DES MOINES – The Iowa DNR and Travel Iowa invite Iowans to participate in the 2021 First Day Hike Challenge to ring in the New Year through the digital State Park Passport. The challenge takes the place of traditional guided hikes due to COVID-19. “We are looking for ways to encourage both outdoor fun and social distancing,” said Todd Coffelt, Bureau Chief of Parks, Forests and Preserves. “First Day Hikes are a popular tradition in state parks, and the passport is a great way for people to enjoy winter hikes on their own or with their families.”

With the First Day Hike Challenge, park visitors can check into any of the more than 50 participating state parks on the passport from Friday, Jan. 1 through the end of Sunday, Jan. 3. Every check-in will qualify for a prize drawing of a 2-night stay at a 2-bedroom cabin at Lake Darling State Park near Brighton. Restrictions will apply on the cabin stay, with reservation fees and other business rules applying.

Visitors can go to as many parks as they wish during the weekend — every check-in counts as a contest entry.  Additionally, visitors will find trail suggestions and directions from park staff under the “More Info” tab for each park entry on the passport.

Last year, more than 4,300 people participated in hikes on New Year’s Day across Iowa. Hikers can expect to be surrounded by the quiet beauty of nature in winter, and experience spectacular views, beautiful settings and the cultural treasures offered by Iowa’s State Parks. Participants should dress for the weather, including warm, sturdy boots for winter conditions.

For more details on First Day Hikes in Iowa’s State Parks, and to find links to sign up for the Parks Passport, visit www.iowadnr.gov/firstdayhikes.

PERRY, IA (December 16, 2020) – Van Wall Equipment and the Van Houweling family announced Wednesday, the purchase from the Puck family of the Horizon Equipment John Deere dealership locations in Adair, Audubon, Avoca, Manning, Missouri Valley and Woodbine, Iowa. These locations are now officially operating as Van Wall Equipment, further broadening the company’s John Deere location footprint in Iowa.

Don Van Houweling, Van Wall Equipment President. said “It is our goal to meet and expand the long-term track record of customer care and commitment that has been the benchmark of the Puck family and their excellent team. We will be dedicated to doing four very important things: Minimizing producer’s downtime risk, making it easier for them to manage their operations, helping them increase their margins and profitability, and giving them a competitive advantage.”

Nate Puck, Horizon Equipment Chief Executive Officer, said “The Puck Family has been privileged to maintain a contract and relationship with John Deere Company, our customers, and associates for 94 years. Our family has enjoyed four generations of building partnerships that we hope added value to production agriculture, our customers, and communities in Western Iowa and surrounding areas. We see this organizational change as an opportunity that can bring new ‘Horizons’ for customers and our associates as the mission to provide beneficial partnerships remains.”

Van Wall Equipment plans to leverage its scale – with its robust inventory of parts, same-day intra-store parts transfer system, and substantial field support resources – to keep customers running.

The recent blast of arctic air is growing ice on lakes and ponds over much of Iowa. Anglers are ready to get out for the popular early ice fishing season. “Many of us can’t wait to get out on the ice each winter,” said Joe Larscheid, chief of fisheries for the Iowa Department of Natural Resources (DNR). “Ice fishing is a fun, inexpensive activity for anglers of all ages to get outdoors and avoid cabin fever.” The DNR recommends a minimum of four inches of clear ice for fishing and at least five inches for snowmobiles and ATVs.

“Check ice thickness as you make your way to your favorite fishing spot,” Larscheid said. “Ice conditions change constantly and its thickness can vary across the lake. Trust your instincts – if the ice does not look right, don’t go out.” Early ice offers an excellent chance for success.  If fish are finicky, cut a series of holes and spend 15 minutes at each hole. Use small baits and light line.

Safety tips on the ice

• No ice is 100 percent safe.
• New ice is usually stronger than old ice.
• Don’t go out alone – if the worst should happen, someone will be there to call for help or to help rescue.
• Let someone know where you are going and when you will return.
• Check ice thickness as you go out – there could be pockets of thin ice or places where ice recently formed.
• Avoid off-colored snow or ice. It is usually a sign of weakness.
• The insulating effect of snow slows down the freezing process.
• Bring along these basic items to help keep you safe: hand warmers, ice cleats to help prevent falls, ice picks (wear around your neck) to help you crawl out of the water if you fall in, a life jacket, a floating safety rope, a whistle to call for help, a basic first aid kit and extra dry clothes including a pair of gloves.

