SIOUX CITY, Iowa (AP) – A northwest Iowa dairy has settled a federal lawsuit and promises action to prevent future manure discharges into nearby streams. Prosecutors also said Thursday that Meadowvale Dairy, of Rock Valley, has agreed to pay a $160,000 civil penalty. The proposed consent decree is subject to a 30-day public comment period and approval by the federal court.

The lawsuit filed last February alleges that since 2001, Iowa has cited Meadowvale a dozen times for failures to maintain adequate storage for effluent.  The complaint says Meadowvale operates waste systems for two interconnected feeding operations for a total of about 10,000 head of cattle. It says wastewater from two of Meadowvale’s facilities entered two tributaries of the Big Sioux River in violation of the dairy’s National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System permits.

Council Bluffs – The trout stocking scheduled for tomorrow (Friday, Jan. 20th) at Big Lake has been postponed until spring due to rapidly deteriorating ice conditions. The Iowa DNR says the family fishing event scheduled for this Saturday, Jan. 21 has been cancelled, and will not be re-scheduled.

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — Bankers across Middle America say depressed farm commodity prices are the biggest threat to the economy this year in rural parts of 10 Plains and Western states. The overall economic index in a monthly survey of bankers for the region remained in negative territory at 42.8 in January, down slightly from December’s 42.9. Survey officials say any score below 50 suggests an economic decline.

Creighton University economist Ernie Goss says livestock commodity prices have tumbled by 7.3 percent and grain commodity prices by 11.7 percent in the last year. Bankers from Colorado, Illinois, Iowa, Kansas, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, South Dakota and Wyoming were surveyed.

Goss says the rural economy is improving in Illinois, Iowa, Missouri, Nebraska, and South Dakota, while all the other states are trending lower.

w/Kate Olson.

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (4.4MB)

Subscribe: RSS

The Atlantic Parks and Recreation Department’s Board of Directors, Tuesday evening, voted to accept from the Lions Club, the donation of a little, one-room school house already located at Sunnyside Park. The Lions Club is currently maintaining the structure, which was built in 1870 and relocated to just off Sunnyside lane, in 1960.

Parks and Rec Director Seth Staashelm said the Lions want to donate the house to the Parks Department (a non-profit organization), because the Lions (also a non-profit group), want to apply for grants that will enable them to maintain the building (including new siding), and improve the surrounding landscape.

The Parks and Rec Board also agreed with the Schildberg Recreation Area Committee, that 20 electrical pods to be installed at the Rec Area Campground site, should be metal and purchased from Kriz-Davis for around $3,450. That would be less expensive than a marina-style, fiberglass pod that had been proposed.
Seth Staashelm told the Board that the Enhance Iowa CAT grant application (pertaining to improvements at the Schildberg Recreation Area) is finished, and has been submitted to the Enhance Iowa Board.

The thick, spiral bound application spells out the amount of support the application and proposed project has, including matching funds from the City and County, and in-kind labor contributions. He said they hope to receive an invitation to appear before the Enhance Iowa Board, in a couple of weeks and make a presentation, as well as to answer any questions. If the grant is approved by this April, it will help to cover phase 1 of the Schildberg Recreation Area project, which involves electrical and water hook-ups to the camping pads, along with a new storm-safe shower and shelter house.

Staashelm reminds the public that shelter house reservations at one of the five City Parks are being accepted for groups and families. Already there are reservations made to this month. If you would like to reserve a shelter for an event or family get together, you can do so online at the Parks and Rec website (http://www.atlanticiowa.com/atlantic/city-departments/parks-recreation/reserve-a-shelter/) or call Seth Staashelm at 712-243-3542.

Officials with the Iowa DNR report two Minnesota men and one northern Iowa man have pleaded guilty to illegally taking deer in Emmet and Kossuth counties in Iowa in October and November 2015. 45-year old Michael Paschke, of Worthington, Minn., 21-year old Dakota Isebrand, of Sherburn, Minn., and 20-year old Seth Norland, of Ledyard, Iowa, pleaded guilty to 58 wildlife violations including illegal method of take, abandonment of wildlife, hunting by artificial light, no deer license or tag and illegal possession of deer.

Iowa Department of Natural Resources’ Conservation Officers Virginia Schulte and Steve Reighard and DNR Park Ranger Corey McCartan received information that lead them to Paschke’s residence on Dec. 5, 2015, where they discovered deer and deer parts but no deer tags attached to the deer and no licenses to establish that these deer had been taken legally.

The total fines and court costs assessed in Kossuth County were $11,538.75 and $25,000 civil penalty. The total fines and court costs assessed in Emmet County were $1,530 and $10,000 civil penalty.

Each man also lost his hunting privileges for 25 years; three years from DNR for being a multiple offender and 22 years by court ordered suspension. This Iowa suspension also prohibits them from hunting in any of the 44 states that are members of the Wildlife Violator Compact. Four states are in the process of joining the compact.

WASHINGTON (AP) – Former Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack is taking a job at the U.S. Dairy Export Council.  The group is a nonprofit that promotes dairy products. An announcement Tuesday said Vilsack will help “develop a long-term vision for building sales and consumer trust in U.S. dairy.”

