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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) – The U.S. Supreme Court has rejected two major farm groups’ challenge of a California law requiring breeding pigs have more space in livestock confinements.
The American Farm Bureau and the Iowa-based National Pork Producers Council argued it will cost the swine industry up to $360 million to abide by the California requirement and reconfigure the pens for sows. The groups also contend the 2018 California ballot initiative opens the door to having other states pass regulations that affect farm operations outside their borders.
Trish Cook, a pig farmer from Winthrop who’s president of the Iowa Pork Producers Association, said some small and medium-sized producers will go out of business and consumers will pay higher prices for pork because of the Supreme Court’s decision. “To say it’s disappointing is a large understatement,” Cook said.
Cook suggests upholding Proposition 12 — the voter approved California animal welfare standards — may lead to an escalation of farming regulations. “The ruling sets a really bad precedent because it does enable states to regulate commerce outside their boundaries,” Cook said. 
U.S. Supreme Court Justice Neil Gorsuch wrote that companies must normally comply with the laws in states where their products are sold. Iowa Senator Joni Ernst, in a tweet, said the court is letting extremists in California effectively ban bacon that comes from Iowa hogs. Iowa Senator Chuck Grassley also tweeted after the ruling was issued, saying you can expect to pay more for bacon, since California’s the largest consumer market and pork producers nationwide will have to respond to these regulations.
In a written statement, Iowa Ag Secretary Mike Naig said the court’s decision will allow large states to start dictating how other industries and businesses in the rest of America operate.
(Radio Iowa) – A farmer from California who works with war-torn countries to restore crops to the land is the 2023 World Food Prize Laureate. World Food Prize Foundation President, Terry Branstad made the announcement this (Thursday) morning at the National Academy of Sciences in Washington, D-C. “I am so pleased to announce that the 2023 World Food Prize Laureate is Heidi Kuhn,” Branstad says. It was Branstad’s first laureate announcement since he took the World Food Prize Foundation position. He is a former Iowa governor and Ambassador to China. Branstad says Kuhn is the founder and C-E-O of the nonprofit “Roots of Peace”organization.
“Our 53rd laureate has built a model of work directly with farmers to restore farmland and food security after a devastating conflict. Through this work, she has shown more than a million people living in war torn regions, a way forward to restoring peace and prosperity through agriculture,” he says. Branstad says Kuhn developed a process that has proved to be successful around the world. “First, she partners with the mining organizations to clear landmines,” he says, “then she works with farmers to replant fields with modern agriculture practices, our laureate has worked in nine countries to confront the daunting challenge of rebuilding food systems and livelihoods after conflict.” He says her efforts started by partnering with wineries in her home state of California to raise funds to remove landmines in Croatia so they could replant vineyards and orchards.
Heidi Kuhn in Napa Valley, California. (WFP-photo)
“Then she took this model to Afghanistan. After clearing landmines. There, she helped farmers including more than five-thousand women produce high-quality crops,” Branstad says. “She built agriculture value chains and provided market support and development. Her organization is one of the few us nonprofits that still operate in Afghanistan.” Kuhn was not at the announcement as Branstad says she is working in Azerbaijan to remove landmines, which is her Mother’s Day tradition.
The World Food Prize was created by Cresco, Iowa native Norman Borlaug. Borlaug won the Nobel Prize for his efforts to end famine. Kuhn will receive the World Food Prize at a ceremony on October 26th at the Iowa State Capitol in Des Moines.
(Atlantic, Iowa) – On Friday, May 5th, the Atlantic FFA Chapter held a farm safety/petting zoo day at Washington Elementary. According to Atlantic FFA Reporter Lily Johnson, the event gave students at Washington Elementary the opportunity to experience being around large farm animals. They also got to learn about dangerous farm equipment and learn how to be safe when operating it and they heard about FFA and beef products, from the Cass County beef queen and princess.
Farm Safety Day was led by the Atlantic FFA Chapter officer team, the Atlantic High School Animal Sciences class, and some FFA members. Atlantic FFA Advisor Eric Miller said “I thought it was a fun day and everyone had a chance to learn something new.” The Animal Science class picked 13 areas of need that were involved in bringing animals and equipment to help teach kids about safety around equipment. Those stations gave the Atlantic Elementary students an opportunity to learn more about the animals and equipment they might find on a farm. 
The petting zoo included a cow, a draft horse, sheep, a goat, poultry, a pig, and rabbits. The equipment there included a tractor, a rotary rake to show how a PTO works, a gravity wagon, a lawn mower, and a side-by-side UTV. Maddy Anderson said “I thought the kids had a lot of fun and learned about different types of animals and types of large equipment used on farms, I also think the kids got a lot of hands on experiences.”
The Cass County Beef Queen and Princess, Claire Pellett and Callee Pellet, taught the kids about cattle and beef by-products, along with FFA knowledge, with the assistance of Callee Pellett. She said “I think that it went really well and i love seeing all these little kids get excited about all the animals and have so many questions about agriculture.”
(Article and photo submitted by Eric Miller)
(Atlantic, Iowa) – Rolling Hills Bank and Trust has partnered with the Atlantic Parks and Rec Department, to purchase fruit trees for our area parks as a community orchard. During an Ambassadors meeting Parks Director Wyatt Adderton spoke about the tree loss in our parks, and how they were going to need to replace some trees.
Photos courtesy Rolling Hills Loan Officer BJ Hart
Assistant Parks Director Jeff Christensen later commented about a beloved pear tree located near the pool that they lost recently. He said it was a shame that it died so many people loved that tree. 
