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(Radio Iowa) – Governor Kim Reynolds says any NEW fuel pumps installed in Iowa should be able to dispense gas with at least a 10 percent blend of ethanol — and the governor says B-11 — 11 percent biodiesel — should be the standard for diesel pumps.  “As we look forward to this year’s legislative session, I am excited to advance policies that will grow the biofuels and ag industry,” Reynolds says. “…That means making biofuels the clear choice for Iowa drivers.”

Many retailers offer two, three or even four blends of fuel from one pump and this would not require that EVERY option be a higher blend of biofuel, but it would require E-10 and B-11 at least be offered from newly-installed pumps. A spokesman for the governor says a draft of the legislation Reynolds proposes will be released soon. Reynolds says governors in Illinois, Nebraska and South Dakota are considering similar requirements for new fuel pumps.

“Minnesota has already taken some steps to help drive higher blends and so I think collectively we have a responsibility,” Reynolds says. “We’re better together.” Reynolds also is asking Iowa legislators to expand the state grant program for installing fuel pumps that dispense higher blends of biofuels. The program has a three million dollar budget this year. Reynolds suggests it should be 10 million dollars next year.

“That will help accelerate and help fund the installation of higher-blend compatible infrastructure,” Reynolds says. State records indicate there are more than 40-thousand gas pump meters in Iowa. Two years ago, Reynolds issued an executive order requiring the use of biodiesel in state-owned vehicles with engines that run on diesel. She’s asking legislators to pass a law this year to make that permanent state policy.

You’re invited to join the Cass County Conservation Board, for Common Feeder Bird Identification and Owl Prowl Programs. They will be held February 7th, 2021 at the Outdoor Educational Classroom, near Massena. Get ready for the Great Backyard Bird Count by learning how to identify common Iowa birds that like to visit your feeders. Join Kelly McKay from ‘Building Better Birders’ as he shares about Common Feeder Bird Identification.

Funding for the program is provided by the Resource Enhancement and Protection – Conservation Education Program (REAP – CEP). This workshop will be conducted by Kelly McKay (BioEco Research and Monitoring Center), with assistance from Mark Roberts (Clinton County Conservation) and Brian Ritter (Nahant Marsh Education Center).  The program is the first of the CCCB’s “Building a Better Birder Workshop Series” and are brought to Cass County Conservation Board through the Resource Enhancement and Protection (REAP-CEP) grant.

The Common Feeder Birds session will start at 2PM and be indoors. The Owl Prowl Hike will start at 4PM and will be outside. Pre-Registration is appreciated. Call  769-2372 or email to sign up lkanning@casscoia.us. Take Hwy 148 south of Massena, Turn Left on Tucson Rd, Follow it East for about two miles, and then a right hand turn into the parking lot. Of course this qualifies for our 120hrs Outdoor Challenge don’t forget to use #120hrsCassCoIA as a hashtag for your adventures.

(Radio Iowa) – Iowa Renewable Fuels Association executive director Monte Shaw is calling on the Biden Administration to reverse the ethanol waivers the Trump Administration granted the oil industry. “The message from this one action, which could be taken immediately, would signify that we are truly entering a new, more hopeful phase for biofuels,” Shaw says. Shaw delivered the opening speech at today’s (Tuesday’s) virtual Renewable Fuels Summit and began by focusing on the Trump Administration’s decision to ignore court orders and grant waivers. Shaw also warns of the looming fight over accelerated production of electric vehicles as well as arguments about ethanol’s role in reducing carbon emissions. “In short, we must be ready to do battle in 2021,” Shaw said.

Shaw says policymakers must consider whether normal working people can actually afford E-Vs — electric vehicles — or if they’re even best option to reduce carbon. “Here’s the dirty little secret. An EV today, charged in a state like Missouri or Minnesota or many others that rely on coal for electricity actually has a higher carbon footprint per mile than my flex-fuel Tahoe motoring down the road powered by E85,” Shaw says. “Biofuel supporters must be ready to fight EV mandates in 2021.”  Shaw says research shows the carbon content of tailpipe emissions is reduced when a vehicle is running on ethanol blended fuel.

“Never in my lifetime has DC descended into the tribalism and lack of serious thought we are seeing today and, let’s face it, that’s saying something,” Shaw said. “…We are seeing elected officials hit the policy ‘easy button’ of an unworkable slogan that will fit on a bumper sticker instead of bringing people together to work on real solutions that require time, earnest effort and — heaven forbid — a bit of compromise.”

Shaw is asking the IOWA legislature to increase state grant money for retailers that install pumps for higher blends of ethanol. According to the Iowa Corn Growers Association, 57 percent of the corn harvested in Iowa is used to produce ethanol.

• KJAN, Atlantic  9.5″
• Massena  5″
• Bridgewater  9″
• Corning  10.8″
• Audubon  6″
• Guthrie Center  14″
• Red Oak  12.6″
• Creston  10″
• Carroll  4.8″
• Clarinda  14″
• Shenandoah  13″

(Radio Iowa) – The Iowa Pork Congress will be held this week but the pandemic is forcing a series of major changes from years past. Iowa Pork Producers Association spokeswoman Dal Grooms says the first event is at 10 o’clock tomorrow (Tuesday) morning in Des Moines. “We are going to start the week off with our annual meeting but that will be the only in-person event that we have,” Grooms says. “Then we’ll have education sessions and those are all going to be one-hour virtual sessions. Of course, there’s not going to be any trade show available to producers, and we know how much they love that.”

The 2020 event, which usually brings five-thousand producers to Iowa’s capitol city, was cancelled due to COVID-19. Grooms says a host of top-notch speakers are lined up for this year’s edition. “Our keynoter is Damian Mason, an ag economist who also does some motivational and inspiring speaking,” Grooms says. “He’s going to be talking about different events that have happened in agriculture and how they’re going to impact producers in the future.”

