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CLICK HERE for the latest market quotes from the Iowa Agribusiness Network!
CLICK HERE for the latest market quotes from the Brownfield Ag News Network!
The Iowa Department of Natural Resources (DNR) has scheduled five meetings across the state in October to present its proposed waterfowl season and zone structure for the 2021-2025 waterfowl hunting seasons. Staff will present information including the results from the statewide hunter survey, the federal rules and guidelines that govern waterfowl hunting and the proposed season and zone structure. All meetings are scheduled from 6-8 p.m. in Southwest Iowa, the meeting will be held Oct. 14, at the Three Mile Lake Lodge, near Afton.
Feedback collected at these meetings will be reviewed before an official proposal is submitted to the Natural Resource Commission for consideration. If approved, the rule would have an open comment period before going in front of the commission again for a final vote. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service allows states to make changes to their waterfowl zones and boundaries once every five years. Any changes will be reflected in the 2021-2025 waterfowl seasons.
Any person attending the public meeting and has special requirements such as those related to mobility or hearing impairments should contact the DNR or ADA Coordinator at 515-725-8200, Relay Iowa TTY Service 800-735-7942, or Webmaster@dnr.iowa.gov, and advise of specific needs.
(Radio Iowa/Brownfield) — A leader of a northwest Iowa ethanol plant says after the Trump Administration granted ethanol waivers to oil refineries in August, the plant just could not continue operating. “Every one of them has hurt under the Trump Administration, but the last 31 were the final blow. In two days, ethanol prices dropped 18 to 20 cents…That just kind of took the sails out of the profitability of the ethanol industry.”
That’s Kelly Niewenhuis, chairman of the board for Siouxland Energy in Sioux Center, which quit producing ethanol this week. Niewenhuis says they’re hoping the fix being worked on by the Trump Administration will help turn things around. “If we get the same response out of positive news that we got out of the negative news with the last round of small refinery exemptions and we get a 20-cent bounce in ethanol prices, it won’t take long to get this thing up and running again,” Niewenhuis says.
President Trump needs to keep his promise to farmers and the ethanol industry. Forty-two people have been working at the Sioux Center plant. Farmers in the area were annually selling Siouxland Energy 23-and-a-half MILLION bushels of corn for processing into ethanol.
(Reporting by Ken Anderson of the Brownfield Network)
(Radio Iowa) — Iowa Senator Chuck Grassley says he’s been “hoodwinked” before — and he’s not ready to predict whether ethanol and biodiesel producers will get relief from the federal government. Grassley was part of a White House meeting last week and — while Grassley believes a deal could be near — he’s not ready to celebrate. “I’m not going to announce anything or say: ‘Cheers!’ until I see it on paper because EPA’s putting it on paper and I know there’s a big voice for ‘big oil’ in EPA,” Grassley says.
Grassley says President Trump was surprised his decision to exempt 31 refineries from their ethanol obligations sparked a backlash in farm country. “I would speculate that the president’s tired of dealing with this. He’s more or less said so many times,” Grassley says. “Even back when we were in the White House talking about E15, it just seemed like he could never get to the bottom of the ethanol issue or he couldn’t satisfy both ‘big oil’ and the farmers.”
Last Thursday, Grassley — along with other farm state senators — met with President Trump and other key administration officials to discuss the federal ethanol production mandate. Grassley says the discussion started with a White House plan. “We went in with a simpler plan that, if it comes out on paper the way the White House seemed to agree with us, then I would say we have a win-win situation,” Grassley says.
Grassley says the goal is to reassign the gallons of ethanol the 31 refineries are no longer required to use to other refineries that are blending ethanol into gas. “I know that there’s a big voice for ‘big oil’ in EPA,” Grassley says. “I’ve been hoodwinked so many times — not just by EPA so many times on this issues, but by other bureaucracies as well, so I’m going to wait and see if what they talked about is the end product.”
