DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — State natural resources officials say Iowa will report 622 river, lake and wetland segments with impairments to the Environmental Protection Agency as part of its 2018 summary of water quality. That’s a 2% increase over the 608 reported in the 2016 report.

The Iowa Department of Natural Resources says Thursday the 622 water body segments on this year’s list had 831 impairments. An impairment means a segment of a water body doesn’t meet established quality standards.

The most common river impairments in Iowa include bacteria presence and fish kills, for which the most common cause is animal waste. Iowa has more pigs and egg-laying chickens than any other state, and it constantly struggles to balance water quality and agricultural interests.

The most severe problem for lakes is algae growth. That’s often the result of nutrients such as phosphorous from farm fertilizer washing from fields into the water. Environmental activists Iowa Citizens for Community Improvement say it’s evidence the state is failing when it comes to improving water quality.

Officials with Guthrie County ISU Extension and Outreach report Guthrie County 4-H has been challenged to raise $50,000 to be used toward building a new 4-H STATIC building for the 2020 Guthrie County Fair. If you can help, consider giving your tax-deductible donation to the Guthrie County 4-H Foundation on Giving, Tuesday, December 3, 2019.

Donations can be made online at http://bit.ly/2oxM0DY (specify that your donation is for Guthrie County or by mail to: Guthrie County 4-H Foundation, 212 State Street, Guthrie Center, IA 50115.

(Radio Iowa) — Due to the extreme demand for propane, an emergency declaration is being issued for Iowa and several other Midwestern states by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration. Deb Grooms, C-E-O of the Iowa Propane Gas Association, says part of the problem is that farmers across the region are trying to complete their harvest at the same time. Grooms says, “What I’m hearing from the farmers and my propane retailers is that it’s taking a lot more to dry the corn because it’s coming out so wet, so we’re using a lot more propane than anticipated for drying the corn this year.”

The emergency declaration means truckers hauling the propane don’t have to count the time they sit in line at a terminal against the hours they’re on the road transporting it. Grooms says the urgent situation has prompted a cooperative spirit. “One of the big things we’re doing right now is taking trucks to Conway, Kansas. There is plenty of product there, so we are having a lot of trucks go there to bring propane back to the state,” Grooms says. “We have had trucks from a lot of the Southern states volunteer to come up and help transport and that is a big thing for us to have other people helping us do that.”

The other states covered under the declaration are Illinois, Missouri, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Nebraska and South Dakota. Grooms says some farmers have volunteered to delay drying their corn so deliveries can be made to homeowners and livestock producers who depend on the propane to keep themselves and their animals warm.

(Thanks to Pat Blank, Iowa Public Radio)

(Radio Iowa) — Nearly three dozen calves were killed in a barn fire early this (Wednesday) morning near New Vienna. New Vienna’s fire chief says the fire broke out in a barn on the farm of Mark and Mary McAlister about five miles east of town. When fire fighters arrived, the barn was fully ingulfed in flames. Thirty-five baby calves were lost in the blaze. The barn is a total loss. There was also damage to the house and several surrounding buildings. The cause of the fire remains under investigation.

Lewis, Iowa – Iowa State University Extension and Outreach is partnering with the USDA Farm Service Agency (FSA) to conduct Farm Bill: ARC/PLC & Farm Financial Decisions meetings statewide this fall. Atlantic is one of several locations across Southwest Iowa where producers and landlords can learn about the program election/enrollment process regarding the Agricultural Risk Coverage (ARC) and/or Price Loss Coverage (PLC) commodity crop programs.

The meeting will take place on Wednesday, December 4th beginning 9:30 AM, at the Cass County Community Center, 805 West 10th Street in Atlantic.  Doors open 30 minutes prior to the meeting and it is open to the public at no cost. Patrick Hatting, Farm Management Specialist with ISU Extension and Outreach, says “This meeting is designed to help producers, landlords and other agri-business professionals with ARC/PLC elections, enrollment process and tools to available.”

Topics and presenters include:

• ARC/PLC Programs Rules & Regulations: USDA Farm Service Agency (FSA) County Director
• ARC/PLC Decisions, Using the ISU Payment Analyzer & Farm Financial Issues: Patrick Hatting, ISU Extension Farm Management Specialist
• Farm Stress Management and Related Resources: ISU Extension Family Life Specialist

The meeting will last approximately two and one-half hours.  No pre-registration or registration fee is required.  More than 50 similar meetings will be held statewide in November and December 2019. Additional meeting sites and information can be found at www.extension.iastate.edu/agdm/info/meetings.html.

For more information on the Atlantic meeting, please contact the Cass County Extension office at (712) 243-1132 or visit www.extension.iastate.edu/cass.

AMES, Iowa – Before harvest comes to a close, producers, ag lenders and suppliers are already planning ahead for next year. Iowa State University Extension and Outreach economists will offer valuable insight on key factors impacting 2020 operating decisions at 13 Pro-Ag Outlook and Management Seminars to be held across the state in November and December. Adair County Extension will host the Greenfield site Monday, Nov. 25th at the Warren Cultural Center Auditorium, 1:00 – 4:00 p.m. The three-hour seminar includes information on grain price outlook and global factors to watch, livestock prices and margins, and farmland operating margins, outlook and trends.

