The DNR has released the most recent draft of the state’s impaired waters list, which will be discussed at the Iowa Environmental Protection Commission meeting May 19th. The DNR will present commissioners with the state’s 2014 draft list of 572 impaired waterbodies. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency requires the biennial report as a comprehensive summary of water quality in the state.

John Olson, Senior Environmental Specialist with the DNR, says “The list is tied to Iowa’s water quality standards. Making the list does not necessarily mean the river or lake has a severe impairment like a stream running with open sewage. Most of the time making the list is more like an early warning system, indicating potential water quality problems exist or are developing.”

Some impairments, however, can be more severe, such as frequent algal blooms that prevent recreational uses such as swimming at lakes. Fish kills caused by pollution also remain a severe impact of concern. The most typical impairments for lakes are algae and turbid or cloudy water. A high level of indicator bacteria is the most frequent impairment in rivers.

The DNR says Iowans are working together to address the state’s water quality issues. Communities come together through efforts to make changes on the land – in the watershed, the area of land that drains to a stream, lake or river – to reduce pollutants reaching our waters. Additionally, communities continue to upgrade or add new wastewater treatment systems and improve the way they handle stormwater.

The draft 2014 list is available at www.iowadnr.gov/Environment/WaterQuality/WaterMonitoring/ImpairedWaters.aspx. Public comments can be sent to John Olson, DNR, 502 E. Ninth St., Des Moines, IA 50319, or John.Olson@dnr.iowa.gov until July 2nd. At that time, the DNR will consider public comments and submit a revised draft of the list to the EPA for review and final approval.

DES MOINES, Iowa – When it comes to organic farming, Iowa has one of the largest numbers of certified operations in the nation, but there’s a real danger in the air for those farms and other growers this time of year due to the potential of pesticide drift.
Allowing pesticides to drift is against the law in Iowa, and among those who have been impacted is Andrew Dunham, owner with Grinnell Heritage Farm. He’s had pesticide drift on two of his organic crops, which then require a re-certification process that takes three years.

“In the case of the hay field in 2009, we had to wait until 2012 to be re-certified, so we had non-organic hay,” says Dunham. “The market price isn’t so different there, so that wasn’t as big a loss as the asparagus.” Dunham says his asparagus was hit by pesticide drift in the fall of 2013, and the loss of the organic certification will mean $2 to $5 less per-pound until their crop of 2017.

Also at risk of damages from pesticide drift are some home gardens, along with the state’s fruit and vegetable farms. Paul Ovrum, program planner with the Iowa Department of Agriculture, urges owners of such specialty and organic farms to report any pesticide misuse and sign up for the Sensitive Crops Registry. “This is a registry for producers of sensitive crops, and also bee-keepers,” syas Ovrum. “To list their locations and it’s used by pesticide applicators so that they can minimize the potential for pesticide drift damage.”

Ovrum says the latest count shows more than 2,000 farms and apiaries on the Sensitive Crops Registry statewide.

(Iowa News Service)

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) – Two more Iowa farms have tested positive for bird flu.

The Iowa Department of Agriculture says two northwest Iowa farms raising young chickens to eventually lay eggs likely have the virus. No estimate of numbers was immediately released for a farm in Sioux County, the 12th case in that county and one in Plymouth County, the first case there.

Iowa has 52 bird flu cases in 14 counties. Nearly 25 million chickens and 970,000 turkeys will die.

South Dakota announced Thursday its first chicken farm with 1.3 million egg layers. The state earlier found the virus on turkey farms.

Nebraska officials confirmed their second case, a chicken flock, and Minnesota reported two new cases.

The USDA lists 162 confirmed cases nationwide affecting more than 33 million birds.

