U-S Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue, today (Friday) designated 10 Iowa counties as primary natural disaster areas. Producers in Buena Vista, Hamilton, Harrison, Ida, Madison, Monona, Pocahontas, Polk, Pottawattamie and Story counties who suffered losses caused recent drought may be eligible for U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Farm Service Agency (FSA)
emergency loans. The natural disaster designation allows FSA to extend much-needed emergency credit to producers recovering from natural disasters.

Emergency loans can be used to meet various recovery needs including the replacement of essential items such as equipment or livestock, reorganization of a farming operation or the refinance of certain debts. Producers in the contiguous counties listed below are also eligible to apply for emergency loans:
· Iowa: Adair, Boone, Calhoun, Cass, Cherokee, Clarke, Clay, Crawford, Dallas, Franklin, Guthrie, Hardin, Humboldt, Jasper,
Kossuth, Marion, Marshall, Mills, Montgomery, O’Brien, Palo Alto, Sac, Shelby, Union, Warren, Webster, Woodbury and Wright.
· Nebraska: Burt, Douglas, Sarpy, Thurston and Washington

The deadline to apply for these emergency loans is May 10, 2021. FSA will review the loans based on the extent of losses, security available and repayment ability. FSA has a variety of additional programs to help farmers recover from the impacts of this disaster. FSA programs that do not require a disaster declaration include: Emergency Assistance for Livestock, Honeybees and Farm-Raised Fish Program; Emergency Conservation Program; Livestock Forage Disaster Program; Livestock Indemnity Program; Operating and Farm Ownership Loans; and the Tree Assistance Program.

Farmers may contact their local USDA service center for further information on eligibility requirements and application procedures for these and other programs. Additional information is also available online at farmers.gov/recover.

GREENFIELD, IOWA – September 17, 2020 – Ray “Bubba” Sorensen of Greenfield has been designated a “Friend of Agriculture” by the Iowa Farm Bureau Political Action Committee (PAC). Sorensen is seeking the House District 20 seat that includes Adair and Guthrie county and portions of Dallas and Cass county.

Ray “Bubba” Sorensen, (R) Rep. IA House District 21

Sorensen says “I always have been, and always will be, a friend. From showing in 4-H, to working in livestock advertising, to helping my dad out on his farm and getting started with my own small acreage. I’ve lived with and loved our rural life and values. I’m excited to get back to work on Ag issues and work through the struggles with the pandemic and weather. I’m looking forward to working with our farmers who are innovating and working on improving our water quality in the state.”

Accordingto IFBF Chair (and Clayton County farmer) Erik Oberbroeckling, “Candidates earn the Friend of Agriculture designation by supporting issues that directly impact Iowa’s agricultural economy. With one in every five Iowans employed in agriculture and ag-related industries, it is essential to have strong advocates for agriculture representing Iowa.”

The latest edition of the Iowa Drought Monitor show significant improvements in all categories. The report shows none of the state is currently in extreme drought, and this week, almost 17% more of the state has escaped drought conditions altogether. In western and west central Iowa, the Extreme Drought we’ve been facing for months, was reduced to Severe Drought status.

Officials say the dramatic drought improvement came to many areas in the form of a multi-day rain event. Measurable rain fell each day from September 6-12 in Iowa locations such as Dubuque and Davenport, totaling 7.46 and 7.76 inches, respectively. During the same 7-day period, Moline, IL, received 5.97 inches. Broad improvements were introduced where the heaviest rain fell, but some eastern sections of the Midwest remained dry and saw some development or expansion of abnormal dryness (D0). Extreme drought (D3) was erased from Iowa, with only patch of D3 remaining in eastern Nebraska. In contrast, September 1-15 rainfall totaled just 0.04 inch (3% of normal) in Indianapolis, Indiana, and 0.50 inch (32%) in Saint Louis, Missouri.

w/Brandon Scheuring.

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(Radio Iowa) – A Corning farmer testified before Congress today (Wednesday) that a Trump Administration rule that changes the definition of federally protected waterways offers clarity for the nation’s farmers. Ray Gaesser  farms corn and soybeans with his son Chris near Corning. Speaking before the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee, Gaesser says the previous rule was overreaching, defining land where water flowed after a rain as federally regulated.

“The EPA wrote a rule that threatened my farm with jaw-dropping penalties and even criminal prosecution for tilling, spraying or disturbing a Water of the U.S.” This spring, President Trump and the Environmental Protection Agency finalized the Navigable Waters Protection Rule. The new rule replaces the Obama-era Waters of the U.S. rule in the Clean Water Act and changes the definition of what qualifies as a Water of the U.S. Implemented in 2015, WOTUS was developed to address issues over clarity with federal waterways.

Following years of court battles, the Trump Administration suspended the rule in September 2019 and implemented a new rule this spring. Gaesser says the new rule allows flexibility for farmers to manage conservation on their land. “Our landscapes are diverse, so there is no perfect model,” said Gaesser. “Instead, we need the ability to make the best decisions possible to successfully manage and mitigate what’s out of our control.”

Gaesser says farmers and ranchers care about having clean water and preserving their land, because it is how they feed their family and the nation. “This rule brings certainty and predictability into focus, giving farmers like me and my son Chris the freedom to farm all while achieving important regulatory oversight,” said Gaesser. “This new rule does not change who oversees permanent waterways. Instead, it ensures states can enforce their own environmental laws to position farmers and rural communities for long-term success.”

The new rule defines federal waterways as territorial seas and traditional navigable waters, perennial and intermittent tributaries, certain lakes, ponds and impoundments and wetlands that are adjacent to jurisdictional waters. The act also spells out that rainfall, groundwater and roadside ditches are not subject to federal control.

