Officials with the Iowa Department of Natural Resources say a Grand Junction man was seriously injured Sunday afternoon while snowmobiling west of Boone along U.S. Highway 30. 35-year old Damion Louk was third in line of five snowmobiles traveling eastbound in the median of the highway,when the left front ski caught deep snow near a culvert snapping the connections and sending him and the snowmobile air born.

Louk was traveling at an estimated speed of 60 miles per hour and was thrown approximately 150 feet before landing near the shoulder of the highway. Authorities say they believe his helmet may have not been fastened, as it came off during the incident and landed separately. Louk was transported to Boone County Hospital where he was later transferred by helicopter to Mercy Medical Center in Des Moines.

The incident remains under investigation. Deputies with the Boone County Sheriff’s Office, members of the Iowa State Patrol and Iowa Department of Natural Resources assisted at the scene.

ISU Extension and Outreach Montgomery County will offer the Ornamental and Turfgrass Applicators Continuing Instruction Course (CIC) for commercial pesticide applicators Wednesday, March 2, 2016. The program can be seen at locations across Iowa through the Iowa State University Extension and Outreach Pesticide Safety Education Program (PSEP) team.

The local attendance site is Montgomery County Extension, 400 Bridge Street. Registration begins at 8:30 a.m., and the course runs from 9 to 11 a.m. The registration fee is $35 on or before Feb. 24 and $45 after Feb. 24. To register or to obtain additional information about the CIC, contact Jodie Smith at the ISU Extension and Outreach office in Montgomery County by phoning 712-623-2592.

The course will provide continuing instructional credit for commercial pesticide applicators certified in categories 3O, 3T, 3OT, and 10. Topics to be covered include: pesticide applications and impacts to sensitive areas, pests, pest management, and pesticides with discussions on ornamentals, home lawns, golf course turfgrass, and sports turfgrass; pesticide labels; and restricted entry intervals.

Additional information and registration forms for this and other courses being offered by the PSEP team can be accessed at www.extension.iastate.edu/psep.

Shelby County will host a Seed Treatment Continuing Instruction Course (CIC) for commercial pesticide applicators, Wednesday, Feb. 24, 2016. The program will be shown at locations across Iowa through the Iowa State University Extension and Outreach Pesticide Safety Education Program (PSEP).

The local attendance site is 906 6th St., Harlan. Registration begins at 8:30 a.m., and the course runs from 9 to 11 a.m. The registration fee is $35 on or before Feb. 17 and $45 after Feb. 17. To register or to obtain additional information about the CIC, contact the Shelby County Extension and Outreach office by phoning 712-755-3104.

The course will provide continuing instruction credit for commercial pesticide applicators certified in categories 4 and 10. Topics to be covered include neonics in groundwater, seed treatments and pollinators, evaluation of seed applied nematicides on soybeans, seed treatment IPM, seed treatment stewardship, and seed treatment labels.

Certified Crop Advisor (CCA) Continuing Education Units (CEUs) will be offered. Interested participants should bring their CCA number to the program. Additional information and registration forms for this and other courses offered by the PSEP team can be accessed at www.extension.iastate.edu/PSEP/.

NEBRASKA CITY, Neb. (AP) — A regional conference in Nebraska next month will focus on ways to encourage schools to get their food from local farmers and the benefits of that. More than 200 people are expected to attend the March 2 event in Nebraska City. The conference will attract a mix of farmers, ranchers, school food service officials and others concerned about the issue.

Throughout the day, speakers will offer advice on ways to increase the amount of local food served in schools and ways to teach students more about healthy food. The event is sponsored by the Center for Rural Affairs, Iowa Department of Agriculture and University of Missouri Extension.

More information is available online at http://www.cfra.org/midwest-farm-school .

The public is invited to attend the 25th annual meeting of the Wallace Foundation for Rural Research and Development scheduled for Wednesday, March 2, 2016, at the Learning Center located at the Armstrong Research Farm near Lewis.

This year’s program will begin at 9:45 a.m. with Steven Bradbury and Richard Hellmich, ISU environmental toxicologists, presenting “Update on the Iowa Monarch Conservation Consortium” followed by Lee Schulz, ISU extension agricultural economist, speaking on “Crop and Livestock Market Situation and Outlook.”

Following a complimentary lunch, the annual business meeting will be conducted.

The Armstrong Research Farm is located 12 miles southwest of Atlantic on Highway 6, half a mile south on 525th Street, and a half mile east on Hitchcock Avenue; or, 13 miles east of Oakland on Highway 6, half a mile south on 525th Street, and half a mile east on Hitchcock Avenue.

