DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — President Donald Trump has repeatedly told U.S. farmers he will support ethanol and he largely continues to have their support but many are growing unhappy with EPA decisions that hamper ethanol production.

The EPA refuses to restore 2.6 billion gallons of ethanol removed from production through refinery waivers. It’s a significant blow to corn farmers and counter to Trump’s promise but many hesitate to blame Trump, known for retaliatory tweets.

Republican U.S. Sen. Charles Grassley of Iowa is the most direct urging Trump to compel EPA “to reverse course and keep his word to the forgotten Americans who have faithfully stood with him,”

U.S. Representative Cindy Axne, a Democrat says Trump isn’t taking responsibility for policies that hurt farmers and his administration is good at distancing him from EPA decisions.

Atlantic Parks and Recreation Director Bryant Rasmussen informed KJAN that the connector trail between the Schildberg Campground and KJAN will be closed on Monday, July 15th. The closure is due to sidewalk repairs being done that day. Atlantic Parks and Recreation apologizes for any inconvenience during that work.

The Iowa Department of Public Health (IDPH) today (Friday) announced the first case of West Nile virus infection reported in 2019, an older adult (aged 61 years to 80 years) male from Audubon County who has since recovered.

“Humans get infected with West Nile virus through a mosquito bite,” said IDPH Medical Director, Dr. Caitlin Pedati. “Until the state’s first hard frost, whether it’s for work or play, being outside means there’s a risk for West Nile virus infection.”

Iowans should take the following steps to reduce the risk of exposure to West Nile virus:

• Use insect repellent with DEET, Picaridin, oil of lemon eucalyptus or IR3535.
  • Always read the repellent label and consult with a health care provider if you have questions when using these types of products for children.
  • For example, oil of lemon eucalyptus should not be used on children under 3 years of age and DEET should not be used on children less than 2 months of age.
• Avoid outdoor activities between dusk and dawn, when mosquitoes are most active.
• Wear long-sleeved shirts, pants, shoes and socks outdoors whenever possible.
• Eliminate standing water around the home because that’s where mosquitoes lay eggs. Empty water from buckets, cans, pool covers and pet water dishes. Change water in bird baths every three to four days.

In 2018, 104 Iowans were diagnosed with West Nile virus and nine Iowans died. For more information on West Nile virus, visit https://www.idph.iowa.gov/cade/disease-information/west-nile-virus.

(Radio Iowa) The governor signed a proclamation naming Wednesday as “Sweet Corn Day” in Iowa as the first freshly-picked ears have started showing up. Iowa Ag Secretary Mike Naig (like egg) says it was good to see the sweet corn finally ready to go.

“Typically folks really try to hit something at market right before the Fourth of July — and we are running about a week, week and a half to two weeks behind — so you’re going to start seeing a lot more sweet corn available here on the street corners, and on the stands and at the farmers markets here. Good Iowa sweet corn coming your way,” Naig says. He says the sweet corn planting got set back by the same weather that hampered the field corn and soybeans from getting into the ground.

“You had cold and wet conditions that persisted and that initially caused our delays, and then what we sort of need after that is ideal growing conditions,” according to Naig. “For corn in the state of Iowa, we need some heat, we need some sun. humidity and lots of moisture. We’ve had all those things across the state — so it’s sort of been ideal weather conditions to bring this crop on fast.” Naig says you can see the impact of the weather as you travel the state by the different stages of development of the corn and beans. But he thinks the will all catch up.

He says you’ll see variability because the crops didn’t get planted in the ideal conditions, with wet weather that led to compaction and other issues. “But, there are parts of this state that look great, they got in in good shape. As long as we can get the weather to cooperate, I think we’ll bring this crop on fast,” Naig says. When it comes to the sweet corn — Naig has his preferred method for eating.

“A typewriter strategy on sweet corn,” he says, “and the other thing I’ve just got to have is butter. . You have to have some real butter on that sweet corn. But, yeah, typewriter all the way.” The typewriter method is eating from one side of the ear to the other and then staring over. The other strategy is rolling the ear as you eat it. Naig and Governor Kim Reynolds each had an ear of fresh sweet corn cook on the steps of the state capitol. Reynolds also prefers the typewriter method.

Guthrie Center – The Iowa State University Guthrie County Extension and Outreach office will host a meeting on Tuesday, August 13th, beginning at 6:00 p.m. with doors open at 5:30 p.m. The location is at the Guthrie County Extension office located at 212 State Street in Guthrie Center. The meeting will last approximately 2 ½ hours and will be facilitated by Tim Christensen, Farm and Agriculture Business Management Specialist with ISU Extension and Outreach.

The discussion will focus on various methods to determine a fair 2020 cash rental rate and the importance of good tenant/landlord communications. Emphasis will be placed on recent returns to Iowa Cash Rented Land and the 2019 Iowa Cash Rental Rate Survey.

