6:30 A.M. – 8:30 A.M
Swine Weigh-in

8:30 A.M. – 10:00 A.M
Rabbit Check-In

10:00 A.M. – 11:00 A.M
Poultry Check-in

10:30 A.M. – 12:00 P.M
Meat Goat/Dairy Weigh-in

12:30 P.M. – 1:30 P.M
Sheep Weigh-In

1:00 P.M. – 2:00 P.M
Horse Check-In

2:00 P.M.
Horse Show- Timed Events

5:00 P.M
4-H/Clover Kid/FFA Exhibits Open/Food Sale

6:00 P.M
FFA Floriculture Container & Hanging Check-in

7:00 P.M
Little Miss & Little Mister Contest

7:30 P.M
King & Queen Contest

8:00 P.M
4-H Senior Recognition

9:00 P.M
Youth Dance

(Des Moines, Iowa) – Iowa’s annual pheasant survey begins Aug. 1, and with all the weather indicators pointing in a positive direction, hunters are eager to see the results. The statewide survey is conducted by Iowa Department of Natural Resources (DNR) staff between Aug. 1-15, who drive 225, 30-mile routes on gravel roads at dawn on mornings with heavy dew. Hen pheasants will move their broods to the edge of the gravel road to dry off before they begin feeding, which makes them easier to count.

In June the DNR issued its annual prediction for the roadside counts, which uses a weather model based on the snowfall, rainfall and temperatures from the past winter and spring. The model provides a best guess at what the counts might look like, and it is predicting numbers to be likely higher than last year. “Our 100th season of pheasant hunting could be a very good year,” said Todd Bogenschutz, upland wildlife biologist with the Iowa DNR. But the best indicator for the fall season is the August roadside survey that counts actual pheasants seen along more than 6,000 miles of rural, gravel roads.

The August roadside survey has been conducted over the same routes since 1962. In addition to pheasants and quail, the survey collects data on partridge, cottontails and jackrabbits. Results will be posted online at www.iowadnr.gov/pheasantsurvey in early September. Iowa’s pheasant season begins Oct. 25.

(Report from the Iowa Capital Dispatch; Eddyville, IA) – Iowa grown corn will soon end up in apparel like Spanx, and other products typically made with petroleum-based components, following the opening of a new processing facility. Qore, the joint venture between Minnesota-based Cargill and Germany-based HELM AG, celebrated the opening of the $300 million facility Tuesday in Eddyville, and future growth it represents. The facility will take sustainably grown corn from within the area, then grind it and process it into QIRA, which the company said is an “identical replacement” of 1,4-butanediol, a chemical component used to manufacture various polymers.

Officials with Qore and the partnering companies said the venture is a response to consumer demand for more sustainably produced products, but will also stoke the Iowa corn market and local economy, and pave the way for future partnerships to for bio-based alternatives to petroleum-derived products. Jon Veldhouse, CEO of Qore, said Tuesday the project “connects” a “global challenge” with the natural process of corn absorbing CO2 and turning light into plant energy. Qore has already partnered with a number of brands, the first of which was Lycra, the original makers of Spandex materials. Gary Smith, Lycra Company’s CEO, said with QIRA, he can provide a high level of product credibility and show consumers exactly where the corn in their yoga pants was grown. Smith said he hopes this is “the first step” in a future with many QIRA facilities around the world.

The Qore facility in Eddyville will create a bio-based alternative to petrochemical components used in clothing and other products. Executives held a ribbon cutting at the plant Tuesday July 22, 2025. From left are Allie Buckvold, Axel Viering, Bruce Leslie, Jon Veldhouse, Anita Heinemann. (Photo by Cami Koons/Iowa Capital Dispatch)

At full capacity, the Eddyville plant will have an annual demand of 100 million bushels of corn. Steve Kuiper, an Iowa corn farmer growing for the facility, said that capacity would take all of his corn “plus a whole lot of other folks.’” Plus, that corn would be sold at a premium since QIRA needs to be made with corn grown under regenerative farming practices, like cover cropping and reduced tillage. Corn farmers have had low market prices the past several years and are looking for new markets that will give them a higher price per bushel, or to grow the market through things like Sustainable Aviation Fuel.  Kuiper said the QIRA market doesn’t fill the same gap as something like sustainable aviation fuel would, but he said “biochemistry is on everybody’s minds” and he said farmers, and consumers, need to advocate for more biochemical solutions.

