(Radio Iowa) – There’s no sign in Iowa yet of a destructive insect that can devastate all sorts of plants, trees and crops, but the spotted lanternfly is confirmed this summer in northern Illinois near Chicago. Boone entomologist Ginny Mitchell says homeowners, gardeners, farmers and grape growers need to take note and be vigilant for this flying pest.  “The nymph, or the immature stage of the spotted lanternfly, they feed on softer things like vines, flowers,” Mitchell says, “then once they get to the adult stage, they can feed on woody plants, any sort of trees.” The lanternfly was last reported in Iowa in 2022 when it was found in a Dallas County apple orchard. Mitchell says they’ve been known to infest corn and soybean fields, too, but really anything that grows outdoors is seen as a potential meal by this bug.

Adult spotted lanternfly (USDA photo)

“These insects secrete a honeydew, which is like a sugary substance that their body creates,” Mitchell says, “so they secrete that and it causes the plant to get a sooty mold which can devastate the plant and kill the plant, especially grape vines, which are very susceptible to mold.” The spotted lanternfly has a distinct appearance, both the young ones and the adults. “The immatures or the nymphs are black with white spots,” Mitchell says, “then the adult is still black and white, but then it has these vibrant reddish orange wings on it also.” The nymphs may be about the size of a dime while the adults grow to about an inch in length. Mitchell encourages Iowans to be on the lookout.

“If you spot one, it’s important that you capture it in a container,” Mitchell says. “They don’t bite. They’re not going to hurt you. They’re not poisonous or venomous. Immediately reach out to the DNR and let them know your location. They’ll probably send somebody out to inspect the insect itself, and then also the area that you found it on.” The fly has its origins overseas and Mitchell says its natural host plant is what’s known as the tree of heaven, which is native to Asia, but there are some in Iowa. It’s believed the lanternfly may’ve arrived in the U-S on a shipping container.

OTTUMWA, Iowa (KCRG & KCCI) – At least 200 workers at a meat packing plant in southern Iowa had their work visas revoked, and they must leave the United States. The United Food & Commercial Workers Local 1149 confirms that between 210 and 220 employees at Ottumwa’s JBS plant were informed that their visas have been revoked and their employment terminated. A Local 1149 official said this is the largest termination of visa workers in his 23 years with the union.

Another union official told KCCI that the HTE Hormel plant in Algona is dismissing 12 employees for the same reasons.

On July 15, Ottumwa Mayor Rick Johnson told city council members that JBS has been meeting with workers from places like Haiti, Cuba, Venezuela, and Nicaragua. He couldn’t confirm if more groups would be affected. The Mayor said JBS is providing workers with $1,000 dollars each to help them self-deport.

The Ottumwa plant employs around 2,500 people.

(Atlantic, Iowa) – The theme for this Thursday evening’s Produce In the Park in downtown Atlantic, is “Drumstick Night.” Organizers say it’ll be  a “Drumtastic time,” with the Atlantic Public Library’s all-ages drumming activity.

Drumtastic at the Atlantic Public Library

The event – which takes place from 4:30-until 6:30-p.m., features chicken drumsticks from a local vendor, and, Cass County Tourism is giving away 100 ice cream drumsticks, first come, first served!

There will be over 25 vendors set-up at the downtown Atlantic City Park, featuring: Fresh Produce (tomatoes, cucumbers, sweet corn, green beans, and more), Farm-Fresh Eggs, Local Meats (including chicken drumsticks!), Baked Goods & Desserts, Freeze-Dried Snacks, Local Honey, Arts & Crafts, Garden Decorations, Compost.

Pho Wheels & Sushi Food Truck will be at Produce in the Park July 31

Food Trucks on site include : Pho Wheels and Sushi, and the Teeny Weeny Weiner Wagon. Kids’ craft activity, accordion tunes, and Visiting organizations: Healthy Cass County, Cass Health, Atlantic Kiwanis, and more!

Facebook event link: https://www.facebook.com/share/1HxDwrhn5k/

(Via the Iowa Capital Dispatch) – Corn rated nearly 90% good to excellent during the reporting period from July 21 through July 27, while wet conditions limited farmers’ activities in the field, according to the latest crop progress and condition report.  Iowa crops continue to progress slightly ahead of schedule while above-average temperatures and precipitation caused humid conditions and in some cases, caused excessive soil moisture.

Across the state, topsoil moisture went from 21% surplus last week to 30% surplus this week. Subsoil moisture conditions also increased to 24% surplus, up from 17% last week.  According to State Climatologist Justin Glisan, the weekly average precipitation was 1.58 inches for the reporting period, which is 0.61 inches above the normal. Some regions of the state, however, received as much as 7.2 inches during the reporting period and southeastern Iowa had between 3 and 5 inches.

Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Mike Naig said with only a couple of days left in July, it “could rank among the top ten wettest Julys on record. Last week was hot and muggy as a heat dome settled over the Midwest, producing some sweltering heat and humidity,” Naig said in a statement. The average temperature for the week, at 77.5, was more than 4 degrees above normal. Temperatures throughout the period were between 2 and 6 degrees above the 30-year average.

Soybeans also rated 82% good to excellent for the reporting period and 81% of soybean acres were blooming. Soybeans are five days ahead of last year and two days ahead of the five-year average in terms of setting pods, as 52% of the crop across the state has reached that stage. According to the report, nearly half of Iowa oat acres have been harvested, with higher percentages of harvest completed in southern regions of the state.

Oats rated 83% good to excellent and hay rated 86% good to excellent.  Across the state 87% of alfalfa hay acres have had a second cutting and 28% have undergone a third cutting. Pasture conditions also rated well at 82% good to excellent, though according to the report, some livestock stress was reported on account of the heat and humidity.

(Radio Iowa) – July is typically Iowa’s hottest month of the year, and while August will arrive later this week, it may be equally as steamy, which can mean trouble for Iowans with vegetable gardens and fruit crops. Aaron Steil, a consumer horticulture specialist at the Iowa State University Extension, says we’ve had some very hot weeks already this summer and problems begin to develop when temperatures go above 90 during the day, and stay around 75 at night. “When we start getting really warm, especially in the vegetable garden, we’re going to start to see things like slow ripening on tomatoes,” Steil says. “You may be looking at your garden and seeing all these green tomatoes and thinking that they’re being very slow to turn red, and that’s very possible in really hot weather.”

Flavor is also affected by hot weather. Cucumbers may taste bitter, and crops like melons and carrots may have reduced sweetness. Temperatures above 85-degrees can delay ripening in multiple types of vegetables. “Sometimes we see a decrease in the yield or fruit set,” Steil says, “so we’ll see flowers drop or really poor pollination, and that can lead to lower yields, but it can also lead to weird-shaped cucumbers or squash.” Some areas of Iowa remain dry, but most have gotten very healthy rains this month. Steil says if you’ve had a lot of heavy rain, it may cause a calcium deficiency in the soil which can lead to blossom end rot, where a big, dark splotch appears on tomatoes.

“Inconsistent moisture doesn’t allow for that calcium to get to that really fast-developing fruit very well and it causes cell walls to break down and then secondary infections pop in,” Steil says. “We see it often on tomatoes, but we can also see it on things like summer squash, peppers and even things like eggplants.” If that rotten spot appears, he recommends plucking and chucking that fruit, which should help the plant produce a new flower. Steil says many Iowa gardeners are having a decent summer, with a good mix of ample sunshine and rain showers. “Many of the plants we grow in our vegetable gardens like it on the warm side, and they always need good amounts of water to produce well,” Steil says. “Sometimes when we get these really big gully washers, we’re more likely to see things like cracking on tomatoes because those tomatoes get so much water so quickly, it actually breaks the skin.” They’re still good to eat, he says, they just may not be as pretty.

If you’re in one of the dry areas, Steil says deep watering once a week can help reduce plant stress and promote deep, resilient roots. Also, he says to add a layer of mulch to help lower soil temperatures and reduce water lost to evaporation.

Follow updates on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/CassCoFairIA

Swine Show

7:30am, indoor show arena

Poultry Show

10:00am, poultry barn

Inflatable Carnival

10:00am-10:00pm, midway

$10 wristbands; good for all-day usage

4H/FFA Exhibits Open

10:00am-8:00pm, community building

Decorator’s Showcase

12:00pm-3:00pm, community building

Tricky-Trykes Maze – All Ages

12:00pm-2:00pm, community building parking lot

Commercial Booth Barn Open

12:00pm-10:00pm, midway

Critter Close-Ups (exotic animal show)

1:00-1:30pm, midway

Pig Pals Show

1:00pm, indoor show arena

Aerial Stunt Show

2:00pm-2:30pm, midway

Face Painting

2:00pm-5:00pm, commercial booth barn

Pedal Tractor Pull

2:30pm, community building parking lot

Critter Close-Ups (exotic animal show)

3:00-3:30pm, midway

Monster Arm Wrestling

4:00pm, midway

$15 to enter (weigh-ins 3-4pm)

sanctioned by World Monster Assn.

Mens and Womens classes; 1st place trophies

Aerial Stunt Show

4:00pm-4:30pm, midway

COW/FEEDER CALF WEIGH-IN (Note the change in time due to the heat) at the Scale House

4-P.M.

County Fair Church Service

4:30pm, indoor show arena

Critter Close-Ups (exotic animal show)

5:00-5:30pm, midway

Cow/Calf & Feeder Calf Show (Note the time change)

6:30-pm, outdoor show arena

Aerial Stunt Show

6:00pm-6:30pm, midway

Horse Fun Show

6:00pm, horse arena

DES MOINES, Iowa — The Iowa Department of Natural Resources says swimming is not advised at 13 public beaches, all of which have E. coli readings that exceed acceptable levels.

