CLICK HERE for the latest market quotes from the Iowa Agribusiness Network!
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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!
CARSON – Iowa DNR field office staff have been working with an animal feeding operation to address high levels of water in two earthen manure storage basins located about 20 miles east of Council Bluffs. On March 11th, DNR staff observed effluent flowing over the top of one basin when visiting Russell Keast, owner of Cyclone Cattle, located at 36488 Beechnut Road, near Carson. Keast confirmed he had stopped the discharge by March 12th.
However, upon follow-up on March 15th, DNR staff discovered both on-site basins overflowing with effluent, or diluted manure-laden water, flowing into two different unnamed streams. Iowa DNR is requiring Keast to stop both discharges. The investigation is ongoing.
No dead fish were observed. DNR staff collected water samples for analysis. The Iowa DNR will continue to monitor the situation and consider appropriate enforcement action.
DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Gov. Kim Reynolds has signed into law a bill designed to prosecute people who get hired at a farm in order to work undercover to report on animal living conditions.
The bill was approved by the Senate and House on Tuesday and signed into law by Reynolds on Thursday. It creates a trespass charge for undercover investigators. An animal welfare group that successfully sued the state for a previous ag-gag law says it will sue again to challenge the new law’s constitutionality.
Matthew Liebman, director of litigation for The Animal Legal Defense Fund, says that like its predecessor the new law violates the free speech rights of investigative journalists and undercover investigators.
The measure comes just two months after a federal judge struck down an Iowa law passed in 2012 that the court concluded violated free-speech rights. That ruling is on appeal.
The 2012 law was approved following high-profile undercover investigations by animal welfare groups who videotaped practices they claimed were abusive toward animals and then publicized the images.
The current flooding impacting parts of Iowa is also causing some closures at state parks and recreational areas throughout the state.
The rapidly rising flood waters have caused full or partial closings at the following state parks:
The safety of park visitors is the number one priority for DNR. Some parks could be closed for several days to allow the water to recede and cleanup efforts to take place before any visitors will be allowed back into the impacted areas.
For the latest list of closures and any updates affecting state parks and recreational areas, visit: https://www.iowadnr.gov/Places-to-Go/State-Parks/Alerts-and-Closures.
DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — A new report says Iowa farmland values fell 2.7 percent over the past year, in part because of trade disputes. The Iowa Chapter of the Realtors Land Institute says the decline occurred despite federal government’s trade bailout program, limited land and higher yields in some parts of Iowa. The Des Moines Register reports the statewide average was nearly $6,800 an acre. The institute says trade wars with Canada, China, Mexico and other countries tugged on farmland values, especially last fall, as did tightening cash for operations and higher interest rates.
(Radio Iowa) — Fire heavily damaged a farm and construction equipment dealership in northwest Iowa early this (Wednesday) morning. Sioux County Sheriff’s Deputy Nate Huisingasays the call came in about 3:20 A-M at Hawke and Company Ag on the outskirts of Alton. “There was flames coming through the roof of the building and as the morning went on, they got that under control,” Huisinga says. “Five fire departments are here assisting and at this point, it looks like they have the fire contained.”
The business was closed at the time the fire broke out. No injuries are reported. Deputy Huisinga says the rain showers weren’t exactly a benefit. “At this point, it’s probably more of a hindrance than it is helping as the conditions aren’t real nice out here,” Huisinga says. “Looks like we’ll have another rain shower go through and hopefully get a little break in the rain.”
There’s no word yet on what may have caused the fire.
District 21 Representative Tom Moore reports the Iowa House, Monday afternoon, passed a Resolution recognizing the importance of free and fair trade. Moore says HCR 10 is critical to Iowa’s farmers and our economy.
According to Moore, “It also encourages Iowa’s federal delegation to work towards and support a trade agreement between the United States, Mexico, and Canada.” He said he was “Proud to support this resolution and hope Congress acts quickly to provide Iowa farmers with certainty and a fair trade deal.”
The Cass County, Iowa Master Gardeners (CCMG) are offering a $1,000 scholarship to local students, with applications due April 1, 2019. This scholarship is available to students who are graduating seniors or graduates of any of the following Iowa school districts, in which currently reside members of CCMG: Atlantic, AHSTW, Clarinda, CAM, Exira-EHK, Griswold, Harlan, Red Oak or Riverside.
The goal of the Master Gardener program is to support horticulture education and community service. CCMG members provide many hours of volunteer service and gardening education within their local communities. Accordingly, this scholarship is intended to provide post-secondary funds to individuals who are studying, or intend to pursue a career in, a horticulture-related field. The scholarship winner will be selected based upon academic success, history of community service, and career goals related to horticulture. Demonstration of past interest and experience in horticulture will be very helpful.
The scholarship is for those pursuing post-secondary education during the 2019-2020 school year. The recipient will be notified of their award on or before May 20, 2019 for planning purposes. A scholarship check will be issued in January 2020, in the student’s name directly to the academic institution, upon receipt of an official grade transcript for the completed Fall 2019 semester. A previous scholarship recipient may re-apply, but an individual may only receive a total of two scholarships from this program.
The application form is available through the high school guidance departments, or on the Cass County Extension website at www.extension.iastate.edu/cass/. Applications should be submitted to the Cass County Extension Office, 805 W 10th St, Atlantic, Iowa 50022, or emailed to keolson@iastate.edu on or before the April 1 deadline for consideration. Questions can be directed to the Cass County Extension Office at 712-243-1132.
The Shelby County Extension will offer the Certified Handlers Continuing Instruction Course (CIC) this Wednesday, March 13th. The program will be shown across Iowa through the Iowa State University Extension and Outreach Pesticide Safety Education Program (PSEP). The local attendance site is 906 6th Street, Harlan. Registration begins at 8:30 a.m., and the course will be held from 9 to 11 a.m. The registration fee is $45. To register or obtain additional information about the CIC, contact the Shelby County Extension & Outreach office by calling 712-755-3104.
The course will provide continuing instruction credit for certified handlers. Topics to be covered include recognition of sensitive areas as potentially impacted by pesticides, responding to spills and accidents, pesticide labels, and pesticide container handling and disposal. Additional information and registration forms for this and other courses offered by the PSEP team can be accessed at http://www.extension.iastate.edu/psep/.
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