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WASHINGTON, D.C., August 20, 2019 – The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Farm Service Agency (FSA) is expanding its payment options to now accept debit cards and Automated Clearing House (ACH) debit. These paperless payment options enable FSA customers to pay farm loan payments, measurement service fees, farm program debt repayments and administrative service fees, as well as to purchase aerial maps.

“Our customers have spoken, and we’ve listened,” said Bill Northey, USDA’s Under Secretary for Farm Production and Conservation. “Finding ways to improve customer service and efficiency is important for our farmers, ranchers, producers, and forest landowners who work hard for our nation every day. Now, our customers can make electronic payments instantly by stopping in our offices or calling over the phone.”

Previously, only cash, check, money orders and wires were accepted. By using debit cards and ACH debit, transactions are securely processed from the customer’s financial institution through Pay.gov, the U.S. Treasury’s online payment hub.

While traditional collection methods like cash and paper checks will continue, offering the new alternatives will improve effectiveness and convenience to customers while being more cost effective. In 2017, the average cost to manually process checks, a process that included navigating multiple systems, cost USDA more than $4.6 million. The expanded payment options will cut the time employees take processing payments by 75 percent.

“At USDA, we’re focused on modernization to improve customer service,” said Northey. “If half of our customers use these new payment options, we’ll see a $1 million savings in one year. These new payment methods are one part of a much larger effort to expand options for our customers, as well as to make our services more effective and efficient.”

Today’s announcement marks the beginning of a multi-phased roll-out of new payment options for USDA customers. Ultimately, payment option flexibility will be extended to allow farmers and producers to use debit cards and ACH debit payments to make payments for all FSA programs, including farm storage facility loan repayments, farm loan facility fees, marketing assistance loan repayments, Dairy Margin Coverage (DMC) administrative fees and premiums and Noninsured Crop Disaster Assistance Program (NAP) fees.

To learn more, contact your FSA county office, visit farmers.gov, or download the “Make Your FSA Payments Instantly” fact sheet.

SIOUX CITY, Iowa (AP) — Some western Iowa fields are getting sprayed to get rid of painted lady butterflies that have proven problematic for soybean crops.

Iowa State University Extension field agronomist Joel DeJong says the agricultural community believes this year’s influx of the painted lady butterfly, or thistle caterpillar, is the largest ever in Siouxland.

DeJong said Friday that painted lady butterflies have been known to chew half of the leaf area on soybeans. That led farmers to hire flying crews to begin spraying an insecticide. The Sioux City Journal reports that spraying began in July and is ongoing.

The painted lady butterfly normally passes through the region but is spending more time there than usual. DeJong says the region’s current climate has enabled the thistle caterpillars to thrive.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — State agricultural officials say an insect that’s killed millions of ash trees has been confirmed in three more Iowa counties, bring the total to 69 counties.

Samples were found in New Hampton in Chickasaw County, Hampton in Franklin County and Anamosa in Jones County. Officials with the Animal and Plant Health and Inspection Service of the U.S. Department of Agriculture confirmed the samples positive for the emerald ash borer.

The bugs are native to Asia and were first reported in the U.S. in Michigan in 2002 and in Iowa in 2010.

Infected trees usually lose leaves at the top of the canopy and the die-off spreads downward. The trees usually die within four years.

More information about the bug and other pests threatening Iowa’s trees is available online.

Local Group Preparing for Fall Plant Sale in September

Fall can be a great time for planting!  Learn more about perennials conducive to fall dividing and planting at the Cass County Master Gardener meeting on Tuesday, August 27, at 6:30 PM at the Cass County Community Building.   The public is invited to a presentation by Master Gardener Dottie Krogh that will include tips to help you be successful in your dividing and transplanting endeavors. Seasonal Tips for Lawn and Garden Care will also be covered in this free presentation.  Cass County Master Gardeners are hosting the meeting to prepare for a fall plant sale, set for Saturday morning September 21 at the Cass County Community Center. Donations of divided plants are welcome if you would like to donate. The sale will be open to the public to buy perennials for fall planting.

Perennials that are conducive to fall dividing and transplanting that you may have in your garden include daylilies, peonies, garden phlox, bleeding heart, coneflowers, speedwell, and more.  Irises and hostas can also be transplanted successfully in early fall.  By dividing the plant when it is not flowering, all the energy it produces can be directed to root and foliage growth.

If you would like to learn more about fall dividing and transplanting attend the Cass County Master Gardener meeting on August 27.  If you would like to donate plants for the plant sale on September 21,  call the Cass County Extension Office at 243-1132.

The Cass County Extension Office is also hosting a fall training for anyone wanting to be trained as a Master Gardener. More information on the training and the fall plant sale are on the Cass County Extension website at www.extension.iastate.edu/cass.

