(Radio Iowa; updated) – Tyson Foods has announced Covid-19 vaccines will be available later this week for all meat processing workers at its plants in Iowa. Last Thursday, the governor announced Iowa would be getting nearly 26-thousand doses of the Johnson and Johnson vaccine this week. Public health officials indicated that supply of the new single-dose vaccine would be enough for ALL frontline workers at the state’s meatpacking plants. Tyson is the first company to announce that its 13-thousand Iowa employees will have a chance to be vaccinated later this week. Mass vaccination sites will be set up at or near the company’s plants in Columbus Junction, Council Bluffs, Independence, Perry, Storm Lake and Waterloo.

A site in Sioux City will be set up for Iowa residents who work at Tyson’s Dakota City, Nebraska plant. Essential workers are now eligible for vaccinations. State officials say employees in meatpacking plants are classified as essential workers because they work in close proximity to others and cannot maintain six-feet of separation.

(Radio Iowa) – The recent run of sub-zero temperatures across the country spurred several stories about animals who died in the cold or struggled. The D-N-R’s Tyler Harms tracks the deer numbers in Iowa and says it is a normal part of the cycle. “In winters like this where we have persistent deep snow cover and extremely cold temperatures — it’s definitely going to impact wildlife. We start to see some of those weaker individuals or younger individuals that succumb to these very harsh conditions,” Harms says.

He says he’s heard a few reports of deer with problems — but overall they can handle the Iowa winters very well. “Whitetail deer are native to Iowa, so they have been dealing these extreme winter conditions throughout their entire time here,” according to Harms. “They certainly have adapted biologically to be able to handle these conditions. You know often times they change their behavior and their bodies change to conserve as much energy as they can and they utilize the food they have available to them.”

He says deer are very good at finding any source of food available and you may’ve seen them in some backyards this winter looking for food. One thing he says everyone should avoid is putting out food for deer — as he says that can cause more problems than it solves. Harms says setting out a pile of corn is an example. “A pile of corn is really like a pile of candy for deer. It’s something that they certainly like to eat and it is something they can eat on occasion. But too much candy is not good for anyone,” Harms says. “Deer require a varied of different food sources, much like we do.”

Another danger is piles of food bringing deer together and concentrating them in one area. That can lead to the spread of diseases like C-W-D — which is always fatal to deer. Harms says they are better off than you might think. “They can manage quite well even in these extreme conditions. And while unfortunately, we do see some mortality of wildlife during times like this — for the most part on a population level — many critters do survive and are able to fight their way and live through it. It is pretty amazing that they are able to do that,” Harms says. Harms says they will know more about the winter’s impact on animals later this year.

DES MOINES, IOWA— FFA members from Atlantic FFA and other FFA members from across Iowa converged on the FFA Enrichment Center at DMACC and the Iowa State Capitol in Des Moines, recently, to build character and promote citizenship, volunteerism, and patriotism. Atlantic FFA Reporter Aspen Niklasen says Atlantic FFA members, Taylor McCreedy, Alyssa Derby, Craig Alan Becker, Gunner Kirchoff, Aspen Niklase, Wyatt Redinbaugh, Garrett Reynolds and more than 100 high school students wearing blue corduroy from 20 schools flooded the Iowa State Capitol Building in Des Moines on February 16th. The students visited with legislators, exhibited skills learned in the agriculture classroom and learned the importance of citizenship. This was all part of the 36th Annual Iowa FFA Legislative Symposium and FFA Day at the Capitol.

FFA Officers with Moore

FFA Officers with Shipley

During the morning, FFA members heard from Iowa Farm Bureau Federation President, Craig Hill talked about the importance young agriculturalists can play in the agriculture industry. Mike Naig, Iowa Secretary of Agriculture addressed the students about the importance of agriculture in Iowa and abroad. Kelsey Tyrrell from the World Food Prize addressed students about the future of Iowa agriculture and the importance of being involved with statewide issues. After traveling to the State Capitol, FFA members were able to watch Governor Kim Reynolds present and sign the FFA Week Proclamation, declaring February 20-27, the week of President George Washington’s Birthday, FFA Week in Iowa. The proclamation signing took place in the rotunda of the State Capitol where all members could observe.

