[Council Bluffs, Iowa] – Pottawattamie County Emergency Management Director Doug Reed reports Conservation and Emergency Management officials would like the public to be aware of a series of controlled land management burns being conducted in Council Bluffs over the next couple of days. Today (Wednesday), controlled burns will be conducted at the Narrows River Park, and near St. Patrick Catholic Church and College View Elementary on Valley View Drive.

Tomorrow (Thursday), burns are planned for the Vincent Bluff area on Thallas St. and near the Broadway Viaduct.

Controlled burning, also known as prescribed fire, is a highly effective and significant tool for many purposes. In this instance, fire will be used to remove built up combustible fuels to reduce risk in the Wildland-Urban Interface (WUI). “The WUI is the zone of transition where unoccupied land and human development meet or intermingle with undeveloped wildland or vegetative fuels,” said Chad Graeve, a Natural Resource Specialist with the Pottawattamie County Conservation Department. Additionally, these series of burns will be conducted to invigorate the land by promoting new growth and strengthening the habitat and overall ecosystem in those areas.

Environmental and weather conditions are optimal to conduct these controlled burns and there is very minimal risk to the public around these burns. Burns are being conducted by trained and experienced professionals with operational and contingency plans in place.

The public is asked not to approach the immediate areas where active fire is being conducted. Smoke will be visible in the various areas in and around the city during and after the burns have been conducted.

w/Kate Olson.

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(Radio Iowa) – The legislature has voted to create a state fund to provide 750-thousand dollars in grants or loans for upgrades at Iowa dairy farms. Representative Norlin Mommsen of DeWitt says the Iowa Department of Agriculture will manage the new Dairy Innovation Fund.

“It will provide funds for development, expansion and refurbishing of dairy facilities,” Mommsen says. “It also provides funds for labor reduction equipment such as robotic milkers and manure handling systems.” Representative Monica Kurth of Davenport says the money could help on-the-farm start-ups, like dairies that make cheese or yogurt. “I think that the idea of helping to modernize our dairies is important for the state of Iowa,” Kurth says. Senator Dan Zumbach of Ryan says the legislature has set some guidelines for the grants, loans or forgivable loans.

“If it creates new jobs,” Zumbach says, “if it creates or expands opportunity for local, small scale milk producers; if it provides greater flexibility or convenience for local small scale farmers or it reduces labor associated with on-farm production and storage of milk.” Iowa ranks 12th in dairy production, with about 220-thousand dairy cows in the state today. But Senator Eric Giddens of Cedar Falls says the number of dairy farms in Iowa has fallen to about 850.

“It’s more difficult for our small producers to stay in business and to stay competitive,” Giddens says. “This is a good program that will help them.” The money for the Dairy Innovation Fund is included in a budget bill that won final legislative approval in the House on Tuesday. The program guidelines are in a separate bill that the Senate approved yesterday (Tuesday) and sent to the governor.

DES MOINES, Iowa (May 1, 2023) – Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Mike Naig commented today on the Iowa Crop Progress and Condition Report released by the USDA National Agricultural Statistics Service. The report is released weekly April through November. Additionally, the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship provides a weather summary each week during this time.

“The cooler and drier conditions allowed many farmers an opportunity to get back into the fields, which led to a jump in both corn and soybeans acres planted,” said Secretary Naig. “The weather outlook suggests warmer temperatures and near-average amounts of rainfall, which should help to increase statewide planting activity and gradually reduce the flooding along the Mississippi River.”

The weekly report is also available on the USDA’s website at nass.usda.gov.

Crop Report:

Cool and relatively dry weather offered farmers 4.8 days suitable for fieldwork during the week ending April 30, 2023, according to the USDA, National Agricultural Statistics Service. While planting progress continues at a decent pace, the colder than normal temperatures and dry weather have not done any favors for crop emergence. State level moisture supplies are still tightening up with the lack of precipitation. Corn, soybean, and oat planting continued this week.

Topsoil moisture condition rated 5 percent very short, 24 percent short, 68 percent adequate and 3 percent surplus. Subsoil moisture condition rated 8 percent very short, 31 percent short, 58 percent adequate and 3 percent surplus.

Twenty-nine percent of Iowa’s expected corn crop has been planted, 11 days ahead of last year but 1 day behind the 5-year average. Sixteen percent of soybeans have been planted, 11 days ahead of last year and 1 day ahead of the average. Eighty-five percent of the expected oat crop has been planted, 2 weeks ahead of last year and 6 days ahead of normal. Twenty-nine percent of the oat crop has emerged, 1 week ahead of last year and 1 day ahead of the average.

Some reports of cattle being let out to pasture were received again this week, although pasture regrowth is slow with the current weather pattern. Overall, livestock conditions continue to be good.

