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CLICK HERE for the latest market quotes from the Iowa Agribusiness Network!
CLICK HERE for the latest market quotes from the Brownfield Ag News Network!
(Radio Iowa) – The Iowa House has voted to extend a state tax break for SOME Iowans who own livestock and get at least half of their annual income from farming. It’s a capital gains tax break for the sale of dairy cattle, work horses and racing horses as well as livestock — like cows and bulls and sows and b boars — used for breeding.
The tax break expired at the end of 2022. If it isn’t revived, officials estimate the state will collect two-and-half MILLION dollars in capital gains this year from cattle and horse sales. Representative Derek Wulf and his wife have a cow-calf operation on a third generation family farm near Hudson. Wulf says the capital gains tax break for livestock was established in the late 1990s.
“Our tax code should promote livestock production, which we know is often how beginning farmers get their start in agriculture. We know that livestock production supports rural communities and drives our rural economic activity,” Wulf said. “…We want to make sure that we don’t increase taxes on our livestock producers and farmers here in the state.”
The repeal of this capital gains cut for some livestock sales was part of a wide ranging tax bill that became law in 2018. The House bill that would restore the tax break is now under consideration in the Senate.
Glenwood, Iowa – – Officials with Mills County Emergency Management report, “With the precipitation received this [Friday] morning, along with the expected precipitation forecast by the National Weather Service this weekend, Emergency Management has requested the State Fire Marshall lift the open burning ban that has been in place for all of Mills County, Iowa effective at 12:00 P.M. on Friday, March 22, 2024.”
Officials says while the ban is being lifted the Mills County Emergency Management Agency strongly urges landowners that have a requirement to conduct controlled burns of a larger scale, to contact their local Fire Chief to discuss methods and weather considerations as an item of preparation prior to conducting burn. Of note, Mills County does have a Controlled Burn Ordinance (2008) for un-incorporated areas of the County that requires a property owner to contact the Mills County Communications Center at 712.527.4871 prior to conducting a prescribed burn.
For property owners that live within the City limits of the seven jurisdictions within Mills County, please become familiar with ordinances dealing with burning before you light fires of any type.
For additional information on local preparedness activities, go to www.millscountyiowa.gov.
DES MOINES – The Iowa Department of Natural Resources is investigating a red pigment solution spill at the City of Altoona in Polk County.
On March 21, the DNR Des Moines Field Office was notified of a spill that occurred on Adventureland Drive in Altoona. At approximately 4:30 p.m. a transport truck was hauling the material eastbound near the intersection of Adventureland Drive and 1st Avenue North when the load shifted, causing the 275-gallon container to leak. An unknown amount of the material was released to the interior of the trailer and then onto the paved surface of Adventureland Drive.
City officials and an environmental consulting firm worked through the night to contain the material and collect as much as they could before the rain event. Despite the cleanup efforts, on March 22 the red material was observed in Little Four Mile Creek south of Adventureland Drive in Altoona.
Residents are advised to avoid the area. Samples are being collected for testing. The investigation is still ongoing.
Calling all wildlife watchers! The Iowa DNR will host two frog and toad call survey training workshops in 2024 There are still several spots available for in-person training in Mitchell and Montgomery Counties. The workshops are for anyone interested in getting involved in Iowa’s Frog and Toad Call Survey, which has been collecting data on our state’s amphibians for over 30 years. Prospective surveyors must attend a training workshop. (See details below)
The Frog and Toad Call Survey has a long tradition, starting in 1991. That was the first year a group of dedicated community scientists learned the frog and toad calls and trooped out into the night to visit wetlands across the state. Over the years, volunteers have collected data on over 2,200 wetlands and provided an incredible record of frog and toad activity. Program coordinator Stephanie Shepherd said “It’s rare to have such a broad set of data collected over so many years on ONE species, much less a whole group of vulnerable species.” To get involved with the frog and toad call survey you will need an adventurous spirit and the interest to learn up to 16 frog and toad breeding calls. You can check out a few of those calls in the DNR wildlife sound library.
