(Radio Iowa) – Many Iowans have seen their income impacted by COVID-19 in the past year and it’s raising fears at the Iowa Department of Natural Resources that the state’s Chickadee Checkoff could see a drop in donations this year. Stephanie Shepherd, a wildlife diversity biologist at the D-N-R, says the checkoff — officially known as the Fish and Wildlife Trust Fund — relies on donations via a line on state tax returns. “Things are going to be harder for folks,” Shepherd says. “Absolutely, that’s going to impact the ability for them to donate and that’s totally understandable and fine, but I think we have a nice core group of people who donate and I’m sure if they can, they will continue to contribute to wildlife conservation.”

On tax forms last year, around 72-hundred Iowans donated about 150-thousand dollars to the fund. That’s only about one-half of one-percent of all Iowa taxpayers. Shepherd notes that every penny donated is sent directly to the fund and there are no administrative costs. “It goes into our Fish and Wildlife Trust Fund here at the DNR which means that it is protected and must be spent on fish and wildlife. It can’t be spent on anything else, trails, outdoor recreation or anything like that,” Shepherd says. “One-hundred percent needs to be spent on fish and wildlife.”

The money goes directly to habitat development and restoration programs for some of Iowa’s most vulnerable animal species, she says. Unlike game animals which are hunted, like deer or pheasants, the fund is specifically for non-game species. “Everything from songbirds to bumble bees to bald eagles, that’s the kind of stuff we’re working on, day in and day out,” Shepherd says. “The Chickadee Checkoff is one of our major sources of funding to do that work and make sure those species are healthy and doing well in the state.”

There are more than one-thousand non-game wildlife species in the state, including creatures like salamanders, barn owls, turtles and monarch butterflies. Donations can be made in any amount starting at just one-dollar. The checkoff is on line 57 of Iowa Tax Form 1040, and it’s either automatically deducted from the refund or added to the amount owed. Shepherd says if every Iowa taxpayer donated a buck, it would mean one-and-a-half million dollars for wildlife and natural resources.

DES MOINES– Today (Friday), Gov. Kim Reynolds signed a proclamation that will ease transport rules for propane in Iowa. This proclamation will temporarily suspend regulatory provisions of Iowa code §321.449 pertaining to hours of service for crews and drivers delivering propane. High demand, along with hazardous weather conditions in the Midwest, have created challenges to timely access of propane products in the state.

The proclamation is effective at 12:01 a.m. on February 13, 2021, and expires on March 15, 2021, at 11:59 p.m. The proclamation language and rules can be found here.

JOHNSTON, IA – Officials with the Iowa Renewable Fuels Association (IRFA), Friday, announced Elite Octane, a 150 Million Gallon per Year ethanol plant near Atlantic, has joined the association as a producer member. Nick Bowdish, Elite Octane’s President & CEO, will serve on IRFA’s board of directors. Bowdish said he is excited to work alongside the rest of the IRFA board this year to grow ethanol demand across Iowa, especially in light of Governor Kim Reynolds recent introduction of the Iowa Biofuel Standards legislation earlier this week.

Elite Octane CEO/President Nick Bowdish (File photo)

If passed, the legislation would set a minimum standard of 10 percent ethanol and 11 percent biodiesel sold in Iowa and chart the path to universal availability of gasoline containing 15 percent ethanol in Iowa. Bowdish said “We share the vision of Governor Kim Reynolds, IRFA, and the other supporters of the Iowa Biofuel Standards legislation that gasoline containing 15% ethanol should be available for consumers at every Iowa retail station and this bill provides retailers with the support they need to make it happen.“We are looking forward to being a part of the IRFA team as it works alongside the Governor and other ag groups to see the passage of this crucial legislation.  Upon doing so, Iowa will continue to lead by example as we advocate for other states and countries to offer higher blends of ethanol.”

IRFA Executive Director Monte Shaw said IRFA was excited to welcome Elite Octane as a new member. “While Elite Octane has only been in operation for a couple of years, Nick has been an active and staunch supporter for ethanol for many years and we look forward to his voice joining our board of directors,” Shaw said. “He is passionate and driven and as we work this year to pass ground-breaking legislation to boost biofuel demand, IRFA will be that much stronger because Elite Octane is now a part of our team.”

The Cass County Conservation Board, Thursday, CANCELLED the Sweetheart Snowshoe Hike that was scheduled to take place at the Pellett Memorial Woods north of Atlantic tonight (2/12), at 7 o’clock. The event was cancelled due to the extreme cold conditions.