(Radio Iowa) – A Polk County judge has reversed the decision of the Iowa D-N-R to issue a permit for a massive cattle feedlot near the headwaters of Bloody Run Creek. The creek is a prized location for trout in northeast Iowa and the Iowa chapters of the Sierra Club and Trout Unlimited filed suit saying a faulty manure management plan was used. Judge Scott Rosenberg’s ruling says the D-N-R used “illogical interpretations and applications to approve a nutrient management plan for the feedlot.” Sierra Club attorney, Wally Taylor applauded the ruling.  “They have to follow their own rules and they didn’t do it in this case,” he says.

Taylor says the judge made it clear that the D-N-R does not have unlimited discretion. “What they did was because Supreme Beef’s operation didn’t fit the rules, D-N-R tried to make the rules fit Supreme Beef. And the judge said that’s not going to work,” Taylor explains. Bloody Run Creek is in Clayton County – a part of the state known for its environmentally sensitive porous limestone. “I think the judge’s ruling shows clearly how inappropriate, and how mixed up the rules are for a livestock operation,” he says.

The D-N-R feedlot permit would have allowed an 11-thousand-600 head cattle feedlot operation. The ruling sends the case back to the D-N-R for reconsideration.

(By Clay Masters, Iowa Public Radio)

(Radio Iowa) – The Iowa legislature is planning to spend an extra 750-thousand dollars to prepare for a possible outbreak of African Swine Fever. Representative Norlin Mommsen of DeWitt says the virus, which causes severe bleeding and death, has killed pigs in the Caribbean Islands.

“It would be devastating for Iowa agriculture and the Iowa economy if it ever came here, so we’re trying to be as prepared as we can,” Mommsen says. “All we have to do is look at Avian Influenza and how that’s upset the poultry market and how that affected egg prices and food prices.” The Senate has already approved a budget for the Iowa Department of Agriculture that includes 250-thousand dollars toward development of a vaccine and 250-thousand dollars to buy equipment to euthanize pigs. Mommsen says it ensures state officials could quickly respond at the first report of an Iowa herd getting African Swine Fever.

“There comes a point in time when the only response is to euthanize the animals and do it as humanely and quickly as possible to stop the spread, so we want to make sure we have the proper equipment here if that ever were to occur,” Mommsen says. “My hope is it rusts and never gets used.” The House is expected to approve the budget bill this week. It includes another 250-thousand dollar boost to the state’s program for responding to an outbreak of a foreign animal disease.

“We already had $750,000 in a Foreign Animal Disease Preparedness program,” Mommsen said. “There’s a veterinarian hired, running that program, so this is in addition to all of that trying to upgrade our facility and our preparedness.” According to the Iowa Pork Producers Association, on a typical day there are about 24 million hogs in Iowa. African Swine Fever is not a threat to humans, but once a pig is infected it is highly contagious to other pigs — and the mortality rate is 95 percent.

(Radio Iowa) – Members of Iowa’s Congressional delegation are praising a move by the Biden administration to issue a last-minute emergency waiver to allow the sales of E-15 gasoline during the summer driving season. Congresswoman Ashley Hinson, a Republican from Marion says she is glad to see the waiver happen. “This is great news. It’s gonna save families money at the pump. It’ll help with as I said energy security in our country and of course, supporting our Iowa economy,” Hinson says.

Current E-P-A guidelines prohibit the sale of E-15 from terminals in about two-thirds of the country after April 30th. Senator Joni Ernst tweeted that the hard work in pushing for the waiver paid off — and it’s time to permanently approve the use of E-15 throughout the year. Hinson agrees.

“I want to say thank you to the administration for taking this necessary step that we’ve all been advocating for,” Hinson says. “I think you’ve heard me say a time or two that I think we need the all of the above energy strategy, so I will continue to push for EF-15 to be sold year-round permanently so that our hard working farmers and producers have much-needed certainty.”

Senator Chuck Grassley says the Triple-A survey finds the 15 percent blend of ethanol in gas costs about ten cents less a gallon than the E-10. Grassley says it’s a way to help drivers with high gas prices. Congresswoman Hinson says the E-15 waiver comes on the heels of the negotiations that kept five key biofuels tax credits from rolling back. She says the entire Iowa delegation was in lockstep as they pushed House Speaker Kevin McCarthy to keep the credits.

“I think it was very critical that we had an open line of communication, and he could understand where we were coming from as a delegation. I think it was very clear that in those conversations, multiple conversations over the course of the last week, leadership did realize we were not going to cave,” Hinson says. She says they had to make it clear how important biofuels are.

“We made the point about this is about our economy in Iowa, this is about jobs. This is about protecting farmers, and we should not be moving forward on this policy to take Iowa farmers for granted in the process,” Hinson says. “So again, the whole idea of delegation remaining in lockstep and ensured our success.”

