(Oakland, Iowa) –Western Iowa poultry producers are invited to a meeting about a poultry processing project on Thursday, March 9th at 6pm at the Oakland Community Center (614 Dr. Van Zee Rd., Oakland, IA 51560). Local farmers are working with Golden Hills RC&D to aggregate poultry for transport to a USDA-certified processor. The project was piloted last fall and the meeting will discuss future processing details and logistics.

The group will be coordinating a group purchase of chicks to be ready for processing on the same date this spring, and likely with follow-up dates after that. Birds would be picked up at two or three locations in Western Iowa and transported to a USDA-inspected facility in Eastern Nebraska. Kevin Ellis, Poultry Specialist with the National Center for Appropriate Technology (NCAT) will also be at the meeting to answer questions about poultry production.

Producers who join the project will have their birds shipped collectively to a USDA-certified processor in Southeast Nebraska, saving time and money while expanding market opportunities to various wholesale and retail outlets in Iowa and other states. Live birds will be transported to the processing facility using a local contracted hauling company. Processed birds will then be shipped via refrigerated truck to restaurants, stores, consumers, or a cold storage facility in Harlan, depending on the producers’ preferences.

Funding for this project was made possible by the Local Food Promotion Program managed by the Agricultural Marketing Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture, with matching funds from Golden Hills RC&D. For more information about the project, visit www.swiffi.org/poultry or contact Golden Hills RC&D at 712-482-3029 or lance@goldenhillsrcd.org.

Officials with the Golden Hills RC&D (Resource, Conservation and Development), in Oakland, invite you to join them Monday, March 13th at the Iowa State Capitol in Des Moines.  Loess Hills Alliance (LHA) members and legislators are invited to a “Meet and Greet,” with refreshments from Noon until 4-p.m. in the Iowa State Capitol Rotunda.

It’s an opportunity to learn more about LHA’s history and current work, as well as build relationships with other members and state legislators. The Meet and Greet will also help publicize the Loess Hills Alliance and inform members of the public and the media about the organization.

The Shelby County Emergency Management Agency reports the County FIRE DANGER index will continue in the “Moderate” category this weekend, due to the anticipated dry, sunny and windy conditions. Dry vegetation is creating the potential for controlled burns to spread out of control.

The next Local update will be Monday, March 6th.

Agronomy in the Field is a multi-session workshop being offered to women landowners, farmers, conservationists and other women who are interested in learning more about agronomy.  This series of workshops will be held monthly at the McNay Memorial Research Farm near Chariton, IA. The farm is located at 45249 170th Ave, Chariton, IA 50049.

The goals of this series are to strengthen agronomic skills for women that allow for better decision-making, provide a better understanding of inputs for crop production, see and understand different conservation practices and increase confidence in communication with spouse, farming partner, ag retailer or tenant.

“We plan to cover topics on planting conditions, crop growth and development, replant considerations, weed, disease and insect identification, pest management principles, scouting techniques, forage and pasture management, and additional practices and topics as they come up,” said Rebecca Vittetoe, ISU Extension Field Agronomist.

This series is designed to be hands-on and conducted in the field to see real-time conditions.  Each session will be approximately one hour long; you do not need to commit for the entire season to attend.

There is no charge for this series, but you must register either by signing up here: http://eepurl.com/cw1tA9 or by contacting Extension Field Agronomist, Rebecca Vittetoe at rka8@iastate.edu or 319-653-4811.

A start date will be identified this month and shared with registrants. The first session will be prior to planting, and will look at grazing cover crops. Agronomy in the Field is sponsored by ISU Extension and Outreach in cooperation with NCR-SARE Partnership Grant Project ONC17-031.  Local support is provided by Lucas, Marion, Monroe, Warren, and Wayne County Extension.

(ISU Extension Press Release)

Iowa is the nation’s top soybean producer and the state’s growers are poised for an excellent year ahead, according to predictions from the U-S Department of Agriculture. Market analyst Rachel Trego says soybeans are forecast to buck all trends expected for the rest of the major grains and oilseeds in the 2017 growing season. “Planted area is set to decline except for soybeans,” Trego says. “Supplies declining except for soybeans, exports declining except for soybeans, domestic use declining except for soybeans, stocks decline except for soybeans.”

The general outlook for all grains and oilseeds will be modestly higher prices. Iowa’s -other- top crop, corn, does not have as bright a future, according to the agency’s predictions. Trego says corn acreage, supplies, exports and stocks are all expected to fall. “Planted area is forecast down 4%,” Trego says. “The yield is forecast down 2% from the record set in 2016-17. With lower expected harvest area and reduced yields, this results in production being down seven-percent.”

While corn production in general should be down in the year ahead, exports may drop even further. “These are forecast to decline nearly 15% to 1.9-billion bushels,” she says. “Ending stocks are thus set to decline, however, they do remain relatively robust with stocks to use at nearly 15-percent.”

One of few bright spots on the report, the USDA projects a small increase in the season average farm prices.

(Radio Iowa)

w/Kate Olson.

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Poultry producers in Iowa are again on-guard for avian influenza after a wild duck in Montana was recently diagnosed with the illness. Iowa had more losses than any other state after a bird flu outbreak in 2015. The U-S-D-A’s chief veterinarian, Dr. Jack Shere, says producers statewide need to be watchful for any problems in their flocks.