Trump met with oil-state senators yesterday (Tuesday) to discuss the deal. Bloomberg is reporting Trump has complained the fued between the ethanol and oil industries is taking up more of his time than dealing with China and Iran.
DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — The federal government has finalized rules for most U.S. pork processing plants that remove limits on the speed of production lines and place more animal inspection and food safety tasks with company employees.
The pork industry says the first significant pork processing rule changes in 50 years were long overdue. Officials applauded the new regulatory freedom finalized Tuesday by the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
Advocacy groups for workers, animals, consumers and the environment say the changes will endanger workers, increase suffering for pigs and threaten the food supply.
USDA Secretary Sonny Perdue says the change ensures food safety while eliminating outdated rules and allowing companies to innovate. Among the critics is Washington-based Food & Water Watch, which says the Trump administration is prioritizing the meat industry’s interests over food safety.
Nonresidents now have another option to purchase the annual vehicle permit for Lake Manawa and Waubonsie state parks. The Iowa DNR says starting September 18, 2019, customers will be able to go the state park reservation system at www.iowastateparks.reserveamerica.com and purchase the $40 annual vehicle permit. A $4 convenience fee will apply. The permit decal will be mailed to the customer the following business day. Customers may continue to purchase the annual permit and the second vehicle permit at Lake Manawa and Waubonsie state park offices.
For more information about the nonresident user fee, visit www.iowadnr.gov/parks or call Lake Manawa State Park at 712-366-0220 or Waubonsie State Park at 712-382-2786.
DES MOINES, Iowa (Sept. 16, 2019) – Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Mike Naig, Monday, 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. “An unexpected complex of thunderstorms moved through the state on Saturday producing heavy precipitation. This put a damper on the annual Cy-Hawk game but helped improve conditions, according to the U.S. Drought Monitor,” said Secretary Naig. “We also experienced a nice stretch of above-average temperatures last week which is helping the later-planted corn mature.”
The full weekly report is also available on the USDA’s site at nass.usda.gov.
Crop Report:
Heavy rains fell across much of Iowa with just 3.7 days suitable for fieldwork statewide during the week ending September 15, 2019, according to the USDA, National Agricultural Statistics Service. Fieldwork activities included harvesting hay and seed corn, chopping silage, and seeding cover crops. Topsoil moisture condition was rated 1 percent very short, 13 percent short, 81 percent adequate and 5 percent surplus. Precipitation this past week helped increase topsoil moisture levels in all districts. However, the topsoil moisture rating in east central, south central and southeast Iowa districts remains above 25 percent short to very short. Subsoil moisture condition was rated 3 percent very short, 18 percent short, 76 percent adequate and 3 percent surplus.
Ninety-four percent of the corn crop was in or beyond the dough stage, over two weeks behind both last year and the 5-year average. Seventy-four percent of the crop has reached the dented stage, 15 days behind last year and 10 days behind average. Eight percent of corn reached maturity, 19 days behind last year and 13 days behind average. Corn condition improved slightly from the previous week to 65 percent good to excellent. Nearly all of the soybean crop has started setting pods at 96 percent statewide, over two weeks behind average. Forty percent of the crop has begun coloring, 11 days behind last year and 8 days behind average. Five percent of soybeans began dropping leaves, almost 2 weeks behind last year and 10 days behind average. Soybean condition also improved slightly from the previous week to 63 percent good to excellent.
The third cutting of alfalfa hay reached 84 percent, 4 days behind average. Pasture condition rated 43 percent good to excellent. There were a few reports of high numbers of insects around livestock and concerns for livestock in permanent pastures.
(Radio Iowa) — A second Iowa ethanol plant is shutting down production. Siouxland Energy is a farmer-owned cooperative in Sioux Center. The plant’s board of directors has “decided to halt production.” A written statement blames the Trump Administration’s waivers so ethanol doesn’t have to be blended in gasoline produced at what the board said were “many large oil refineries.”
