DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue is visiting Iowa on a tour to tout the importance of bringing more young people into farm-related professions.

Perdue stopped in Sheffield, Des Moines, Urbandale and Davenport over the weekend as part of a five-state tour. On Saturday, he delivered the keynote speech at the 2017 Iowa Ag Summit in Des Moines.

Perdue also announced a new mentoring program for farmers. He says he wants to make it easier for families to get into the industry. A new partnership between the U.S. Department of Agriculture and the nonprofit group SCORE will help aspiring farmers.

Perdue says future farmers need more access to capital, technology and information to join the industry, which he says will face greater demands in the next 30 years.

Speakers at Saturday’s Iowa Ag Summit suggested there are opportunities and risks ahead as the Trump Administration renegotiates the North American Free Trade Agreement. Officials from the U.S., Canada and Mexico will convene in Washington on August 16th to begin the first round of discussions. U-S Ag Secretary Sonny Perdue did not mention NAFTA directly during his keynote address at the Iowa Ag Summit, but he talked about it with reporters afterwards. “First of all, the principle is: ‘Do no harm.’ Overall, agriculture’s done very well under NAFTA and we hope to continue that,” Perdue said. “There are a few things that need to be addressed, certainly, with Canada and with Mexico.”

But Perdue says “not all sectors have benefited equally” under the trade deal. “Our producers in south Florida, vegetables and fruits, have not done as well. Our pork, our dairy, our grain farmers have done relatively well under NAFTA,” Perdue says. “We want to make sure that we have a good, fair deal that’s enforced and we can live with maybe for another 20 years.”

Three Canadian officials spoke at the summit, too, and each talked about NAFTA. Fred Gorrell, the assistant deputy minister for agriculture in Canada, says Canada, the United States and Mexico are the “envy of the world” when it comes to the long-standing trade relationship.  “Not only do we trade with each other, we build things together,” Gorrell said.

Jean-Claude Poissant, Canada’s parliamentary secretary for agriculture, says trade drives the economies “on both sides of the border.”  “The government of Canada is committed to working with you to grow the Canada-U.S. relationship,” Poussant said. “…The main point I want to make is that the Canada-U.S. relationship is strong, stable and beneficial to both our great nations.”

The Iowa Ag Summit also covered issues like prospects for the next Farm Bill, but trade policy was at the forefront of the day-long event. Governor Kim Reynolds says “modernizing” NAFTA presents an opportunity for the state. “Our goal is to ensure Iowa’s high quality products continue to move across borders and around the world,” Reynolds said. Senator Chuck Grassley says re-negotiating the trade pact will be “more difficult” with Canada than with Mexico. “There are some areas, like Canadian dairy policy, that are going to be quite a challenge if we try to make changes in that area, but I think it’s legitimate that we try to do that,” Grassley said.

Randy Spronk, a past president of the National Pork Producers Council, notes Canada and Mexico bought more than two BILLION dollars worth of U.S. pork last year. “As a matter of fact, you add Mexico and Canada together — Mexico is number two and Canada is number four — that’s one third of our exports,” Spronk said. Senator Joni Ernst says in addition to NAFTA, the Trump Administration must establish new “bilateral” agreements now that the proposed Trans Pacific Partnership has been scrapped. “If we don’t pursue these trade agreements, I guarantee you that China will,” Ernst said. And that makes international trade a national security issue, according to Ernst.

Bruce Rastetter, the agribusinessman from Arlington who hosted and organized Saturday’s event, says open markets are critical to both farmers AND Iowa manufacturers. “One of the negative outcomes of NAFTA has been the loss of jobs in rural Iowa,” Rastetter told reporters. Rastetter announced the next Iowa Ag Summit will be on March 3rd of 2018 — and he plans to make it an annual event. “There’ll be an emphasis on trade, manufacturing and I think also in light of the need for improved water quality in agriculture, we’ll have an emphasis on that,” Rastetter said.

Panelists at THIS weekend’s ag summit discussed water quality, too. One panelist suggested federal crop subsidies should be limited to farmers who engage in conservation practices. Others discussed how to provide “accountability” and measure progress.

