for Senior Elite Awards given to members in grades 9-12 for their overall 4-H career in the project area.  Those youth were given a certificate and a 4-H gift for their hard work.

Our final individual 4-H awards were given out in honor of 6 East Pottawattamie County 4-H and agriculture supporters.  These six youth were given a certificate and a 4-H gift for their hard work.  The next three awards went to 4-H clubs who worked hard throughout the 4-H year.  The Herdsmanship Award was given to Botna Valley Achievers 4-H club who worked hard to keep their livestock neat and in order during the Pottawattamie County Fair.  The Club Booth award was given to on Clover Kids group and one 4-H club who had the best club booth display in our static judging building at the County Fair.  These were given to the Botna Valley Achievers Clover Kids and Westside Feeders 4-H Club.  Finally, during National 4-H week in October 4-H clubs have the opportunity to decorate local businesses windows to show off their 4-H club and celebrate the week.  Botna Valley Achievers 4-H Club was chosen as the best window display for 2017.

The last two awards for the afternoon were given to those adults to have helped to make 4-H in East Pottawattamie great.  Each year leaders are recognized with their 5-year certificates and pins from Iowa State University.  This year leaders Bonnie Feigenbutz, Amy Meek and Lauren Schueman were awarded with their 5-year leadership pins.  The last award was the Honorary 4-H Member award, given to Jennifer Kock and Kathleen Jacobsen, members who have dedicated their time to the East Pottawattamie County 4-H program.  The afternoon finished with the 4-H pledge and the final 4-H raffle names being drawn for 4-H prizes.

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The executive director with the Iowa Turkey Federation in Ames, Gretta Irwin, says production is up and there should be plenty of bargains when you buy the big bird for the holiday.  “Our industry is actually in a little bit of an oversupply and so across the board turkey prices are down a little bit,” Irwin says.  She says the industry has rebounded from the impact of the bird flu epidemic that wiped out thousands of birds, but now is facing some other supply issues. “We’ve seen a little stress on our export markets — not being able to export products into China and some of these other countries — has put a little more surplus of turkey meat here into the U-S,” according to Irwin. “So, consumers are going to have that advantage of going out to buy turkey for a very economical price.”

The U-S-D-A retail report on turkeys released last week shows prices ranged from 39 cents to one dollar, 79 cents-a-pound for frozen turkeys in the Midwest. Fresh turkeys ranged from one dollar, 29 cents to one-99 a-pound for fresh birds. The report noted that retailers are starting to offer special holiday price promotions on turkeys. Irwin says Iowans should be able to find turkeys for under one dollar a pound. The turkey you buy for Thanksgiving or Christmas dinner likely won’t be an Iowa grown bird. Irwin says the majority of Iowa-raised turkeys are processed for use as lunch meat and other products, and the industry has been expanding. “We’ve actually moved from number eight in the U-S in turkey production to number seven, so Iowa is now ranked number seven in turkey productions, and we are about fifth in turkey processing,” Irwin says.

Minnesota is the top turkey producer and Missouri is another producer ahead of Iowa in the turkey business. She says it make sense that the turkeys are being raised close to the available corn and soybeans in Iowa. Irwin says a turkey eats a bushel of corn and a third of a bushel of soybeans. You may find out more about turkey recipes and preparing the big bird at www.iowaturkeyfederation.org.

(Radio Iowa)

(DES MOINES) – Gov. Kim Reynolds signed a proclamation Monday extending the transportation of overweight loads of corn, soybeans, hay, straw, silage and stover. The proclamation will expire Dec. 1, 2017.

This proclamation allows vehicles transporting corn, soybeans, hay, straw, silage and stover to be overweight (not exceeding 90,000 pounds gross weight) without a permit, but only for the duration of this proclamation.

This action is intended to allow loads transported on all highways within Iowa (excluding the interstate system) and those which do not exceed a maximum of 90,000 pounds gross weight, do not exceed the maximum axle weight limit determined under the non-primary highway maximum gross weight table in Iowa Code § 321.463 (5) (b), by more than 12.5 percent, do not exceed the legal maximum axle weight limit of 20,000 pounds and comply with posted limits on roads and bridges.

The Iowa Department of Transportation is directed to monitor the operation of this proclamation to ensure the public’s safety and facilitate the movement of the trucks involved in our state’s harvest.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — It turned unusually cold last week but at least it was dry, allowing farmers in Iowa and Nebraska to make progress harvesting corn and soybeans.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture says in its weekly crop update Monday that Iowa producers report they have 85 percent of the corn crop harvested, about a week behind the average and Nebraska is at 86 percent, lagging behind the five-year average of 90 percent at this point in the season.

The Iowa soybean crop is 97 percent complete about five days behind average and Nebraska farmers report they’re all but finished with soybeans at 99 percent harvested.

Shelby County Emergency Management officials report the Fire Danger level in the County will remain MODERATE this week, at least through Thursday morning, when the next report comes out. Persons planning a controlled burn of brush, fields or other field/ditch type material, should notify their local Fire Chief.

Bill Northey — the farmer from Spirit Lake who remains in the elected position of state ag secretary — has not directly addressed a senator’s “hold” on his nomination for a job in the U.S.D.A. But on Wednesday night, Northey INDIRECTLY mentioned it during a speech at an Iowa Republican Party fundraiser. “It’s great to be here with you tonight. I can honestly say I didn’t know if I was going to be here or not. I thought I might be off into Washington, but one of the great blessings of kind of a slow process for me to get through my confirmation is to be able to be here with all of you and to get a chance to be able to say ‘Thank you’ as well.”

Northey was first elected as Iowa’s Secretary of Agriculture in 2006 and he won reelection in 2010 and 2014. Northey thanked his fellow Republicans for supporting his first leap into politics nearly 12 years ago. “As much as we try and forget it, we lost most of our races in 2006 and many of you were a huge part in helping me squeak by into the start of a Republican movement in the state of Iowa,” Northey said. “And you all have been very, very supportive and I appreciate it so much.”

Northey finished less than three percent ahead of his Republican opponent in 2006. He was the only Republican to win statewide elected office that year. On September 1st of this year, President Trump nominated Northey to be the U-S-D-A Undersecretary for Farm Production and Conservation. Texas Senator Ted Cruz is blocking a vote on Northey’s nomination. The move is tied to the senator’s request that President Trump meet with oil-state senators who oppose federal production mandates for ethanol and biodiesel.

(Radio Iowa)

The U.S.D.A. has increased its corn production outlook for Iowa and the nation. The National Agricultural Statistics Service – Crop Production report released Thursday shows Iowa corn production is now forecast at 2.54 billion bushels. Yields are expected to average 197 bushels per acre, up 6 bushels per acre from the October forecast. If the predictions hold, this would be Iowa’s second highest yield and production on record behind last year. Nationally, the average corn yield is forecast at just over 175 bushels per acre, which would be a new all-time high.

Iowa’s soybean production is forecast at 557 million bushels, with a yield of 56 bushels per acre. Both of those predictions are unchanged from last month’s forecast.

(Radio Iowa)