November 25, 2024 (DES MOINES) – Iowa Deputy Secretary of Agriculture Grant Menke and a 16-member delegation have just returned from a trade mission to Taiwan and Japan. The mission, coordinated by the Iowa Economic Development Authority (IEDA), included representation from Iowa’s meat production, grain, and meat processing industries. The purpose of the mission was to encourage trade development, bolster partnerships and identify opportunities to expand export markets.

Taiwan and Japan were both ranked in the top 10 U.S. agricultural export markets in 2023 and continue to be critical Iowa trading partners. In 2023, Iowa companies exported $225.1 million in agricultural goods to Taiwan and $1.3 billion to Japan. Taiwan is Iowa’s 13th largest trading partner, with exports estimated at $321 million in manufactured and value-added goods in 2023. Taiwan is the eighth-largest destination for Iowa soybeans, which accounted for $87.4 million in 2023. Iowa companies exported $50.5 million in meat products to Taiwan in 2023.

Japan is Iowa’s fourth largest export destination and the second-leading export market for pork and beef products. Iowa companies exported $533 million in meat products to Japan in 2023. With $367 million worth of corn purchases made in 2023, Japan is the second largest destination for Iowa corn. Through September, corn exports to Japan have risen 25% in 2024.

“Iowa is an agricultural production powerhouse, so it is vital for our state’s farmers and agribusinesses to be able to share our abundance with the world through trade and to seek new market opportunities for Iowa ag products through participation in international trade missions,” stated Iowa Deputy Secretary of Agriculture Grant Menke. “This North Asian mission allowed our well-rounded ag delegation to build on Iowa’s longstanding friendship and partnership in trade with both Japan and Taiwan – strong, stable markets that depend heavily on imports for their food and agriculture needs and deeply value the reliability and premium quality of Iowa’s meat products and commodities. Our meetings, briefings, tours and customer visits showcased the innovation and creativity of Japanese and Taiwanese businesses, provided key information and insights on Iowa agriculture, addressed technical barriers to trade, and confirmed the potential and desire for even greater volumes of Iowa ag exports to Japan and Taiwan in the future.”

The Iowa ag delegation visited Taipei, Taiwan and Tokyo and Osaka, Japan from November 15-23. The itinerary was comprised of trade policy discussions, information sessions on Iowa’s agricultural industry and business development meetings. The delegation was comprised of representatives from Iowa ag processing companies, the Iowa Beef Industry Council, Iowa Corn, Iowa Farm Bureau Federation, Iowa Pork Producers Association and the Iowa Soybean Association. IEDA worked with the U.S. Grains Council, U.S. Meat Export Federation, U.S. Soybean Export Council and USDA – Foreign Agriculture Service to identify and organize business prospects for the mission.

IEDA’s International Trade Office connects Iowa companies with markets for their products and services, educates Iowa businesses on exporting and assists global companies wishing to establish or expand operations in Iowa. To find out more about these services or other trade missions, visit iowaeda.com.

(Harlan, Iowa) – Officials with Harlan Municipal Utilities (HMU) report a Boil Advisory issued last Wednesday (Nov. 2oth), has been lifted. All bacteria samples came back from the lab as being approved, and the water may now be used for consumption and cooking. HMU recommends their customers run their faucet for a few minutes, to flush any old water out of the lines.

The Boil Advisory had been issued last week due to multiple breaks in the water main system in Harlan.

DES MOINES – The Iowa Department of Corrections says a man convicted in Polk County of Intimidation with a dangerous weapon, failed to report back to the Fort Des Moines residential facility as required, Sunday. 25-year-old Keemarey Joe Foster is a 5-feet 11-inches tall, 204-pound, Black male. He was admitted to the work release facility on Oct. 4, 2024.

Persons with information on Foster’s whereabouts should contact local police.

Keemarey Foster (IA DOC photo)

(Cedar Rapids, Iowa)  – Officials with the Iowa Department of Corrections, today (Monday), said a man convicted of 2nd Degree Robbery in eastern Iowa’s Linn County, failed to report back to a residential center as required, Friday. 26-year-old Anthony Robert Skriver is described as being a 5-foot 8-inch tall white male. He was admitted to the work release facility on Sept. 24, 2024. Persons with information on Skriver’s whereabouts should contact local police.

Anthony Skriver (Iowa DOC photo)

For more information on the state’s work release program, please see Iowa Code 904.901-904.910

(Creston, Iowa) – The Creston Police Department reports five people were arrested over the weekend, two of them were arrested on drug, burglary & theft charges. Saturday morning, 51-year-old Jason Allan Lohoff, of the Trails End Camp Ground, was arrested at 118 Manor Drive in Creston. Lohoff was charged with Possess Drug Paraphernalia, Possession of a controlled substance, Marijuana/1st offense, Theft in the 2nd Degree, and Burglary in the 3rd Degree. Lohoff was taken to the Union County Jail where he later bonded out on a bond of $11,300. Also in connection with that same incident, 35-year-old Jennifer Ann Self, of Creston, was arrested for Possession of Drug Paraphernalia, Possession of a controlled substance/Marijuana-1st offense, Intent Manufacture/Deliver Meth, Theft in the 2nd- and Burglary 3rd-Degree. Self was taken to the Union County Jail where she is being held on a bond of $25,000.