(Radio Iowa)

A new report from the U-S Food and Drug Administration links consumption of soybean oil to a reduced risk of coronary heart disease. Iowa Soybean Association president Rolland Schnell says it’s great news for the state’s soybean growers — and for consumers. “Hopefully, it’s going to put to rest some of the naysayers who like to paint soybean oil as a bad food ingredient,” Schnell says. “It’s not and there’s all kinds of research to back up that it is beneficial, looking at it from a health standpoint.”

Schnell says the cooking oil market is important for soybean farmers and the new report will enable manufacturers of soybean oil to tell consumers about the heart-healthy benefits. “It’s very positive and hopefully, the general public will take this report by the FDA to heart and realize its a valuable product for their health,” Schnell says, “and the volume of (sales) will continue to increase.”

Schnell says sometimes soybean oil gets a negative rap, but this move by the F-D-A may change that. “The social media always tries to paint it as a bad thing when it’s not,” he says. “Research will verify over and over that it’s a good thing and to have the government agency come out and support that is real welcome news.”  The F-D-A report recognizes the ability of soybean oil to provide a superior omega-three fatty acid profile while also lowering “bad cholesterol” levels.

(Radio Iowa)

The latest U-S-D-A report estimates the value of Iowa farmland now averages eight-thousand dollars an acre. Farmland values in Iowa were up nearly two percent in the past two years according to the U-S-D-A. The other “corn belt” states of Ohio, Indiana, Illinois and Missouri all failed to see an increase in land values. The U-S-D-A calculation includes the value of homes and farm buildings along with pastures and cropland in its value measurement. The national average price for farmland is about three thousand dollars. That means the value of farm property in Iowa is more than twice that.

The U-S-D-A calculates the average price for an acre of Nebraska farmland has declined by one-point-seven percent from 2015 values. Farmland values are UP nine-and-a-half percent in Wisconsin and UP by about one percent in Minnesota. The other neighboring states of Illinois and Missouri saw a decline of about one-and-a-half percent. In South Dakota, the drop was about three percent.

(Radio Iowa)

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — The latest farm real estate values are out and the U.S. Department of Agriculture says the average acre of farmland in Iowa rose 1.9 percent from a year ago to $8,000 an acre, returning to the same value posted in 2015.

Iowa is the only state in the five-state corn belt region which also includes Illinois, Indiana, Missouri and Ohio to see an increase in value. The USDA’s farm real estate value includes all land and buildings on farms. The report was released Thursday.

Midwest farmland values fell or leveled off in many states from 2015 to 2016 but Minnesota, Wisconsin and North Dakota also saw increases this year. Nebraska saw a 1.7 percent decrease to $2,900 an acre. The national average is up 2.3 percent to $3,080 an acre.

Birdwatchers in the Lower Loess Hills region may soon see a greater diversity of species. The Iowa Department of Natural Resources proposes a bird conservation area of nearly 90-thousand-acres. Such areas are created through a targeted effort on public and private lands to plant bird-friendly habitats. Bruce Ehresman is a wildlife diversity bird biologist for the D-N-R.

“If you think about what Iowa looked like historical with about 27- or 28-million acres of prairie, it was a huge landscape of habitat and we’ve carved that up into little tiny pieces,” Ehresman says. “We’re trying to put back some of the pieces into larger pieces because they will benefit more species.” Ehresman says this proposed bird conservation area in western Iowa is ecologically diverse.

“We’ve documented 282 species that have occurred at one time or another within this proposed area and of those, 128 are nesting species,” Ehresman says. “It actually may not sound like a very high number, but it really is, and so a high proportion of those species that nest throughout the state actually nest in this one area.” If approved, this conservation area would be Iowa’s 24th. Ehresman says it will contain the most bird species of all the conversation areas in the state.

(Radio Iowa w/report by Sarah Boden, Iowa Public Radio)

The U-S Ag Secretary has started a tour of five Midwestern states that will pass through Iowa this weekend.  U-S Ag Secretary Sonny Perdue plans to gather input for the 2018 Farm Bill during his stops in Wisconsin, Minnesota, Iowa, Illinois and Indiana. Perdue says he’ll be able to “hear directly from people in agriculture…as well as consumers” who “know best what the current issues are.” Perdue is a former veterinarian who served as Georgia’s governor. He’ll be a leading voice for the Trump Administration as congress writes the next Farm Bill.)

