(Radio Iowa) – Volunteers are needed to help compile what’s known as Iowa’s Bumble Bee Atlas, an effort to gauge the state’s populations of the vital pollinators. Stephanie Shepherd, a wildlife diversity biologist with the Iowa Department of Natural Resources, says it won’t take much time and it will be a tremendous help to researchers who study the tiny-yet-important insects. “Volunteers are basically trained and then asked to go out to a natural area that is at least two-and-a-half acres in size that has flowers and habitat for bumblebees,” Shepherd says, “and then spend 45 minutes looking for and catching bumblebees, and then submitting photographs of those bumble bees.” Volunteers don’t have to identify each bee they temporarily net, as experts will be studying the photos to determine the various species. She says there are between 300 and 400 types of bees living in Iowa.

“But the bumblebees are a group within there, and they’re a fairly smallish group,” Shepherd says. “We have anywhere between 14 and 17 species, depending on again, this is part of why we’re doing the Atlas, is to figure out exactly what we have here.” Distinguishing bees from bumble bees isn’t hard, she says, with a little training. Bumble bees are typically larger than your standard bee, they’re fuzzier, and they carry pollen in a way that’s obviously different. Shepherd says you should start by watching the first few training videos posted on the Iowa Bumble Bee Atlas website, then consider attending an in-person session. “We have a bunch of field training events around the state,” Shepherd says. “They’re not required, but people can come out and get some hands-on experience catching bumble bees, handling bumble bees, how to take photos, and generally just meet a bunch of other fun people who like bumble bees.”

Rusty patched bumble bee (Photo by Rich Hatfield, The Xerces Society)

This is the second year for the program and Shepherd says volunteers are needed in every one of Iowa’s 99 counties. “Bees are incredibly important pollinators,” Shepherd says. “I think everybody understands the importance of pollination and bees are probably our superstars of doing that. Bumble bees have some unique traits that make them especially valuable for pollination, and the more we know about them, the better we can do at making sure they have habitat available.”

The first of the eight training events is scheduled for June 21st in Peosta, with more to follow through July in: Ames, Waterloo, Dakota City, Anita, Okoboji, Moravia and in New Castle, Nebraska. Registration is free and pre-registration is required.

More information can be found:
https://www.bumblebeeatlas.org/pages/iowa?utm_medium=email&utm_source=govdelivery
https://survey123.arcgis.com/share/2a2cc3da7eb841ac8f5d29718b0c63d8?utm_medium=email&utm_source=govdelivery

(Radio Iowa) – State climatologist Justin Glisan says the rain we’ve gotten to start the month of June is important because we remain behind for the year. “For the state, about 82 percent of normal, a little over two inches below where we should be. So not dire deficits, but still, you’d think of the four-year drought from 2020 to 2024, we still see longer-term hydrological impacts,” Glisan says. Southwestern Iowa had only about 60 percent of normal rainfall by the end of May. Glisan says normal rainfall starts to drop down after June and that could let the drought seep back in. “If we do get into a warm stretch during the summer time with higher vegetative demand, and higher atmospheric demand, that’s where we could see drought conditions expand given those longer term deficits,” he says.

While there have been a lot of ups and downs through the first five months of this year, Glisan says it has all averaged out. “As of the end of May, we’re right around the average temperature of only two tenth’s of a degree above average, so near normal on the temperature side,” he says. Glisan says the short-term outlook for June could be good news. “We are seeing a lean towards a cooler signal where there’s a big blue bullseye across the Midwest, including Iowa and also, at least in the short term, trend towards weather conditions through let’s say the six to ten-day outlook,” he says. “And when you look at the eight to 14 day outlook, which gets us into the middle of June, basically near normal. So a slight lean towards cooler. And weather conditions for the state.”

Glisan says overall June outlook leans towards warmer temperatures, but there’s no clear signal on the precipitation side.

(Radio Iowa) – Iowans who love to fish can make plans to teach a friend without needing to buy a license as the state’s annual Free Fishing Weekend runs this Friday through Sunday. Iowa DNR fisheries biologist Joe Larscheid says these are ideal days in the season to cast a line. “This time of year, the bluegills are on the nest, so they’re close to shore. Crappies are still close to shore, and so it’s an excellent time,” Larscheid says. “If the weather is favorable, get out with your family and line the shores and catch a lot of fish.”

The event is open to all Iowa residents on any of the hundreds of Iowa lakes, thousands of miles of rivers or scores of neighborhood ponds. Plus, hands-on fishing events are being offered to help families new to fishing get started. “There’s a whole lot of events going on in Iowa, across the state in different cities and different counties,” Larscheid says, “and you can go on our website and our Special Events Calendar and check those out.”

Iowa DNR photo

If you want to fish beyond Sunday, you’ll need a license, but getting one is easier than ever. “There’s a ‘Go Outdoors’ app that you can download for free, and on that app, you can buy your fishing licenses. You can have all the information at your fingertips like our Fishing Atlas, where to go fishing, where they’re biting, our fishing reports, even habitat features in a lake — you’re a dot on the map and you can walk right to them, fishing jetties and things like that.”

Learn more at www.iowadnr.gov or by visiting your county recorder’s office to purchase a fishing license.

(Radio Iowa) – Vietnamese officials visiting Iowa have signed agreements to buy more agricultural products from the Midwest, including Iowa. Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Mike Naig says the five agreements represent 800 MILLION dollars worth of soybeans, corn, dried distillers grain and pork. “I would definitely categorize it as historic,” Naig said, “and what we need to be seeing even more of.” The agreements, which are non-binding, were signed yesterday (Monday) during a ceremony at the Iowa Capitol. Naig led a trade mission to Vietnam in 2023 and plans to return to the country this fall.

“We’ve seen Vietnam as an attractive market, a market that’s got a real upside,” Naig said. “It’s a young population. It’s a growing economy.” Under one of the agreements, Vietnam is to purchase of 400 MILLION dollars worth of soybeans and soybean meal from A-G-P, a farmer owned cooperative that has five processing plants in Iowa. Randy Miller, a farmer from Lacona, is on the U-S Soybean Export Council’s board of directors. “Vietnam has grown to one of the most valued partners,” Miller said, “and we don’t take that for granted.”

Iowa Governor Kim Reynolds hosted a delegation of Vietnamese officials on June 2, 2025. (Governor’s office photo)

Commodity groups see Vietnam and other Asian countries as opportunities to diversify supply chains, especially with escalating trade tensions between the U.S. and China.

(Lewis, Iowa) – The annual summer field day at Iowa State University’s Armstrong Research and Demonstration Farm in Lewis will be held from 9:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. on Thursday, June 26. The field day will feature experts from Iowa State University Extension and Outreach and other partner organizations, who will speak on a variety of current crop and soil health practices in agriculture.

Wes Everman, extension weed management specialist at Iowa State, will begin the program by providing insights on integrated weed management strategies. Then, James Holz, Iowa farmer and co-owner of Iowa Cover Crop, will discuss financial considerations for cover crops.

The Iowa Natural Resources Conservation Service team will begin the afternoon session with a presentation on assessing soil function. Rick Cruse, professor of agronomy at Iowa State and director of the Iowa Water Center, will discuss water resource management and climate resilience. Daren Mueller, extension plant pathologist at Iowa State, will wrap up the day by sharing tips for corn and soybean disease management to maximize profitability. Please visit the following website for more information:

https://www.extension.iastate.edu/news/armstrong-research-and-demonstration-farm-field-day-june-26