The Cass County Extension office will hold training sessions starting on Tuesday, September 3 at the Extension Office and other locations around Cass County to allow for hands-on learning. Classes will be held each Tuesday evening in September and October from 6-8 PM, with an additional extended class scheduled for Saturday morning September 28. The Class on Campus training session will be held in Ames on October 19, bringing all Master Gardener trainees across the state together for hands-on workshops with ISU Extension and Outreach instructors.

For more information about the Master Gardener training, or Master Gardener activities in Cass county, call the Cass County Extension Office at 712-243-1132 or email Cass County Extension Director and Master Gardener Coordinator Kate Olson at keolson@iastate.edu.

(Radio Iowa) — Republican Senator Joni Ernst says there’s a strong, negative reaction to the Reuters report indicating President Trump directed the E-P-A to grant oil companies waivers reducing the amount of ethanol blended into gasoline. “I’m very disappointed,” Ernst said during a news conference this morning. “Our farmers are angry.”

The E-P-A last week granted 31 so-called “hardship” waivers that exempt a refiner from blending ethanol into gasoline. The ethanol industry says the waivers are a back-door way for big oil to avoid the federal ethanol mandate — and experts say this year’s waivers already have reduced ethanol consumption by at least 10 percent.

Ernst says former Iowa Governor Terry Branstad, who’s now the U.S. Ambassador to China, hopes to bring up the issue during a meeting with Trump. “This is a conversation that we will have to have with the president,” Ernst said. “I spoke to Ambassador Branstad two days ago and he will be spending some time in Washington, D.C. and so not only was he going to talk about the China trade issue and what’s happening in Hong Kong, but he was hoping to be able to speak directly to the president about the issue of the small refinery exemptions.”

Trump traveled to Iowa in June to announce E-P-A rules had been changed to allow year-round sale of gasoline with a higher, 15 percent blend of ethanol. And Trump has repeatedly talked about how loyal voters farmers are to him. Ernst suggests these ethanol waivers are endangering that. “It is very damaging to him,” Ernst said.

On Friday, Republican Senator Chuck Grassley bluntly said the E-P-A had “screwed” farmers by giving oil companies like Exxon and Chevron permission to avoid blending ethanol into gasoline.

Dr. Gary and Karen Schulteis will be inducted into the Iowa 4-H Hall of Fame on Sunday, August 18th at the Iowa State Fair. According to “Who’s your Iowa Farmer” (On Facebook,) the Kansas transplants have dedicated their time and talents to the Adair County community since making Iowa their home. The couple have volunteered with the 4-H program for over 17 years.

Karen, a family and consumer science teacher at Nodaway Valley CSD, grew up as a member of the Hawk Husky Healthy Helper’s 4-H Club, then continued her 4-H career with Collegiate 4-H at Kansas State University. Exhibiting at the county fair, whether with cooking, sewing, home improvement, or photograpy projects, was always a summer highlight. In fact, she and two friends had a friendly competition when it came to who would have the most county fair exhibits each year, a number that was never less than 20 for each girl. With all this experience, it seemed only natural for Karen to begin judging county fairs after her days exhibiting as a 4-H’er ended. She has judged county fairs in Kansas, Oklahoma, and Iowa, as well as evaluated exhibits at the Iowa State Fair. Locally, Karen continues to apply the leadership and organization skills she first developed as a 4-H’er by serving as a Adair County 4-H and FFA Center static exhibits superintendent.

Karen and Dr. Gary Schulteis

Karen loves to help students explore the connection between food and fiber and agriculture. She recently organized a popular “from fiber to textile” station for the first ever NV Ag STEM Festival hosted by Ag 4 All. With help from her daughter and a friend, she provided students the opportunity to examine raw cotton and wool. They could then follow the process from fiber, to cloth, to garment construction by actually operating a sewing machine as they practiced sewing a seam.

A 12-year member of the county Extension council, Karen is an advocate of strong educational programming for youth development, agriculture, families, and community. The Adair County ISU Extension & Outreach Office is one of Ag 4 All’s six partner organizations. Karen is also active in her church and uses her musical talent to share the message of Christ.

Gary, a veterinarian, was never a 4-H member, but that hasn’t stopped him for being an enthusiastic supporter of the program. In the middle of winter, his clinic provides a dry, warm spot to perform the required retinal imaging of market calves 4-H’ers plan to exhibit at the Iowa State Fair. He has donated supplies to help 4-H members master the knowledge and skills required for YQCA (Youth for the Quality Care of Animals). In addition to providing treatment to animals belonging to 4-Hers, Dr. Schulteis instructs young people on preventive care of livestock, whether as individual clients or through day camps and workshops. When those hot, hot, hot days of the Adair County Fair-Iowa finally arrive, he can be found doing health checks and offering advice to concerned exhibitors.