• Backbone Beach
• Beeds Lake Beach
• Black Hawk Beach
• Bobwhite State Park
• Lake Ahquabi Beach
• Lake Darling Beach
• Lake Manawa Beach*** Pott.County
• Lake of the Three Fires Beach*** Taylor County
• Nine Eagles Beach
• Pine Lake South Beach
• Pleasant Creek Beach
• Prairie Rose Beach*** Shelby County
• Union Grove Beach

George Wyth Beach is closed for the foreseeable future due to flooding. There are no indicator bacteria or Algal toxin advisories. Last week, swimming was not recommended at 12 Iowa beaches.

The DNR conducts weekly tests at more than three dozen public swimming beaches between the week before Memorial Day through Labor Day.

(Atlantic, Iowa) – The Atlantic Area Chamber Ambassadors, Thursday, visited the Cass County Fair to celebrate the opening day. During their visit, the Ambassadors heard from several fair board members about all the exciting activities planned for this year’s event.

The annual Cass County Fair is a major draw for Atlantic and the surrounding communities, and it remains the only fully free county fair in Iowa; the only cost is for food. A highlight of this year’s schedule is tonight’s (Friday) annual bull ride, which will be followed by an all-new fireworks show and a concert by Steven Bankey & the Flatland Band at the Grandstand.

Sunday will feature a full day of entertainment, including the Strong and Amazing Ariel Stunt Show, where performers will showcase their incredible skills. In addition to these headline events, fairgoers can enjoy daily attractions such as 4-H and FFA exhibits, livestock contests, tractor pulls, and much more.

Ambassadors (Left to right): Dolly Bergmann, Angie Bitting, Summer Schwab, Steve Tjepkes, Kathie Hockenberry, Julie Waters, Lana Westphalen, Krysta Hanson, Jennifer McEntaffer, Dr. Keith Leonard, Alisha Wagner, Jeremy Butler, Kelsey Beschorner, Drew Williams, Tyler Comes, Curtis Bierbaum, Jeff Christensen, Gabby Buresh, Corey Scholl, Gabby Wahlert, Tori Gibson, Grace McAfee

The Cass County Fair runs from Thursday, July 24, through Tuesday, July 29, at the Cass County Fairgrounds (1000 Fair Ave., Atlantic, IA 50022). For daily food specials, event schedules, and updates, visit casscofairia.com or follow Cass County Fair – Iowa on Facebook.

(Radio Iowa) – One of the Democrats running for the U-S Senate says the “Save Our Bacon Act” being touted by Iowa’s governor and Iowa Republicans in congress doesn’t address the real dilemma Iowa’s hog farmers face. The bill seeks to nullify rules requiring that pork sold in California come from hogs raised in pens large enough that the pigs can move around. J.D. Scholten of Sioux City says lawmakers should really be addressing corporate consolidation in the livestock industry. “You know 67% of the hog industry is owned by just a handful of companies,” Scholten says, “yet they want to blame a California bill for all their problems when the reality is these huge corporations have squeezed our farmers in the last few decades.” Scholten calls the “Save Our Bacon Act” is window dressing and he says Republicans have done nothing to protect independent hog farmers who can’t compete in a monopolized marketplace.

“Address the consolidation issue,” Scholten said. “China Pork owns Smithfield and in 2017 the CEO for China Pork made $291 million that year alone. That’s more than Elon Musk made that year. That’s more than Apple’s Tim Cook,” Scholten says. “And you as a hog farmer that year, especially one with that has a contract with Smithfied how they did that year, most of them said they probably made about the cost of production.” Scholten says picking a fight with California is barking up the wrong tree. “A place like Iowa, 90% of our food is imported and a huge chunk of it half of the food we eat comes from California,” Scholten says. “…I would rather have them work with California.”

State Rep. J.D. Scholten of Sioux City speaks at a statehouse news conference. (RI file photo)

Scholten says if Republicans really wanted to help farmers and consumers, they’d do something about corporate meatpackers that are gouging consumers. Scholten, Nathan Sage of Knoxville and Zach Wahls of Coralville are campaigning for the Democratic Party’s 2026 nomination for the U.S. Senate. Republican Senator Joni Ernst recently told Radio Iowa she’ll make an announcement this fall about her 2026 intentions and at least two Republicans have announced they intend to run against Ernst next year. James Carlin is an attorney from Sioux City is a former Republican state legislator who challenged Senator Chuck Grassley in 2022. Joshua Smith of Indianola, a former national leader in the Libertarian Party, announced on social media in early December that he intended to run against Ernst in the 2026 Republican primary.