Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Bill Northey, 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 damp weather has mostly kept farmers from starting spring field work. There have been some fertilizer applications that have taken place as the weather allowed. Just 6 percent of oats have been planted, which is nearly a week behind the 5-year average.”

The weekly report is also available on the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship’s website at www.IowaAgriculture.gov

Statewide there were just 0.6 days suitable for fieldwork last week, with only northeast, central and southeast Iowa reporting 1.0 or more days suitable. Fertilizer, manure, and anhydrous applications were made as conditions allowed.

Topsoil moisture levels rated 1 percent very short, 6 percent short, 67 percent adequate, and 26 percent surplus. Subsoil moisture levels rated 2 percent very short, 6 percent short, 72 percent adequate, and 20 percent surplus. South central Iowa reported the highest surplus subsoil moisture level at 38 percent although just a week ago, according to the USDA’s U.S. Drought Monitor, portions of the area were still considered to be in a moderate drought along with much of southeast Iowa.

Six percent of oats have been planted, 3 days behind last year’s progress, and almost a week behind the 5-year average. Livestock conditions are generally good although muddy lots are reported to be an issue. Calving is already complete for some cattle operations.

State Climatologist Harry Hillaker said last week was the wettest week in 25 weeks. Temperatures for the week as a whole averaged from eight degrees above normal in far northwest Iowa to one degree below normal over the extreme southeast. Soil temperatures as of Sunday (2nd) were averaging in the mid-forties over nearly all of Iowa.

The Shelby County Emergency Management Agency has lowered the County grassland and field Fire Danger rating to “Low,” this week, due to the recent and on-going rain. The rating was “Moderate” last week.

Even though the fire danger rating is Low, you are asked to call-in and report your burning projects to Shelby County Dispatch at 712-755-2124, and, notify your local Fire Chief.

Lewis, Iowa – Palmer amaranth, a new weed to Iowa and a serious threat to production agriculture, has now been discovered in at least 48 of Iowa’s 99 counties. Farmers, crop consultants, landowners, and those interested in learning to identify and manage this new threat will want to attend the “Keep Palmer Amaranth Off Your Farm” workshop this Friday, April 7 from 2-4 PM. The workshop is being hosted by the Iowa State University (ISU) Extension and Outreach Field Agronomist Aaron Saeugling and East Pottawattamie County Extension. The two-hour workshop will be held on April 7 at the ISU Armstrong Research Farm, 53020 Hitchcock Ave, Lewis.

“With Palmer amaranth discoveries quickly increasing across the state, proper identification is key to controlling infestations and preventing movement to crop fields,” said Saeugling. This workshop will discuss new discoveries of Palmer amaranth across the state, key traits to differentiate the common amaranth species in Iowa from Palmer amaranth, and management in both crop and non-crop areas. Handouts about Palmer amaranth identification will be provided.

Palmer amaranth

Palmer amaranth is one of several pigweed species found across Iowa. Other pigweed species found in the state include waterhemp, redroot pigweed, Powell amaranth, and spiny amaranth. “At a quick glance there are many similarities among the weedy pigweeds, but knowledge of what specifically to look for simplifies differentiating Palmer amaranth from the other pigweeds species in the state,” said Saeugling.

Farmers and scouts should be observing high-risk areas for Palmer amaranth, including areas with significant equipment movement, suspicious-looking waterhemp infestations, newly-seeded conservation plantings, and areas near animal agriculture operations, Saeugling said.

This meeting is free and open to the public. Certified Crop Advisors CEUs will also be offered with the meeting.  Please re-register for the workshop by noon on April 6, by calling the East Pottawattamie County Extension office at (712) 482-6449.  For more information, please contact Aaron Saeugling at 641-344-5704 or clonz@iastate.edu.

We kid you not on this April 1st: Governor Branstad has declared April “invasive species” month to raise awareness about the problem. “Millions of dollars, both public and private, are spent each year for the control of invasive plants, insects, diseases and animal species in Iowa woodlands and urban areas,” Branstad says.

Oriental bittersweet, for example, has spread into Iowa. Its vines climb over and smother trees. “Iowa’s woodlands, wild lands and waterways draw hundreds of thousands of tourists and recreational users each year,” Branstad says. “…Awareness of invasive species is an important first step towards behavioral change which can prevent the introduction and spread of invasive species.”