The plant in Eddyville, which opened 40-years ago, is poised to produce 66,000 metric tons of QIRA annually, but the partners said they all hope demand for the product expands and more facilities will be needed. Once the products hit the shelves, customers will see QIRA branding to identify it in stores.

(Radio Iowa) – The latest U-S-D-A report rates 86 percent of Iowa’s corn crop in good or excellent condition. The analysis covers the past week — through Saturday — and it found 80 percent of soybeans are in good or excellent condition. July has been wetter than normal and 72 percent of topsoil and subsoil moisture readings are considered adequate. Twenty-one percent of Iowa topsoil has surplus moisture according to the report.

Iowa Agriculture Secretary Mike Naig says field crops have benefited from this month’s wet conditions and somewhat milder temperatures, but farmers are now worrying about the heat dome building over the state. Heat waves during this stage of corn kernel and soybean pod development can lead to yield losses.

Iowa farmers have harvested about 35 percent of the oats that were planted this year. Pasture conditions are rated by the U-S-D-A as 79 percent good to excellent and hay conditions are even higher — 86 percent in the good to excellent range.

(The following article was written and submitted by the Center for Rural Affairs):

NEVADA, IOWA– Rural economic development comes in many forms, however, in Iowa wind energy is a dominant presence and Adair County is a great example of that. Adair County contributes to Iowa’s status as the second highest producing state of wind energy, hosting more than 500 turbines, or 8% of all turbines in the state.  The Center for Rural Affairs’ new report, “Wind Impact Case Study: Adair County,” examines the economic impact of this development, detailing how tax revenue has been used by the county to support public services, such as schools and infrastructure projects. The report includes perspectives from local public officials, landowners, and a local co-op. 

“With an increasing demand for energy generation, wind energy will continue to provide new rural development opportunities,” said Alex Delworth, senior policy associate with the Center for Rural Affairs. “While not new to Iowa, wind energy can be new to many counties, and they may look to counties like Adair to better understand the public financial impact.” In 2024, wind projects provided more than $5.5 million in tax revenue to Adair County, or 25% of total revenues. Since 2015, through a special financing method, the county has been able to distribute more than $26 million worth of funds for roads and bridges, with additional funds being sent to normal taxing bodies.

“A former supervisor related it to having 500, $1 million homes with far fewer needs,” said Delworth. “Once operational, turbines provide consistent tax revenue for local services without requiring much from them in return.” Local farmers can also benefit from consistent revenues through land-lease payments; however, many took a step further through the creation of a local wind energy co-op, which has over 200 predominantly farmer investors and has developed 13 turbines throughout the county.

“Adair County is a great example of what wind development can look like in Iowa at its highest level,” said Delworth.

To access and read the case study, visit cfra.org/publications.

Established in 1973, the Center for Rural Affairs is a private, nonprofit organization working to strengthen small businesses, family farms and ranches, and rural communities through action oriented programs addressing social, economic, and environmental issues.

Cass County: Corn $3.96 Beans $9.97
Adair County: Corn $3.93 Beans $10.00
Adams County: Corn $3.93 Beans $9.96
Audubon County: Corn $3.95 Beans $9.99
East Pottawattamie County: Corn $3.99 Beans $9.97
Guthrie County: Corn $3.98 Beans $10.01
Montgomery County: Corn $3.98 Beans $9.99
Shelby County: Corn $3.99 Beans $9.97

Oats: $3.00 (same in all counties)

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