Governor Kim Reynolds released a statement that calls the waiver “a huge win for Iowa farmers and our ethanol industry and proves that even our biggest adversaries can’t ignore the advantage biofuels brings to our country’s economy and national security.”

CEDAR RAPIDS, IA (April 28, 2023) – Villisca, Greenfield and Creston are set to benefit from Alliant Energy’s tree planting program. They are among 51 Iowa communities (see full list below) that will receive funds from a program developed in partnership with Trees Forever. Grants are designated for communities to plant a diverse mix of trees to aid energy efficiency as well as replace trees destroyed by the emerald ash borer.

The grants, which total $165,370, will help communities plant trees in public places like local parks, schools, libraries, community buildings and streets. Trees provide more shade and cool the air, helping lower overall energy costs. A diverse tree population also helps build resiliency against tree diseases to create a healthier ecosystem.

In Creston, The Creston Chapter of the FFA was awarded a $4,640 grant for shade tree planting downtown, on the campus of Southwestern Community College, and Union County Fairgrounds. Greenfield Chamber/Main Street & Development  received a grant for $3,000 to plant trees in Public Right-Of-Ways (ROW), and the Villisca Lions Club received a grant for $1,000, for Community tree planting in the ROW throughout the town, with the help from the Lions Club, Community Betterment group, and students.

“Our commitment to improving the environment and supporting the communities we serve is unwavering,” said Julie Bauer, Executive Director of the Alliant Energy Foundation. “The grants awarded will not only help communities achieve tree restoration goals and improve energy efficiency, but they will provide benefits for generations to come.”

In addition to the funds, communities also receive educational and tree-planning support from Trees Forever. A tree expert helps communities select the best species for their area and create a care and maintenance plan to make sure the new trees have long and healthy lives.

“This is a remarkable partnership that fulfills so many of the core tenets of both Trees Forever and Alliant Energy,” says Kiley Miller, President and CEO of Trees Forever. “Trees Forever specializes in empowering people and communities to become involved in the work of conservation. These projects are community-led and accomplished with local volunteers. With some expert guidance, individuals are making a positive difference in their home towns with a greener, more energy efficient future.”

The Community Tree Planting Program is part of Alliant Energy’s One Million Trees initiative, which aims to plant one million trees by the end of 2030. In collaboration with organizations focusing on public forest restoration and preservation, urban forestry, and non-profit partners, the initiative is dedicated to tree-planting efforts in communities and rural areas across Iowa and Wisconsin.

Trees Forever administrates and facilitates tree planting programs. Alliant Energy has been working with Trees Forever since 1990, and together they have planted over 1.1 million trees and provided $7.9 million in grants.
Several communities have planted or are planting trees this spring; others will plant in the fall. To learn more about the program, visit alliantenergy.com/onemilliontrees.

(Radio Iowa) – The Iowa Utilities Board has indicated developers of an anhydrous ammonia pipeline in southeast Iowa will get a construction permit — if certain conditions are met.

The proposed NuStar pipeline would connect to the Iowa Fertilizer Company and stretch through nearly 14 miles in southeast Iowa’s Lee County. The company says it got voluntary access to most of the land along the anhydrous pipeline route.

The Iowa Utilities Board has denied the company’s request to use eminent domain authority to get access to two parcels of land, but regulators say eminent domain may be used to get contracts for six other parcels.

Regulators say NuStar must show they have at least $2.5 million worth of liability insurance for the project before the permit for construction, operation and maintenance of the pipeline will be granted. The company also has to revise property easements documents, based on the board’s ruling. The construction permit will be granted if the Iowa Utilities Board reviews and approves those changes.

The terms for two members of the board expire on Sunday. The Iowa Senate has confirmed two other members to begin serving on the board on Monday.

(Radio Iowa) – The four Iowa Republicans who serve in the U.S. House have voted to cut federal spending and raise the federal government’s debt ceiling — after biofuels issues were removed from the package. House Speaker Kevin McCarthy’s original plan would have scaled back tax incentives for carbon pipelines, ended the tax credit for biodiesel and repealed a technology tax credit that may benefit ethanol producers.

Congresswomen Mariannette Miller-Meeks of Le Claire and Ashley Hinson of Marion along with Congressmen Zach Nunn of Bondurant and Randy Feenstra of Hull successfully lobbied to have those anti-biofuels provisions removed. The group issued a joint statement, saying the biofuels industry drives the Iowa economy and they were able to protect federal biofuels incentives during negotiations with House speaker.

Governor Reynolds thanked House Speaker Kevin McCarthy for agreeing to a compromise that Reynolds says recognizes the importance of biofuels to the country.  Ag groups and trade associations that represent the biofuels industry praised Iowa’s U.S. House delegation for standing up for ethanol and biodiesel. Iowa is the country’s leading producer of corn-based ethanol and soybean-based biodiesel.