Perdue is in Wisconsin today (Thursday) and he’ll be in Minnesota tomorrow (Friday). On Saturday, Perdue will deliver the keynote address at the Iowa Ag Summit in Des Moines. The event’s organized and hosted by Iowa agribusinessman Bruce Rastetter. Early Saturday, Perdue plans to be in Sheffield to tour Sukup Manufacturing, which makes grain handling equipment. Perdue also will hold a midday roundtable discussion on Saturday in Des Moines with an invited group of farmers, then visit Living History Farms. On Sunday afternoon, Perdue will visit the Mississippi Valley Farm in Davenport.

(Radio Iowa)

Officials with the Monsanto Corporation report the  America’s Farmers Grow Communities program has returned. The goal of the program is to give farmers in Cass County and across the State, an opportunity to enroll for a chance to win a $2,500 donation to direct to their favorite local eligible nonprofit organization. Through the America’s Farmers Grow Communities Program, sponsored by the Monsanto Fund, farmers across rural America will donate more than $3 million to nonprofit organizations in 2018 – helping farmers to give back to and support their local communities.

New this year, all farmers are now eligible to enroll in the program, as long as they meet the requirement of being 21 years old and actively engaged in farming at least 250 acres or more.

The funds being awarded are used to provide support to a variety of rural nonprofit organizations that reflect the makeup and character of their local communities, including food banks, emergency response organizations, youth agriculture programs and many others. Since the program began in 2010, the program has awarded more than $26 million to nonprofits in rural America, such as emergency response organizations, schools, and youth agriculture programs.

Farmer enrollment began August 1st and runs through Nov. 1, 2017.  Winners will be announced in January 2017. Iowa farmers can enter for a chance to win online at www.GrowCommunities.com or by calling 877-267-3332 toll-free.

About the American Farmers Campaign: The America’s Farmers campaign highlights the importance of modern US Agriculture through communications and community outreach programs that partner with farmers to impact rural America. To learn more, visit America’s Farmers at www.AmericasFarmers.com.

• KJAN, Atlantic  .27″
• 7 miles NNE of Atlantic  .17″
• Massena  .65″
• Elk Horn  .18″
• Avoca  .2″
• Neola  .2″
• Bedford  .31″
• Glenwood  .1″
• Red Oak  .05″
• Shenandoah  .75″
• Carroll  .89″
• Denison  .4″
• Corning  .05″
• Creston  .07″
• New Market  .73″

(OAKLAND, Iowa) August 2, 2017—Local farmer-owned cooperative officials today announced a purchase agreement has been signed for the sale of the Oakland, Iowa Landus Cooperative agronomy plant to be sold to Farm Service Cooperative (FSC). The purchase between Ames, Iowa-based Landus Cooperative and Harlan, Iowa-based FSC is slated to close Aug. 31, 2017.   As a result, all physical assets and the property at 41938 Industrial Drive just north of Oakland, Iowa will join FSC’s local operations.

“FSC is excited to add this state-of-the-art agronomy site to better serve our members and customers in Pottawattamie County,” stated Gary Jahn, Executive Vice President at FSC. The soon-to-be-acquired site includes an automated dry fertilizer blending system, automated seed system, 42,000 gallons of NH3 storage, a variety of bulk agronomy storage and the office. Current inventory, application machines, tender trucks and NH3 rolling stock are not part of the purchase agreement.

“This sale is a good move for both cooperatives,” stated Milan Kucerak, CEO of Landus Cooperative. “The acquisition of our Oakland site aligns well with FSC’s current customer base while allowing us to focus our capital in core geographies of our business.”

FSC’s focus will remain in the farm supply business, maintaining eight agronomy locations, an energy division, feed division, and a retail computer store. Landus Cooperative has three full-time and four part-time employees who will end their employment on Aug. 31, 2017. They have been offered an opportunity to apply for employment with FSC.

Growers who are members of either cooperative will not see a change in their membership status as a result of the change. Landus Cooperative will work with its Oakland-area customers to finalize work and invoicing on or before August 31, 2017 at which point those customers may choose to do business with FSC at the same location. Landus Cooperative and FSC have a multi-year grain marketing agreement for FSC’s locations in Harlan and Denison which is unchanged by the Oakland sale.