Rolling Hills Loan Manager B.J. Hart said “I went back to the bank wanting to do something and talked with CEO Keith Honke about a tree project. Keith encouraged me to get some information which prompted me to contact our new director. As Wyatt and I were talking the idea was born to have a community orchard.”
The Parks and Recreation Department purchased 26 fruit trees. Apple, Pear and Cherry Trees. The first tree for the Community Orchard was planted today (Wednesday), at Sunnyside Park.
(Radio Iowa) – Farmers had dry planting weather most of last week before storms hit — and they made the most of it.The corn harvest shot to 70 percent planted compared to 29 percent in the previous week. Corn planting had been one day behind the five-year average, and is now one week ahead. The U-S-D-A also reports that six percent of the planted corn has emerged — one day ahead of average. Soybean planting moved to 49 percent complete — up from 16 percent the week before — and one week ahead of the five-year average.
Atlantic, IA. – Atlantic Trojan angler Jake Wailes of Wiota, IA caught five fish totaling 68.25” to win the first tournament of the season Fairlife Yup Junior division presented by Remington Seeds at Littlefield Lake. Second place went to Brentyn Hoover from Anita, Brendan Wilke from Atlantic was third, fourth went to Letty McSorely from Carson and rounding out the top five was Holden DeVore from Atlantic.
Grady Joens from Underwood, IA caught a full 5-bag limit measuring 71.5 inches to hold on to score a victory in the Powerade High School Division. Evan Powell from Norwalk finished in the second spot and Lucas Bose from Underwood was third. The final two spots went to Joaquin Wailes from Wiota and Collin Rudy of Atlantic.
Grady Joens also reeled in the biggest fish to earn the AM Cohron & Sons Big Fish of the tournament with his 15” bass.
Twenty-five student anglers competed at the first Duke Rentals Kayak tournament of the season. All combined the student anglers caught 103 fish with a total length of 1023 inches which is almost 10” average length fish. All fish were safely returned to the lake.
Powerade High School Division
Rank Angler School Total Score
1 Grady Joens Underwood Eagles 71.75
2 Evan Powell Indianola Indians 69.75
3 Lucas Bose Underwood Eagles 69.50
4 Joaquin Wailes Atlantic Trojans 68.25
5 Colin Rudy Atlantic Trojans 67.75
6 Tegan Steinkuehler Harlan Cyclone 65.75
7 Conor Britten Red Oak 63.75
8 Sawyer Nelson Indianola Indians 40.75
9 Owen Hoover CAM Cougars 40.00
10 Cody Swank Harlan Cyclone 24.75
Fairlife Junior Division
Rank Angler School Total Score
1 Jake Wailes Atlantic Trojans 68.25
2 Brentyn Hoover CAM Cougars 68.00
3 Brendan Wilke Atlantic Trojans 66.50
4 Letty McSorley Riverside Bulldogs 65.50
5 Holden DeVore Atlantic Trojans 40.50
6 Colton Frieze Griswold Tigers 39.50
7 Ryder Lane ACGC Chargers 26.50
8 Caden Frieze Griswold Tigers 25.55
9 Grayson Molgaard Atlantic Trojans 14.00
10 Grady Roberts Atlantic Trojans 14.00
Other special prize winners at the tournament:
The next Duke Rentals Kayak series tournament will be Sunday, June 11th at Yellow smoke Lake at Denison, Iowa.
For complete details and updated information visit www.swifishingteam.com
(Radio Iowa) – Warmer weather is finally here and Iowans who love to fish are getting out on — or beside — their favorite bodies of water, casting lines and seeing what they can catch. Nate Carr, a state D-N-R conservation officer from Eldora, says besides your fishing pole and the tackle box, there’s one other important thing you should bring along. “If you’re 16 or older and you’re fishing in public water, you’re required to have a fishing license,” Carr says.
“All that goes to help promote and manage the fisheries that we do have. There’s a lot of work from our fisheries bureau that goes towards surveying lakes, trying to understand how our population is doing, and how to best manage that body of water.” Fishing regulations do change from year to year, and Carr says you’ll want to keep up or risk getting a fine.
“Depending on where you’re fishing, length limits and daily limits, you may see some differences whether you’re fishing in the river or a lake,” Carr says. “So it’s a good idea to find yourself a fishing reg booklet for 2023.” He says you don’t need to look far to get the full rundown of state fishing regulations. “Honestly, one of the easiest ways to come across that is, just to go on our website — iowadnr.gov — and you can search ‘fishing regs’ and download a copy to your phone or your laptop or whatever you have handy,” he says.
The annual Iowa Free Fishing Weekend is scheduled for June 2nd through the 4th.
(Radio Iowa) – The Iowa Ornithologists’ Union is celebrating its 100th anniversary at its spring meeting which opens today (Friday). There are nearly 400 members in the group, which promotes interests in the identification, study and protection of birds in the state. Union president Dennis Thompson says one of the things the group is most proud of in its century of history is putting out the quarterly magazine called Iowa Bird Life. “That talks about sightings that have occurred during a season, spring, summer, fall and winter,” Thompson says. “We also have articles about birds in Iowa, and so that’s kind of our scientific purpose, if you will, to publish that journal.”
Thompson says there will be speakers at this weekend’s events along with several field trips for bird watching.
“One’s going down into Madison County,” Thompson says. “We have one going to Walnut Woods and Browns Woods, another’s going into Chautauqua area in northeast Polk County, and I’m leading one to Easter Lake and Yellow Banks Park.” He says birders of all levels are welcome to attend. The spring meeting is taking place in West Des Moines.
(by Catherine Wheeler, Iowa Public Radio)
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