Siouxland Energy’s board president says the actions have “unfairly” benefited the oil industry at the expense of farmers and, “if not addressed soon, will impact the livelihoods of many.” As The Des Moines Register first reported, this is the second ethanol plant to cease production. The first was Plymouth Energy, also in northwest Iowa.
The closures at both Iowa ethanol plants are temporary, at this point. The Sioux Center plant was buying 23-and-a-half MILLION bushels of corn from farmers in the area each year and has 42 employees on its payroll.
(Radio Iowa) — This is National Farm Safety Week and an Iowa State University expert says tractor rides for kids are one cause of accidents that can be avoided. Professor Charles Schwab says tractors are a draw for kids — but they create dangerous situations. “When you have that extra individual on the tractor that really is not there serving a purpose, that creates a problem — you know it’s a distraction to the operator and puts that extra person at risk of being run over — because that’s usually what happens,” Schwab says.
The National Children’s Center estimates one child dies about every three days in an agriculture-related incident. He says it’s not any safer to give kids rides on lawn tractors and it is actually often more dangerous because of an increased danger of rolling over. “That extra weight of that child impacts the overall balance of that tractor. Whereas a larger field tractor, the difference of that individual isn’t as much. The overturn possibilities or falling off it on a garden tractor are huge,” Schwab explains.
Schwab says adults need to be strong and avoid the desire of the kids to get into these dangerous situations. “Realize that as much as you’d like to share that time, that’s not the best way of doing it. And to keep a tradition of a strong and healthy family — don’t give that ride,” Schwab says. “Part of it is looking at other ways of engaging the individuals or young people in a connection.” He says you can still share the farm experience with the kids without putting them in danger. “It’s not just about the ride on the tractor — it’s about connecting with the people and the values of the individuals that are operating it. Find other ways of making that connection,” he says.
Schwab there are a variety of other farm accidents this time of year. “This past month we’ve already seen auger injuries, falls, tractor overturns and collisions. They start to peak this time around harvest,” Schwab says. He says everyone has the responsibility of helping farmers prevent accidents. “Realize that there’s going to be a lot more agricultural equipment out on the roadways and so we need to be aware. And as motor vehicle operators understand that they’ll be there and are slower than other vehicles,” Schwab says.
He says farmers must understand the dangers while they are out on the road too. “As agricultural equipment operators make sure that you keep engaged with what you are doing and signal your intent. And make sure all your reflective stickers and emblems and lights are all functioning,” Schwab says. This year’s national theme is “Shift Farm Safety Into High Gear.”
(Radio Iowa) — Governor Kim Reynolds is predicting President Trump will announce new ethanol production guidelines this week. “I can’t say too much because we’re waiting to see the final wording,” Reynolds says. Reynolds flew to Washington, D.C. last Thursday for a meeting at the White House to discuss how to increase the federal ethanol production mandate. President Trump in August gave the green light to waivers so 31 oil refineries do not have to blend ethanol into gasoline. Trump has said he had to save those refineries “from certain closing” — but he’s promised a “giant package” will be unveiled to boost corn-based ethanol. Reynolds says she “feels really good” about last week’s White House meeting with Trump and farm-state senators. “If what we agreed on is what we see in writing, we’ll be supporting it and inviting him here to announce it,” Reynolds said.
The governor says the ethanol waivers granted to the oil industry erased any gains from President Trump’s June announcement that gasoline with a higher 15-percent blend of ethanol could be sold year-round. She says that message has been delivered. “It’s going to have a direct impact on our farmers and our communities and our economy in rural Iowa and, you know, we helped put him there and he said when he ran for office that he supported renewable fuels,” Reynolds said. “And it was a really good meeting.”
Reynolds made her comments at the Clay County Fair in Spencer during an interview with K-I-C-D Radio. The Des Moines Register is reporting the Siouxland Energy Cooperative in Sioux Center has quit producing ethanol — the second ethanol plant in Iowa to close down this fall.
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