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Up to half the campsites in state parks cannot be reserved in advance today and the Iowa Senate has voted to change that.Senator Tom Shipley, a Republican from Nodaway, says  “Fewer and fewer campers are willing to pack up the kids and the tents and the sleeping bags and the fishing poles and drive to the campground if there’s a chance there won’t be a site available when they get there.”

The bill would get rid of rules that now require at least a quarter of the campsites in each individual state park be held open, to be filled on a first-come, first-served basis. Shipley says as a result, many campsites sit empty when they could have been reserved. “I think we all realize the camping business as an industry is a lively one in Iowa and a lot of Iowans participate in this and I think this is a good move on the part of the DNR to do this,” Shipley says. The Iowa Department of Natural Resources oversees more than 47-hundred campsites in the state’s parks, reserves and forests. The fee for one of those camping spots ranges from nine to 16 dollars per night from May 1st through September 30th.

(Radio Iowa)

CLINTON, Iowa (AP) — Archer Daniels Midland plans to invest $196 million in its grain processing plant in Clinton, Iowa. The Quad-City Times reports the project will update the machinery inside the plant and expand the facility.

ADM spokeswoman Jackie Anderson says the mill produces a variety of corn products, including corn sweeteners, beverage alcohol, ethanol and animal feed.
The plant employs more than 750. The project will receive more than $8 million in state and local tax credits.

Work on the expansion is expected to begin this year and continue into 2022.

Iowans who live on farms that’ve been in the family for ten decades or more are invited to apply for the Century and Heritage Farm program. Becky Lorenz is the coordinator of the program for the Iowa Department of Agriculture and the Iowa Farm Bureau Federation. “Our requirements are at least 40 acres of the original piece of ground,” Lorenz says. “We include any kind of relationship, aunts, uncles, cousins, besides the traditional grandfather, father, son, daughter, that type of relationship.”

For family farms that have even more history in Iowa, there’s a step beyond Century Farms. “We have Heritage Farm Awards also for 150 years of continuous ownership in the same family,” Lorenz says. “Applications are due June 1st to qualify for the program which will be August 16th at the fair.”

Last year, 354 Century Farms and 119 Heritage Farms were recognized at the Iowa State Fair. Since the inception of the Century Farm program in 1976, more than 19,000 farms statewide have received the recognition. The Heritage Farm program was started in 2006 on the 30th anniversary of the Century Farm program and more than 1,000 farms have been recognized. For details, contact Lorenz by phone at 515-281-3645 or by e-mail at Becky.Lorenz@IowaAgriculture.gov.

(Radio Iowa)

Iowa’s largest manufacturing employer, Deere & Company reports a rare operating loss in the first quarter. The Moline, Illinois-based ag and construction equipment manufacturer is reporting a loss of more than $535 million, or $1.66 per share. That compares with a net profit of $199 million for the first quarter last year. This was the first loss Deere has experienced since the fourth quarter of 2009. But rather than an operating loss, Deere says it’s a result of initial accounting adjustments related to the U.S. tax reform legislation.

Deere chairman and CEO Samuel R. Allen says in line with strengthening conditions, the company has raised its sales and adjusted-earnings forecasts for 2018. Deere’s largest North American manufacturing complex is located in Waterloo. This is the first quarterly report since Deere bought the Germany-based Wirtgen Group, which makes road construction equipment.

(Radio Iowa)

The Cass County Conservation Board has cancelled Saturday’s Sweethearts Snowshoe Hike, due to the lack of snow. The Sweethearts Snowshoe Hike was to be held at the Pellett Memorial Woods outside of Atlantic, 7-p.m. Saturday, February 17^th..  The Great Backyard Bird Count this weekend will still take place, however.

It’s a wonderful family program for bird watchers of all ages and is free of charge. All you need is basic knowledge of bird identification! It is not required that you record every species you see, only those that can be properly identified. To participate in the bird count go to the website: http://gbbc.birdcount.org/ and follow the instructions. Please help the Cornell Lab of Ornithology and Audubon Society by participating in the Great Backyard Bird Count. The bird count is February 16-19^th 2018!!!!

