(Atlantic, Iowa) – The Cass County Conservation Board is holding a Native Landscaping Program next month. The program will be held in the Atlantic Public Library’s Community Room on April 5th, beginning at 11-a.m.

An additional session will be held at the Outdoor Educational Classroom (OEC), south of Massena, on April 5th, beginning at 2-p.m. Both programs are FREE, and all ages are welcome to attend. Conservation staff will be discussing different Native plants and how to incorporate them into your yard. Discover how to use native plants in your yard.

(Photo via raincampaign.org)

The OEC is located south of Massena. To get there, take Highway 148 south of Massena, turn left on Tucson Road and follow it East for about two miles, then turn right hand into the parking lot.

(Ringgold County, Iowa) – The Iowa Department of Natural Resources (DNR) has canceled the upcoming Prairie Chicken Day due to the decline in the local population to the point where staff have only observed sporadic use by a few male prairie chickens of the main Kellerton Lek.

Prairie Chicken

The effort to return the prairie chicken to Ringgold County, Iowa, and Harrison County, Missouri, had begun in 1987, when wild birds captured primarily in Kansas and Nebraska, with a few coming from South Dakota, were released in the area. Ringgold and Decatur counties had been identified as offering the best habitat to support prairie chickens in Iowa.

The last significant translocation effort was in 2017. Since then, the population has shown a steady decline with a few years of stability, but no significant increases to indicate a growing population have been recorded.

(Radio Iowa) – The recent snow and rain could help Iowa improve drought conditions was we move out of March and into April. The Iowa D-N-R’s Jessica McIntyre says she sees changes when looking back at the Drought Monitor for the start of March. “Especially in central Iowa, where there was what was considered D-1 or moderate drought, has now been downgraded to D-zero, which is abnormally dry, so that’s an improvement. And there’s also another section in eastern Iowa that also had that similar trend,” she says. Several areas of the state with drought got snow and rain last week. McIntyre says there will be some help as the snow melts with warmer temperatures.

“Not sure how much impact it will have immediately, just because we’re still kind of in that transition time when the ground is still somewhat frozen,” she says. McIntire says things are looking okay as we head into what are normally wetter spring months. “We get normal or above normal precipitation over the next couple of months, yeah, I think we’ll be in pretty good shape, especially when we compare ourselves to a year or two years ago. We are sitting pretty good right now,” McIntire says.

McIntire says the driest months of the year are behind us and there should be improvement as we move toward spring planting.

(Radio Iowa) – A “Freedom to Garden Act” has passed the Iowa Senate unanimously.  “This bill addresses a growing concern — literally growing our own food.” That’s Senator Cherielynn Westrich of Ottumwa, the bill’s floor manager. The bill would forbid state and local governments from regulating vegetable gardens on property the gardener owns or rents. “In other states, heavy handed regulators have used local zoning ordinances to explicitly ban home vegetable gardens or to put up unreasoable rules governing what homeowners may grow and where they can plant their food,” she said, “with heavy fines levied for violating these mandates”

The bill says Iowans have a right to grow, raise, harvest, produce and consume food they grow in their own garden — and home gardeners would have a right to sell what they grow. “In my view, this is a basic human right,” Westrich said. “Wisconsin has similar legislation and has added protections into their constitution as well and legislation has sprouted up in states like Florida and Illinois and others.”

There are some exceptions to the bill. It would still be illegal to grow marijuana. A section of the bill would give Iowans who object to a neighbor’s garden a chance to go to court and get a judge to declare the garden a public nuisance. According to the National Gardening Association’s 2024 survey, over 43 percent of Americans grew some fruits or vegetables to eat at home.

(Radio Iowa) – Seed supply shortages could cause problems for farmers in Iowa this spring. Flooding early in the season last spring devastated parts of southern Minnesota and northwestern Iowa, and Casey Staloch, with Albert Lea Seed Company in Minnesota, says seed production really suffered. “Just because we had too much water early and not enough late, and then also with our sales being up on the conventional side,” Staloch says, “yeah, we are getting sold out of a lot of numbers right now.”

Staloch says there are other seed options if a farmer can’t get access to their first choice. “You can change some maturities, different things like that. But some of these companies where sales are down now, we’re coming them back in and lowering their prices in-season to try to get rid of some seed,” he says. “So I think there’s a lot of seed to be bought yet, even only a month out.”

Heavy rains last spring led to historic flooding in northwest Iowa, in communities including Rock Valley, Sioux Rapids, and Spencer, impacting hundreds of homes and thousands of residents.

(Radio Iowa) – The Iowa Economic Development Board recently approved funds for three start-up businesses. I-E-D-A spokesperson Kanan Kappelman says Ames-based Janas Materials was awarded a 100-thousand dollar loan to help refine its product. “They developed sustainable technology for the coating industry that improves the appearance and application of wood stains. They provide a more environmentally friendly alternative,” she says. Poultry Patrol received funds for their robot. “They’re based in Coralville, and they’ve created a poultry tending robot to stimulate bird movement in turkey barns,: Kappleman says. She says the robot also alerts farmers to spills and bird health and maintenance issues.

