The largest pork producer in Iowa is announcing a new commitment to odor reduction and farm beautification. John Stinn, the environment project manager for Iowa Falls-based Iowa Select Farms, says to cut down on the smell, they’ll be putting up what’s called an electrostatic precipitator fence on all new company-owned farms. “Basically how that works is, we string a couple of high-voltage wires right after the fans on the end of the barn so as the dust particles leave the barn, they’ll be charged by that fence and they’ll impact our green screen fence that will grab onto those charged particles and prevent them from leaving the farm,” Stinn says. “By reducing the dust that leaves the farm, we also reduce the odor.”

On the beautification side of the effort, the company plans to plant tree wind breaks. Stinn says the dual effort will involve all of the new Iowa Select Farm facilities that are under construction. “All the farms that we are building this summer, we are committed to putting both tree wind breaks and also this electrostatic fence on them as well,” he says. The first of the new facilities was recently dedicated near Williams in Hamilton County at the Hale Finisher site. Iowa Select Farms has 800 farms in 50 counties, marketing more than four-million hogs a year.

(Radio Iowa)

A recent survey of Midwest bankers shows a “significant increase” in farm loan rejections. Creighton University professor Ernie Goss surveys the presidents and C-E-Os of rural banks in Iowa and nine other Midwest states. He found nearly 43 percent of initial farm loan applications had been rejected as bankers react to weak farm income. The financial pinch will be compounded this fall, according to Goss, who expects the Federal Reserve to raise interest rates.

“We’re likely to see short-term interest rates, from our survey, maybe growing by as much as three-quarters of a percent by the end of the year,” Goss says. Goss says the overall Midwest economy is growing, but concerns about trade “skirmishes” are slowing that growth. Goss predicts farm equipment sales may soon take a hit.

“For Iowa, you’ve got agricultural equipment manufacturers that are certainly big users of aluminum and steel. They are seeing some price increases and that’s going to really have a negative impact on that industry,” Goss says. “While the industry was doing well for June, I expect that to slow down somewhat because of these tariffs, because of these price increases and also the trade tensions as well.”

Prices remain below “break-even” for a large share of grain farmers and Goss’s survey indicates there’s been a slight “slump” in checking account deposits in rural banks. Two-thirds of the bankers he surveyed indicated their bank has increased collateral requirements on farm loans. The professor’s job index in rural areas of Iowa was in negative territory for June.

(Radio Iowa)

The survey on farmland ownership released last week by Iowa State University Extension shows those who own the land here are getting older and also have more education. I-S-U extension economist Alejandro Plastina says farmland ownership has increased among those age 65 to 74 and those 75 and above. “That has increased substantially through time when we consider those two categories together in 2017,” Plastina says.  Those who are 75 and older owned 35 percent of the land while those 65 to 74 owned 25 percent. He says the older landowners run bigger operations. Plastina says those owners 75 and older only represent 26 percent of the total number of owners — so there are fewer of them — but they own more land.

He says when dig deeper into the numbers you can see more of the the impact of age on ownership. “Owners 55 years old and younger — they own 16 percent of the farmland — but they account for 25 percent of all owners,” Plastina explains, ” so the scale of these farms is much smaller for the younger farmers.” This survey is done every five years and Plastina says it continues to show the owners of the land stay close to it. “Fifty-five percent of the farmland in Iowa is owned by farmers who live on the owned farmland. Either on the farmland surveyed or other owned farmland in Iowa,” Plastina says.

Plastina says the survey gives an indication of how the methods and science of farming has changed. More and more farmland owners now have a college or graduate degree.”They account for almost 40 percent of all farmland (owners) as of 2017, and that portion was 17 percent in 1982,” according to Plastina.  The survey finds 57 percent of all farmland is owned by someone who does not actively farm the land. Twenty-three percent of those owners who do not farm are retired farmers — while the rest is owned by those with no farming experience.

(Radio Iowa)

An El Nino Watch is being issued by the Climate Prediction Center, as conditions become favorable for the development of another round of Pacific Ocean warming. Meteorologist Dennis Todey, director of the U-S-D-A’s Midwest Climate Hub, based in Ames, says we’ll likely feel the impact in a few months. “We could see an El Nino occur probably into the fall, is what I would guess we’re looking at,” Todey says. “There is a fairly decent pool of warm water in the subsurface in the equatorial Pacific. When you start seeing that and the computer models all line up I’d say, yeah, we’re probably headed that way.”

Farmers across Iowa will need to take particular note as the weather pattern often shifts the region’s climate. Todey says the impacts of the developing El Nino will be felt late this year into next. “We have an increased chance of being warmer during the wintertime with El Nino,” he says. “The storm track moves up a little bit further north, you may have more mixed-precipitation-types of storms with the warmer temperatures than overall snowfalls.”  Todey says they are also watching the current warming trend across the Northern Plains. “Even if you’ve got decent soil moisture, warmer temperatures start to extract more water from the soil because of higher atmospheric demand,” Todey says. “We’re getting to that time of year where corn is starting to use more water anyway. That’s a more immediate concern and then it becomes how much more precipitation are we really going to get, and that’s been a tough call so far this year.”

Todey says a La Nina — or cooling of the ocean — ended last year and we’ve been in a neutral phase since then.

(Radio Iowa)

DES MOINES – Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Mike Naig today encouraged Iowa hay and straw producers to register or update their listing on the Iowa Hay and Straw Directory.  The directory lists Iowa producers with hay and straw for sale, as well as organizations and businesses associated with promoting and marketing quality hay and straw. Naig said “The directory is a tool for both buyers and sellers and we hope farmers will take the time to review and update their information.  “This directory can serve as an important link between hay producers and those looking to buy, so we encourage Iowans to take advantage of this free directory.”