(Radio Iowa) – A Waterloo man was killed in a farming accident Monday afternoon. Black Hawk County sheriff’s officials identified the victim as 36-year-old Christopher Holman. According to authorities, Holman was operating farm equipment when the accident occurred around 3:30 PM. Officials say it appears Holman got caught by moving parts as he was attempting to break items loose from the machinery.

The accident happened on a dairy farm on the southern edge of Waterloo.

The Adair County ISU Extension and Outreach office reports Market beef weigh-in for Adair County 4-H and FFA members is set for Saturday, January 2, 2021 at the Adair County Fairgrounds in Greenfield. All market steers and market heifers must be tagged and weighed to be eligible to exhibit at the 2021 Adair County Fair slated for July 21-25.

Identification of Iowa State Fair market beef will be between 8:00 – 8:30 a.m. Animals will be weighed and tagged at the fairgrounds then go to the Adair County Vet Clinic for retinal imaging. FFA members and 4-H’ers that plan to exhibit at the county fair only should arrive between 8:30 a.m. and 10:30 a.m. Cost to identify state fair entries is $5.00, including retinal imaging. Exhibitors will pay $1.50 for county fair tags.

Officials say staff and exhibitors will be practicing social distancing. Families are asked to stay in their trucks until it’s time to weigh their animals. Masks are required if social distancing cannot be maintained.

For questions about the 4-H market beef project, the Live Beef Performance – No Fit Class, or the weigh-in, call the Adair County Extension office 641-743-8412. Please call the Extension Office by December 30 if you plan to weigh in market beef on January 2.

STORM LAKE, Iowa (AP) — The family of a 65-year-old Iowa man is suing Tyson after he died of COVID-19 while working at the company’s pork plant in Storm Lake. Michael Everhard, of Fonda, died June 18, three weeks after he contracted the virus. His family contends in a lawsuit that Tyson didn’t implement proper safety precautions to protect Everhard and other employees from the virus.

Several Tyson executives at the plant are also named in the lawsuit, which was filed on behalf of Everhard’s three children. A Tyson spokeswoman said the company has implemented several safety measures that meet or exceed federal guidelines designed to slow the spread of the virus.

(Radio Iowa) – The president of the Iowa Farmers Union says he’s reaching out to state lawmakers in hopes they make addressing the state’s water quality issues a top priority in the new legislative session opening January 11th. Aaron Lehman says Iowa has a lot of work to do on clean water issues and farmers need to be an integral part of that. Lehman says, “Finding out what that state investment will be and whether Iowa will fund our Natural Resources Trust Fund, as voters passed it ten years ago, will be the largest question before the legislature.”

The COVID-19 pandemic highlighted multiple vulnerabilities in the state’s food production system and Lehman says he’d like to see legislators create more opportunities for smaller meat processors across the state. “Developing the infrastructure for our smaller processors is critically important, as is developing other links in our food system chain, which is very much relied upon by our citizens,” Lehman says. “In Iowa, the startling thing is, all the food we eat in Iowa, less than 15-percent of it comes from Iowa.”

Lehman says he also expects legislators to address property tax relief in the upcoming session. “We’ve got a lot of details to figure out on how those efforts can actually reach the farm and reach our fields,” he says. “There’s a lot yet to be figured out with that but I think it will be something that the legislature’s likely to take up.” Lehman acknowledges state lawmakers will have a lot on their plates in the new year, including crafting the all-important state budget.

(Radio Iowa) – The annual Iowa State University Land Value Survey finds a modest one-point-seven percent statewide increase in the value of an acre of farmland in 2020. Survey leader Wendong Zhang says there was a big difference in price changes based on the type of land. “Nearly flat for higher quality and six-point-seven percent growth for low-quality land,” Zhang says. “Overall across the nine crop reporting districts, only southwest Iowa saw a modest one percent decline. While the other eight crop reporting districts reported a zero to three percent growth.”