Cass County: Corn $3.39, Beans $9.38
Adair County: Corn $3.36, Beans $9.41
Adams County: Corn $3.36, Beans $9.37
Audubon County: Corn $3.38, Beans $9.40
East Pottawattamie County: Corn $3.42, Beans $9.38
Guthrie County: Corn $3.41, Beans $9.42
Montgomery County: Corn $3.41, Beans $9.40
Shelby County: Corn $3.42, Beans $9.38
Oats $2.40 (always the same in all counties)

(Information from the USDA’s Farm Service Agency offices)

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) – A virus known for attacking a horse’s nervous system has been confirmed at a stable in Iowa’s Warren County.

The Iowa Department of Agriculture said Wednesday that the stable has several confirmed cases of a neurological disease associated with Equine Herpesvirus infections. Officials say the disease poses no threat to humans.

The disease was detected at the Warren County stable when horses began to show symptoms including fever, decreased coordination, lethargy and inability to rise.

A news release says the horses are being monitored and aren’t permitted to leave the stable. The virus is spread through direct horse-to-horse contact. Objects contaminated with the virus, such as grooming equipment and feed and water buckets, also contribute to its transmission.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) – Another Iowa farm has tested positive for bird flu.

The Iowa Department of Agriculture says an egg-laying farm with 238,000 chickens brings the total number of infected farms to 50 in the state.

The farm is in Sioux County, which now has 11 cases of bird flu. Once the disease is confirmed by a U.S. Department of Agriculture laboratory in Ames, all the chickens will be euthanized.

Iowa has bird flu cases in 13 counties. Nearly 25 million chickens and 970,000 turkeys will die.

Minnesota, where 4 million turkeys have been affected by the flu, reported no new cases Wednesday.

The USDA reports more than 150 confirmed cases nationwide which will lead to the death of more than 32 million birds.

DES MOINES – Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Bill Northey today said that the strawberry growers around the state are nearly ready to welcome customers with an earlier than normal harvest and a good crop of berries. Strawberry growers from the western part of the state are reporting that strawberries will be ready to pick within the week. Reports from the other parts of the state are showing that harvest season for strawberries should arrive in about two weeks.

“Strawberries are the first fruit crop of the season. Visiting a local farmers market or going to a you-pick farm is a great way to find fresh berries that can be enjoyed fresh, used in backing or preserved as jellies or jams,” Northey said. “Regardless of where you get your berries, act fast as strawberry season in Iowa only lasts a few weeks.”

Once picked strawberries do not continue to ripen like some fruits and vegetables so select vibrant red berries. Also, shop early and often because strawberries have a short shelf life and should be eaten within a few days of being picked.

If taste alone isn’t enough to encourage you to indulge in strawberries, here are a few more reasons to consider:

· Strawberries are low in calories and fat-free: one cup of unsweetened strawberries has only 55 calories.

· Your kids will eat them; over 53 percent of seven to nine-year-olds picked strawberries as their favorite fruit

· Strawberries are loaded with vitamin C and good sources of folic acid, potassium, and fiber.

Support a local grower and treat your family to a fun-filled trip to the strawberry patch and make memories that will last a lifetime. If visiting a strawberry patch, be sure to call or check the website for their harvest information.

You can find strawberry growers by visiting our Fruit and Vegetable Farms Directory at https://www.idalsdata.org/fmnp/index.cfm or on the Iowa Fruit and Vegetable Growers Association “farm search” page at http://www.ifvga.org/en/about_us/farm_search/.

Montgomery County 4-H and Extension will be holding several summer day camps throughout the month of June. Day camps will include: Animal Science Feed & Nutrition Workshop, Overnight 4-H Horse Camp, Outdoor Day, and the Clover Kids Day Camp.

The Animal Science Feed & Nutrition Workshop will be held at the Montgomery County Fairgrounds Gold Building on Wednesday, June 3rd from 1-4:30pm and is open to all youth who have completed grades 4-12. During this workshop youth will learn about feed, animal nutrition, the digestive system and more with many hands on activities! This workshop will cost $5.00 per youth and registrations will be due to the Montgomery County Extension Office by Friday, May 25th.