Vilsack is entering the private sector after decades in public service. Before he was appointed agriculture secretary in 2009, he was Iowa’s governor for eight years. He also served in the Iowa state senate and as mayor of Mount Pleasant, Iowa.

He was also on Democrat Hillary Clinton’s vice presidential short list. She chose Virginia Sen. Tim Kaine instead.  Vilsack was President Barack Obama’s longest-serving Cabinet secretary. He left that position Friday, a week before Donald Trump takes office.

Bob Beebensee speaks with Conservation Officers Grant Gelle and Adam Arnold about all things outdoors and remind everyone to renew licenses that expired on Jan. 10th.

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (9.1MB)

Subscribe: RSS

Corn and soybean growers in Iowa and across the country set new records in 2016. That’s according to a report from the USDA Ag Statistics Service. Doug Hartwig, deputy director for the Upper Midwest region, says the corn yield in Iowa is estimated at 2.74 billion bushels. “That’s a record high production. This is nine-percent above the previous record of 2.51 billion bushels set in 2015,” Hartwig says.

Iowa’s average corn yield topped 200 bushels per acre for the first time ever. “The average yield for the state ended up at 203 bushels per acre,” Hartwig says. “It was a pretty phenomenal year for corn production.” Iowa has now led the nation in corn production for 23 consecutive years and 38 of the last 39 years. Soybean production in Iowa in 2016 is estimated at 572 million bushels.

“This is a record high production as well, topping the previous record set (in 2015) at 554 million bushels,” Hartwig says. The average soybean yield last year was 60.5 bushels per acre, also topping the previous record of 56.5 in 2015. Nationally, 2016 corn production totaled 15.1 billion bushels with an average yield of 174.4 bushels per acre.

Those are both all-time highs, besting previous records set in 2014. U.S. soybean production totaled 4.3 billion bushels with an average yield of 52.1 bushels per acre, also new records.

(Radio Iowa)

Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Bill Northey today announced that the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship is accepting applications for grant funding through the Specialty Crop Block Grant program.  The grants are available to support projects that enhance the competitiveness of specialty crops grown in Iowa.

The final funding level for the 2017 Iowa Specialty Crop Block Grant Program is yet to be announced by the USDA Agricultural Marketing Service that administer the Specialty Crop Block Grant Program, but is expected to be similar to last years $244,352.23 funding.

“The Specialty Crop Block Grant funds can support food safety, research and marketing efforts that encourage Iowans to choose the products that are produced right here in our state,” Northey said.  “Specialty crops are a very important part of Iowa agriculture as they allow farmers to diversify and give customers access to locally grown products.”

Grant funds shall be used for projects that benefit the specialty crop industry as a whole and will not be awarded for projects that directly benefit a particular product or provide a profit to a single organization, institution, or individual.

Iowa agencies, universities, institutions, and producer, industry, and community based organizations are all eligible to apply for funding.  In addition, organizations, institutions, and individuals are encouraged to participate as project partners.

Grant awards will be considered up to a maximum of $24,000 and projects can have a duration of up to 30 months (2 ½ years). “Specialty Crops” that are eligible under this program are fruits and vegetables, tree nuts, dried fruits and horticulture and nursery crops, including floriculture.  Both fresh and processed specialty crops are eligible.

Proposals must be received by IDALS on or before 4:00 p.m. on Monday, April 3, 2017.  For more information visit the IDALS Specialty Crop Block Grant program at the Department’s web site at www.IowaAgriculture.gov/Horticulture_and_FarmersMarkets/specialtyCropGrant.asp.

The Department is also again establishing a Review Committee to help review, evaluate, and make recommendations on grant proposals submitted to the Department. Those interested in participating in the Review Committee should have knowledge of specialty crops, and/or grant writing or grant management experience, and the ability to devote the necessary time to complete the review process.  Additional information about reviewer responsibilities, meeting dates and an application form can also be found at www.IowaAgriculture.gov/Horticulture_and_FarmersMarkets/specialtyCropGrant.asp.

Applications to participate in the Reviewer Committee are due Friday, March 17, 2017 by 4 p.m. To ensure that funds are used in the most efficient manner possible, the Department is asking specialty crop stakeholders and organizations to submit public comments on program priorities.  The comments will help the Department identify priorities; establish the criteria used to evaluate the projects proposed for funding, and to determine how the reviews are conducted.

Iowans interested in submitting comments about the program can do so online by emailing HorticultureAndFarmersMarkets@IowaAgriculture.gov or by mail to Horticulture and Farmers Market Bureau, Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship, 502 East 9th, Des Moines, Iowa, 50319.  Comments received by April 3, 2017 will be presented to the review committee to assist in prioritizing projects.

“The Specialty Crop Block Grant program has been a tremendous benefit to Iowa and it is important we understand the priorities of the specialty crop producers as we consider this year’s applications,” Northey said.  “The public comments will allow us to hear from all segments of Iowa’s specialty crop industries and give them a means to participate in the decisions surrounding this program.”

(Press Release)