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More Investments in Rural Electric Infrastructure

Ag/Outdoor, News

March 7th, 2024 by Ric Hanson

(Washington, D-C) – The USDA recently announced the latest round of loans and loan guarantees designed to build and improve rural electric infrastructure throughout the country. Rod Bain reports:

2024 Iowa State entertainment lineup is set

Ag/Outdoor, News

March 6th, 2024 by Ric Hanson

The 2024 Iowa State Fair Grandstand lineup is now complete. Rock band Greta Van Fleet and country star Brett Young will fill the final two remaining spots. Greta Van Fleet will take the stage on Sunday, Aug. 11, while Young will perform on Monday, Aug. 12. Tickets to both shows will go on sale at 10 a.m. Friday, March 8. You can find more information here.2024 Iowa State Fair

2024 Iowa State Fair Grandstand lineup

Cass County Extension Report 3-6-2024

Ag/Outdoor, Podcasts

March 6th, 2024 by Jim Field

w/Kate Olson.

Play

Valero signs on with Summit for carbon pipeline use

Ag/Outdoor, News

March 5th, 2024 by Ric Hanson

(Radio Iowa) – Summit Carbon Solutions has announced a partnership with ethanol producer Valero for the use of its proposed carbon pipeline. Valero has five Iowa ethanol plants in Albert City, Charles City, Fort Dodge, Hartley, and Lakota, along with others in Nebraska, Minnesota, and South Dakota. They produce one-point-one BILLION gallons of ethanol every year.

Summit says the company would capture three-point-one million metric tons of carbon dioxide annually that would be shipped through the pipeline that will run through Iowa. The Iowa Utilities Board held an eight-week public hearing on the pipeline permit that ended in November, and Summit is waiting for the I-U-B decision on the issue.

Cass County Master Gardeners Scholarship Application Due April 1

Ag/Outdoor, News

March 5th, 2024 by Ric Hanson

(Atlantic, Iowa) – Cass County Master Gardeners (CCMG) are again offering a $1,000 scholarship to local students, with applications due April 1, 2024.  The purpose of this scholarship is to provide post-secondary funds to individuals who are studying and intend to pursue a career in a horticulture-related field. This scholarship is available to students who are graduating seniors in any of the following Iowa school districts, in which currently reside members of CCMG: Atlantic, AHSTW, CAM, Griswold, or Red Oak. This scholarship is also available to previous graduates, of any age, of any of these school districts.  Scholarship committee members want to emphasize that students of any age studying in a horticulture-related field are encouraged to apply, regardless of the type of program they are studying, as long as they intend to obtain some degree or certificate in a horticultural-related field.

The goal of the Master Gardener program is to support horticulture education and community service.  CCMG members provide many hours of volunteer service and gardening education within their local communities. This scholarship is designed to further that focus on education and community service. Enrollment in a horticulture-related program of study is required for consideration. Examples of horticultural-related fields are included on the application to give applicants an idea of degree fields that may be eligible to apply. The scholarship winner will be selected based upon horticulture-related career goals, history of community service, academic success, and quality and completeness of application. (Financial need is NOT a criterion.)

The scholarship is for any student pursuing post-secondary education during the 2024-2025 school year. A scholarship check will be issued in January 2025, in the student’s name directly to the academic institution, upon receipt of an official grade transcript for the completed Fall 2024 semester, demonstrating a cumulative GPA of at least 2.5. A previous scholarship recipient may re-apply, but an individual may only receive a total of two scholarships from this program.

The application form is available through the high school guidance departments of any eligible school district, or on the Cass County Extension website at www.extension.iastate.edu/cass/.  Applications should be submitted to the Cass County Extension Office, 805 W 10th St, Atlantic, Iowa 50022, or emailed to keolson@iastate.edu on or before the April 1 deadline for consideration. Questions can be directed to the Cass County Extension Office at 712-243-1132.

Fatal grain bin accident in Fremont County

Ag/Outdoor, News

March 5th, 2024 by Ric Hanson

(Sidney, Iowa) – The Fremont County Sheriff’s Office reports a man has died in a grain bin accident. Authorities received a call about the incident in rural Tabor, Monday (March 4, 2024). The caller said the accident happened at the site located 2922 120th Street. Officials say it appears 94-year-old Robert Wayne Smith was helping in a bin unloading soybeans while running a grain vacuum. Smith’s son was out moving the semi that they we loading. When the son came back to the bin Robert was found under the beans.

Smith was pronounced dead at the scene. His body was being sent to the State Medical Examiners Office in Ankeny to determine the cause of death.

Tabor Fire and Rescue was assisted at the scene by Randolph Fire and Sidney Fire and Rescue.

