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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!
Today (Thursday), marks the first full-day of activities at the Cass County Fair, in Atlantic. The morning begins with breakfast at the Food Stand, with the KJAN crew serving up some awesome food. The Swine weigh-in takes place from 7:30-until 9:30-a.m. Rabbit check-in is from 8-to 9:30-a.m., and the Poultry will be checked-in from 10-until 11-a.m.
Other scheduled activities include:
The president of the Iowa Cattlemen’s Association says the “master matrix” rules for confined animal feedlot operations in Iowa are working properly and don’t need strengthening. Mike Cline, of Elgin, says it’s critical those regulations are left intact and that there’s one statewide regulation in place for all producers to follow. “We’re strongly in support of one master matrix for the whole state and not have it divided out into a county decision where we could have 99 different decisions across the state,” Cline says. “We’ll be in attendance of any meetings that we can be following it and keeping everybody up to date on where they need to go and give comment on.”
Activist groups are petitioning for putting stricter master matrix rules in place. Cline says the state’s water is being protected by the current rules and changing them now doesn’t make sense. “All the bases are pretty well covered with the current master matrix,” Cline says. “We always need to keep evaluating where we’re at. All of the safeguards are in place and everybody should rest assured that everything’s being watched over.”
He says producers and their animals use the water and don’t want to see any contamination or environmental damage to it. “We would be the first ones to notice any ill effects,” Cline says. “We just don’t want to do the wrong thing and we would be constantly vigilant of watching for anything that might need to be adjusted or changed.”
He says producers and consumers need to work together to enhance the state’s water quality and putting some type of moratorium in place on CAFO operations would be disruptive and hurtful.
(Radio Iowa)
The FREE, 2017 Cass County 4-h & FFA Fair begins today in Atlantic and concludes Tuesday, August 1st, with the Livestock Sale and release of the Static Exhibits. Today at the Fair, there’s 4-H Static Exhibit Judging from 9-a.m. until 2:30-p.m., and the Clover Kids Showcase from 9-until 11-a.m. The Food Sale begins at 10-a.m. inside the Cass County Community Center on the Fairgrounds, and then at 6-p.m., Preparation Day for the rest of the activities will begin.
You can view the full schedule of events here: https://www.extension.iastate.edu/cass/sites/www.extension.iastate.edu/files/cass/2017%20Schedule_Final.pdf
The results from the shows and judging at the East Pottawattamie County Fair in Avoca are complete. CLICK HERE for all the details!
The Iowa Department of Natural Resources says two Nebraska hunters were charged by state park Rangers, after a tip was reported by a fisherman, of shots fired at Lake Manawa, in Pottawattamie County. Officials say 37-year old Sein Ram and 17-year old Gungsar Yungtang, both of Omaha, face numerous charges associated with the incident.
The men were initially cited for hunting by artificial light, hunting without a non-resident hunting license and illegal attempt to take game (Rabbits), after their vehicle was pulled over at around 12:52-a.m. July 22nd. The men admitted to hunting rabbits using a flash light. a 22-caliber rifle, ammunition and flash light were seized during the traffic stop.
Upon further investigation of the scene, a deceased female whitetail deer was found with multiple gunshot wounds. The DNR found a blood trail consistent with being shot from the roadway, and a .22 caliber bullet was recovered from the deer carcass.
Iowa DNR park rangers met with Ram later that day, and charged him with Failure to have a non-resident antlerless deer license, abandonment of dead or injured wildlife, illegal method of take, shooting a firearm over a roadway, and trespassing. Ram also received warnings for prohibited hunting near an occupied building, refusal to exhibit catch to an officer, shooting a deer out of season, use of a motor vehicle for deer hunting, and manner of conveyance for having a loaded weapon in a vehicle.
Yungtang was fined $450, and Ram was fined $3,808. The DNR encouraged the public to report any suspicious activity through the DNR Turn In Poachers (TIP) hotline, at 1-800-532-2020.
Beef cattle producers in southwest Iowa are invited to a new type of field day in five locations this summer. Iowa State University Extension and Outreach beef specialist Chris Clark said the Southwest Iowa Pasture Clinics will address a wide variety of pasture management topics for producers who want to optimize livestock and forage production practices and weed management strategies. There’s no cost to attend any of the locations.
“Each pasture clinic will cover information about beef cattle, forage and watering systems, and will highlight features and challenges specific to the site. All are hosted by Iowa State extension specialists,” Clark said. “All programs are in the evening with a meal included. The time and session length varies by location.”
He said each clinic is designed to be interactive and will include a resource guide. To ensure adequate meal count and material availability, preregistration is required for each location. Contact the hosting county extension office as early as possible. Dates, times and host Extension Offices include:
– July 18, 5:30-8 p.m, Brad Z Ranch, 1454 Hwy 44, Guthrie Center. Contact: Guthrie County Extension Office, 641-747-2276
– July 25, 5-8 p.m., Stockwell Farms, 2879 Linwood Ave, Bedford. Contact: Taylor County Extension Office, 712-523-2137
– July 27, 5-8 p.m., Shelby County Extension Office 906 Sixth Street, Harlan for meal at 5 p.m., then Schwarte Farm, 1505 2200 St., Defiance. Contact: Shelby County Extension Office, 712-755-3104
– Aug. 7, 5-8 p.m., Advanced Beef Genetics, Fairview Rd, Wiota (1/8 mi E of N28). Contact: Cass County Extension Office, 712-243-1132
– Aug. 23, 5-8 p.m., Frazee Farm, 1080 230th St., Emerson. Contact: Mills County Extension Office, 712-527-3316
For general information about the clinics, contact Clark at 712-250-0070 or email at caclark@iastate.edu.