Interested volunteers should first visit https://www.iowadnr.gov/vwmp and read through the survey requirements to see if it is something you’d have the time for and an interest in You can then see whether there are any survey routes nearby that need a monitor by browsing the maps of available routes. Surveyors are especially need in Montgomery and Mitchell counties and surrounding counties. If you don’t see an available route near you, creating your own survey route is also an option!
The time commitment for conducting the survey and submitting data is roughly 10 hours total between April and July each year and will require being out after dark for roughly 2 hours during each survey period. Workshops are most appropriate for adults or older children (12+).
Each workshop has limited seats available and a $10.00 fee is required. Registration will close a week prior to the workshops or whenever the workshops have been filled. Direct questions to Stephanie at vwmp@dnr.iowa.gov.
Interested volunteers must attend a training workshop. Register to grab a spot in the workshop today!
IN PERSON:
April 3, 2024 (Wednesday) | 6:30pm to 9:30pm | Montgomery County | Wolfe Nature Center
April 10, 2024 (Wednesday)| 6:30pm – 9:30 pm | Mitchell County | Milton R. Owen Nature Center
There is a $10 fee to cover workshop materials. To learn more about the survey visit the DNR Volunteer Wildlife Monitoring Program webpage.
(Iowa DNR; Des Moines, Iowa) – Several Iowa state parks are still looking for campground hosts for the 2024 season. If you enjoy the outdoors, camping and meeting new people, consider becoming a volunteer campground host and spend your summer in a park! Campground hosts volunteer 20 – 40 hours per week, including weekends and holidays, while living in a free campsite in the park or forest.
Campground host positions available at:
Learn more about how to apply on the DNR’s volunteer page.
Or for more information, email or call Elizabeth Thacker: Elizabeth.Thacker@dnr.iowa.gov; phone number (515) 444-9164.
The DNR is also hiring seasonal park aides to work in Iowa state parks and forests this summer. If you have a passion for the outdoors, are looking for an active job and enjoy helping people, consider spending your summer in one of Iowa’s most beautiful natural spaces. Learn more on the DNR’s employment web page or contact a specific state park office to inquire about summer jobs at that location. Come join our team!
Parks needing seasonal employees:
INDIANOLA, Iowa — Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Mike Naig has announced that the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship has awarded 26 ‘Choose Iowa’ Value-Added Grants to Iowa farmers, small businesses and non-profits in 22 counties totaling $463,000. Those grants will help leverage a total investment by grant awardees of $1,993,190.47. The announcement came at the Cortum Farms & Co. Barn just north of Indianola. This farm was a recipient of a $25,000 grant, which is part of a $51,000 project to work on the barn structure and electrical system, so it can be used to sell ag products.
This year’s grants will support a wide variety of projects including delivery and cold storage for direct-to-consumer meat sales, fruit production and processing, vegetable processing, packaging equipment, cider and wine canning and bottling, farm store and food hub construction, honey production, culinary herb, lavender and cut flower production, warehouse capacity, cover crop seed distribution, agri-tourism opportunities, and much more according to a news release from the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship.
“Consumers are continually looking for more Iowa food, beverages, and ag products to enjoy and these Choose Iowa Value-Added Grants will help Iowa farmers, small businesses, and non-profits build that supply,” said Secretary Naig in a news release. “We are so pleased to provide these Choose Iowa cost-share investments because they will enhance the availability of Iowa products while creating positive economic activity in communities, big and small, across our state.”
Choose Iowa Value-Added Grants awarded this week include the following projects in western/southwest Iowa (for a listing of the other projects, click HERE) :
Breda Ag Solutions | Carroll | $25,000.00
Increase seed and grain packaging capacity with new palletizing and specialty bagging equipment to reach new export markets.
Total project budget: $954,350.84
Champion Steaks LLC | Creston | $25,000.00
Add on-site cold storage and refrigerated transportation for value-added cattle feed to produce premium-grade beef.
Total project budget: $99,250.00
Ebersole Cattle Co. | Kellerton | $25,000.00
Develop a new food hub in Southwest Iowa and offer home deliveries of beef, pork and poultry.
Total project budget: $60,000.00
Golden Outdoors LLC | Adel | $25,000.00
Customize an existing building for aquaculture and add infrastructure to raise Pacific white shrimp.