Dr. Shere says, “The fact that this strain is being maintained in the wild bird population, maybe not at a high level, but that it’s out there, tells us and tells our poultry producers you better be vigilant, you better be on your biosecurity, you better be looking out for this and you’d better be watching your birds very carefully for any signs of sickness.”

Shere says ramping up biosecurity is one answer but that’s hard to do after an outbreak is already underway.  “Many times in these outbreaks, you’re behind the eight ball when you find it and you’re chasing and tracing behind where infection has already occured,” Shere says. “The best thing you can do is cordon it off and try to depopulate the animals quickly, which is what we found out in 2015.”

A large bird flu outbreak was reported recently in South Korea and 30-million birds were destroyed, boosting demand for the export of eggs from Iowa producers. It’s believed the disease is spread by migrating wild waterfowl like geese and ducks. Given the latest case in Montana, Shere says the U-S-D-A is continuing to monitor for the virus.

“Most of the samples that we take are hunter harvest survey testing,” he says. “We have a blanketed plan that blankets the high poultry producing states in the United States with samples, a certain number per state and we use that plan to test. We do also test if there’s a large bird die-off.”

During the 2015 bird flu outbreak, cases were confirmed at 77 Iowa poultry operations in 18 counties. It resulted in the destruction of more than 31-million birds and an economic loss to the state of one-point-two billion dollars.

(Radio Iowa)

Think Spring! The Cass County Master Gardeners are excited to present their annual Spring Garden Seminar, on Saturday, March 18 at the Atlantic High School. Registration begins at 8:30 AM, with the program beginning at 9 AM. Featured keynote speaker for the day is Kelly Norris- Director of Horticulture at the Greater Des Moines Botanical Garden. 10 workshop topics are lined up for the day, with participants able to attend three breakout sessions of their choice. The day will also feature rolls and coffee to start the morning, a sandwich luncheon, garden vendor show and a great opportunity to network with old friends and new as we prepare for the 2017 gardening season!

The seminar is open to all interested gardeners no matter the level of experience! Participants are not required to have completed Master Gardener training to attend, but Master Gardeners who attend the full day will be given 5 credit hours toward their continuing education requirements. The morning will kick off with Norris sharing tips for adding “Plants with Style!” to the home garden. After lunch, he will also provide the second keynote presentation on “Native Plants in the American Garden”- highlighting plants and plans to incorporate natives beautifully into the landscape. Throughout the day, attendees will have the opportunity to attend 3 different breakout workshops on topics including succulents, rock gardens, mini hostas, iris, herbs, trees and more! Several of the workshop sessions are hands-on, where participants will make and take an item to enjoy at home.

The cost for this day of fun and learning is $35, including all meals and keynote materials. Some hands-on workshops may have an additional materials fee, which is payable on the day of the seminar.  A full list of all breakout sessions, a schedule for the day and printable registration form are all available online at www.extension.iastate.edu/cass or can be picked up at the Cass County Extension Office. Brochures are also available at many local businesses with a full schedule and registration form.

The early registration deadline is Friday March 10; registrations must be postmarked or dropped at the Cass County Extension Office by this date to be eligible for door prizes. In addition, organizers encourage attendees to register early for best selection of breakout sessions, as the sessions fill on a first-come basis. Registrations are also welcome after this date, and up to the day of the Garden Seminar, including walk-in registrations at the door.

For more information on the Spring Garden Seminar or the Cass County Master Gardener Program, 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.

The Shelby County Emergency Management Agency is asking local fire stations and businesses in the County to move their “Fire Danger” placards into the “Moderate” category, this week. Authorities say as the snow cover disappears, the sunshine will quickly dry the vegetation, creating the potential for controlled burns to spread out of control.

Fires can start from most accidental causes, but with the exception of lightning fires in some areas, the number of starts is generally low. Fires in open-cured grassland will burn briskly and spread rapidly on windy days. Woods fires spread slowly to moderately fast. The average fire is of moderate intensity, although heavy concentrations of fuel, especially draped fuel, may burn hot. Short-distance spotting may occur, but is not persistent. Fires are not likely to become serious, and control is relatively easy. The color code is blue.

The next Local update will be Thursday, March 2nd.

A “nutrient exchange” — similar to the “carbon credits” considered a few years ago at the federal level — would be created in Iowa if legislation being developed by Republicans in the Iowa House becomes law. Republican Representative Chip Baltimore of Boone says it’s about sparking “collaboration” rather than confrontation to clean up the state’s surface water.

“At least in my conversations, there’s broad-based, very generic…interest in a nutrient exchange,” Baltimore says. “We’ve got some pilot projects that are out there that are working their way through, but I think having some formal recognition of the nutrient exchange may help move that process along.”

Here’s how a “nutrient exchange” works: a facility that has to get a state permit because it discharges pollution — places like a water treatment plant or a manufacturing facility — enters into a swap with a farmer. The end result? New financing for on-the-farm improvements to reduce nutrient run-off from cropland. Critics like Jessica Mazour of Iowa Citizens for Community Improvement call it “pollution trading.”

“You can make it as complicated as you want, but basically…it does nothing, but just transfers pollution across our state.” States like Connecticut, Virginia, Pennsylvania and Ohio have established “nutrient exchanges.” Supporters say it’s a “market-based” way to address the nutrient and sediment loss from farms.

(Radio Iowa)