The Cass County, Iowa Master Gardeners (CCMG) are once again offering a $1,000 scholarship to local students, with applications due April 1, 2021.  This scholarship is available to students who are graduating seniors or graduates of any of the following Iowa school districts, in which currently reside members of CCMG:  Atlantic, Clarinda, CAM, Exira-EHK, Griswold, or Red Oak.

The goal of the Master Gardener program is to support horticulture education and community service.  CCMG members provide many hours of volunteer service and gardening education within their local communities.  Accordingly, this scholarship is intended to provide post-secondary funds to individuals who are studying, or intend to pursue a career in, a horticulture-related field.  The scholarship winner will be selected based upon academic success, history of community service, and career goals related to horticulture. Demonstration of past interest and experience in horticulture will be very helpful.

The scholarship is for those pursuing post-secondary education during the 2021-2022 school year. The recipient will be notified of their award on or before May 20, 2021 for planning purposes. A scholarship check will be issued in January 2022, in the student’s name directly to the academic institution, upon receipt of an official grade transcript for the completed Fall 2021 semester. A previous scholarship recipient may re-apply, but an individual may only receive a total of two scholarships from this program.

The application form is available through the high school guidance departments, or on the Cass County Extension website at www.extension.iastate.edu/cass/.  Applications should be submitted to the Cass County Extension Office, 805 W 10th St, Atlantic, Iowa 50022, or emailed to keolson@iastate.edu on or before the April 1 deadline for consideration. Questions can be directed to the Cass County Extension Office at 712-243-1132.

AMES, Iowa (Iowa News Svc.) — An arctic blast has left all of Iowa frozen in recent days, but the spring planting season is inching closer. A new report suggests those who work on farms still face obstacles when it comes to workplace protections, and some of the Iowa data isn’t pretty. The nonpartisan Economic Policy Institute examined 15 years of federal enforcement of labor standards within agriculture. Seventy percent of investigations by the Labor Department’s Wage and Hour Division uncovered violations in this area among employers.

Illegal immigrant while working in the fields in the summer

Daniel Costa, director of immigration law and policy research at the Institute, said not only are farmworkers in an industry that comes with safety risks, the numbers showed many are exploited financially as well. “They’ve also been doing work without being adequately paid for it,” Costa contended. “By any objective measure, farmworkers are some of the lowest paid workers in the entire labor market.” He noted because so many of the individuals lack immigration status, it’s difficult for them to speak up.

The report showed the issue is more widespread in states such as California and Florida. While Iowa isn’t in the top five for percentage of overall incidents, it did have the second highest average number of violations detected for each investigation. According to the Institute, the violations are largely being driven by farm labor contractors, which recruit and hire seasonal agricultural workers. The findings showed Iowa had the most violations per investigation of these hiring firms at 167. Costa believes the analysis presents an opportunity for the Biden administration to take significant action.

“I think there’s no question farmworkers deserve better,” Costa asserted. “And there’s really no better time than now to figure out how to deliver for them.” He added the findings come as farmworkers are hailed as heroes during the crisis. The report recommended ways to enhance compliance, including increasing penalties for employers that are repeat offenders. The authors say it could be done with larger fines and more significant sanctions. The researchers also suggested advocates and unions try to better educate farmworkers about their rights.

The Atlantic Parks and Recreation Board met electronically Monday evening. Parks and Rec Director Bryant Rasmussen reminded the Board and Public about the Snow Sculpture contest underway through the end of the month. Residents are invited to create a snow sculpture and submit it via Facebook Messenger. He said they had received seven submissions so far. The public will vote for their favorite sculpture. The winner gets $25 in Chamber Bucks.

The Parks Board voted to approve not to replace the playground equipment at the Nishna Park, which is down the hill from the Atlantic High School, and instead use the park for a Nature Walk/relaxation area. The playground equipment had been removed when tiling was being done last year.

Rasmussen said with approximately $1,000 in donations, the Parks Department was able to acquire multiple packages of Prairie seeds, that will cover about 1,000 square feet of different prairie sections throughout the City of Atlantic. Some locations include the Schildberg Rec Area, Sunnyside Park, and Nishna Park, to help educate the public on the many different varieties of Prairie vegetation that is available, and provide a colorful natural habit for certain wildlife.

Rasmussen is working with Nishna Valley Trails’ (NVT) Dave Chase to implement facets of the Trail Head at the Little League Park near KJAN. He said they’ve ordered a bike repair station. NVT will purchase a plaque to recognize those donors who have allowed the trailhead to be placed there. There will also be maps for Cass County trails, and vegetation around the outside of the trailhead.

Bryant told the Board, once the weather begins to warm-up, they will set-up another Treasure Hunt, where the key to finding the “Treasure,” comes in the form of a riddle that points participants toward one of the parks. A treasure box with several trinkets in it will be placed somewhere in the park as a reward. In other business, Ramussen said Parks and Rec is collaborating with the Cass County Conservation Board for a “Snow Fun Afternoon” this Friday, while school is out. Details are still be worked out. Stay tuned.

