(Des Moines, IA via the IOWA CAPITAL DISPATCH) – A House panel advanced legislation Tuesday that would require land restoration efforts following the initial construction of electric transmission lines in Iowa. According to the Iowa Capital Dispatch, under House Study Bill 526, transmission line owners would be responsible for repairing tile drainage, tilling impacted soil and reseeding cover crops or other ground cover in the easement area following construction.

Kevin Kuhle, speaking on behalf of the Iowa Farm Bureau Federation, said land restoration following electric transmission projects is a “really important issue” for Iowa farmers.  The bill language states that electric transmission owners must “restore the land to its original condition to the extent practicable.” The Iowa Utilities Commission would implement the rules and impose civil penalties if electric transmission owners do not comply with the restoration requirements.

Similar language was included in Gov. Kim Reynolds’ proposed energy bill from 2025, which did not make it to the floor for debate.  Several other farm groups, and environmental groups registered in favor of the bill, while utility companies remained undecided on the bill. While HSB 526 applies only to electric transmission lines, Kuhle with Iowa Farm Bureau Federation said “it’d be great” if lawmakers extended the restoration requirements to other projects, including natural gas and liquid hazardous pipelines.

The bill passed unanimously from the subcommittee, led by Rep. Shannon Latham, R-Sheffield.

Cass County: Corn $3.98 Beans $10.09
Adair County: Corn $3.95 Beans $10.12
Adams County: Corn $3.95 Beans $10.08
Audubon County: Corn $3.97 Beans $10.11
East Pottawattamie County: Corn $4.01 Beans $10.09
Guthrie County: Corn $4.00 Beans $10.13
Montgomery County: Corn $4.00 Beans $10.11
Shelby County: Corn $4.01 Beans $10.09

Oats: $2.59 (same in all counties)

(Prices are per bushel; information is from the area Farm Service Agency [FSA] offices)

(Radio Iowa) – A northwest Iowa farmer who has agreed to let the Summit Carbon pipeline run through his family’s land is part of a group lobbying legislators today (Tuesday) — urging passage of the proposal that would give the company more leeway to re-chart its pipeline route around landowners who won’t sign a voluntary easement. Kelly Nieuwenhuis of Primghar is a former member of the Iowa Corn Promotion Board and an investor in the Siouxland Energy ethanol plant.

“This project will create a lot of growth in demand for the corn producers across the state of Iowa, so trying to get the project done,” Nieuwenhuis said. “Do our best to get as many voluntary easements as possible. 100% would be awesome, but we’re in today’s work, so I don’t know how that’s going to happen.” Nieuwenhuis was president of Siouxland Energy’s board of directors when it signed the contract to hook up to Summit’s pipeline to export carbon from the plant in Sioux Center.

“At that time I thought: ‘Wow, boy, this is going to be a slam dunk. The benefit for the ethanol indusry that’s going to come from this project is going to be huge,'” Nieuwenhuis said. “And so it’s been more of a challenge than I anticipated, but I think the message is getting out that it is beneficial.” Nieuwenhuis points to Nebraska, where a natural gas pipeline was converted and in September began shipping liquefied carbon from a dozen ethanol plants to Wyoming. Eleven of those plants are in Nebraska. One is on Iowa’s western border.

Nieuwenhuis says Nebraska’s operation shows what could happen for every Iowa ethanol plant. “Having a pipeline like Summit Carbon Solutions lowers the carbon intensity of ethanol by 30 points,” Nieuwenhius said. “That’s huge.” Nieuwenhuis spoke with reporters after posing for a group photo with dozens of like-minded people who’re at the statehouse today (Tuesday). Based on his experience with pipelines and other utility projects, Nieuwenhuis told reporters he had no qualms about signing a voluntary easement for Summit’s pipeline.

“I’ve got four natural gas pipelines through our farms. We’ve got the Dakota Access pipeline through one of our farms. I’ve got wind turbines with MidAmerican. I’ve got electrical transmission lines that go diagonlly across one of my farms,” Nieuwenhuis said. “…I’ve never had an issue with any of them.” Nieuwenhuis farms with two brothers and all their corn is sold to produce ethanol. He’s a current member of the National Corn Growers Association’s Corn Board, a group that supervises the organization’s activities and serve as public advocates for its goals.

(Iowa DNR News) – The paddlefish snagging season on the Missouri and Big Sioux rivers opens Feb. 1 and goes through April 30 (sunrise to sunset). Anglers fishing for paddlefish must have a valid Iowa fishing license, along with a special paddlefish license and unused transportation tag(s).

Keep track of your effort and catch throughout the paddlefish season. Complete the electronic survey when the season ends whether you harvested a fish or not. The information collected will help the Iowa Department of Natural Resources (DNR) evaluate the success of the season and determine what potential changes or modifications may be needed.

If you catch a jaw-tagged fish (numbered band in the lower jaw), call the phone number on the tag to report the tag number, date of capture, capture location and eye-to-fork length. Iowa DNR and other state fisheries agencies tag paddlefish to better understand and manage populations. Tagging provides valuable information to estimate population size, fish movement and growth.

Low river levels might affect Missouri River boat ramp access.

For more information about Iowa’s special paddlefish season regulations, visit the DNR website at www.iowadnr.gov/paddlefish.