The listing is available to interested buyers throughout the nation, however only sellers from within Iowa can be included on the list. Names are gathered throughout the year with added emphasis now that hay harvest has started. Sections within the Hay and Straw Directory include “Forage for Sale,” “Forage Auctions,” “Hay Associations,” “Forage Dealers,” “Hay Grinders” and “Custom Balers.” Farmers interested in listing should visit the Department’s website at www.IowaAgriculture.gov.  An application form can be found by going to the “Marketing” link on the home page and then clicking on “Hay & Straw” on the right side of the page. For those without internet access, please call the Hay/Straw Hotline at 800-383-5079.  The Department will fax or send a printed copy of the application to be filled out.

The Department is also supporting the Iowa Crop Improvement Association’s “Iowa Noxious Weed Seed Free Forage and Mulch Certification Program.”  Through this program Iowa forage and mulch producers can take advantage of many emerging market opportunities for “Certified Weed Free” products.  For more specific information on this program producers should contact the Iowa Crop Improvement Association at 515-294-6921.  More information can also be found by visiting http://www.iowacrop.org/Weed_Free.htm.

DES MOINES, Iowa – While warmer average temperatures can have a dramatic impact in colder climates, new research shows how much crop growth can be affected when temperatures change by just a few degrees Celsius.  For Iowa, one crop that would be affected drastically is corn. The research, headed by Michelle Tigchelaar, a postdoctoral researcher at the University of Washington, shows that an increase in average temperature of two to four degrees Celsius would decrease crop yields by at least 18 percent across the United States.

Tigchelaar said the range of the temperature increase will be a large determinant of the scale of crop failures. “So, with 2 degrees of warming, the effects are severe but somewhat, you know, manageable,” Tigchelaar said. “But with 4 degrees of warming, it becomes really sort of something that we haven’t quite seen before.” In Fahrenheit, those temperature differences are from 3.6 to 7.2 degrees warmer.

The study looked at crop yield effects around the globe, including countries such as China and Brazil, observing weather patterns and corn yields. An 18 percent decrease in crop yields would mean an Iowa farmer expecting 175 bushels of corn per acre would bring in only about 144 bushels. That would have a large impact on other products such as corn syrup and meat.  Environmentally friendly structural changes and crop adaption to higher temperatures are all possibilities for limiting the damage of a warmer climate. But for farmers, Tigchelarr said environmental changes are just some of the ongoing obstacles. “They deal with changes in their environment regularly, so to some degree you can adapt your farming practices by planting on different dates, or planting a slightly different variety,” she said.

Some scientists expect the development of biotechnology and farm management to allow corn to grow as normal, despite climate changes.

(Iowa News Service)

You’re invited to help launch “Ag 4 All,” the new parent organization of both Ag Adventure and “Who’s Your Iowa Farmer?,” by stopping by “Ag Adventure,” at Fontanelle’s 4th of July Celebration. Learn how you can support these efforts by volunteering and/or providing financial support. Blake Anderson, chair of the new group, says “This is the first time we have asked individuals to contribute money to help sustain and expand program efforts.”  Anyone donating $25 or more to Ag 4 All during the Ag Adventure event on the 4th will receive a “Who’s Your Farmer?” t-shirt, as a thank you gift.

Ag Adventure Goes to School, Ag Adventure on the 4th, and Who’s Your Iowa Farmer? were originally initiatives of Ag Works, a loose coalition of Adair County Cattlemen, Adair County and Iowa Corn Growers, Adair County Extension and Outreach, Adair County Farm Bureau, and Adair County Pork Producers; all groups with a common interest in promoting agriculture. As program efforts have grown, the leadership of the coalition decided to create a formal and more permanent structure to raise dollars for and administer the programs. Thus Ag 4 All was officially created and registered with the State of Iowa.

Anderson says “The Ag 4 All moniker was selected to communicate the importance of agriculture as the source of food, fiber, and fuel for our entire society.” It also represents the organization’s desire and dedication to provide information about the many sectors of agriculture to all audiences regardless of age. More information about the work of Ag 4 All is available from any of the Board of Director members: Blake Anderson, Greenfield; Sara Shepherd, Stuart; Grace Evans, Bridgewater; Brian Rohrig, Orient; and Randy Caviness, Greenfield. Program coordinators: Deb Hall, Massena; Beth Baudler, Fontanelle; and Jeannette Jorgensen of Adair also can help individuals wishing to support the work of Ag 4 All by volunteering or through cash contributions.

A man has survived after being partially submerged in grain at a co-op near Boone. The Boone Fire Department was called to the Landus Elevator east of Boone early Friday morning to help an employee that became trapped in a pile of corn. When the on-duty crew arrived at the scene, a conscious individual was found partially buried in an outdoor grain storage area. Rescue efforts were underway by facility staff and a Boone County Deputy Sheriff. The responding fire department crew was able to use their grain rescue equipment, along with Landus equipment, and were able to rescue the unidentified individual from the corn. There were no serious injuries reported.

(Radio Iowa)

CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa (AP) — The attorney for an Iowa man accused of stealing trade secrets says his client will plead guilty next week. U.S. District Court records say 55-year-old Josh Isler has been indicted on charges of theft of trade secrets and making false statements to the FBI. Attorney Alfred Willett said Friday his client will enter the pleas Thursday in a Cedar Rapids courtroom.

Court documents say that while Isler was working as a technical service account manager for DuPont’s ethanol fuel enzyme division in August 2013, he downloaded hundreds of electronic DuPont files after accepting a job with an unnamed DuPont competitor. The documents say he transferred some of the DuPont information to his new employer.

The documents also say he lied to FBI agents when he told them he had not downloaded the files.

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