“The robot support in the animal husbandry process keeps the turkeys healthier and saves farmers time and money. The company was awarded a 50-thousand dollars proof of commercial relevance loan,” she says. Fairfield’s Better Natural company also received a proof of commercial relevance loan. “And they developed a technology to integrate roof sheathing, roof cover and solar energy in one single layer. So this technology allows them to lower manufacturing and installation costs and create more visually appealing solar energy systems that look a whole lot like roofing tiles,” Kappleman says. The Board also approved two Community Attraction And Tourism Grants. “The Hoover Presidential Foundation was awarded 400-thousand dollars to redesign the 60 year old Herbert Hoover Presidential Library and Museum,” she says.

A sports tourism award for 50-thousand dollars was approved to help Polk County promote the Ultimate Fighting Championship mixed martial arts Fight Night at Wells Fargo Arena.

(Radio Iowa) – Republicans who oppose the use of eminent domain to seize land for the proposed Summit Carbon Solutions pipeline are urging Iowans to lobby members of the Senate to protect property rights. During a news conference at the Iowa Capitol, Senator Doug Campbell of Mason City had this message for land owners who are fighting the project. “You will prevail, but you cannot disengage. You cannot give up for any and every reason,” Campbell said. “…Don’t give in. Persist.”

Representative Helena Hayes of New Sharon says the now abandoned Navigator pipeline project would have gone through her House district. “And I’m thankful for that, but I didn’t sit back and go, ‘Whew! O.K., I guess I don’t have to worry about it anymore,'” she said. “No, because directly or indirectly this issue affects all Iowans.” Representative Charley Thomson of Charles City says Summit should shelve the project. “I’m calling today for Summit to withdraw their petition from the I.U.C.,” Thomson said, to applause. “It never should have been approved. It doesn’t comply with law. It doesn’t comply with the constitution. I think now that we’ve seen, there’s no basis under the current IUC order to proceed.”

A new law in South Dakota forbids Summit from using eminent domain to acquire land from unwilling South Dakota property owners. The Iowa Utilities Commission’s permit for the pipeline is conditioned on the company getting permits to operate in other states along the pipeline route. Muscatine Senator Mark Lofgren says Republicans in the senate are working with a Republican who supports the pipeline, in hopes of passing some eminent domain protections.  “It’s in our best interest to let Republicans kind of work through these things,” Lofgren said. “…We’re not done yet.”

House Republicans are preparing a package of pipeline-related proposals, but House G-O-P bills on the subject have never been considered in the senate over the past three years. A spokesperson for Summit Carbon Solutions says the company respects the role of elected officials in the policy-making process and remains focused on delivering a project that supports Iowa agriculture, ethanol, and national energy dominance.

(Radio Iowa) – The Iowa-based World Food Prize Foundation is hosting an event in Washington, D.C. tomorrow (Tuesday) to focus on ideas for feeding the world’s expanding population. Former Iowa Governor Tom Vilsack — who took over as foundation’s C-E-O March 1st — says it’s inspired by a letter.

“153 Nobel laureates and World Food Prize laureates came together late last year to issue an open letter to the rest of the world suggesting that with 733,000 people in the world today that are currently food insecure, nearly 1 in 10 people on the face of the earth malnourished,” Vilsack says, “…they believed it was necessary to issue a call to action.” The group’s letter suggests as the world population swells, the challenge will get more daunting.

World Food Prize Foundation CEO Thomas J. Vilsack in WFP headquarters in Des Moines. (WFP photo)

“Especially when you consider the challenges of weather and its impacts on production,” Vilsack says. “What they are calling for is an increase in research and development and an acceleration of innovation in agriculture and in production agriculture to be able to meet this need.” Vilsack says many of the world’s conflicts revolve around food insecurity and addressing those challenges could lead to a more peaceful world.

As the Trump Administration has moved to terminate U-S-A-I-D food programs in other countries, Vilsack says the World Food Prize Foundation will emphasize its record of hosting discussions about hunger for thinkers and problem solvers. “As one player, if you will, leaves the field, it places responsibility on the remaining players on the field to do more,” Vilsack said. The 2008 Nobel Prize winner in chemistry, a NASA scientist who won the 2006 Nobel Prize in physics and three World Food Prize laureates will participate in a panel discussion at tomorrow’s (Tuesday’s) event in D.C.

The president of Iowa based Stine Seed Company and Iowa Senator Chuck Grassley have speaking slots as well.

(Atlantic, Iowa) – Spring is in the air, and plans are underway for gardening projects in Cass County. Local groups planning community gardening, beautification or education programs will again be eligible for assistance from the Cass County Master Gardeners. The group is offering grant money to be used in the 2025 growing season, to encourage gardening to grow food for donation, for gardening education, and/or for gardening projects to improve local communities.

The Cass County Master Gardener Memorial Grants are offered in remembrance of the many years of service to the community provided by long-time Master Gardener volunteers who have passed. Funds are raised by Master Gardeners at events like their spring plant sale, set for Saturday May 10, and summer events such as a bus trip and garden walk.