You can still plan, however, to join Cass County Conservation and Atlantic Parks and Recreation for a no school Snow Fun Afternoon! February 19th 2021 2pm-4pm at Sunnyside Park in Atantic – near the Kiddie Korral. Cass County Conservation will have their snowshoes available for check out near Kiddie Korral shelter. The Atlantic Parks and Recreation offers an assortment of winter recreation opportunities for all ages and skill levels. Cross country skis and sleds are available to be checked out from the Parks and Rec Office at (712) 243-3542.

There are several miles of trails around the park for cross country skiing, rustic hiking trails, cleared trails along the hard surfaced road, and there are Fox and Goose trails made for all to enjoy. The Parks and Rec Department is currently hosting a Snow Sculpture Contest with plenty of space for people and snow for everyone to take advantage of. Hot Chocolate will be available!

(Radio Iowa) – Bills calling for a statewide moratorium on new factory farms are -not- expected to gain much traction in the Iowa legislature this session. Several groups are working to stop development of concentrated animal feeding operations, or CAFOs, which they say pollute the air and water, impact the quality of life, and devalue nearby land. Drew Mogler, a spokesman for the Iowa Pork Producers Association, says if the legislation is approved, it would be a disaster for the state of Iowa and for the pork industry.

“Livestock production and agriculture is really the economic engine of rural Iowa and really a way for young people to get involved in agriculture,” Mogler says, “so it’s definitely something that would really hurt our industry. We certainly still see the pork industry as something that’s very important to rural Iowa.”

Iowa House Speaker Pat Grassley says the CAFO legislation has -no- chance to make it to the floor for a vote. The livestock industry, according to Mogler, creates a wide array of benefits for the state. “Livestock production still contributes a lot to these rural economies,” Mogler says. “In the state of Iowa, the pork industry generates over 147,000 jobs and generates over $6.8-billion in household income, which would really be a direct hit to these rural communities and Main Street businesses in those communities.”

Farmers are making great strides with efficiency, he says, learning to do more with less. He adds, it’s important to note the pork industry’s positive environmental footprint. “We’ve done a better job of managing our manure nutrients,” Mogler says. “Agriculture is obviously going to be able to play a big role when it comes to carbon sequestration and using manure nutrients from our livestock farms helps decrease our reliance on fossil fuel-based fertilizer.”

An eastern Iowa farmer says new methods and technologies make the big operations less harmful, adding, the industry has changed from 30-to-40 years ago. Groups that support the moratorium push include: Food and Water Watch, Iowa Citizens for Community Improvement, Iowa Alliance for Responsible Agriculture, and the Iowa Farmers Union. Jess Mazour, spokeswoman for the Sierra Club’s Iowa Chapter, says the bills target medium- and large-sized livestock operations.

“That would be 500 animal units or larger, and for hogs, that translates to 1,250 hogs, or more,” Mazour says. “It’s pretty straight forward. It’s saying no more should be built or expanded so that we can start to build an agricultural system that works for farmers and eaters and workers and the environment.” Mazour says these bills are focused on the need for improvement to the state’s environment as well as cleaner water, and fixing the current agricultural system.

“We’ve been operating under this system for decades now and when we look out at rural Iowa, we see it withering on the vine,” she says. “We’re seeing small towns dry up, grocery stores and schools and hospitals close. If this system of agriculture, the factory farm system, was so good for rural Iowa, we’ve be seeing thriving towns right now and that’s just not the case.”

Two Democrats introduced bills in the House and Senate to put a moratorium on CAFOs. Senator Pam Jochum, from Dubuque, is sponsoring the measure in that body while Representative Art Staed of Cedar Rapids is carrying the House bill.

w/Kate Olson.

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BELLE PLAINE, Kan. (AP) — President Joe Biden’s nomination of Tom Vilsack to lead the Agriculture Department is getting a chilly reaction from many Black farmers who contend he didn’t do enough to help them the last time he had the job. The former Iowa governor served eight years as agriculture secretary under President Barack Obama. Vilsack is trying to assure minority farming groups and the senators who will vote on his confirmation that he will work to “root out generations of systemic racism” in the agency.