Bryant said also, because it has been so cold, they haven’t been able to get snow removed from the trails, plus, there is a wiring issue with their plow. The plan is to borrow a plow from the Wastewater Treatment Plant to get to work on getting the trails cleared. He said the final version of the Walkability Maps are being finished for proofing and printing. The hope is to roll those maps out this Spring.  And, thanks to the Dog Park donations, there will be three-to four new tables installed at the SRA Dog Park, and about the same number of benches.  Tires have been received for painting, also. Those will be sunken into the ground at the Dog Park, for exercise and dog fun.

(Radio Iowa) – Many Iowans have seen their income impacted by COVID-19 in the past year and it’s raising fears at the Iowa Department of Natural Resources that the state’s Chickadee Checkoff could see a drop in donations this year. Stephanie Shepherd, a wildlife diversity biologist at the D-N-R, says the checkoff — officially known as the Fish and Wildlife Trust Fund — relies on donations via a line on state tax returns. “Things are going to be harder for folks,” Shepherd says. “Absolutely, that’s going to impact the ability for them to donate and that’s totally understandable and fine, but I think we have a nice core group of people who donate and I’m sure if they can, they will continue to contribute to wildlife conservation.”

On tax forms last year, around 72-hundred Iowans donated about 150-thousand dollars to the fund. That’s only about one-half of one-percent of all Iowa taxpayers. Shepherd notes that every penny donated is sent directly to the fund and there are no administrative costs. “It goes into our Fish and Wildlife Trust Fund here at the DNR which means that it is protected and must be spent on fish and wildlife. It can’t be spent on anything else, trails, outdoor recreation or anything like that,” Shepherd says. “One-hundred percent needs to be spent on fish and wildlife.”

The money goes directly to habitat development and restoration programs for some of Iowa’s most vulnerable animal species, she says. Unlike game animals which are hunted, like deer or pheasants, the fund is specifically for non-game species. “Everything from songbirds to bumble bees to bald eagles, that’s the kind of stuff we’re working on, day in and day out,” Shepherd says. “The Chickadee Checkoff is one of our major sources of funding to do that work and make sure those species are healthy and doing well in the state.”

There are more than one-thousand non-game wildlife species in the state, including creatures like salamanders, barn owls, turtles and monarch butterflies. Donations can be made in any amount starting at just one-dollar. The checkoff is on line 57 of Iowa Tax Form 1040, and it’s either automatically deducted from the refund or added to the amount owed. Shepherd says if every Iowa taxpayer donated a buck, it would mean one-and-a-half million dollars for wildlife and natural resources.

DES MOINES– Today (Friday), Gov. Kim Reynolds signed a proclamation that will ease transport rules for propane in Iowa. This proclamation will temporarily suspend regulatory provisions of Iowa code §321.449 pertaining to hours of service for crews and drivers delivering propane. High demand, along with hazardous weather conditions in the Midwest, have created challenges to timely access of propane products in the state.

The proclamation is effective at 12:01 a.m. on February 13, 2021, and expires on March 15, 2021, at 11:59 p.m. The proclamation language and rules can be found here.

JOHNSTON, IA – Officials with the Iowa Renewable Fuels Association (IRFA), Friday, announced Elite Octane, a 150 Million Gallon per Year ethanol plant near Atlantic, has joined the association as a producer member. Nick Bowdish, Elite Octane’s President & CEO, will serve on IRFA’s board of directors. Bowdish said he is excited to work alongside the rest of the IRFA board this year to grow ethanol demand across Iowa, especially in light of Governor Kim Reynolds recent introduction of the Iowa Biofuel Standards legislation earlier this week.

Elite Octane CEO/President Nick Bowdish (File photo)

If passed, the legislation would set a minimum standard of 10 percent ethanol and 11 percent biodiesel sold in Iowa and chart the path to universal availability of gasoline containing 15 percent ethanol in Iowa. Bowdish said “We share the vision of Governor Kim Reynolds, IRFA, and the other supporters of the Iowa Biofuel Standards legislation that gasoline containing 15% ethanol should be available for consumers at every Iowa retail station and this bill provides retailers with the support they need to make it happen.“We are looking forward to being a part of the IRFA team as it works alongside the Governor and other ag groups to see the passage of this crucial legislation.  Upon doing so, Iowa will continue to lead by example as we advocate for other states and countries to offer higher blends of ethanol.”

IRFA Executive Director Monte Shaw said IRFA was excited to welcome Elite Octane as a new member. “While Elite Octane has only been in operation for a couple of years, Nick has been an active and staunch supporter for ethanol for many years and we look forward to his voice joining our board of directors,” Shaw said. “He is passionate and driven and as we work this year to pass ground-breaking legislation to boost biofuel demand, IRFA will be that much stronger because Elite Octane is now a part of our team.”