Pre-registration is required at least two days before the meeting and a $20 per individual or $30 per couple fee is payable at the door. Participants will receive a 100-page booklet and meeting handouts designed to assist landowners, tenants and other agri-business professionals with issues related to farmland ownership, management and leasing arrangements.

Contact the Guthrie County Extension office at (641) 747-2276 with your questions or to pre-register on or before Monday, August 12.

For a list of meetings statewide, check the ISU Extension calendar for a meeting near you. www.extension.iastate.edu/agdm/info/meetings.html

w/Kate Olson.

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WASHINGTON, July 9, 2019 — Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue designated five Missouri counties as primary natural disaster areas. Producers in Andrew, Atchison, Buchanan, Holt and Ray counties who suffered losses caused by recent excessive rainfall and flooding may be eligible for U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Farm Service Agency (FSA) emergency loans.

This 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 Missouri counties of Caldwell, Carroll, Clay, Clinton, DeKalb, Gentry, Jackson, Lafayette, Nodaway and Platte, along with Fremont and Page counties in Iowa; Atchison and Doniphan counties in Kansas; and Nemaha, Otoe and Richardson counties in Nebraska, are also eligible to apply for emergency loans.

The deadline to apply for these emergency loans is Feb. 25, 2020.

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.

The Iowa DNR is investigating three manure discharges caused by the recent heavy rainfall in northwestern Iowa.

The DNR responded to Gaylon Rozeboom Feedlot near Rock Rapids, where the effluent basin is overflowing and reaching a nearby unnamed tributary of Mud Creek, which is out of its banks due to the excessive rainfall. The owner has been land applying manure, but the ground is saturated from the rain and the applied manure is running off into the same flooded unnamed tributary in a different location.  Water samples have been collected by the DNR. In the meantime, the owner will turn the pumps on and off more frequently to minimize the discharge.

The DNR responded to Remmerde Farms near Rock Valley, where the effluent basin is overflowing and reached an unnamed tributary of Dry Creek. The owner will pump as often as possible to try to eliminate the discharge.

And, DNR staff observed a discharge at Van Essen Feedlot in Rock Valley. The manure discharge is coming from a leaking pipe near the effluent basin. DNR staff is working with the owner to determine the cause of the discharge and to get it stopped. The manure discharge was entering an unnamed tributary of Dry Creek.

All facilities are covered by NPDES discharge permits; however, the DNR will consider enforcement action if appropriate. No fish kills were reported or observed from these discharges.

(Radio Iowa) — Iowa advocates for renewable fuels are criticizing the Environmental Protection Agency’s proposed rules for refiners. The E-P-A has released its recommendations for the Renewable Fuels Standard in 2020. The amount of conventional ethanol that must be produced and blended into gasoline next year would not change. The biodiesel mandate for 2020 would remain the same as well, but there would be a small increase in the amount of advanced biofuels that are made from plant materials.

Monte Shaw of the Iowa Renewable Fuels Association says the E-P-A has done nothing to address the waivers large refineries are being granted to avoid blending ethanol into gasoline. The president of the Iowa Corn Growers Association says those waivers are destroying demand for ethanol and farmers need President Trump to force the EPA to keep his promises on ethanol.

One industry executive said the E-P-A is making the Renewable Fuels Standard into a mere suggestion. The C-E-O of Growth Energy said the E-P-A’s proposal “is a slap in the face to the farmers dealing with one of the toughest years on record.” A statement from E-P-A’s administrator emphasized that the agency is releasing its ethanol and biodiesel production mandates for 2020 in a timely manner “to provide greater regulatory certainty to farmers and refiners across the country.”

The Cass County Conservation Board is holding a “Movie in the Park” Campground Program. Staffers will be showing How to Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World. The public program will be held at the Campground Shelter at Cold Springs Park in Lewis tonight, beginning at 9:30-p.m. The FREE event may be rescheduled in the event of rain. The show is about what happens when Hiccup discovers Toothless isn’t the only Night Fury. He must seek “The Hidden World”, a secret Dragon Utopia before a hired tyrant named Grimmel finds it first. Come out for a great movie under the stars. The Conservation Board was awarded an E.F & Sylvia Schildberg Foundation Grant for their Movies in the Park. Bring a blanket or chair, Dress for the weather. You DO NOT have to be a registered camper to attend the program! We hope you will join us!

The Cass County Conservation Board is also holding a “Dutch Oven Cooking- Dinner Program.” The public program will be held at the Campground Shelter at Cold Springs Park in Lewis, on Saturday, July 6th, beginning at 5:00 PM. During the FREE program, you can learn how to make a Sloppy Joe Casserole Dinner entrée, and dessert in a dutch oven. Please bring your own place setting for samples. Free will donation for supplies will be accepted. You DO NOT have to be a registered camper to attend the program.