National ag survey shows Iowa gained farms, younger farmers

Ag/Outdoor, News

March 5th, 2024 by Ric Hanson

Iowa Agriculture Secretary Mike Naig says he noticed two surprises in the latest Census of Agriculture, as he says it’s always interesting to see where Iowa bucks the national trends. Naig says Iowa was among few states that saw an increase in the number of farms, and Iowa also saw an upturn in the number of farmers, including farmers under 35. He gives part of the credit to the launch of Choose Iowa, a branded program for Iowa-grown, Iowa-made, Iowa-raised products. Naig says some younger farmers are also getting into diversified agriculture, selling things direct to consumers.

Wallace Foundation to hold annual Program and Meeting at Armstrong Farm; Topics will include nitrogen management strategies and digital agriculture tools, such as drones.

Ag/Outdoor, News

March 5th, 2024 by Ric Hanson

LEWIS, Iowa – The Wallace Foundation will hold an educational event for the public, followed by its annual business meeting, March 13 at the Armstrong Memorial Research and
Demonstration Farm, just west of Lewis. Registration begins at 9:30 a.m., followed by a welcome address from Mark Bentley, president of the Wallace Foundation.

From 10 a.m. to noon, attendees will hear updates from two Iowa State University Extension and Outreach specialists: Richard Roth, nitrogen science education specialist; and Doug Houser,
digital ag extension specialist. Roth will discuss nitrogen impacts with the use of cover crops, and address other nitrogen concerns heading into the 2024 growing season. Houser will discuss the many uses of drones for agricultural applications and will touch on other trends within digital agriculture.

Aaron Saeugling, Field Agronomist in southwest Iowa, says “As we head into the spring season, new technology and the efficient use of nitrogen is going to be critical for success this year. Both speakers are new to extension and outreach and bring many years of experience in their respective fields.”

The annual business meeting of the Wallace Foundation will be held at 1 p.m. The event is free to attend and includes lunch by Downtowner Cafe and Catering. Attendees are asked to pre-register in order to help with facility and meal planning. To register, email Farm Superintendent Matt Groves at mjgroves@iastate.edu or call him at 712-769-2402. The meeting will be held inside the Wallace Foundation Learning and Outreach Center, 53020 Hitchcock Ave. Lewis, Iowa 51544.

Adams County BOS approves new “Green Energy” plan

Ag/Outdoor, News

March 5th, 2024 by Ric Hanson

(Corning, Iowa [WHO-TV])— The Adams County Board of Supervisors, Monday, approved a new green energy comprehensive plan. Their action followed a public hearing. The document was put together by the zoning board, along with consultant Chris Shires of Confluence Planning and Design Firm of Des Moines. The hearing opened with testimony from citizens mostly opposed to the expansion of wind turbines in the county.

Jeanne Jackson, of the Adams County Priceless Land Coalition, a citizens group opposing more wind turbines shared economic statistics of some four families who have moved out of the county due to being near the wind turbines. She said if you multiply each families impact over an average of 18 years, that adds up. She also presented what her group felt would be fair noise measurements for a neighbors wind turbine when the sound gets next door.

The supervisors voted 3-1 in favor of the green comprehensive plan, with one supervisor abstaining. Adams County leaders are hoping for additional tax revenue from more wind farms.

The wind turbine ordinances will be proposed by the county zoning board.

Meteorologist says Iowa countryside is ‘extremely combustible’

Ag/Outdoor, News, Weather

March 4th, 2024 by Ric Hanson

(Radio Iowa) – Local officials in about a third of Iowa counties have issued outdoor burning bans. National Weather Service meteorologist Rod Donovan says over the past week and a half the satellite data for Iowa shown lots of hot spots and radar has picked up smoke plumes from a lot of field fires.

“We actually had a pretty big fire just west of Colfax going across some grassland yesterday,” Donovan says.

It doesn’t take much to spark a fire in current conditions according to Donovan. “Part of the issue we’ve had across Iowa is really our abnormally short winter, at least abnormally dry and warm across the area,” Donovan says, “…not having a prolonged period of snow cover, a lack of precipitation.”

These conditions have extended the drought. Donovan says pastures, cropland and grassy areas enrolled in the Conservation Reserve Program are “extremely combustible” right now.

Counties in western/southwest Iowa with a Burn Place in effect (as of March 3, 2024)

“It doesn’t take much for an ignition source to create hazardous fire weather conditions,” Donovan says, “warm, very dry, low humidities in addition to these very strong springtime winds that we get across the state.”

The forecast for Iowa indicates March temperatures are likely to be above normal. Donovan says to expect more red flag warnings from the National Weather Service until plants spring to life and fields start turning green.