Like Karen, Gary is a proponent of youth development. He volunteers with the Boy Scout program as well as 4-H and the county fair. As a leader at the Immanuel Lutheran Church, he advocates for Christian education programs for all ages. Gary’s vet clinic serves as a worksite for many high school students, hosting school programs designed to provide hands-on experience for teens exploring career options. The Adair County Veterinary Clinic is also a sponsor of Ag 4 All which helps provide agriculture literacy experiences across the entire age span.

Gary & Karen are parents to three adult children: Katrina, Ben, and Landon. The family always focused on nurturing a love of learning, generosity, and community involvement by supporting each of their children as active 4-H’ers and participants in a variety of extra-curricular activities.

If you plan to be at the Iowa State Fair on Sunday, August 18th, make sure to stop by the 4-H Exhibits Building that afternoon. Take time to recognize and congratulate all the new inductees into the Iowa 4-H Hall of Fame, including Adair County’s Dr. Gary & Karen Schulteis.

(Radio Iowa) — The farm economy can be fickle and Iowa’s largest manufacturing employer is seeing a drop in sales of three-percent for the quarter, blamed on continued uncertainty in agricultural sector. Quad Cities-based Deere and Company released its financial report today (Friday) in a conference call with reporters. Ryan Campbell, Deere’s senior vice president and chief financial officer, says momentum started building in 2017, indicating a rising demand from farmers for equipment replacement. “North American customer sentiment has since deteriorated not only due to uncertainty over market access, but also due to weather and the demand impact of African swine fever,” Campbell says. “As these challenges persist, we are now beginning more aggressive action on our cost structure to create a more efficient and nimble organization.”

Deere is reporting net income of 899-million dollars in the third quarter, compared to 910-million dollars at this time a year ago.  “Note that we’ve increased our dividends by 25% over the last two years and further increases will be under consideration as we demonstrate progress to our increased profitability goals,” Campbell says. “During the quarter, we repurchased 400-million of stock and will continue to buy when we can create value for long-term shareholders.”

A Deere statement says sales in the agriculture and turf divisions fell for the quarter, while operating profit also declined primarily due to lower shipment volumes, higher production costs, and the unfavorable effects of foreign-currency exchange.  “We’ve significantly invested in next-generation large ag products and accelerated our precision ag initiatives,” Campbell says, “all the while, diversifying our construction and forestry division with the Wirtgen acquisition. Additionally, we increased our infrastructure spending to gain efficiencies and modernized systems that enhance our dealer and customer engagement.”

Deere has completed the five-billion dollar purchase of the Wirtgen Group, a leading manufacturer of road construction equipment.

(Radio Iowa) — Iowa Senator Chuck Grassley is using some blunt language to describe the E-P-A’s decision last Friday to grant waivers to big oil companies, reducing the amount of ethanol that must be blended into gasoline. “They screwed us when they issued 31 waivers compared to less than 10 waivers during all of the Obama years,” Grassley says. “And we thought that was bad.” Grassley says the waivers were intended for small refineries, but are now being granted to the likes of Exxon and Chevron. “What’s really bad isn’t a waiver,” Grassley says, “it’s that it’s being granted to people that really aren’t hardship.”

Last year the E-P-A granted 38 ethanol waivers to oil companies and this year has granted 31, but Grassley says there’s “no victory” here for farmers.  “And it’s no accomplishment whatsoever, so we’ve got to go back to the president,” Grassley said, “the same way we have in the past.” Grassley says he’s lobbied President Trump and Ivanka Trump on the issue — and Trump heard from farmers when the president visited a western Iowa ethanol plant earlier this summer. “I know that he knows about the ethanol issues,” Grassley says, “and he wants to be considered very pro-ethanol and he wants to be considered very pro-farmer.”

But Grassley says officials in Trump’s Environmental Protection Agency are blocking ethanol’s progress. Grassley made his comments this (Friday) morning during taping of the Iowa Press program that airs tonight (Friday) on Iowa Public Television.

CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa (AP) — Four Midwestern farmers who cheated organic food customers are scheduled to be sentenced for the largest fraud scheme of its kind in U.S. history.
Federal prosecutors say the farmers are responsible for a seven-year scheme that tricked thousands of customers into paying premium prices for products that were marketed as organic but were not.

Prosecutors are seeking prison sentences for the alleged leader of the scheme, Missouri farmer Randy Constant, and three Nebraska farmers who worked with Constant. All four have pleaded guilty to fraud charges. They admitted that they grew non-organic corn and soybeans, and a small amount of certified organic grains, and falsely marketed them all as organic. Most of the grains were sold as animal feed to companies that marketed organic meat and meat products.