That puts the average price of an acre of ground at seven-thousand-559 dollars ($7,559). He says continued low interest rates were part of the reason for the slight land value increase.  Zhang says another driver is a recent rally in commodity prices because of surging exports and improved trade prospects. Zhang says the federal payments to farmers from the pandemic had some impact — but he doesn’t think we’ve seen their full impact yet.

“About 46 BILLION dollars was a significant portion of the COVID relief payments and that has resulted in the 30 to 40 percent growth in U-S farm income and that certainly has stabilized the market. But it takes multiple years for changes in government payments and interest rates to be fully capitalized in the land market,” according to Zhang. Scott County and Decatur Counties reported the highest and lowest values, respectively for the eighth straight year. Despite having the highest overall value — land values in Scott County decreased 178 dollars per acre to 10-thousand-659.

Decatur County saw average values increase 264 dollars per acre to three-thousand-849 ($3,849). He says the lower value land has an increasing demand outside of the normal crop production. “For the lower quality land, it seems that one of the factors is a strong demand for recreational acres might behind the six-point-seven percent growth compared to the one-point-seven percent average statewide,” he says. Zhang says people want that land for pasture and timber grounds for hunting and it is even more appealing with social-distancing requirements in place.

Zhang says this survey didn’t show the impact of the political landscape — but another indicates it could impact land issues in the future. He says a Purdue University survey that shows farmers are more concerned about whether there will be more environmental regulations, less farm subsidies and less support for ethanol. “So there are some and concerns.” Zhang says on the other side their is some thought that there could be fewer questions about trade issues with a new administration. He says the land values are likely to continue slowly improving.

Zhang says they asked professionals about the value one year and five years from now and they project stable land values with maybe a slight increase in the next 12 months. He says the projection for the next five years is an increase of value between five and ten percent.

DES MOINES, IA, DEC. 14, 2020 — USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) contracted with Iowa farmers and landowners to treat natural resources on more than 316,000 acres, obligating $59.8 million in financial assistance during fiscal year 2020 that ended Sept. 30. NRCS also wrote 12,624 conservation plans that cover 889,071 acres, during fiscal year 2020. The conservation plans will help Iowa farmers reduce soil erosion, improve soil health and water quality, increase wildlife habitat, and treat other environmental issues.

Iowa NRCS assisted agricultural producers through several conservation programs and targeted initiatives, including the Agricultural Conservation Easement Program (ACEP), Conservation Stewardship Program (CSP), Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP), and the Regional Conservation Partnership Program (RCPP). “Like so many industries, implementing conservation practices and programs is challenging during a pandemic,” said Jon Hubbert, State Conservationist for NRCS in Iowa. “With many of our offices open by appointment only or completely closed to the public, it’s been important for our staff to find other ways to communicate and work with farmers. I am extremely proud of our staff, Iowa conservation partners, and Iowa’s agricultural producers for working together during this difficult time to get conservation on the ground.”

Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP): Through EQIP, NRCS obligated $30.1 million to treat 126,696 acres through 1,022 contracts. EQIP is a voluntary program that promotes agricultural production and environmental quality. Farmers can choose from a conservation practice list developed at the county level to treat local resource concerns.

Top EQIP Practices Adopted – Some of the top conservation practices adopted by Iowans through EQIP include:

Cover Crops (1,116 contracts/149,168 acres/$6.3 million)
Fence (383 contracts/992,253 feet/$1.2 million)
Brush Management (292 contracts/2,667 acres/$465,419)
Prescribed Grazing (269 contracts/15,258 acres/$474,322)

Top Counties for EQIP
State leaders in EQIP contracts, funding, and acres treated:

Wayne County led the state with 36 contracts, obligating $1.5 million to local farmers, helping to treat resource concerns on 2,106 acres.
Sioux County finished 2020 with 34 contracts, providing $865,760 to help treat natural resources on 4,865 acres.
Jackson County had 30 EQIP contracts, obligating $440,606 which will help treat 2,362 acres.