In this Dec. 11, 2020, file photo former Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack, who the Biden administration chose to reprise that role, speaks during an event at The Queen theater in Wilmington, Del. Joe Biden’s nomination of Vilsack to lead the Agriculture Department is getting a chilly reaction from many Black farmers who contend he didn’t do enough to help them the last time he had the job. The former Iowa governor served eight years as agriculture secretary under President Barack Obama.(AP Photo/Susan Walsh, File)

But many Black farmers fault him for failing to address a backlog of discrimination complaints in the department and for firing a Black woman for remarks that he later learned were taken out of context.

The Cass County Board of Supervisors, Tuesday, approved a Resolution that establishes property tax exemptions priorities for natural conservation or wildlife areas. Their action followed a public hearing, during which there were no written or oral comments. Board Chair Steve Baier explained how many acres can be exempt under the Resolution.

Persons interested in taking advantage of the exemption must first apply for the privilege.

Auditor Dale Sunderman said the County is well below the 3,000 acre limit for Natural Conservation Service/Wildlife Property Tax exemptions.

Front left to Right- Hunter Quist, Atlantic, Colton Anderson, Atlantic, Grant Petty, Atlantic, Brentyn Hoover, Anita, Aiden Krueger, Carson, Colton Krueger, Carson, Letty McSorely, Carson Back Row: Colin Rudy, Atlantic, Colton Rudy, Atlantic, Drey Newell, Atlantic, Cooper Jipsen, Atlantic, Owen Hoover, Anita, Joaquin Wailes, Wiota, Joey Oathoudt, Corning, Mason McCready Macedonia, Caden Forristall, Carson, Jake Oathoudt, Corning, Jake Wailes, Wiota, Holden DeVore, Atlantic.

On Sunday, February 7th the Southwest Iowa Fishing Team casted off their aggressive 2021 conservation project to help to restore and replenish precious deteriorating fish habitat across Southwest Iowa lakes and ponds. Preserving habitats is essential to preserving biodiversity. Like all animals, fish need a healthy living space or habitat, to survive, grow, and reproduce. The quality and quantity of fish habitat in a water body directly affects fish populations and the quality of fishing for anglers.

Structures

The SWIFT goal is to produce 200 different types of artificial fish habitat structures to address the needs of aquatic life in the lakes. Twenty student anglers almost reached the halfway point of their goal by producing 90 fish structures. The team went through an amazing 5000’ of plastic tubing, which was almost a mile which was used to mimic branches of a tree. All the materials used to build are recyclable which keeps the waste out of the landfill and are not harmful to the fish but provide excellent substrate, nesting, spawning habitat, feeding locations, shelter for young fish and attract fish to make for better fishing.

Bryan Hayes from the Iowa DNR also attended the event and spoke to the students about the importance of conservation and the impact of building good fish habitat structures will have on the lake’s aquatic life and for their community. He applauded the students on their commitment to conservation and was impressed with the types of fish habitat structures they were producing. Every structure will help grow the sport of fishing and provide biodiversity in the lakes and ponds in the area. He also informed the students about the duties of the DNR and offered to the students if they wanted to know more about the DNR to consider job shadowing them for a day.

The Southwest Iowa Fishing Team was formed to provide a safe and competitive activity for the students.. The current 26-member team consists of boys and girls from Southwest Iowa surrounding communities who will compete in amateur youth fishing tournaments throughout the year-long season. With the opportunity to win Iowa State and National Championships with the Student Angler Federation and the Bass Federation. The primary initiative is to instill the ideals of good sportsmanship, education, conservation, and fish care through instruction, seminars, and training during all outdoor youth activities. Sixty percent of the students who participate on fishing teams are not involved with traditional high school sports. This extends more opportunity for students to be involved in school-like activity, and the potential to earn scholarships to advance their education.

If you are interested in hearing more information about the team or to sign up. Email swifishingteam@gmail.com or visit https://www.facebook.com/swifishingteam

The Iowa DNR is offering a special deal on a stay at the Springbrook State Park cabin. Enjoy the Sherburne House at Springbrook State Park in Guthrie County, about an hour west of Des Moines. Stay in the month of March and get $100 off your reservation!  A beautiful 4-bedroom cabin nestled on the edge of the state park, the Sherburne House is just a short distance from hiking trails and the outdoors. It’s the perfect getaway for a small group to safely enjoy a close-to-home adventure.

The cabin sleeps up to 14 and offers a large kitchen, outdoor deck and more! Reserve today at the Springbrook reservation page, and use the Promo Code: Springbrook100 at checkout for your discount! Offer good for stays at Sherburne House from March 1 – March 31, 2021 only, no transfers. Two-night minimum, typical rate is $200/night.