Gaesser is past president of both the Iowa Soybean Association and American Soybean Association. He is owner and operator of Gaesser Farms, where he raises corn and soybeans on 5,400 acres.

Atlantic FFA Advisor Eric Miller says “In the spirit of tradition, the Iowa State Fairgrounds was excited to host the 2020 Fair Special Edition: Iowa 4-H and FFA Livestock Show, presented by Alliant Energy.” Miller said also, “Held with the same prestige and competition found at the Iowa State Fair, the 2020 Special Edition showcased the superior showmanship, hard work, and determination of Iowa’s FFA youth.” The purpose of the event, he said, is to support the mission statement of the Iowa State Fair by providing an opportunity for FFA youth to showcase their hard work and livestock projects.

Brett Dreager won a Blue Ribbon for Purebread Spotted pig

Colton Becker w/Grand Champion Draft Horse “Fire”

Colton Becker, winner of the Cart Class, w/horse “Fire”

Rio Johnson w/her Phoenix Rooster {All photos courtesy Eric Miller)

Cody McCreedy w/his Reserve Champion FFA Breeding Goose

Rio Johnson wins purple

Taylor McCreedy w/a winning goat.

This year 5 members of the Atlantic FFA members participated in a variety of shows. To begin the first weekend of the fair, Colton Becker won the Grand Champion Draft Horse with his horse Fire. Colton also won the Cart class with Fire. Becker said “ it was different not having the large crowd, but it was really enjoyable and having a chance to try something new this year.” During the second weekend the Atlantic FFA had 3 members show swine and poultry. Sophomore Brett Dreager showed a purebred Spotted pig and stood 7th in his class winning a Blue Ribbon.

In the Poultry show Atlantic FFA member Cody McCreedy won Reserve Champion FFA Breeding Goose with his Chinese goose. Junior Rio Johnson had an outstanding day winning 5 Purple and 5 Blue Ribbons. Rio placed 1st in class & went on to be named Champion AOSB with her Phoenix Rooster. In Crele Old English Game Bantams, both Pullet & Cockerel received purples. The Pullet was named Reserve Champion Game Bantam. Rio finished the show by winning Reserve Champion English bird as well.

Eric Miller says “In the final weekend Senior Taylor McCreedy showed 4 Dairy Goats. Taylor won Grand Champion overall recorded grade and Grand Champion Junior for All other Breed. Taylor also showed the Reserve champion Senior Doe All other breed and Reserve Champion overall All other breed. In the final drive Taylor won Reserve Supreme Champion with her FFA Dairy Goat.”

Taylor McCreedy said, “This year the State Fair was different, but I am glad that we had the opportunity to compete. Thanks to everyone who helped make the shows as normal as possible.”

w/Kate Olson.

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(Radio Iowa) – Construction is underway on a new barge loading and unloading terminal on the Missouri River near Blencoe in western Iowa. When complete, the facility will accommodate 240-thousand tons of soybeans, corn, dried distillers’ grain and dry fertilizer per year. Soy Transportation Coalition executive director Mike Steenhoek says the terminal will provide a new route for Northern Plains commodities to the Gulf of Mexico. “They have a design and intention to load a modest number of barges for the export market of soybeans yet this fall in November to December,” Steenhoek says. “For farmers in the western part of the state of Iowa, it really is exciting. It provides a new marketing option.”

The farmer-owned NEW Cooperative in Fort Dodge owns the terminal. Steenhoek says the Missouri River is underused for shipping ag commodities and the NEW Co-op facility will help producers ship their product in a more cost-effective way rather than by rail. “The Missouri River could be more actively utilized from a navigation perspective, particularly for agriculture,” Steenhoek says. “Whether it’s exports for soybeans, DDGs, corn, inbound shipments for fertilizer, the inland waterway system makes a lot of sense.”

Steenhoek says having the NEW Cooperatives facility on the Missouri River could encourage the building of other terminals downriver in order to take advantage of using barge traffic to ship ag commodities.”The Missouri River will never rival the Ohio, the Mississippi, or the Illinois River in terms of volume of freight moved, but we do think it is a maritime highway that should be used more than it is,” he says. “It could be an additional marketing opportunity for farmers in that region.”

That includes not only Iowa and Nebraska, but Missouri, Kansas and South Dakota. He says initial phases of construction should be complete within two months.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — The U.S. Department of Agriculture is estimating that 550,000 acres of Iowa corn will not be harvested this fall due to damage caused by the Aug. 10 wind storm that swept across the state. That estimate places the value of the lost corn crop based on the yield and price anticipated before the storm at around $344 million. Corn prices have gone up due to the crop losses so farmers will likely get more money for the corn they do harvest. Most farmers also have crop insurance to cover some of the loss and other federal programs may help. The soybean crop was largely unaffected.

BEIJING (AP) — The U.S. ambassador to China will step down early next month, ending a three-year tenure marked by a trade war and increasingly bitter relations between the world’s two largest economies. The U.S. Embassy in Beijing says former Iowa Governor Terry Branstad confirmed his decision in a phone call with President Donald Trump last week. It did not give a reason for his departure.

FILE – In this June 28, 2017, file photo, U.S. Ambassador to China Terry Branstad makes comments about pro-democracy activist and Nobel Laureate Liu Xiaobo during a photocall and remarks to journalists at the Ambassador’s residence in Beijing. Branstad appears to be leaving his post, based on tweets by Secretary of State Mike Pompeo. Pompeo thanked Branstad for more than three years of service on Twitter on Monday, Sept. 14, 2020. (AP Photo/Ng Han Guan, File)

Trade relations soured under Trump, and other disputes followed over technology, human rights and the response to the coronavirus pandemic. Branstad became embroiled in a recent controversy when China’s official People’s Daily newspaper rejected an opinion piece by him.