DES MOINES – Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Bill Northey today (Monday) commented on the Iowa Crop Progress and Condition report released by the USDA National Agricultural Statistical Service. The report is released weekly from April through October. Northey said “The hot and humid weather created stress for both crops and livestock last week, particularly in areas that have missed the recent rains. South central Iowa in very dry, with over 90 percent of top soil short or very short of moisture.”
The weekly report is also available on the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship’s website at www.IowaAgriculture.gov or on USDA’s site at www.nass.usda.gov/ia. The report summary follows here:
CROP REPORT: Above normal temperatures were accompanied by widely varying rainfall and some severe weather during the week ending July 23, 2017, according to the USDA, National Agricultural Statistics Service. Statewide there were 5.4 days suitable for fieldwork. Activities for the week included hauling grain, applying herbicides and insecticides, cultivating, and haying.
Topsoil moisture levels rated 20 percent very short, 32 percent short, 45 percent adequate and 3 percent surplus. Over 90 percent of south central Iowa’s topsoil falls into the short to very short moisture level categories, while 99 percent of northeast Iowa’s topsoil falls into the adequate to surplus categories. Subsoil moisture levels rated 14 percent very short, 32 percent short, 52 percent adequate and 2 percent surplus.
Seventy-four percent of Iowa’s corn crop has reached the silking stage, 4 days behind last year but 2 days ahead of the 5-year average. Corn conditions deteriorated slightly to 2 percent very poor, 6 percent poor, 24 percent fair, 55 percent good, and 13 percent excellent. Nearly three-quarters of the soybean crop was blooming, with 30 percent of soybeans setting pods, 1 day ahead of average. Soybean condition also dropped slightly with 62 percent rated good to excellent. Oats coloring reached 89 percent, one week behind last year. Forty-one percent of oats for grain or seed have been harvested, 4 days behind last year. Oat condition rated 71 percent good to excellent. Crops were described as suffering from heat stress and lack of moisture across much of the state.
The second cutting of alfalfa hay reached 90 percent complete and third cutting reached 8 percent, 5 days behind average. Hay condition rated 61 percent good to excellent. Pasture condition continued to decline with just 41 percent good to excellent. High temperatures and humidity were reported to cause normal summer heat stress to livestock, with some reports of heat-related deaths.
IOWA PRELIMINARY WEATHER SUMMARY by Harry Hillaker, State Climatologist, Iowa Department of Agriculture & Land Stewardship:
It was a hot and humid week across Iowa with exceptionally variable rainfall. Major flooding occurred over parts of northeast Iowa where torrential rains fell Friday and Friday night (21st) while parts of the moderate drought area in south central Iowa received no rain at all. For the most part the heavier rains fell in what were already the wetter portions of the state. However, portions of the moderate drought area, roughly along U.S. Highway 30 from Crawford to Tama counties, saw some significant rain on Thursday (20th) night. Weekly rain totals varied from none at Murray, Osceola, Chariton and Allerton to 10.12 inches at Ionia in Chickasaw County. Rain totals thus far in July vary from only 0.16 inches at Sioux Rapids and Cherokee to 13.88 inches at Guttenberg. The Guttenberg July total is the highest for any month at that location among 86 years of record while the Cherokee and Sioux Rapids totals would be new record lows for July if no more rain were to fall before the end of the month. Some of the rain was accompanied by severe weather with the most damaging storms occurring across 15 north central and northeast counties, roughly north of an Estherville to Dubuque line, on Tuesday afternoon and evening with widespread high winds of 50 to 70 mph and a few tornadoes. Meanwhile hot weather prevailed with the temperature reaching 95 degrees somewhere in the state each day of the reporting week. The hottest weather was concentrated across southern Iowa with temperatures for the week averaging from two to three degrees above normal across the northeast one-third of the state and five to nine degrees above normal across the southwest. Highest temperatures were 101 degree readings at Ottumwa on Thursday (20th) and Des Moines on Friday (21st). These were the highest temperatures recorded in Iowa since September 9, 2013. The combination of heat and humidity produced a heat index (how hot the air ‘feels’) of 117 degrees at Clarinda on Thursday and at Harlan on Friday. Temperatures moderated over the weekend with Sheldon recording a morning low of 52 degrees on Sunday (24th). The statewide average temperature was 5.3 degrees above normal while rain averaged 1.42 inches compared to a normal of 0.99 inches for the week.
The State Fire Marshal’s Office reports a burn ban request has been approved for Crawford County. The request was made by Steve Ulmer, a member of the Crawford County Board of Supervisors, on behalf of the fire departments within the County. The ban on open burning went into effect July 20th, and will remain in place until further notice. Currently, conditions are too dry to allow open burning, which would pose a danger to life and/or property.
Other counties having been approved for a ban on open burning include, Buena Vista, Plymouth and Wapello. Under state law, local officials can ask the State Fire Marshal to establish bans on open burning “during periods of extremely dry conditions.” Those caught violating the bans can be charged with a simple misdemeanor.
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