(Atlantic, Iowa) – Produce in the Park in Atlantic is now accepting vendor applications for summer markets and seeking sponsorships for the 2025-2026 market season. Vendor applications and sponsorship information can be found online at www.ProduceintheParkAtlanticiowa.com. Printed copies are available at the Atlantic Area Chamber of Commerce (102 Chestnut St. Atlantic, IA 50022). Produce in the Park is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization whose mission is to promote local food and build community.

Produce in the Park’s summer farmers markets are held weekly on Thursday evenings (4:30-6:30 PM) in the Atlantic City Park from June 5th through September 25th, 2025 Produce in the Park also holds holiday farmers markets just before Thanksgiving, Christmas, Valentine’s Day, and Easter.

Produce in the Park seeks vendors who sell handmade or homegrown foods and crafts. The 2025 summer market full-season vendor fee is $100. Vendors who register by May 1 will receive a $20 discount, and food vendors who participate in the Farmers Market Nutrition Program receive an additional $10 discount. Vendors can also join four summer markets for $50 or a single summer market for $25. Produce in the Park seeks sponsors who support community and wellbeing. Sponsorships offer various levels of recognition, including mention in radio ads, booth space at markets, and the organization’s logo on tote bags. 2025-2026 season sponsorships range from $250 to $2,000.

Committed sponsors for the 2025-2026 season include the Atlantic Area Chamber of Commerce, Cass County Tourism, Cass Health, City of Atlantic, First Whitney Bank & Trust, Nishna Valley Family YMCA, Rush CPA, and the United Church of Christ of Atlantic. In addition to vendors and sponsors, Produce in the Park is always looking for volunteers interested in serving as Guest Chef or leading activities for kids. Produce in the Park is also scheduling live entertainment for summer markets now.

The next Produce in the Park farmers market will take place Saturday, April 19th from Noon-until 3-p.m., at the Nishna Valley Family YMCA,  in Atlantic. The Spring Celebration Market will offer produce, meats, farm-fresh eggs, baked goods, desserts, crafts, and more. Customers can expect to find goodies for Easter baskets and food for Easter dinner. There is no cost to enter the market, and the YMCA will offer free bounce houses for kids. Pim’s Thai Food Truck and Lucky Wife Wine Slushies will be parked outside the YMCA for the duration of the market.

The Spring Celebration Market is sponsored by the Atlantic Area Chamber of Commerce, Cass County Tourism, Cass Health, City of Atlantic, First Whitney Bank & Trust and Nishna Valley Family YMCA.

(Radio Iowa) – A guide to transportation regulations for farmers is now available from the Iowa Department of Transportation. The D-O-T’s Melisa Gillett helped create the farm guide. “There are many regulations that apply to agriculture operations, and it can be challenging sometimes for farmers to really understand those regulations that apply to them, or the exceptions that may apply at the federal and state level,” Gillett says. She says this should be a one-stop place to answer some of the questions.

“What we did was try to consolidate all of that into this specific guide for farmers. And I would say, this is something we worked on when I was in the Motor Vehicle Division, and kind of inspired by my dad, who’s a farmer in western Iowa, and his friends that he meets with at the at the coffee shop at the local gas station, you know, and they have these conversations. And so he helped to kind of test this,” she says. They gave the farm guide a test drive at last year’s Iowa State Fair. “We were visiting with farmers and talking with them about what information is helpful, and so it’s gone through some iterations and some revisions since then to gather that input directly from them,” Gillet says.

The DOT has released a farm guide to transportation regulations. (DOT photo)

Gillett says you can find the guide online or get a printed copy. “You know, I think about the farmers, they like the physical copies to have available to reference them,” she says. We also have it available on our website as well, but distributing them at our driver’s license locations. We’re working with Iowa State Patrol and the commercial motor vehicle unit as well to help help them distribute as well.” Gillett presented the finished guide at the Transportation Commission meeting Tuesday.