Mason’s talk is scheduled for noon on Wednesday, while there are two educational workshops planned for Thursday. “One is going to be with Hannah Thompson-Weeman of the Animal Ag Alliance. She’s going to talk about some of the animal activists and what they’ve been doing and how producers can protect their farm and farm security,” Grooms says. “The other educational session is going to be about some of the new marketing opportunities that have been developed.”

Pre-register for most events at: iowaporkcongress.org

(Radio Iowa) – Several people have reported seeing a wandering lost moose in Plymouth County. The moose is a female and is thought to have traveled to northwest Iowa from northern North Dakota. Iowa D-N-R Wildlife Biologist Doug Chafa says it is a rare sight here. He says the last moose sighting was back in the fall and winter of 2015, so it is unusual. Chafa says there are usually two reasons for a moose to travel this far south.

Plymouth County moose

He says a young bull moose may leave the herd because it couldn’t compete for position with other older bull moose. Or he says the female moose in northwest Iowa could be sick. “Sometimes moose will have this roundworm parasite called a meningeal brain worm. It damages their brain and they will have some weird behaviors like just taking off and walking south,” according to Chafa.

Chafa says he understands the curiosity factor from people wanting to see the moose, but he warns people to keep their distance. “Moose are large dangerous animals to get in close proximity to. It would not be a good idea to try and interact with this moose in any way,” Chafa says. “When an animal starts these long-distance dispersals — if you intercede in that or interfere in that — there is a long history where that just goes, really, really poorly.”

The Iowa D-N-R Wildlife Biologist says there is no way in determining whether the moose will continue heading south, or if it has found its new home. Chafa says several years ago, a wandering moose found its way south to Interstate 80 near Walnut, Iowa. Chafa doesn’t believe the moose will do much property damage, but he says that onlookers hoping to see the moose should respect a landowner’s private property rights and not trespass.

(Radio Iowa) – If it seems like there’s an inordinate amount of Canada geese flocking around Iowa right now, you’re not imagining things. While many of the distinctive black-and-white-necked birds live here year-round, others are in the midst of a migration from Canada to parts south. Orrin Jones, a waterfowl biologist with the Iowa Department of Natural Resources, says Iowa’s city-dwellers are likely noticing the gobs of geese the most. “The geese are actively seeking out the metropolitan areas,” Jones says. “That’s a very attractive place for them right now. It has a combination of open water sources, food, and relative safety.”

Hunting season on geese in central Iowa just ended last weekend. The D-N-R is tabulating figures from a recent Canada goose count that pegs the Des Moines population at around 20-thousand, though statewide numbers aren’t quite ready yet. Iowans can’t help but spot the big birds in places where they usually congregate — and elsewhere. “Right now, we have a mixing of a lot of different populations of geese and their movement patterns coincide with a lot of people’s daily commutes,” Jones says. “When the birds are very active, that’s when people are very active and it leads to this perception that there’s just a huge amount of geese in the area — and there are a lotta’ geese.”

The goose population is not too high, he assures, saying the current numbers are within the state’s objectives for the feathered creatures. While some of the geese are permanent Iowa residents, Jones notes that others are in the midst of an annual migration. “Whether they stay here or go farther south or go back north will depend upon the weather,” Jones says. “If the winter gets more severe, they’ll continue farther south. If it becomes more mild, they’ll spread out or maybe move farther north or maybe distribute across Iowa.”

If you’re tempted to toss some bread to those geese, don’t. Jones says the wild waterfowl need to be able to find food on their own. Plus, he says human food is often detrimental — and can be dangerous — for geese.

WATERLOO, Iowa (January 21, 2021) – Silos & Smokestacks National Heritage Area (SSNHA) is pleased to announce the winners of the 13th Annual Capture the Heart of America Photo Contest. “Best of Show” was awarded to Greg Punelli of Ankeny for his photo, “Battle in the Blizzard” in the Partner Site category. Taken in Prairie City at Neal Smith National Wildlife Refuge, the photo was chosen by the public in an online voting campaign in early December.

Harvest Tailgating for Lunch, Sandy McCurdy of Bridgewater

Awards were also given to the top photos in each of six categories, voted on by panel of judges. People’s Choice “Most Liked on Facebook” was awarded to Joyce Meyer of Calmar for her photo, “Over the Rainbow” in the Iowa Farmscapes category. The “Visitor Guide Photo Feature,” selected by Silos & Smokestacks staff from the Partner Site category for a special feature in the 2021-22 Visitor Guide, was awarded to Brian Abeling of West Des Moines with “Mines of Spain Recreation Area.”

Category winners include:
Life on the Iowan Farm
FIRST PLACE: Ready For Work, Bee Klemzak of Waterloo
SECOND PLACE: Harvest Tailgating for Lunch, Sandy McCurdy of Bridgewater
THIRD PLACE: Summer Sunrise, Diane Michaud Lowry of Ames
HONORABLE MENTION: Puddle Jumper, Ann Clinton of Waukee

East Place Harvest, Linda Buxton of Creston

Modern Agriculture
FIRST PLACE: Hancock Harvest, Brian Abeling of West Des Moines
SECOND PLACE: Fly & Apply, Beau Brown of Iowa City
THIRD PLACE: East Place Harvest, Linda Buxton of Creston
HONORABLE MENTION: Chad Heggen, Deere in the Beans of Joice

While the Heritage Area covers a 37-county region in Northeast Iowa, the contest allows Silos & Smokestacks to share America’s agricultural story across the entire United States. A complete list of winners and their photos can viewed at www.silosandsmokestacks.org/photo-contest.