(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.

(Atlantic, Iowa) – The 2025 Cass County Fair Royalty was selected Thursday evening. The King and Queen winners were Nollan Smith and Lily Johnson. Smith was chosen from a field of four candidates. The others included: Colin Rudy – Cass County Cowpokes & Atlantic FFA; Conner Johnson – Grove H.O.T & Atlantic FFA; and Carter Witzman – Bear Grove Blazers & Atlantic FFA.

Johnson was chosen as Queen from a field of nine young ladies. They included: Zoey Amos – Pleasant Noble United & Griswold FFA; Alyson Dreager – Bear Grove Blazers & Atlantic FFA; Jacquelyn Freund – Washington GEM & Atlantic FFA; Miley Kelly – Griswold FFA;  Addison Masker – Atlantic FFA; Josephine Millikan – Griswold Clubsters; Leah Ohms – Union Leaders & CAM FFA, and Olivia Olson – Pymosa & Atlantic FFA.

Lily Johnson is a member of Grove H.O.T & Atlantic FFA, and the daughter of Jim and Melissa Johnson. She advances to the Iowa State Fair, to compete in a statewide competition vying for the 2025 Iowa State Fair Queen title. (Photo is from the Griswold CSD Facebook page)

Nollan Smith is a member of the Griswold Clubsters & Griswold FFA, and son of Ryan and Windy Smith. Conner Johnson was named Fair Prince. He is the son of Jim and Melissa Johnson, and Josephine Millkan was named Fair Princess. She’s the daughter of Shad & Anita Millikan.

The “Littler Mister” title was awarded to Malcolm Wickard, son of Allan and Braedi Wickard, and one of 12 candidates. The title of “Little Miss” went to Hattie Leighton, daughter of Matt and Sandra Leighton. She was one of 14 candidates.

2025 Royalty Judges were Mandy Pitzen and Cassidy Robinson. KJAN’s Jim Field was the Master of Ceremonies. Last year’s (2024) Cass County Fair Royalty included: Claire Pellett (Queen); Jack Brahams (King); Makayla Atkinson – Princess; Jace Thomsen – Prince & Mr. Congeniality; Claire Pellett – Miss Congeniality.

6:30 A.M. – 8:30 A.M
Swine Weigh-in

8:30 A.M. – 10:00 A.M
Rabbit Check-In

10:00 A.M. – 11:00 A.M
Poultry Check-in

10:30 A.M. – 12:00 P.M
Meat Goat/Dairy Weigh-in

12:30 P.M. – 1:30 P.M
Sheep Weigh-In

1:00 P.M. – 2:00 P.M
Horse Check-In

2:00 P.M.
Horse Show- Timed Events

5:00 P.M
4-H/Clover Kid/FFA Exhibits Open/Food Sale

6:00 P.M
FFA Floriculture Container & Hanging Check-in

7:00 P.M
Little Miss & Little Mister Contest

7:30 P.M
King & Queen Contest

8:00 P.M
4-H Senior Recognition

9:00 P.M
Youth Dance

(Des Moines, Iowa) – Iowa’s annual pheasant survey begins Aug. 1, and with all the weather indicators pointing in a positive direction, hunters are eager to see the results. The statewide survey is conducted by Iowa Department of Natural Resources (DNR) staff between Aug. 1-15, who drive 225, 30-mile routes on gravel roads at dawn on mornings with heavy dew. Hen pheasants will move their broods to the edge of the gravel road to dry off before they begin feeding, which makes them easier to count.

In June the DNR issued its annual prediction for the roadside counts, which uses a weather model based on the snowfall, rainfall and temperatures from the past winter and spring. The model provides a best guess at what the counts might look like, and it is predicting numbers to be likely higher than last year. “Our 100th season of pheasant hunting could be a very good year,” said Todd Bogenschutz, upland wildlife biologist with the Iowa DNR. But the best indicator for the fall season is the August roadside survey that counts actual pheasants seen along more than 6,000 miles of rural, gravel roads.

The August roadside survey has been conducted over the same routes since 1962. In addition to pheasants and quail, the survey collects data on partridge, cottontails and jackrabbits. Results will be posted online at www.iowadnr.gov/pheasantsurvey in early September. Iowa’s pheasant season begins Oct. 25.

(Report from the Iowa Capital Dispatch; Eddyville, IA) – Iowa grown corn will soon end up in apparel like Spanx, and other products typically made with petroleum-based components, following the opening of a new processing facility. Qore, the joint venture between Minnesota-based Cargill and Germany-based HELM AG, celebrated the opening of the $300 million facility Tuesday in Eddyville, and future growth it represents. The facility will take sustainably grown corn from within the area, then grind it and process it into QIRA, which the company said is an “identical replacement” of 1,4-butanediol, a chemical component used to manufacture various polymers.

Officials with Qore and the partnering companies said the venture is a response to consumer demand for more sustainably produced products, but will also stoke the Iowa corn market and local economy, and pave the way for future partnerships to for bio-based alternatives to petroleum-derived products. Jon Veldhouse, CEO of Qore, said Tuesday the project “connects” a “global challenge” with the natural process of corn absorbing CO2 and turning light into plant energy. Qore has already partnered with a number of brands, the first of which was Lycra, the original makers of Spandex materials. Gary Smith, Lycra Company’s CEO, said with QIRA, he can provide a high level of product credibility and show consumers exactly where the corn in their yoga pants was grown. Smith said he hopes this is “the first step” in a future with many QIRA facilities around the world.

The Qore facility in Eddyville will create a bio-based alternative to petrochemical components used in clothing and other products. Executives held a ribbon cutting at the plant Tuesday July 22, 2025. From left are Allie Buckvold, Axel Viering, Bruce Leslie, Jon Veldhouse, Anita Heinemann. (Photo by Cami Koons/Iowa Capital Dispatch)

At full capacity, the Eddyville plant will have an annual demand of 100 million bushels of corn. Steve Kuiper, an Iowa corn farmer growing for the facility, said that capacity would take all of his corn “plus a whole lot of other folks.’” Plus, that corn would be sold at a premium since QIRA needs to be made with corn grown under regenerative farming practices, like cover cropping and reduced tillage. Corn farmers have had low market prices the past several years and are looking for new markets that will give them a higher price per bushel, or to grow the market through things like Sustainable Aviation Fuel.  Kuiper said the QIRA market doesn’t fill the same gap as something like sustainable aviation fuel would, but he said “biochemistry is on everybody’s minds” and he said farmers, and consumers, need to advocate for more biochemical solutions.

The plant in Eddyville, which opened 40-years ago, is poised to produce 66,000 metric tons of QIRA annually, but the partners said they all hope demand for the product expands and more facilities will be needed. Once the products hit the shelves, customers will see QIRA branding to identify it in stores.