(Statewide) – Abnormally dry to moderate drought conditions, high winds and dry vegetation that can quickly burst into flames have resulted in 15 counties in Iowa having instituted a Burn Ban. As of March 14th, the following southwest Iowa counties are included in the ban on open burning:

• Adair
• Adams
• Audubon
• Guthrie
• Mills
• Montgomery
• Page

Two counties in southern Iowa and six in eastern/southeast Iowa have Burn Bans in-place. The Code of Iowa states “The State Fire Marshal, during periods of extremely dry conditions or under other conditions when the state fire marshal finds open burning constitutes a danger to life or property, may prohibit open burning in an area of the state at the request of the chief of a local fire department, a city council or a board of supervisors and when an investigation supports the need for the prohibition.”

A burn ban does not prohibit the following:  supervised, controlled burn for which a permit has been issued by the fire chief of the fire district where the burn will take place, the use of outdoor fireplaces, barbecue grills, properly supervised landfills, or the burning of trash in incinerators or trash burners made of metal, concrete, masonry, or heavy one-inch wire mesh, with no openings greater than one square inch.

For specific questions about open burning in your community, please contact your local Fire Department or Emergency Management office.

(Radio Iowa) – The Iowa Soybean Association held its annual farmer roundtable in Sioux City Thursday.  Association president Brent Swart of Spencer says tariffs are the key topic of discussion.

He says they learned from the last time the tariffs were put on China in 2018.

He says trade wars with Canada and Mexico are also a concern, as is the impact of bird flu.

Swart says they also have concerns about getting a new farm bill passed in Congress.

DES MOINES— Gov. Kim Reynolds today (Friday) authorized a disaster proclamation for Buena Vista County, Iowa effective immediately through April 13, 2025. The USDA has confirmed a positive case of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) in commercial pullets.

This proclamation allows state resources from Iowa Homeland Security, the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship, and other agencies to assist with tracking and monitoring, rapid detection, containment, disposal, and disinfection. The proclamation also waives regulatory provisions related to commercial vehicles responding to affected sites.

The recent HPAI detections in birds do not present an immediate public health concern, and it remains safe to eat poultry products. If producers suspect signs of HPAI in their flocks, they should contact their veterinarian immediately.

(Radio Iowa) – Republicans on an Iowa House Subcommittee have voted to require that Deere and Company return half of the lucrative state tax credit it received for research activities in 2024 — due to what the bill describes as “mass layoffs.” President Trump threatened to slap tariffs on John Deere products if the company move more production to Mexico and Republican Representative Derek Wulf of Hudson suggests the bill fits with Trump’s agenda. “In my opinion, this bill is the definition of ‘America First’ and more importantly ‘Iowa First,'” Wulf said. About 17-hundred workers at Deere plants in Iowa were laid off in 2024. Stacey Pellet, a lobbyist for Deere and Company, says layoffs are a last resort and not uncommon during market downturns.

“The message that this bill sends to the industries, to companies and also to people looking to invest in Iowa is very concerning,” Pellet said. She told lawmakers Deere doesn’t earn the credit until the company has spent the money on research and development in Iowa. “Deere invests roughly $2.5 million a day in research and development and half of that is done in Iowa,” Pellet said. “…We invest more in R&D here than in anywhere else in the world and we’re pretty proud of that.” The bill wouldn’t just penalize Deere. The bill says ANY company that received the state Research Activities tax credit and laid off workers in 2024 would have to repay at least six percent of the credit. The repayment requirement, with escalates based on the number of layoffs, also would be imposed in future years on companies that cut payrolls.

The Iowa Capitol in Des Moines

Iowa Taxpayers Association Nate Ristow says coming after businesses facing economic headwinds is the wrong approach. “If they’re doing the research here in Iowa and they earned the credit, we think that should be honored and not reduced,” Ristow said.

The Iowa Association of Business and Industry also opposes the bill.

DECORAH – The Iowa Department of Natural Resources is investigating a fish kill at Dry Run Creek near Decorah in Winneshiek County. On March 11, the DNR Field Office in Manchester was notified of a possible manure release and fish kill in an unnamed tributary of Dry Run Creek, southwest of Decorah.   DNR staff from the Manchester Field Office and Decorah Fish Hatchery responded to the incident. Upon arrival, staff observed dead fish and very murky conditions in the tributary.