The Cass County Conservation Board, Thursday, CANCELLED the Sweetheart Snowshoe Hike that was scheduled to take place at the Pellett Memorial Woods north of Atlantic tonight (2/12), at 7 o’clock. The event was cancelled due to the extreme cold conditions.

You can still plan, however, to join Cass County Conservation and Atlantic Parks and Recreation for a no school Snow Fun Afternoon! February 19th 2021 2pm-4pm at Sunnyside Park in Atantic – near the Kiddie Korral. Cass County Conservation will have their snowshoes available for check out near Kiddie Korral shelter. The Atlantic Parks and Recreation offers an assortment of winter recreation opportunities for all ages and skill levels. Cross country skis and sleds are available to be checked out from the Parks and Rec Office at (712) 243-3542.

There are several miles of trails around the park for cross country skiing, rustic hiking trails, cleared trails along the hard surfaced road, and there are Fox and Goose trails made for all to enjoy. The Parks and Rec Department is currently hosting a Snow Sculpture Contest with plenty of space for people and snow for everyone to take advantage of. Hot Chocolate will be available!

(Radio Iowa) – Bills calling for a statewide moratorium on new factory farms are -not- expected to gain much traction in the Iowa legislature this session. Several groups are working to stop development of concentrated animal feeding operations, or CAFOs, which they say pollute the air and water, impact the quality of life, and devalue nearby land. Drew Mogler, a spokesman for the Iowa Pork Producers Association, says if the legislation is approved, it would be a disaster for the state of Iowa and for the pork industry.

“Livestock production and agriculture is really the economic engine of rural Iowa and really a way for young people to get involved in agriculture,” Mogler says, “so it’s definitely something that would really hurt our industry. We certainly still see the pork industry as something that’s very important to rural Iowa.”

Iowa House Speaker Pat Grassley says the CAFO legislation has -no- chance to make it to the floor for a vote. The livestock industry, according to Mogler, creates a wide array of benefits for the state. “Livestock production still contributes a lot to these rural economies,” Mogler says. “In the state of Iowa, the pork industry generates over 147,000 jobs and generates over $6.8-billion in household income, which would really be a direct hit to these rural communities and Main Street businesses in those communities.”

Farmers are making great strides with efficiency, he says, learning to do more with less. He adds, it’s important to note the pork industry’s positive environmental footprint. “We’ve done a better job of managing our manure nutrients,” Mogler says. “Agriculture is obviously going to be able to play a big role when it comes to carbon sequestration and using manure nutrients from our livestock farms helps decrease our reliance on fossil fuel-based fertilizer.”

An eastern Iowa farmer says new methods and technologies make the big operations less harmful, adding, the industry has changed from 30-to-40 years ago. Groups that support the moratorium push include: Food and Water Watch, Iowa Citizens for Community Improvement, Iowa Alliance for Responsible Agriculture, and the Iowa Farmers Union. Jess Mazour, spokeswoman for the Sierra Club’s Iowa Chapter, says the bills target medium- and large-sized livestock operations.

“That would be 500 animal units or larger, and for hogs, that translates to 1,250 hogs, or more,” Mazour says. “It’s pretty straight forward. It’s saying no more should be built or expanded so that we can start to build an agricultural system that works for farmers and eaters and workers and the environment.” Mazour says these bills are focused on the need for improvement to the state’s environment as well as cleaner water, and fixing the current agricultural system.

“We’ve been operating under this system for decades now and when we look out at rural Iowa, we see it withering on the vine,” she says. “We’re seeing small towns dry up, grocery stores and schools and hospitals close. If this system of agriculture, the factory farm system, was so good for rural Iowa, we’ve be seeing thriving towns right now and that’s just not the case.”

Two Democrats introduced bills in the House and Senate to put a moratorium on CAFOs. Senator Pam Jochum, from Dubuque, is sponsoring the measure in that body while Representative Art Staed of Cedar Rapids is carrying the House bill.

w/Kate Olson.

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BELLE PLAINE, Kan. (AP) — President Joe Biden’s nomination of Tom Vilsack to lead the Agriculture Department is getting a chilly reaction from many Black farmers who contend he didn’t do enough to help them the last time he had the job. The former Iowa governor served eight years as agriculture secretary under President Barack Obama. Vilsack is trying to assure minority farming groups and the senators who will vote on his confirmation that he will work to “root out generations of systemic racism” in the agency.

In this Dec. 11, 2020, file photo former Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack, who the Biden administration chose to reprise that role, speaks during an event at The Queen theater in Wilmington, Del. Joe Biden’s nomination of Vilsack to lead the Agriculture Department is getting a chilly reaction from many Black farmers who contend he didn’t do enough to help them the last time he had the job. The former Iowa governor served eight years as agriculture secretary under President Barack Obama.(AP Photo/Susan Walsh, File)

But many Black farmers fault him for failing to address a backlog of discrimination complaints in the department and for firing a Black woman for remarks that he later learned were taken out of context.