(Radio Iowa) – Iowa Ag Secretary Mike Naig says the fall migration of wild birds is a danger sign for poultry producers about the potential for Avian Influenza exposure. Naig says the first major outbreak in 2015 saw a lot of contamination between sites, but the most recent outbreak saw isolated exposures in facilities brought on by wild birds. “I think the lessons of the last couple of years would tell us that it’s not just during the spring migration, when birds are flying north that you can see high path, it’s unfortunately, also in that fall migration when birds are flying south that you can see it,” Naig says.

Mike Naig (RI file photo)

He says there are already confirmed cases in two states to the north of us. “In South Dakota and Minnesota, and that’s pretty logical as those birds start to come south we’re going to see an increased threat here in the state of Iowa, to our poultry producers,” Naig says. “And so it’s just a time of high alert. And folks really need to be vigilant in watching the health of their birds and calling us if they see anything or have questions.”

Naig says producers can’t take anything for granted when it comes to keeping down the contact with wild birds. “Trying to keep what’s outside, and what’s inside inside. You don’t want to track, you know what could be outside into those buildings. That means taking care of your boots, that means securing your buildings, you know, there’s any number of things that you can do, but it takes vigilance every single day,” he says.

The Avian Influenza or bird flu can have different strains, but Naig says he doesn’t know yet what the test results show from the early cases. “I have not seen the analysis yet on whether or not this is the same strain as we’ve seen in previous years. But I think we’ll all be watching very closely to understand that,” Naig says.

There were some 77 facilities impacted in the first major outbreak in 2015, with millions of birds destroyed. The most recent outbreak saw 32 facilities impacted.

(Radio Iowa) – A Mitchell man is dead after being trapped in a grain bin. The Mitchell County Sheriff’s Office says they received a 9-1-1 call shortly after noon on Wednesday about a grain bin entrapment near the intersection of State Highway 9 and Glass Avenue. First responders at the scene found 69-year-old Dennis Fischer trapped in the bin. Authorities say rescuers were not able to free Fischer from the bin for an extended period of time and Fischer was later pronounced dead at the scene.

The Mitchell County Sheriff’s Office is reminding producers as they continue with the harvest to be mindful of the dangers of entering a grain bin, operating equipment after long hours of work and the impatience of the motoring public on the roadways.

Des Moines, Iowa – Iowa Governor Kim Reynolds today (Wednesday), signed an extension of the proclamation relating to the weight limits and transportation of grain, fertilizer, and manure.  The proclamation is effective immediately and continues through November 11, 2023. The proclamation allows vehicles transporting corn, soybeans, hay, straw, silage, stover, fertilizer (dry, liquid, and gas), and manure (dry and liquid) to be overweight (not exceeding 90,000 pounds gross weight) without a permit for the duration of this proclamation.  

This proclamation applies to 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 (6) (a) and (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.  

See the proclamation here.

(Omaha, NE via Iowa Capital Dispatch)  – Officials with Navigator CO2, Tuesday moved to withdraw their carbon dioxide pipeline permit application in Illinois, effectively halting its project.The motion comes about a week before the Illinois Commerce Commission was set to hold an evidentiary hearing for the application. The company’s proposed 1,350-mile pipeline system suffered a setback in South Dakota in September when state regulators denied Navigator a construction permit. Later that month, the company asked to suspend its permit process in Iowa. At the time, Navigator indicated it would wait for a ruling on its permit in Illinois, which was expected by the end of February 2024.But the company now says it is “taking time to reassess the route and application.”

Navigator CO2 Ventures seeks to build about 1,350 miles of carbon dioxide pipeline in five states. (Map courtesy of Navigator CO2 Ventures)

w/Kate Olson.

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(Radio Iowa) – The amount of soybeans harvested statewide more than doubled last week, and corn wasn’t far behind. Dry weather saw farmers bump the bean harvest up from 24 to 52 percent in the latest U-S-D-A report. That’s one week ahead of the five-year average. The corn harvest hit 30 percent complete — up from 16 percent last week. The corn harvest is now five days ahead of last year and six days ahead of the five-year average.

(Radio Iowa) – Iowa’s Attorney General is leading a 13 state coalition opposing a new Massachusetts law that puts restrictions on the sale of pork based on how the animals are raised. A statement from Attorney General Brenna Bird’s office says the Massachusetts law goes even further than a similar California law.

Shipments of non-compliant pork into the state would be banned even pork meets all Iowa and federal safety and quality standards.