Members of the Trees Forever group and other advocates circled Branstad’s desk as he signed the proclamation. One of them was in costume. “Oh my God, we do have an invasive species here!” Branstad quipped as the woman walked into his office for the event. A man in the crowd then asked Branstad: “Do you have any ash trees up in your place?”

You may have guessed what she was wearing based on that quip. The woman was dressed as an emerald ash borer. By the way, Branstad indicated he’s “not 100 percent sure” on what species of trees are planted at Terrace Hill, but he believes most are shagbark hickory.

According to the Iowa Department of Natural Resources, the five MOST COMMON invasive species in Iowa are Bush Honeysuckle, Garlic Mustard, European Buckthorn, Multiflora Rose and Reed Canary Grass. There are some state laws targeting the introduction of invasive species by land AND by water. For example, it’s illegal to transport an invasive species by boat, so boat owners are to clean off any plants, animals or mud that may be stuck to the boat before leaving a body of water in Iowa.

(Radio Iowa)

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — The amber waves of grain are about to turn into bean pods as farmers report they’ll plant millions of acres in soybeans instead of wheat this year as a global glut of the grain has made it unprofitable to grow.

In its annual prospective plantings report released Friday, the U.S. Department of Agriculture said wheat acres will be the lowest on record this year at 46.1 million acres and soybean planting will be at a record high of 89.5 million acres.

The United States has more than 1 billion bushels of surplus wheat in storage and the oversupply has driven wheat farmers in several states including Kansas, Michigan, Minnesota, Nebraska, North Dakota, Ohio and South Dakota to shift previously planted wheat acres to soybeans.

“The big trend there is that wheat is grown in just about every continent around the world except Antarctica so those acres elsewhere have increased dramatically. The U.S. has lost production to the rest of the world,” said Todd Hultman, a grain market analyst for DTN, an Omaha, Nebraska-based agriculture market data provider.

He said wheat overproduction caused prices to collapse and made production unprofitable. Good growing weather for wheat worldwide for four consecutive years has been a contributing factor, he said. Corn has experienced a similar trend leading farmers to cut corn acres 4 percent from last year to 90 million, the USDA report said. If this year’s planting weather favors soybeans and more acres are shifted out of corn, this could be the first year since 1983 that farmers planted more acres in soybeans than corn.

Soybeans have produced large harvests too, but it is a hot commodity around the world with demand highest in China where soybean meal feeds pigs, cows and fish in a culture increasingly seeking to eat more meat. The record global demand has maintained more favorable prices for soybeans making them more profitable to grow than corn or wheat, said Chad Hart, an agricultural economist at Iowa State University.

It all shouldn’t change much at the grocery store except that plentiful grain and soybean supplies lead to low livestock feed prices which help keep the cost of producing beef lower. Friday’s report is based on a survey of farmers and is the first indication for the year of planting intentions.

Shelby County Emergency Management Coordinator Bob Seivert says the recent rain the county has received is great, but a little wind and sunshine will rapidly dry out dead grasses in the area, therefore, the County remains in a “Moderate” Fire Danger throughout the upcoming weekend. Seivert advises businesses and local fire stations should keep their fire danger signs in the Moderate category through the weekend.

Property owners considering a controlled burn should notify their local fire chiefs. Seivert says “As things turn more green, the danger does lessen, but for now there remains a risk. Exercise caution when burning and don’t let the recent rain fool you!”

A western Iowa man who made extra money years ago pumping and hauling liquid manure for area farmers now runs a multi-state ag business with 60 employees. Ben Puck, the C-E-O of Puck Custom Enterprises, is being named the Iowa Small Business Person of the Year by the U.S. Small Business Administration. Puck’s company is based in the Carroll County town of Manning. “We build and manufacture equipment for the livestock industry,” Puck says, “manure application and nutrient application for the state and for surrounding states.”

Puck launched the venture with his brother in 1979. As business grew, Puck designed ways to improve the manure application process and now holds five patents for his inventions. His company’s equipment is now being used on hundreds of farms across the region. “We’ve really only been formally building equipment for a little bit less than ten years for sale to the market,” Puck says. “We brought a lot of the things that we learned in the previous years to market so we could better help everyone else’s efficiency to get this job done every year.”

P-C-E’s primary focus now is designing, building and selling equipment for manure management. All four of Puck’s adult children work for the company in diverse roles ranging from engineering to graphic design to marketing. The 57-year-old says he’s had to diversify himself, too. Puck says, “My job has changed quite a bit from being the guy that pumps cesspools to the guy that now tries to understand what a CEO is all about.”