For more information contact the Wallace Foundation at 712-769-2650 or paulette@iastate.edu.

A new grazing education and networking program intended for young and beginning graziers will be offered this year by the Iowa Beef Center at Iowa State University, in Adams County. ISU extension beef program specialist Joe Sellers said Grassroots Grazing is a three-part series that was started in 2015, with a southwest Iowa program offered in Corning, on February 22nd, 2016.

The grazing management series is designed primarily for young and beginning graziers but anyone interested in basic forage management is welcome to attend. All participants will receive a resource manual for use throughout the course and at their farms. The first session includes discussions on controlling feed costs, setting goals for your grazing system, and pros and cons of various grazing programs. The February meeting is part one of a three part series, with pasture walks and additional meetings later in the year (dates to be determined by the participants).

The series is sponsored by the ISU Extension and Outreach and the Natural Resources Conservation Service, and sessions will be led by local ISU extension beef program specialists with assistance from other producers and volunteers. Local sponsors in Corning include the Southern Iowa Forage and Livestock Committee and the Adams County Cattlemen’s Association.

Joe Sellers say “There is no fee to attend, but we strongly encourage pre-registration to plan for the meal and ensure adequate materials for everyone. Please register by February 19th.”

The date, start time and address for the initial session at each location are listed below, along with the contact person for each site.

Corning, Iowa: February 22, 2016 – 6:30 pm at the St Patrick’s Church Parish Center (607 6th Street, 4 blocks west of Casey’s).

w/Kate Olson.

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IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) – State officials say an invasive insect that kills ash trees has been confirmed in Iowa City. The Iowa Department of Agriculture announced Tuesday that a specimen collected from trees that appeared to be under attack on the University of Iowa campus was confirmed as an emerald ash borer. With Johnson County added to the list, there are now 30 Iowa counties where the pest has been confirmed.

The insects are native to Asia and were first spotted in the U.S. in 2002, when they showed up in the Detroit area. Authorities say the insects have spread to at least 25 other states, killing millions of trees. Once infected, trees typically die within five years. University of Iowa officials estimate there are 560 ash trees on campus.

Officials with Monsanto report 12 central Iowa area farmers have directed $30,000 to area nonprofit organizations through America’s Farmers Grow Communities, sponsored by the Monsanto Fund. The winning farmers and organizations participated in a presentation at the Iowa Power Farming Show on Feb. 4th. Each farmer directed a $2,500 Grow Communities donation to a nonprofit organization of their choice.

The winners include:

• Roger Clayburg of Carroll County, who directed his donation to Coon Rapids – Bayard Education Corporation.
• Thelma O’Brien of Guthrie County, who directed her donation to Cottage Pantry Charitable Services.
• Jeff Tussey of Union County, who directed his donation to East Union Middle-High School.

The farmer-directed donations will help local organizations fund a variety of projects. America’s Farmers Grow Communities has collaborated with farmers in Iowa to donate over $1.9 million to local community organizations since 2010. Donations have been used to help fight rural hunger, purchase life-saving fire and EMS equipment, support ag youth programs, purchase education classroom resources and more.

Visit www.AmericasFarmers.com to learn more. And, from now through April 1st, farmers in eligible counties can nominate their local school district to compete for an America’s Farmers Grow Rural Education grant ranging from $10,000 to as much as $25,000. This year, the program will be awarding $2.3 million for math and science curriculum enhancement. Learn more about it at www.GrowRuralEducation.com.

Officials with the Iowa Department of Natural Resources (DNR) report 88 of 99 Iowa counties notified the DNR in January that they plan to evaluate construction permit applications and proposed locations for animal confinements by using the master matrix. Animal producers in those counties must meet higher standards than other confinement producers who also need a construction permit. They must earn points on the master matrix by choosing a site and using practices that reduce impacts on air, water and the community.

With 11 exceptions, all counties will use the matrix during the next 12 months. Among the counties that will not use the matrix in 2016, is Fremont. Officials say Counties that adopt the master matrix can provide more input to producers on site selection, the proposed structures and proposed facility management. Participating counties score each master matrix submitted in their county and can also join in DNR visits to a proposed confinement site.

While all counties may submit comments to DNR during the review process for permit applications, counties that adopt the master matrix can also appeal approval of a preliminary permit to the state Environmental Protection Commission.

The deadline for enrolling in the program is Jan. 31st of each year.