The USDA – Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS), Iowa State University Extension and Outreach in Fremont & Mills Counties, and Pheasants Forever (PF) are hosting a workshop for the public about creating habitat for monarchs and pollinators. This workshop is free and open to the public. Pollinators, such as bees, butterflies and monarchs, have been experiencing significant population declines in recent years. Why should we be concerned? Over 75% of all flowering plants in the world require a pollinator to reproduce. That means one out of every three bites of food we eat is because of pollinators. Additionally, pollinator services are very important for crops like alfalfa and soybeans.

A light meal will be served at 6:30 PM with a presentation to follow starting at 7:00 PM. Topics that will be covered include the importance of monarchs and pollinators and their habitat requirements. We will then discuss how to create and maintain pollinator habitat and USDA, state and local cost-share programs available for creating this type of habitat. There will be time for Q & A at the end of the presentation.

Workshop Time and Location:

Tuesday, February 20, 6:30 pm

\Fremont County Extension and Outreach

610 Clay St, Sidney

Call (712) 374-2351 to RSVP

Wednesday, February 21, 6:30 pm

Mills County Extension and Outreach

61321 315th St, Malvern

Call (712) 624-8616 to RSVP

Thursday, March 1, 6:00 pm

Montgomery County Extension and Outreach

400 Bridge Street, Suite #2 Red Oak, IA 51566

Call (712) 623-2592 to RSVP

w/Kate Olson.

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Des Moines – The Iowa Department of Natural Resources has confirmed the public library at 707 Iowa Ave., in Onawa, as a location for the wildlife rules public meeting on February 21. The meeting provides a setting for the DNR to listen to the public’s thoughts on hunting and trapping regulations for this fall. The 19 meeting sites include Altoona, Atlantic, Boone, Burlington, Calmar, Chariton, Council Bluffs, Creston, DeWitt, Knoxville, Lake View, Onawa, Ottumwa, Peosta, Sheldon, Solon, Spencer, Tripoli and Ventura. Complete locations are available online at www.iowadnr.gov

These meetings are part of the process for making rules in state government. The meeting is from 6 to 9 p.m. “Any rule changes must be discussed with Iowa’s citizens who might be impacted by the changes before the rule changes are proposed. The process helps ensure that rule changes serve the public’s wishes and do not impact Iowa’s economy,” said Todd Bishop, chief of the wildlife bureau. At each meeting DNR staff will facilitate a discussion about what went well last fall, what didn’t, and what changes hunters and trappers would like to see for this fall.

These discussions along with the data that the wildlife bureau collects on harvest and population numbers will be used to develop recommendations for any rule changes. Any changes must be approved by the Natural Resource Commission and then go back to the public for further comment before taking effect next fall. Any person attending the public meeting and has special requirements such as those related to mobility or hearing impairments should contact the DNR or ADA Coordinator at 515-725-8200, Relay Iowa TTY Service 800-735-7942, or Webmaster@dnr.iowa.gov, and advise of specific needs.

The Iowa DNR is seeking public comment on proposed rules that will create two new general permits. The permits cover a variety of wastewater discharges to Iowa soils and streams. The DNR will hold three public hearings across the state in March, including one in Harlan. The session will take place Thursday, March 8th, beginning at 4-p.m., in the Harlan Public Library. DNR staff will present the latest information about proposed new requirements and take comments orally or in writing.

DNR plans to issue two new National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) general permits known as General Permit #8 (GP8) and General Permit #9 (GP9). GP8 allows for discharges of hydrostatic test water (water used to test the integrity of a pipe or tank), underground storage tank ballast water (water used to weight a tank to facilitate underground installation), and water associated with installation, repair, and replacement of potable water lines. GP9 allows for discharges from dewatering associated with construction and small residential geothermal heating and cooling systems.

The DNR is proposing to include eligibility criteria and Best Management Practices. These will ensure that discharges will comply with water quality standards. Most permittees will be automatically authorized to discharge. Only a few higher-risk dischargers will need to submit a Notice of Intent. There is no fee for GP8 or GP9.

People may also file written comments on the proposed rulemaking on or before midnight on March 19th. Written comments or questions regarding the proposed rulemaking should be directed to Wendy Hieb, Iowa Department of Natural Resources, NPDES Section, 502 E. Ninth St., Des Moines, Iowa 50309-0034; via fax at 515-725-8202; or via email at wendy.hieb@dnr.iowa.gov.