At around 2:25-a.m., Saturday, Creston Police arrested 24-year-old Ronan Francis Noeth, of Creston, for OWI/1st Offense and Carrying a Weapon – While Intoxicated (OWI). Noeth was taken to the Union County Jail where he later bonded out on a bond of $2,000.

Just before Noon, Saturday, 24-year-old Louis Riley Lumbard, of Creston, was arrested for Driving Suspended. Lumbard was cited and released from the scene on a promise to appear. And, late Sunday morning, 69-year-old Michael Dennis Seddon, of Creston, was arrested on an Assault charge. Seddon was taken to the Union County Jail where he later bonded out on a bond of $300.

(Ag News) –  Thanksgiving remains one of the most widely celebrated holidays in the United States, with over 90% of Americans observing the tradition each year. For many, it ranks as a favorite holiday, bringing together family and friends around a meal that often centers on one iconic dish: roast turkey. Yet, few people consider the agricultural effort behind this holiday staple. Each year, an estimated 46 million turkeys are consumed on Thanksgiving alone, with production largely concentrated in a handful of states. More than 85% of U.S. turkey production takes place in just 13 states, with North Carolina and Minnesota leading as the top producers. Together, these two states contribute more than 30% of the nation’s total turkey output.

Outside of North Carolina and Minnesota, Indiana is a major producer, contributing 11.9% of U.S. turkey production by weight, followed by Arkansas at 7.8% and Iowa at 7.3%. In general, turkey production is largely concentrated along or east of the Mississippi River, although California stands out as a notable exception. To determine the top turkey producers, researchers ranked states based on 2023 total turkey production, measured in pounds. Some national and Iowa statistics:

• The rise and fall of turkey production in the U.S.: Since 1960, per capita turkey production rose sharply and peaked in 1996 at 26.8 pounds per person. However, in 2022, annual production had dropped to just 20 pounds per person—a decline of approximately 25%.
• Rising prices and shifting consumer demand: Health concerns and changing dietary preferences play a significant role, with more Americans choosing plant-based diets and reducing meat consumption. Rising turkey prices, which increased from $0.80 per pound in 2018 to $1.40 per pound in 2023, also impact consumption.
  
• Larger birds soften the decline: The average size of turkeys raised in the U.S. has nearly doubled since the 1960s—averaging 32 pounds per bird compared to around 18 pounds in the 1960s. This trend has helped maintain relatively high production levels even as the total number of turkeys raised has declined (a peak of approximately 303 million birds annually in 1996, but an estimated 218 million birds in 2023).
• Iowa produces 7.3% of America’s turkey by weight: In 2023, Iowa raised 11.5 million turkeys, with an average weight of 44.2 pounds per bird. In total, Iowa produced over 500 million pounds of turkey last year—the 5th most in the nation.

Here is a summary of the data for Iowa:

• Turkey production (pounds): 508,300,000
• Turkey production value (dollars): $477,802,000
• Turkeys raised: 11,500,000
• Average turkey size (pounds): 44.2
• Share of U.S. turkey production: 7.3%
• Share of U.S. turkeys raised: 5.3%

The analysis was conducted by Trace One—a company specializing in regulatory compliance for the food and beverage industry—using data from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA).

(Atlantic) The 41st Annual Atlantic Rotary Club Auction Saturday night, raised $25,300. All of the proceeds from the event will be reinvested into local community initiatives. Net proceeds from the raffle will benefit the School Resource Officer (SRO) Program. The auction and raffle were held at the Atlantic Community Center.

Rotary leaders says since its inception, the Atlantic Rotary Club has raised over $1.3 million to support various community non-profit projects, underscoring their commitment to making a positive impact in the region.

(Montgomery County, Iowa) – Fire fighters from Red Oak and Stanton were dispatched to the scene of a field fire Sunday afternoon at 2343 J Ave. In a post on social media, Red Oak fire officials said crews responded to the site south/southeast of Red Oak at around 12:34-p.m. In addition to the two fire departments, neighboring farmers responded with their tractors and disks. (Photos are from the Red Oak FD’s Facebook page)

Authorities say debris from a burn pit near a residence is believed to have started the fire. No injuries were reported and the incident command was terminated a little more than an hour later.

The Montgomery County Emergency Management Agency, Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office, and the Johnson family (with their tractors and disks) were on the scene. Montgomery County Communications coordinated emergency response efforts.

(Radio Iowa) – Senator Chuck Grassley says President-elect Trump’s second pick to serve as attorney general is well-regarded and experienced. Grassley will be chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee in 2025 and will oversee the confirmation hearing for former Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi. Grassley says senators will learn more about her in the coming weeks, but Grassley says he worked with Bondi on criminal justice reform during Trump’s first term.

Former Florida Congressman Matt Gaetz withdrew his nomination to be Trump’s attorney general last Thursday, and Trump announced he’d nominate Bondi for the job.