CLICK HERE for the latest market quotes from the Iowa Agribusiness Network!
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CLICK HERE for the latest market quotes from the Iowa Agribusiness Network!
CLICK HERE for the latest market quotes from the Brownfield Ag News Network!
SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (AP) — The meat and poultry industry has historically relied on immigrant labor to do some of the most dangerous jobs in America, from employing refugees to a notorious record of hiring immigrants in the U.S. illegally. Now that reliance and uncertainty about the pandemic is fueling concerns about possible labor shortages to meet demands for beef, pork and chicken.
In this photo provided by Cristobal Francisquez, his parents Paulina and Marcos Francisco pose for a photo in front of their house in Sioux City, Iowa, Monday, May 25, 2020. They bought the home after years of working in a meatpacking plant and other food processing jobs. (Cristobal Francisquez via AP)
Companies struggling to hire are spending millions on fresh incentives. Whether there’ll be long-lasting difficulties hinge on if employees feel safe, unemployment, industry reforms and President Donald Trump’s immigration policies.
(Radio Iowa) — Iowa hunters reported a record number of wild turkeys taken in the just-ended season at the same time the Iowa Department of Natural Resources is studying the population decline of the birds. D-N-R wildlife research biologist Jim Coffey says they’re researching a disease known as L-D-P-V. “L-D-P-V stands for Lymphoproliferative Disease — which is a relatively new disease to the wild turkey world. And we are not sure what the impact is or has been on wild turkeys,” Coffey says. Hunters were asked to submit a lower leg bone from their birds — and they will be tested for the disease to try and answer some questions.
Coffey says they want to know if the state has the disease and then where the disease is located in the state. “And then we’ll start to look at that data compared to some of our historical bird surveys and population estimates to see if there is any kind of correlation.” He says the wild turkey decline has happened in other states and each is trying to figure out why. “There’s several speculations — and Iowa has chosen to kind of look at the L-D-P-V version of it — whereas other states are looking at other aspects, so we can double up our efforts in trying to solve this mystery.”
He says getting the information from the samples supplied by hunters will let them move to the next step. “Usually the typical pattern in diseases pass through. They impact the population and then they fall off and the population recovers,” Coffey says. “The first aspect is to try and determine do we have it and then is there anything that we can do as managers — was it something that we just have to plan for in our hunting strategies– so that we have to look at how many birds are available to the people of Iowa to hunt.”
Coffey encourages hunters who still have a lower turkey leg and want to participate in the study to go online to www.iowadnr.gov/turkey to request a packet.
OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — One of the many troubling aspects of the coronavirus pandemic has been seeing farmers have to destroy crops and euthanize livestock at a time when millions are losing their jobs and demand is soaring at food banks. However, some states have begun spending more money to help pay for food that might otherwise go to waste and the U.S. Agriculture Department is spending $3 billion to help get farm products to food banks.
New York dairy farmer Chris Noble says it’s gratifying to find a way to avoid dumping milk and get nutritious products to people who need them.
JOHNSTON, Iowa – High waters and construction around the Sycamore Boat Ramp near the I-80 bridge is forcing the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to close the ramp until construction is complete.
The Sycamore Boat Ramp is located near where Beaver Creek flows into the Des Moines River. A barrier is now in place at the boat ramp to prevent launching of boats or any other vessels, as well as kayaks and canoes. Currently, the high water levels and the construction equipment in the area on the river are causing hidden and dangerous undercurrents, as well as very fast currents at the surface.
Anyone boating or paddling through this area is encouraged to use extreme caution or avoid the area all together. The boat ramp will be closed until the construction is complete.
On Saturday, May 23, the currents in that same area caused a woman to be thrown from her kayak causing minor lacerations to her head. Two nearby anglers were able to pull the woman from the river. She was treated and released at the scene by the Des Moines Fire Department. The DNR responded to the incident and will continue to investigate.
MOUNT VERNON, Iowa — On Friday, May 22, around 3:45pm, the DNR was notified of a person who had fallen on a trail at Palisades-Kepler State Park and had lacerations to his head. Four hikers came upon 32-year old Brian Jungen, of Coralville, along Cedar Cliff Trail. Jungen was lying along the trail near a bench and was bleeding from lacerations on his head. The hikers were able to speak briefly with the victim before he blacked out.