The focus of the program is to provide agribusiness leaders a concise evaluation of current market conditions, expected trends in crop and livestock income potential and management implications. Participants also will gain insight on implications of trade agreements on Iowa producers and critical role of land values and interest rates in the stabilization of the agricultural sector. The speaker line-up includes ISU Extension and Outreach state specialists Chad Hart, associate professor in economics and extension grain markets specialist; Lee Schulz, assistant professor and livestock economist; and Wendong Zhang, assistant professor and extension economist. ISU Extension and Outreach field specialist, Patrick Hatting, will be at the meeting.

This program takes an in-depth look into the outlook for agriculture in 2020 and provides an opportunity to discuss the current Iowa economic situation with university experts. The session is open to the public however pre-registration is requested by Friday, November 22. Contact Adair County Extension at 641-743-8412. There is no registration fee. A second seminar is planned for Dec. 2nd in Shenandoah. The meeting, featuring the same speakers, takes place in the Shenandoah Bricker Meeting Room at 400 W. Sheridan Avenue. Registration at the door begins at 12:30-p.m., with the program to be held from 1-until 4-p.m.  You can also pre-register by calling 712-542-5171. That program is also free, thanks to its sponsors.

Additional information can be found at www.extension.iastate.edu/agdm/info/proag.html.

w/Kate Olson.

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(Radio Iowa) — Iowa’s governor and the state’s agriculture secretary are in Japan, meeting with government officials and grocers to tout Iowa beef and pork. Ag Secretary Mike Naig says Iowa meat has been sold in Japan “for decades.”  “It’s about relationships and meeting with customers to hear their concerns, show respect, show appreciation and, again, we’re optimistic that those things will all lead to increased opportunities to move things into this market,” Naig says.

Naig says he’s optimistic the pending trade deal between the U.S. and Japan will lead to more Iowa meat sales in Japan. Governor Kim Reynolds has met with Japanese businesses to discuss direct investment in Iowa during the trip as well. “There’s always a lot of follow-up afterwards, but I can’t stress the importance of the face-to-face meetings, especially with our Asian partners,” Reynolds says. “It is critical. They expect that and to sit down across from them and have a dialogue and talk about what we’re doing in the state of Iowa and the opportunities that exist are critical.”

The U-S Ambassador to Japan hosted an Iowa reception at his residence in Tokyo on Tuesday evening. Officials from Japan’s government as well as business leaders were there.

DES MOINES, Iowa (Nov. 12, 2019) – Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Mike Naig today (Tuesday) commented on the Iowa Crop Progress and Conditions report released by the USDA National Agricultural Statistics Service. The report is released weekly from April through November. Naig said “It’s feeling more like winter than fall. Parts of the state reported the lowest overnight temperatures on Nov. 12 since 1986. Temperatures are expected to warm up closer to normal by the end of the week, which will help melt some snowpack and allow farmers to resume harvesting.”

Crop Report: Statewide there were 5.0 days suitable for fieldwork during the week ending November 10, 2019 although winter weather moved across Iowa bringing more snowfall to the northern half of the State according to the USDA, National Agricultural Statistics Service. There were reports across the State concerning propane shortages slowing corn harvest due to the high moisture content of the crop and the need to dry it down.

Topsoil moisture condition was rated 0 percent very short, 2 percent short, 81 percent adequate and 17 percent surplus. Subsoil moisture condition was rated 0 percent very short, 2 percent short, 80 percent adequate and 18 percent surplus.

Sixty-four percent of the corn crop has been harvested for grain, 9 days behind last year and 10 days behind the 5-year average. Producers in the Northwest, North Central and Southeast Districts have harvested over 70 percent of their expected crop, while the Northeast District fell further behind with just 47 percent complete. Moisture content of field corn being harvested for grain was at 20 percent.

Ninety-one percent of the soybean crop has been harvested, one week behind average. The South Central District remained the furthest behind at 71 percent complete, but closed the gap as producers in the district harvested nearly one-quarter of their expected crop during the week ending November 10, 2019.

Cattle continued to battle below normal temperatures. There were also reports of cattle grazing in corn fields and some feeding of hay in the State.

Officials with Cass County ISU Extension said Tuesday, Brigham Hoegh has been hired as the Wellness Program Coordinator at Cass County Extension. The Cass County Wellness Coordinator role is a new part-time position that will serve as a connector and bridge builder in the county between local groups focused on community health and wellness initiatives.

Brigham Hoegh

In her new role, Hoegh will be involved in projects across the county including assisting with community events, infrastructure and implementation projects, food systems development, and educational programming. Hoegh will help build capacity for programming, expand partnerships and serve as a resource for Cass County communities and organizations.

Hoegh also serves as the Market Manager of Produce in the Park, organizing events and working on local food systems development for the past year. She grew up on a farm north of Atlantic, where she now grows sweet corn and pumpkins with her dad, Dan Hoegh. Brigham graduated from Atlantic High School in 2004, and then attended Grinnell College.

She spent a decade working for Nationwide Insurance in actuarial and product management roles. After obtaining her MBA from Northwestern University in 2016, Hoegh moved back to Atlantic. She now splits time between Southwest Iowa and Des Moines, where she lives with her husband, two stepsons, three cats, and two dogs.

Brigham is available to answer questions regarding wellness programming as well as providing information on resources available in Cass County.  She can be reached by calling the Cass County Extension Office at 712-243-1132, by email at bhoegh@iastate.edu or by visiting www.extension.iastate.edu/cass.