The Iowa Department of Natural Resources (DNR) is hosting a series of town hall-style meetings where local staff will provide updates on recently completed hunting and trapping seasons, discuss possible changes to hunting and trapping rules and regulations, and address other topics as requested. “We want people to come out to these meetings, listen to the seasons reviews, ask questions and hear directly from our staff,” said Todd Bishop, chief of the Iowa DNR’s Wildlife Bureau. “Part of the meeting will be devoted to discussing potential rule changes and collecting feedback as we work through the rules process.”

The meetings are open to the public. Comments collected from these public meetings will be considered along with other related comments received by the Iowa DNR prior to proposing changes to hunting rules and regulations. Proposed rules will be presented to the Natural Resource Commission during a regular public meeting for consideration and additional public comment.

Comments received during previous listening sessions have resulted in regulation changes, including modifying and removing areas closed to Canada goose hunting, establishing later goose season dates and increased bag limit, expanding the raccoon hunting and trapping season on private land, modifying Iowa’s antlerless deer quotas in north central and western Iowa, and extending the regular trapping season through the end of February.

(Area) Meeting date, time and locations:

• Creston, March 3, 6 p.m., Performing Arts Building multi-purpose room (124), 1201 West Townline Street
• Council Bluffs, March 5, 5:30 p.m., Bass Pro Shops, 2901 Bass Pro Drive

Any person attending the public meeting that has special requirements, such as those related to mobility or hearing impairments, should contact the Iowa DNR or ADA Coordinator at 515-725-8200, Relay Iowa TTY Service 800-735-7942, or Webmaster@dnr.iowa.gov, and advise of specific needs.

(Radio Iowa) – Senate Republican Leader Mike Klimesh is proposing a bill to let Summit Carbon redraw its proposed pipeline route to avoid land owned by people who will not sign voluntary easements. He’s introducing another bill that would tax the liquid carbon flowing through the pipeline, too. “I’d like to get this done as soon as possible. We have a lot of other important work to do this year and this is very important…and that’s why we’re introducing it early on in the session,” Klimesh said. “I don’t want this to be an issue that lingers. I want us to come to consensus with the House, find a path forward, open up access to different markets for Iowa farmers who are desperately looking for relief right now and put this behind us in a meaningful way that benefits all landowners.”

Klimesh predicts corn prices could go up by as much as a dollar per bushel if the pipeline is built and the carbon is used to extract oil in Wyoming. “230 miles of pipeline was built through Kansas and Colorado to bring jet fuel to the Denver International Airport and that whole pipeline project was built without using eminent domain once,” Klimesh said, “and that’s because those states have policies similar to the one I’m proposing in Iowa.” Key House Republicans have criticized the idea, saying it would still let Summit Carbon use eminent domain authority to seize some land along the pipeline route. House Republicans have introduce legislation that would block Summit Carbon from using eminent domain.

The tax Klimesh proposes would be a fee for each metric ton of carbon that flows through a pipeline in Iowa. “States that have natural resources, underground resources, place a severance tax on that and typically it’s by the barrell,” Klimesh said, “so Wyoming for example places a severance tax on every barrel of oil they draw from the ground and that severance tax has allowed those states to go to zero income tax.” Klimesh says that’s the goal of his proposal, too.

Cass County: Corn $3.97 Beans $10.09
Adair County: Corn $3.94 Beans $10.12
Adams County: Corn $3.94 Beans $10.08
Audubon County: Corn $3.96 Beans $10.11
East Pottawattamie County: Corn $4.00 Beans $10.09
Guthrie County: Corn $3.99 Beans $10.13
Montgomery County: Corn $3.99 Beans $10.11
Shelby County: Corn $4.00 Beans $10.09

Oats: $2.56 (same in all counties)

(Prices are per bushel; information is from the area Farm Service Agency [FSA] offices)

(Radio Iowa) – Iowa Renewable Fuels Association Executive Director Monte Shaw says the state’s biodiesel producers are facing dire circumstances. He says many biodiesel plants idled in 2025 and haven’t restarted. “I’m told that a typical plant, just because of ongoing overhead costs, spends about $800,000 per month even when you’re not running and not buying feedstocks. They are going to run out of cash,” Shaw said. “I think we have some plants that are on the brink and it’s breaking my heart.” The biodiesel industry is waiting for guidance on federal tax credits for low-carbon fuels that could be worth up to one dollar per gallon. It’s called the Section 45-Z Clean Fuel Production Credit.

“These folks have credits, probably a million or two million dollars’ worth of credits, that they could claim if we could get final 45Z rules,” Shaw said. Shaw also cites the delay in the Environmental Protection Agency’s release of mandated biofuel blending levels for 2026. “They were supposed to be out in October and they aren’t out yet,” Shaw said. “We were told they might be out by the end of February. That might be in the nick of time because once those levels are set, then people kind of know what the market is going to be and you can start having transactions.”

A national trade association for producers of biodiesel and sustainable aviation fuels is also urging the E-P-A to act. The Clean Fuels Alliance says the delay in releasing the 2026 Renewable Fuels Standard obligations has created intolerable uncertainty for biodiesel producers and soybean processors who are negotiating contracts and making investment decisions for 2026. The group also warns it’s impacting how many acres farmers may plant with soybeans this spring.

THERE ARE NO POSTED COUNTY PRICES TODAY DUE TO THE FEDERAL HOLIDAY (Martin Luther King, Jr. Day)