Officials identified overland runoff from an animal feeding operation near the headwaters of the unnamed tributary as the source of the release. The amount of manure released is unknown at this time. Dead fish have been observed for several miles in the creek. Cleanup efforts have begun. The responsible party has been notified of the investigation and has started working to control the manure runoff.  Downstream water users should avoid using water from Dry Run Creek.

If you see dead or stressed fish at a lake or river, call the DNR’s 24-hour spill line at 515-725-8694 as soon as possible. Quick reporting can help DNR staff identify the cause of a fish kill and potentially stop a fish kill in progress.

Cass County: Corn $4.26 Beans $9.49
Adair County: Corn $4.23 Beans $9.52
Adams County: Corn $4.23 Beans $9.48
Audubon County: Corn $4.25 Beans $9.51
East Pottawattamie County: Corn $4.29 Beans $9.49
Guthrie County: Corn $4.28 Beans $9.53
Montgomery County: Corn $4.28 Beans $9.51
Shelby County: Corn $4.29 Beans $9.49

Oats: $3.13 (same in all counties)

(Ames, Iowa)  — Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Mike Naig announced 15 Iowa dairies Wednesday that were awarded a combined $750,000 in grants to expand production and save labor.  Naig made the announcement at the Iowa State University Creamery, which was one of the grant recipients and also the first member of the Choose Iowa network.  Choose Iowa is a state program, with the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship, that promotes and markets local producers. Naig said membership has been gaining “about one member a day” since the start of the year.  “It shows a tremendous interest in local foods, of course, and also we love the fact that we get a chance to tell stories about Iowa’s agriculture and connect consumers to farm families across the state,” Naig said.

The dairy innovation grants required a cost share on behalf of the dairy operations and the 15 projects represent a total investment of more than $4 million, according to IDALS. Eligible dairies have fewer than 50 employees and create products that are completely made in Iowa. Dairies were awarded up to $100,000 in funding for equipment that increased on-farm processing, like the creamery at ISU that will increase its cheese and ice cream production with a larger batch pasteurization vat, or for technology upgrades to reduce labor. Labor-reducing technology that grant recipients will be introducing, or expanding, include milking robots, rotary parlors, feed pushers and manure collectors. Naig said labor has always been a “huge challenge” for dairy producers.

Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Mike Naig enjoys ice cream from the Iowa State University Creamery. (Photo by Cami Koons/Iowa Capital Dispatch)

Robert Horst, the Iowa State Dairy Association president, said some of these innovations will cut the personnel needs by 50%. Horst said the other grant that was awarded for a processing upgrade, $11,688 for a semi-automatic bottle filler and capper in Plainfield, is the type of project that not only grows a dairy operation, but brings people to town.  Sarah Canova, ISU creamery’s business manager, said the new vat purchased with the help of around $25,000 from the Choose Iowa grant, will allow the creamery to nearly triple its current production, which frequently sells out during the fall and summer months. The creamery trains 25 undergraduate students a semester, which Horst said is where “a lot of the future begins” for Iowa dairy farmers. Horst called the grants “seed money” for several dairies that he said will use the upgrades to facilitate a “transition to the next generation.”

Choose Iowa also allocated $750,000 in small dairy innovation grants last year, with 20 recipients.  Naig said there is a “tremendous amount of interest” in the Choose Iowa program, which makes him excited for the future. Earlier this week IDALS informed partners that federal funding for programs supported local food purchases for schools, food banks and other institutions, which would have allocated an estimated $11.3 million to the state, had been terminated.  Naig said there was “no guarantee” the extended funding, authorized by USDA in October 2024, was going to remain through the change in administration. Naig said the programs brought forward a lot of good connections between producers and communities and he hopes there can be a permanent place for the programs, or something similar, in the upcoming farm bill.

IDALS announced Monday a pilot program with $70,000 to allocate to school districts to purchase Choose Iowa products for school meals. Recipients for the program will be announced in April.