CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa (AP) — A Missouri farmer who played a role in the largest organic grain fraud scheme in U.S. history has been sentenced to nearly two years in federal prison. John Burton became the 5th farmer to receive prison time in the “Field of Schemes” case on Monday, when he was sentenced by a federal judge in Cedar Rapids to 22 months behind bars.

Prosecutors said that Burton grew grain that he knew was not organic and sold it to Missouri farmer Randy Constant, knowing that Constant was going to market and sell it as organic. Burton also worked for Constant, often spraying his fields with chemicals and fertilizers that are not allowed to be used on organic fields.

Constant is considered the mastermind of the $142 million fraud scheme, which tainted countless products that were marketed as organic. He died by suicide in August, weeks before he was to report to prison to begin serving a 10-year term.

Three Nebraska farmers have also received prison sentences in the case.

Congratulations to Suzette Christensen, the winner of Herman the Hog!

Herman weighed 284 pounds and no one guessed the weight correctly.  Nine people were one pound off on their guesses, four chose 283 pounds and 5 people chose 285 pounds.  Since there is only one winner, those names were tossed together and Suzette won the drawing.

We had great turnout on Friday with lots of guesses at both locations.

Thanks again and enjoy great local pork products as we celebrate Pork Month in October!

(Radio Iowa) — The man who tracks pheasant numbers in the state is expecting a good season when hunters take to the fields for opening day Saturday. D-N-R wildlife biologist Todd Bogenschutz says the roadside survey in August usually gives him a good idea of what to expect. He says the counts were down a little bit statewide but for the most part most were about the same. Bogenschutz says last year saw the best harvest in a decade and that sets things up for a good fall hunt. Not all areas of the state are equal. “South-central and south-east Iowa, the counts were down by 50 percent — so I think hunters in that part of the state are going to see lower bird numbers,” according to Bogenschutz. “But the rest of the state, the counts came in more or less unchanged, or down just slightly.”

There will be a lot of standing corn and beans this weekend and Bogenschutz says that could make it tougher to find birds. He says the crops provide a big hiding place for the pheasants and the more crops the more the birds concentrate. Bogenschutz says the people who get out are going to get some birds. He says the conditions will change as the harvest progresses. “Birds will figure out where the refuges are — but as soon as those fields are harvested — they are going to be available again,” He says.

Bogenschutz suggests you make a second trip into areas where the crops were not out of the fields this weekend. “I’d encourage hunters to go this weekend, it’s the opener, and you’ll shoot a bunch of birds. don’t overlook maybe three or four weeks into the season — because you may find birds that haven’t been been hunted yet once the crops start truly coming out,” Bogenschutz says. Bogenschutz expects hunters to take around 200-thousand pheasants. The August survey is nearly identical to 2008 when Iowa hunters harvested 400-thousand roosters, but Bogenschutz says hunter numbers are lower.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Sen. Joni Ernst says she’s pushing EPA Administrator Andrew Wheeler to fulfill the promises the president has made to blend a mandated 15 billion gallons of ethanol into the nation’s fuel supply. Ernst says she’ll call for President Donald Trump to fire Wheeler if the EPA doesn’t meet those blending promises.

Like other Iowa Republicans, Ernst has criticized the EPA but rarely Trump when questioned about the administration’s granting of oil refinery exemptions from blending ethanol into gasoline. That has removed 4 billion gallons of corn-based ethanol from the market, angering farmers.

Speaking to Iowa reporters Thursday, Ernst laughed when told Trump on Wednesday told the natural gas industry in Pittsburgh that Wheeler was working with small refineries to “give them everything they need” to stay in business. Trump applauded Wheeler as doing a “fantastic” job.

When asked if she would hold Trump responsible if the administration doesn’t meet his promises, Ernst said she’d watch the EPA and seek Wheeler’s firing if less ethanol is blended.

(Radio Iowa) — Iowa Congresswoman Cindy Axne is urging her Democratic colleagues to strike a deal with the Trump Administration on the U-S-M-C-A soon. “Whether it’s touring manufacturers, visiting with farmers or stopping into small businesses, everywhere I go the message is loud and clear: ‘Uncertainty is hurting our bottom line,'” Axne said. Mexico ratified the U-S-M-C-A this summer. President Trump’s trade advisor has been meeting with a group of House Democrats who are pressing for assurances that Mexico will abide by labor rules in the agreement. Axne, a first-term congresswoman who is not part of that negotiating group, says ratifying the agreement is a way to support beleaguered farmers.  “Supporting farmers is neither a partisan or a political issue. It’s simply the right thing to do,” Axne said. “Between devastating weather events, ongoing trade wars and the EPA’s unprecedented abuse of biofuels waivers, our farmers have been put through enough.”

Axne made her comments during a speech on the U.S. House floor yesterday (Wednesday). On the other side of the U.S. capitol, Republican Senator Joni Ernst gave a floor speech on the topic yesterday (Wednesday) as well. “Iowans want the USMCA now,” Ernst said. “…There is no reason Iowans should be waiting in limbo for this agreement to be ratified.” The Trump Administration has not sent congress the paperwork yet to turn the trade agreement into law, waiting to strike a deal with Democrats in the House. Ernst says House Democrats are distracted by other topics. “Like continue on their partisan expedition towards impeaching the president,” Ernst said. “…House Democrats need to do their job so that Iowa farmers, manufacturers and business owners can do theirs.”