The 36th Annual Iowa FFA Legislative Symposium and FFA Day at the Capitol was made possible with support from Iowa Farm Bureau Federation through the Iowa FFA Foundation.

MOUNT VERNON, Iowa (AP) — An eastern Iowa man has been arrested and charged with livestock neglect resulting in death after authorities found dead cattle on his property. The Iowa City Press-Citizen reports that 43-year-old Brian Greazel, of Mount Vernon, was arrested Wednesday. Linn County Sheriff Brian Gardner says deputies called to a rural property near Libson for a complaint about neglected cattle discovered numerous head of cattle dead.

Authorities say a veterinarian determined the cattle died for lack of food, water and shelter. The sheriff’s office did not say how many animals were found dead, but said 18 head were rescued from the property.

(Radio Iowa) – The leader of one of Iowa’s largest commodity groups is reacting favorably to former Iowa Governor Tom Vilsack headed for another term as U-S Secretary of Agriculture. The U-S Senate voted to confirm Vilsack on Tuesday to a post he held during all eight years of the Obama administration. Iowa Soybean Association President Jeff Jorgenson says they can now move forward with an experienced leader at the U-S-D-A. “It was just a matter of time before it got stamped and approved and handled,” Jorgenson says. “He obviously went through the confirmation hearing with not many issues by any sort. It’s good for agriculture. It’s a friendly face.”

Jorgenson says he’s hoping Vilsack can focus on working with other countries to promote Iowa’s and America’s commodities. “We really need to work on our trade,” Jorgenson says. “If there’s barriers, working on those barriers and making sure the world knows that we are ready for business and we’ve got ag goods that we need to move.” Iowa is the nation’s number-one producer of corn-based ethanol and soybean-based biodiesel and Jorgenson says Vilsack understands the value of biofuels. “He’s going to play a big role in it,” Jorgenson says. “Honestly, the thing we see and that we’ve seen in the past as soybean producers, he was a voice in the room that calmed the situation and we’d actually made some good progress. That’s where we’re headed, that’s what we need.”

Jorgenson says it’s also important to have Vilsack heading the U-S-D-A as the writing of the new Farm Bill appears on the horizon.

w/Kate Olson.

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Washington (AP) — The U.S. Senate voted 92-7 Tuesday to confirm Tom Vilsack as Agriculture secretary. The former Iowa governor spent eight years leading the same department for former President Barack Obama. In his testimony, Vilsack, 70, heavily endorsed boosting climate-friendly agricultural industries such as the creation of biofuels, saying “Agriculture is one of our first and best ways to get some wins in this climate area.” He faced minimal opposition throughout the confirmation process.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Agricultural groups and anti-hunger organizations are pushing the Biden administration to continue a program launched by President Donald Trump that spent $6 billion to prevent farmers from plowing under food and instead provide it to millions of Americans left reeling by the coronavirus pandemic. The U.S. Department of Agriculture began the Farmers to Families Food Box program in April 2020 after many people were shocked to see farmers destroy crops even as food banks were being overwhelmed by demand from people suddenly out of work.

A USDA Farmers to Families Food Box is seen at a Des Moines Area Religious Council mobile food pantry stop at the downtown bus station, Thursday, Feb. 18, 2021, in Des Moines, Iowa. Agricultural groups and anti-hunger organizations are pushing the Biden administration to continue the Farmers to Families Food Box program launched by President Donald Trump that spent $6 billion to prevent farmers from plowing under food and instead provide it to millions of Americans left reeling by the coronavirus pandemic. (AP Photo/Charlie Neibergall)

If the USDA extends the program, it will be a rare example of the new administration retaining rather than dismantling a Trump initiative.