Other statewide EQIP highlights include:

Nearly $8 million will assist livestock grazing producers implement conservation practices on their pastures.
More than $3.6 million through the Mississippi River Basin Healthy Watersheds Initiative (MRBI) for practices in targeted watersheds that will help control, trap and reduce nutrient runoff.
About $1 million in the Prairie Pothole counties in north central Iowa to seed conservation cover and other wildlife habitat on water-saturated portions of cropland fields.

Conservation Stewardship Program (CSP): Iowa NRCS obligated about $17.4 million through new and renewed CSP contracts during the past year. In fiscal year 2020, 395 Iowa farmers signed five-year CSP contracts to treat natural resource concerns on 187,981 acres. CSP helps farmers build on existing conservation efforts by customizing a plan to meet conservation goals and needs. More than $1.7 million in CSP funding is contracted for Monarch Butterfly habitat through the “Improving Working Lands for Monarch Butterflies” project. Thirty-two Iowa landowners signed up for the project in 2020, providing 12,100 acres of habitat.

Overall, northeast Iowa landowners signed 51 percent of new and renewed CSP contracts in 2020:

Winneshiek County led the state with 34 CSP contracts, totaling 15,953 acres, with an obligation of $1.43 million.
Jackson County was next with 22 contracts, covering 4,973 acres with an obligation of $714,500.
Chickasaw County finished with 20 CSP contracts that cover 5,879 acres, obligating $576,850.
Floyd County had 19 contracts, covering 15,652 acres with an obligation of $833,808.

Regional Conservation Partnership Program (RCPP): In fiscal year 2020, Iowa NRCS obligated $2.8 million through RCPP to treat natural resource concerns on 22,916 cropland acres. NRCS assisted producers through RCPP partnership agreements and 69 contracts. RCPP promotes coordination between NRCS and its partners through agreements and program contracts. Currently, there are six RCPP projects in Iowa that focus on improving water quality and soil health, implementing monarch butterfly and other wildlife habitat, and creating sustainable grain supply chains.

Agricultural Conservation Easement Program (ACEP): Seven landowners in six Iowa counties placed agricultural land into conservation easements through ACEP in 2020. The new easements cover 1,755 acres at a price to NRCS of about $10.5 million. Through ACEP, NRCS helps landowners, land trusts, and other entities protect, restore, and enhance wetlands, grasslands, and working farms through conservation easements. Overall, there are 1,664 conservation easements in Iowa covering about 190,000 acres.

NRCS also provided Iowa easement owners about $1.8 million for stewardship activities on existing easements. For more detailed Iowa NRCS program results and information, visit https://bit.ly/IowaAtAGlance2020.

ATLANTIC, IA (December 14, 2020) –Produce in the Park’s Christmas Pop-Up Market is now open and taking pre-orders. Shoppers can visit www.ProduceInTheParkAtlanticIowa.com, to see a full list of all 11 participating vendors with products offerings and to pre-order online. If a shopper isn’t comfortable ordering online, they are encouraged to contact the vendor about alternative payment and ordering options. Vendor phone numbers can also be found on the website.

Pre-orders will be accepted through midnight, Saturday December 19. Purchases will be available for drive-through pickup on Monday, December 21 between 2:00 –6:00 PM at the Cass County Community Center (805 W. 10thSt. Atlantic, IA 50022). In order to comply with current state mandates and keep customers and vendors safe, Christmas Pop-Up Market will not offer indoor in-person shopping.

Christmas Pop-Up Market is being held the Monday before Christmas so customers can pick up local produce, baked goods, jellies, meats, Christmas cookies, and more to enjoy at their holiday meals. The market also offers holiday gifts and cozy winter home décor by local crafters and artisans, including candles and soaps, Christmas decorations and tea towels, along with Christmas cookie decorating kits.For more information on Christmas Market visit Produce in the Park’s website www.produceintheparkatlanticiowa.com, the Produce in the Park Facebook page www.facebook.com/ProduceInThePark, or contact Market Manager Brigham Hoegh at produceintheparkatlanticiowa@gmail.comor 712-249-5870.