Total project budget: $70,000.00
Long Walk Farm | Council Bluffs | $25,000.00
Construct an on-farm store to increase sales of Iowa ag products and build market access for multiple Iowa farms.
Total project budget: $68,948.22
One Farm LLC | Logan | $3,590.00
Expand frozen and refrigerated retail display space to offer additional local ag products.
Total project budget: $7,180.00
Vintage Beef by Gress Family Farms | Charter Oak | $20,000.00
Convert a historic railroad depot into a community farm store with cold storage, packaging and retail space.
Total project budget: $49,130.00
Wills Family Orchard | Adel | $22,927.00
Convert a portion of an existing warehouse into cold storage to extend the seasonal availability of apples.
Total project budget: $45,854.00.
(Radio Iowa) – A dairy industry official from Iowa who works in Washington D-C is urging members of Congress to get moving on the creation of a new Farm Bill. Matt Wohlman is senior director of state and industry affairs for the farmer-owned cooperative Land O’ Lakes. “The 2018 Farm Bill has been a really pretty good farm bill for farmers and rural communities and we need to get that Farm Bill reauthorized,” Wohlman says. “It did expire in September of last year and then Congress did a continuing resolution on it until September of this year, but we need to move forward and get this Farm Bill passed.” Wohlman, who’s a fifth-generation family farmer, says there’s little “new money” in the Farm Bill but some tweaks are needed.
“Folks are wanting to make some adjustments to the farm safety net programs, particularly the Price Loss (Coverage) and our PLC programs, adjusting those reference prices that are in the Farm Bill,” Wohlman says, “and then bringing some of the conservation investments that were made over the last few years, bringing those into the Farm Bill programs.” He says the nutritional programs also need to be brought into the conversation.
There’s much partisan bickering in Congress that’s led to an impasse on the Farm Bill over issues like the limiting of climate funding and social safety net programs.
(Atlantic, Iowa) – The City of Atlantic’s Parks and Rec Advisory Board met Monday afternoon. During their regular monthly session, the Board received an update from Parks and Rec Coordinator Jeff Christensen, with regard to the Harl Holt Park “Pour and Play” playground safety equipment and installation.
Christensen said the advantage of the Pour and Play safety product over wood chips, is that it doesn’t dissolve, and is long-lasting.
Christensen reported also, a new pump and sand for the Sunnyside Pool have been ordered.
Atlantic Parks & Rec Advisory Board meeting, 3-20-24 (Left to right: Jeff Christensen, Ali Pieken, Kevin Ferguson, Mike McDermott, Dolly Bergmann, Emily Kennedy, and (Center) Rich Tupper.
The Parks Advisory Board received a request from Carrol Garrett, for a model solar system to be installed at the Schildberg Recreation Area, dedicated to memory of her husband John.
Christensen said some initial discussions have taken place about where sculptures of the planets could be located.
While the big picture will eventually be hashed-out, the Parks Advisory Board the budget should be set at no more than $6,000. And, Frank Saddlemire reported to the Advisory Board that a couple of distance signs for the Schildberg Recreation Area that had been installed years ago, became very weathered and faded. They had been removed. Saddlemire missed them, and graciously donated new signs to replace those that were outdated and removed.
The signs are specifically designated for each end, with mileage included from each point.
On another note, the Atlantic Parks and Recreation Department and the Atlantic Animal Shelter will host their annual Easter Egg Bone Hunt on March 30th. The event takes place at the Buck Creek Dog Park in Atlantic, beginning at 10-a.m. Dogs will hunt for eggs with treats in them, and the cost to participate is $1 per dog. Proceeds go to the Atlantic Animal Shelter. All dogs must be on a leash, and dogs should be up to date on their vaccinations. Owners should bring a bag to carry all the treats their dogs find, and prize drawings will also be held during the event.
Ag/Outdoor, Heartbeat Today, Podcasts
Jim Field visits with Cass County Master Gardener Judy Kennedy about the Master Gardener Scholarship program. Applications are due April 1, 2024.
Podcast: Play in new window | Download (21.8MB)
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