Puck will represent Iowa during National Small Business Week ceremonies held in Washington D.C. the week of April 30th. He’ll compete for the National Small Business Person of the Year Award.

(Radio Iowa)

• KJAN, Atlantic  .68″
• 7 Miles NNE of Atlantic  1.01″
• 2 Miles NW of Atlantic  .93″
• Massena  .93″
• Avoca  1.5″
• Elk Horn  1.11″
• Audubon  1.27″
• Oakland  .83″
• Neola  2.2″
• Underwood  .73″
• Guthrie Center  .99″
• Carroll  1.03″
• Red Oak  .94″
• Clarinda  .9″
• Glenwood  1.2″
• Schleswig  .96″
• Logan  1.38″
• Woodbine  .81″
• Bedford  .94″
• Sidney  .96″
• Shenandoah  1.64″
• Denison  1.31″
• Council Bluffs  .77″

The Iowa House and Senate have approved a bill that could make it easier for an All-terrain vehicle to get from point A to point B when there’s a public highway in between. A-T-Vs will not be able to join the cars, pick-ups and semis that drive DOWN any “primary” highway in the state if the bill becomes law, but the legislation would let many all-terrain vehicles drive ACROSS a highway. Under current law, city and county officials may get a permit from the state Department of Transportation to establish A-T-V crossings at specific points along a primary highway. This bill does away with that process. Senator Dan Zumbach of Ryan says A-T-V drivers will be able to cross any primary highway in the state under certain circumstances.

“The crossing has to be made at 90 degrees. 2. The ATV is brought to a complete stop before it crosses. 3. The driver yields to all oncoming traffic. 4. The crossing is made at an intersection of the highway and another street or highway and 5. the crossing is made at a street designed for an ATV trail,” Zumbach says. Zumbach says the bill could provide an economic boost to the state.

“This is bringing together many of the ATV trails that have tried to survive and move forward in the state of Iowa,” Zumbach says. “And it’s just one step to make that economy spin even larger.” Representative Scott Ourth, a Democrat from Ackworth, says it could reduce travel time for some farmers, too.

“I know those who haul feed back and forth and now will be able to simply cross the road rather than go some long, circuitous route to get to their feedlot across some road somewhere,” Ourth says. The proposal has cleared the House and the Senate unanimously this month. It’s now up the governor to decide if the bill becomes law.

(Radio Iowa)

Spring is in the air, and plans are under way for gardening projects in Cass County. Local groups planning beautification, community gardening or education programs will again be eligible for assistance from the Cass County Master Gardeners. The group is offering grant money to be used in the 2017 growing season, to encourage gardening to grow food and/or improve local communities. The money may also be used for gardening education purposes. The David Williams Memorial Master Gardener Grants are offered to honor the many years of service Master Gardener David Williams provided as a long-time volunteer, with the Master Gardener program and other community organizations, including a term as Cass County Master Gardener president in 2012.

Any Cass County not-for-profit group or organization may apply. Schools, churches, libraries, 4-H clubs, Scouts, and organizations working to better their communities can use the money to begin or improve gardens or landscaping, or to provide gardening/food related education for their members or the public. To ensure the money is helping a wide variety of community organizations, groups who were funded by 2016 grants will not be eligible to apply in 2017. Each grant has a maximum value of $300. The application must also include plans for teamwork and sustainability. Consideration for the environment is also an important selection factor.

Applications must be received by Monday, April 24 for consideration. They may be submitted by mail or email. Grant recipients will be informed of their selection by May 1. For more information, or with questions, call the Cass County Extension office at 712-243-1132, email keolson@iastate.edu, or stop by the Extension Office at 805 W. 10th St in Atlantic. You may also contact Master Gardener Donna Reimers. Application forms can be picked up at the Extension Office, or printed from the Cass County Extension website- www.extension.iastate.edu/cass.

The Master Gardener program trains volunteers to develop their knowledge and skills in horticulture. These volunteers then give back to their communities through gardening service and education. The program is available in all 50 states and Canada through land grant university Extension programs such as Iowa State University. Education courses are available throughout Iowa on a regular basis. For more information on the program, or to sign up for the next class starting in August, contact Cass County Extension Program Coordinator Kate Olson, at 712-243-1132 or keolson@iastate.edu.