Any Cass County not-for-profit group may apply. Schools, libraries, 4-H clubs, Scouts, churches, or other organizations/individuals working to improving their communities can apply for money to begin or improve gardens or landscaping for community benefit, or to provide education for their members or the public.

To ensure the money is helping a wide variety of community organizations, those who were funded by 2024 grants will not be eligible to apply in 2025. Each grant has a maximum value of $300. Applications must include plans for teamwork and sustainability. All grant recipients will be expected to submit a report at the end of the growing season, detailing how the money was spent. Recipients will also be given a sign to place in their garden area for the 2025 growing season.

Applications must be received by 4:30 PM on Monday, April 14 for guaranteed consideration. They may be submitted by mail or email. Grant recipients will be informed of their application status no later than Thursday, May 1 so they can make plans for the growing season. For more information, or with questions, call the Cass County Extension office at 712-243-1132 or email  keolson@iastate.edu. Application forms can be printed from the Cass County Extension website at www.extension.iastate.edu/cass. You can also call or email the office to request a form be mailed or emailed to you or stop by 805 West 10th Street in Atlantic to pick one up.

The Master Gardener program trains volunteers to develop their knowledge and skills in horticulture. These volunteers then give back to their communities through gardening service and education. The program is available in all 50 states and Canada through land grant university Extension programs such as Iowa State University Extension and Outreach.

Information on upcoming opportunities such as the grant, scholarships and spring plant sale can be found on the Cass County Extension Website at www.extension.iastate.edu/cass. For more information on the program, contact Cass County Extension Director Kate Olson, at 712-243-1132 or keolson@iastate.edu. You can also follow the Cass County Master Gardeners on Facebook (@CassCoMG) for gardening tips and information on upcoming events!

(Des Moines, Iowa/Iowa Capital Dispatch) -Iowans gathered at the Iowa Capitol Thursday to celebrate the parks, trails and outdoor spaces across the state. The gathering was also intended to serve as a reminder to lawmakers that Iowans care about the outdoors and about preserving access to trails and public lands. Joe McGovern, president of Iowa Natural Heritage Foundation, encouraged attendees to think of the creek, park trail or family farm that was special to them and to bring those feelings into the crowded rotunda. Rep. Austin Baeth, D-Des Moines, said the outdoors gives Iowans a sense of commonality, which he said is “sometimes sorely missing” at the State Capitol. Baeth said the outdoors can’t be taken for granted, and pointed at urban sprawl as a major contributor to Iowa’s loss of prairie, wetland and forest habitats. He encouraged attendees to remind legislators that the outdoors are a “top priority” for Iowans.

Adam Shirley, CEO of Iowa’s County Conservation System, said outdoor recreation is Iowa’s top source of tourism and accounts for $8 billion annually in economic output, according to a recent study. Shirley said state, county and city parks alone account for $3 billion of that, which is a big increase since the last time his organization did a study in 2012 and found parks had an economic output of less than $1 billion. Shirley said the study, which is not yet published, also found the trails, lakes and conservation sites create positive environmental impacts and health outcomes for Iowans. Luke Hoffman, executive director of the Iowa Bicycle Coalition, said cycling and trails in Iowa have an economic impact that is on par with that of the top 50 industries for the state. This comes from a study published in January that found biking and trails have a $1.4 billion impact in the state.

Rep. Bobby Kaufmann, R-Wilton, said at every town hall, or community event he has done in the 10 years as a lawmaker, someone brings up the need to fund the natural resources and outdoor recreation trust fund. The trust was established in 2010 via a constitutional amendment that had more than 60% approval at the ballot box, to fund parks, trails, water resources, conservation efforts and natural areas in the state. The trust, however, has not had any allocations or withdrawals to date. “The people spoke overwhelmingly, and we need to get this done,” Kaufmann said.

Iowans gathered for Celebrate Iowa’s Outdoors Day to champion outdoor recreation in Iowa. (Photo by Cami Koons/Iowa Capital Dispatch)

Sen. Dan Dawson, R-Council Bluffs, said he tries to think of tax policy, as chair of the Ways and Means Committee, not just in terms of dollars and cents, but also to make a better state. “If we’re going to have a state that’s going to grow … and keep people in here and have generational families continue to be here in Iowa, we have to find some of those place making opportunities as well,” Dawson said.

The senator said he and his colleagues need to find a “tax pathway” to do what Iowans have asked them to do. The state would have to raise its sales tax rate by three-eighths of a cent to fund the trust, but Iowa has not increased sales tax rates since 2008.

Earlier this session, senators introduced a proposed constitutional amendment to repeal the natural resources trust fund and replace it with one that would provide property tax relief. Senate Joint Resolution 6 did not advance beyond its subcommittee hearing ahead of the legislative funnel deadline.

Sen. Sarah Trone Garriott, D-West Des Moines, said Iowans consistently show up to make their voices heard when legislation threatens the trust fund, or the acquisition of public lands.

Senators advanced Senate File 553 to would restrict the Department of Natural Resources’ ability to purchase land and grow the amount of public land in Iowa. Trone Garriott opposed the bill in committee, because she said constituents had flooded her inbox with messages on the importance of public lands. Trone Garriott said Iowa policy and budgets need to reflect the values and priorities of Iowans.