A-G Bird’s statement says these strict new mandates will create extreme costs and regulations to compete in the industry, forcing many family hog farms to close shop.

(Atlantic, Iowa) –  The final edition of Produce in the Park takes place this Thursday, Oct. 12th, in Atlantic. Produce in the Park is a weekly farmers market and community gathering held every Thursday evening during the harvest season (June through October), from 4:30-p.m. until 6:30-p.m., in the Atlantic City Park. This week, local musician Jenna Nau will be providing live music and fan favorite food truck, Zemog’s, will be on site one final time, from 4:30 PM – 6:30 PM. As an extra treat, patrons can look forward to trick-or-treating amongst the vendors. Grab your costumes and head to City Park this Thursday!

This week also, you can look forward to the following specialty items with numerous other vendors and community organizations in attendance:

Aubrey’s Bows: assortment of bows including new Halloween bow collections
Bridgewater Farms: wide assortment of produce including sweet potatoes
Brun Ko Farms: honey, snap peas, spring mix, onions, peppers–including a 3 lb bag for freezing
CK3 Farms: wide assortment of produce including watermelon
Frosting, Inc.: assortment of gourmet cupcakes
Harrisdale Farmstead: butternut squash & potatoes
Imagine Garden Gifts: unique garden gifts including antique, vintage, and repurposed planters.
Kringleman: assorted Danish pastries
Neighborhood Bakehouse: sourdough, baguettes, sandwich bread & pumpkin spice sourdough

All vendors accept cash, with many accepting credit cards and Venmo. All qualifying food vendors accept SNAP/EBT (also known as food stamps) with all fresh produce vendors accepting Double Up Food Bucks–coupons given for SNAP/EBT purchases of fresh produce.

For updates and information on Produce in the Park or how to sign up to participate, visit www.produceintheparkatlanticiowa.com. ‘Like’ or ‘follow’ Produce in the Park on Facebook (www.facebook.com/ProduceInThePark) or Instagram (www.instagram.com/produceintheparkatlanticia/).

Produce in the Park is sponsored by: First Whitney Bank & Trust, Cass Health, Nishna Valley Family YMCA, Gregg Young of Atlantic, Atlantic Area Chamber of Commerce and the City of Atlantic.

(Radio Iowa) – Low water levels on the Mississippi River continue to be a concern for barge traffic that hauls grain from Iowa and other states off to export. Iowa D-O-T spokesman, Stuart Anderson, says the lower Mississippi River levels have continued to drop. “There’s fear that weather patterns are not going to be favorable for replenishing that. although I think there’s a lot of rain coming through at least Midwest here in a couple of days,” Anderson says. “I think to have the most impact on the lower Mississippi and Ohio River where there’s some challenges, I think they’d like to see that system move a little farther south than it is.” He says barge operators have already had to adjust by not filling them as full in the shallower water.

“In addition, as you South of St. Louis the tow get to be wider, but they are having to narrow them instead of being five wide or four wide,” he says. “Basically a 20 percent reduction just in the number of barges that can go south.” The price of floating the grain down river has also been impacted. “Barge rates are a little higher, although not as high as we might expect,” Anderson says. “I think that’s driven by a little bit of a soft export market so that’s offsetting that a little bit.”

Anderson says the situation is something grain haulers will keep an eye on as the harvest in Iowa and other states continues to move forward.

The Iowa Department of Natural Resources (DNR) is investigating a fatal hunting incident that occurred Sunday night in northern Hardin County. Officials said today (Monday) 53-year-old Mark Arends, of Alden, was hunting coyotes with friends on private land approximately two miles north of Alden. The hunters were separated by several hundred yards when, around 8 p.m., Arends was struck by a single rifle shot. The incident remains under investigation. Arends was transported to Hansen Family Hospital, in Iowa Falls, where he was pronounced dead. The State Medical Examiner’s office will be conducting an autopsy as part of the investigation.

Coyotes are nocturnal animals so hunting coyotes is often done at night, with hunters utilizing various night vision technology including thermal imaging scopes. “We stress the importance of identifying your target before taking a shot, and that’s even more important when hunting at night and using thermal technology,” said Captain Matt Bruner, with the Iowa DNR’s Law Enforcement Bureau. “The same can be said about the importance of the hunting plan, especially at night, and following that plan when in the field.”

The Iowa DNR and the Hardin County Sheriff’s office responded to the incident last night and officers were on scene again early Monday morning.