The Overnight 4-H Horse camp will be held at the Montgomery County Fairgrounds on Friday, June 5 -6th with 4-H member’s horses present. This workshop is open to 4-H members from Southwest Iowa who have completed grades 4 – 8. During this camp youth will learn about safety, showmanship, moving their feet, improving your seat, and trail. This camp has a $50.00 per 4-H’er registration fee and registrations will be due to the Montgomery County Extension Office by Friday, May 22nd.

The Outdoor Day will be held at Viking Lake – Stanton on Tuesday, June 9th from 9am – 3pm and is open to all youth who have completed grades 4-8. Throughout the day, youth will learn about fishing, canoeing, leave and trees, nature, the environment, outdoor cooking, and much, much more! The day camp will be $20.00 per youth and registrations will be due to the Montgomery County Extension Office by Friday, June 1st.

The Clover Kids Day Camp will be held at the Montgomery County Fairgrounds Gold Building on Tuesday, June 16th from 9am – 3pm and is open to all youth who have completed kindergarten – 3rd grades. Youth will learn about insects, bugs, nature, the environment, and much more! This day camp will cost $15.00 per youth and registrations will be due to the Montgomery County Extension Office by Friday, June 5th.

All registration forms are available on the Montgomery County Extension Website
www.iastate.edu/montgomerycounty/4h . All registrations can be dropped off or mailed to the Extension Office at 400 Bridge Street, Suite 2, Red Oak, Iowa 51566. If there is anything you would like to learn more about, see a presentation on, or attend a workshop for, we are always open to ideas and would love to hear your interests! For any other questions regarding 4-H contact Hallie Peck at the Extension Office (712) 623-2592 or email hpeck@iastate.edu.

DES MOINES – Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Bill Northey announced today that funds are available to help farmers install nutrient reduction practices. Practices eligible for this funding are cover crops, no-till or strip till, or using a nitrification inhibitor when applying fertilizer.

The cost share rate for first-time users of cover crops is $25 per acre, no-till or strip till are eligible for $10 per acre and farmers using a nitrapyrin nitrification inhibitor when applying fall fertilizer can receive $3 per acre. Any farmer not already utilizing these practices will receive priority consideration for this assistance. Farmers that have used cover crops in the past may be eligible for $15 per acre for cover crops.

“We continue to hear from farmers interested in doing even more to limit nutrient loss and better protect water quality and these funds will help them try new voluntary science-based conservation practices on their farm,” Northey said.

Farmers are eligible for cost share on up to 160 acres. The funds will be made available in July, but farmers can immediately start submitting applications through their local Soil and Water Conservation District office.

Farmers are also encouraged to visit their local Soil and Water Conservation District office to inquire about additional opportunities for cost share funding through other programs offered at their local SWCDs.

“As farmers are busy planting, we wanted to get the announcement out as soon as possible so our staff and partners can prepare to sign-up interested farmers if there are rain delay or as field work is wrapped up,” Northey said.

The Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship received $4.4 million for the Iowa Water Quality Initiative in fiscal 2015. These funds will allow the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship to continue to encourage the broad adoption of water quality practices through statewide cost share assistance as well as more intensive work in targeted watersheds.

In the last 2 years this program has been available, over 1,400 farmers put in new nutrient reduction practices on over 144,000 acres. The state provided about $3.4 million in cost share funding to help farmers try a water quality practice for the first time and Iowa farmers provided at least another $3.4 million to support these water quality practices.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) – Four more Iowa farms are testing positive for bird flu.

The Iowa Department of Agriculture says an egg-laying farm and a turkey farm in Buena Vista County bring to 15 the number of cases in that county in northwest Iowa. A broiler farm in Osceola County is the state’s first indication of the disease on a farm raising chickens for meat. Officials said Tuesday the farm has 700 birds. Most of Iowa’s affected chickens are egg layers.

Lyon County also has its first case. It’s on an egg farm.

Iowa has 49 cases of bird flu in 13 counties. More than 26 million birds will die.

Minnesota and Wisconsin have no new cases but Nebraska reported its first on a farm with 1.7 million chickens.