The hikers called 911 and first responders from Mount Vernon and Lisbon, as well as Linn County Sheriff’s Office deputies and DNR park rangers responded to the scene. When they arrived on scene, they were not able to detect a pulse from Jungen and began immediate medical attention. Jungen was pronounced dead at the scene.
DNR park rangers continue to investigate this incident.
The Iowa Department of Natural Resources (DNR) reminds paddlers to stay safe and follow physical distancing guidelines to help slow the spread of COVID-19 Getting outdoors after being indoors for such a long time is a fun and healthy option to start summer activities. “Paddling, biking, running and walking are good for our physical and mental health. Small groups of people can easily keep the proper physical distance while paddling,” said Nate Hogeveen, River Programs Director. “But everyone needs to take extra precautions at the accesses, on the water, and while shuttling. Help keep you, your family and other paddlers safe by following these physical distancing guidelines: 1. Limit paddling group size – Paddle with family and friends you know and limit the group to no more than 10. If you boat with people not from your household, limit passengers. Smaller groups will allow for easier shuttle plans. Avoid car loads of people.
Explore the interactive paddlers map at www.iowadnr.gov/Things-to-Do/Canoeing-Kayaking/Where-to-Paddle to help plan your trip, Check out the Iowa DNR’s water trail map library at www.iowadnr.gov/Things-to-Do/Canoeing-Kayaking/Water-Trail-Maps-Brochures for individual water trail maps, including access points and some history information.
The Iowa Department of Natural Resources (DNR) reminds all boaters and anglers to “Clean, Drain, and Dry” their boats and equipment this Memorial Day weekend to protect Iowa lakes and rivers from aquatic hitchhikers. Aquatic hitchhikers are invasive species – everything from zebra mussels to Eurasian watermilfoil – that move from one waterbody to another by hitchhiking on boats, in bait buckets and on other equipment used in the water. They often grow quickly and spread fast when brought to another lake or stream due to lack of natural controls.
“The best way to control the negative impacts of aquatic invasive species in Iowa is to prevent their spread to new waterbodies,” said Kim Bogenschutz, aquatic invasive species coordinator for the Iowa DNR. These aquatic invasive species can create serious problems for Iowa waters by reducing native species and making lakes and rivers unusable for boaters, anglers and swimmers.
Boaters and anglers can unintentionally spread aquatic hitchhikers if they do not take the proper precautions each time they leave a lake or river.
It is illegal to possess or transport prohibited aquatic invasive species. It is illegal to transport any aquatic plants on water-related equipment in Iowa. Signs posted at public accesses remind boaters to stop aquatic hitchhikers and identify infested waters.
Boaters must also drain all water from boats and equipment before they leave a water access and keep drain plugs removed or opened during transport. It is also illegal to introduce any live fish, except for hooked bait, into public waters.
Find more information about aquatic invasive species and a list of infested waters in the current Iowa Fishing Regulations or at www.iowadnr.gov/ais.
(Radio Iowa) — Iowa’s largest manufacturing employer is reporting foul financial news. Quad Cities-based John Deere reports net sales for the second quarter fell 18-percent while net income plummeted from one-point-one billion dollars a year ago to nearly 666-million this quarter. That’s a drop of 41-percent. With the pandemic, a Deere news release says the company’s top priorities are to safeguard the health and well-being of employees while fulfilling obligations to customers.
Production is halted at Deere’s factories in Dubuque and Davenport that make construction and forestry equipment. The company projects worldwide sales of agriculture and turf equipment will fall 10 to 15-percent this year.
The Cass County Conservation Board is holding a National Trails Day T-Bone Trail Ride-Virtually! The Board still encourages you to get out on June 6th 2020. Cass County Conservation Department Naturalist Lora Kanning says “We’ve temporarily experienced life with limited access to facilities, and amenities on our T-Bone Trail and in Cass County, and now more than ever, realize how much we need them. Together we can take action to celebrate and protect trails and promote equitable access to quality green space, even from within quarantine.”
On June 6, 2020, celebrate NationalTrailsDay by taking the PublicLandsProtector Pledge. Bike, walk, strollers, everyone is welcome! Come out and celebrate National Trails Day! Take a trail photo that day, Tag @CassCCBIA, #NationalTrailsDay, and @AmericanHiking to join in the nationwide effort! https://americanhiking.org/national-trails-day/
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