Canada and Mexico are Iowa’s top trading partners. Mexico is the number one export market for both corn and pork.

(Radio Iowa) — Heavy winds and rain have help knock down more leaves and they are starting to create a ground cover in many yards. D-N-R air quality specialist Christine Paulson says there are still some areas of Iowa where you can burn leaves — but she says that’s not the best option. “The downside is that there are air pollutants that can come off burning leaves. A lot of people think of leaves as something really natural and organic,” according to Paulson, “but they do have compounds in them that when they are burned can be harmful. Carbon monoxide fine particles.” She says some people like the smell of burning leaves — but she says it can be a health risk.

“That can really impact folks who already have some breathing issues. Folks with asthma, respiratory problems, a lot of times the elderly are more susceptible — and children as well — since childrens’ lungs are still developing,” she says. Paulson says leaves provide a lot of benefits when not burned. She says one good use is composting them. “The leaves are a great addition because they provide carbon and that needs to be added if you put green material, food scraps like nitrogen. It needs both of those to have a good compost pile,” Paulson says. “Another option is to just mow them into the lawn if you’ve got a mulching mower. But even just a regular lawn mower can work as well.”

She says there are a lot of different types of mulching systems now available. “If you don’t have a lot of space, a lot of people like to use the containers. The turning containers and things like that, that can heat it up and keep it moist,” she explains. Those with more space can just put the leaves in a long pile and keep turning them as they break down. You may be worried that the mowed up leaves will do damage to your lawn. Paulson says you can spread the leaves out a bit before mowing them if you have a large amount — and after they are chopped up they will break down even more.

“It’s really good for the lawn. It’s a natural form of fertilizer for the lawn so it can help so you don’t have to apply as much chemicals on them. It will help keep the lawn green –because it helps keep moisture in there — so it doesn’t dry out as much,” Paulson says. Many communities provide some sort of bag or container pick up for your leaves and yard waste. Paulson says some allow you to rake the leaves to the curb and they come by and suck them up with a suction truck. Communities often have free drop off of leaves and other yard waste that you can take advantage of to clean up your leaves.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Gov. Kim Reynolds says she is taking President Donald Trump at his word that he will uphold an agreement made with farm state lawmakers and agriculture groups to maintain the ethanol requirements in current law. Since Trump became president, the Environmental Protection Agency has given 85 oil refineries exemptions from blending ethanol into the gasoline they sell. That has removed 4 billion gallons of corn-based ethanol from the market, leading to ethanol plant closures and angering farmers.

On Oct. 4 Trump committed to ensuring in coming years that any exempted ethanol would be replenished by the remaining refineries. However, an EPA rule released last week did not include the agreed upon language to guarantee the required 15 billion gallons of ethanol each year is blended into the nation’s fuel supply. On Wednesday, Reynolds said Trump is trying to satisfy the oil and agriculture industries. Reynolds says she’ll push the EPA to fulfill Trump’s promises.

CARROLL COUNTY, Iowa – Iowa Department of Natural Resources Conservation Officers have charged two Glidden men with numerous deer hunting violations, including poaching, from an investigation stemming back to November 2018.

Officials say 39-year old Joshua R. Snyder was charged with one count of interference with official acts, two counts of illegal possession of antlered whitetail deer, illegal transportation of deer, and several tagging and license violations in Carroll County. Snyder was also charged with three counts of illegal take/possession of antlered whitetail deer, deer hunting with a prohibited rifle, falsely obtaining a duplicate any-sex deer bow license and tag, illegal transportation of deer, and several other tagging and deer license violations in Taylor County.

His father, 59-year old Kenneth F. Snyder, was charged with four counts of illegal possession of antlered whitetail deer in Carroll County, as an indirect result of the initial investigation. Initial appearances for both men are scheduled for late October and mid-November.

w/Kate Olson.

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(Radio Iowa) — A new owner plans to reopen a meat processing facility in northwest Iowa. Oklahoma-based Lopez Foods — a family-owned business — bought the plant in Cherokee from Iowa Food Group, which closed the facility in April. Bill Anderson with Cherokee Area Economic Development says 40 people worked at Iowa Food Group before it closed.

“Our number one priority was taking care of those employees, taking care of that workforce and now with Lopez Foods moving into that facility we want to assist in helping them repopulate the facility with the workforce,” he says. Lopez Foods expects to reopen the plant in early spring. The plant was idle for four years before Iowa Food Group started it up again in January.

The plant dates back to 1965 when Wilson Foods opened it to slaughter beef and pork. Tyson Foods acquired it in 2001 and produced deli meats at the facility. “It had a long history of employing families throughtout our communities and other communities, quite frankly, outside of Cherokee County,” Anderson says.

About 400 people were working at the plant when Tyson closed it in 2014. Lopez Foods, the plant’s new owner, is a key supplier for restaurants and retailers, including McDonald’s and Walmart. The company’s plant in Oklahoma City produces frozen ground beef patties, partially cooked and fully-cooked sausage patties and sliced Canadian-style bacon.

(Reporting by Iowa Public Radio’s Katie Peikes; additional reporting by Radio Iowa’s O. Kay Henderson)