(An Iowa Capital Dispatch report) – Three wind turbine blades sit ground up inside the concrete blocks of a new retaining wall at Premier Credit Union in downtown Des Moines. It’s the latest project from Renewablade, a company in Bondurant that has found a way to use the materials and, in turn, alleviate the issue of what to do with the massive hunks of fiberglass and resin. Brian Meng with Renewablade said the company is finally in production after several years of research and development to figure out the best way to grind up the blades and incorporate them into the concrete. Right now, Renewablade makes three main products: the retaining wall blocks, like those used at the Premier Credit Union project, commercial highway barriers, and larger barriers used to bunker agricultural materials.

A retaining wall at Premier Credit Union in downtown Des Moines is made from concrete mixed with fiber from decommissioned wind turbine blades. (Photo courtesy of Renewablade)

Meng has spent his career in the recycling industry and several years ago started to notice the need for recycling the blades, which by nature must be replaced about every 20 years. One study estimated by 2050 there would be more than 2 million tons of retired wind turbine blades in the U.S.  Lawsuits cropped up in Iowa and other states as officials took notice of areas where the blades were being dumped and abandoned. It turned out the parties dumping the blades had been paid to recycle them but weren’t doing so.

Another Iowa-based company, REGEN Fiber, processes the blades into a grind that can be added to various types of concrete. A company in Boone has focused on the turbine generators and recycles rare earth materials from decommissioned wind turbines. Meng said Renewablade collects the blades from Iowa turbines, which are easier to transport to the company’s processing facility in Earlham, and from as far as Seattle and Maine. Meng said it “works well” when the decommissioned blades are close to home. For example, Renewablade recycled some of the blades that were damaged in a tornado near Greenfield in 2024. The blades can be around 200 feet long, or about the wingspan of a Boeing 747 jet, which makes transportation difficult and expensive.

The scale also means these blades take up a lot of space in a landfill. And yet, once ground up into concrete blocks, Renewablade was able to repurpose the blades from one whole turbine in just one small parking lot wall. Despite early pushback in Earlham towards the business, Meng said the company is fully operational this year with big plans to expand. Meng said the company is eying expansions into the UK and Texas.

(Atlantic, Iowa) – Produce in the Park is now accepting vendor and sponsor applications for their 2025-2026 Holiday Farmers Market Series. This year, the holiday market series in Atlantic has expanded to five events: Boo-tique Market (October 18, 2025), Harvest Market (November 24, 2025), Christmas Market (December 20, 2025), Sweetheart Market (February 14, 2026), and Spring Celebration Market (April 4, 2026). Vendor applications and sponsorship information for holiday markets can be found online at www.ProduceintheParkAtlanticiowa.com. Printed copies are available at the Atlantic Area Chamber of Commerce (102 Chestnut St. Atlantic, IA 50022). Questions can be directed to the Produce in the Park Market Manager at produceintheparkatlanticiowa@gmail.com or 712-249-5870.

Produce in the Park is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization whose mission is to promote local food and build community. Produce in the Park’s summer farmers markets are held weekly on Thursday evenings (4:30-6:30 PM) in the Atlantic City Park from June 5th through September 25th, 2025. Holiday farmers markets are held just before Halloween, Thanksgiving, Christmas, Valentine’s Day, and Easter. With the exception of Harvest Market, which is held on the Monday before Thanksgiving at the Cass County Community Center from 3-6 PM, all holiday markets are held at the Nishna Valley YMCA from 10 AM to noon.
Produce in the Park seeks vendors who sell handmade or homegrown foods and crafts. The 2025-2026 Holiday Farmers Market Series vendor fee is $25 per market, but vendors who register for all five markets and pay by October 1 receive a $25 discount and only need to pay $100 for all five markets.

Produce in the Park seeks sponsors who support community and wellbeing. Sponsorships offer various levels of recognition, including mention in radio and newspaper ads and press releases, booth space at markets, and the organization’s logo on event flyers. 2025-2026 holiday market sponsorships range from $250 to $1,000.

Annual sponsors for the full 2025-2026 summer and holiday market season include the Atlantic Area Chamber of Commerce, Cass County Tourism, Cass Health, City of Atlantic, First Whitney Bank & Trust, Nishna Valley YMCA, and Gregg Young Chevrolet of Atlantic.

(Radio Iowa) – The Iowa Department of Agriculture says it will continue a special program that directs state funds to six food banks across the state so they can buy fresh food from local producers. Secretary of Agriculture Mike Naig says there is growing demand statewide for local foods.  “Survey after survey tells us that consumers are interested more and more in buying local, and of course, what we love from a business development, or a market development side, is we have tremendous opportunity. Our farmers, our food businesses in the state have a tremendous opportunity to meet that growing demand.” The Choose Iowa Food Bank Program sent funding to food banks in 55 counties in the first year, allowing them to buy nearly half a million dollars’ worth of local food.

The director of the Hawkeye Area Community Action Program food bank, Kim Guardado, says the program has helped stock the food bank’s shelves with good, healthy, colorful foods that will help feed some of the 344-thousand Iowans who don’t have enough to eat. “It’s one in nine Iowans, or up to one in six children that are facing food insecurity on a daily basis,” she says. Her organization purchased more than 300-thousand dollars of local food in the program’s first year.  “We’re so thankful that the legislature, the Department of Ag, has come together to really say, ‘hey, we agree that this is really worthy cause’, and also that food banks – we’re able to support that,” she says.

The Choose Iowa Farms to Food Banks program will direct another 200-thousand dollars to six food banks across the state.

DES MOINES— On Saturday, September 6, 2025, Governor Kim Reynolds and a delegation from Iowa traveled to India for an eight-day trade and investment mission with visits to Delhi, Pune, and Mumbai. The delegates include Iowa Economic Development Authority Director Debi Durham, Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Mike Naig, and agricultural and business leaders from the state. The purpose of the Governor’s return to India is to build on relationships established during an initial visit a year ago and to further explore growth opportunities with one of the world’s largest emerging economies.

“Our visit to India last year kicked off a number of relationships between Iowa and Indian businesses and trade associations and furthered conversations on investing in Iowa and market access for certain Iowa agricultural products,” Gov. Reynolds said. “I look forward to further solidifying those relationships and establishing new connections on which to build.”

While in Delhi, Governor Reynolds and Secretary Naig will speak at DialogueNEXT, a symposium presented by the World Food Prize Foundation that organizes food system stakeholders to discuss pathways toward food security. Governor Reynolds and the delegation will also attend a business panel discussion hosted by the Sehgal Foundation, recognized for its work in economic and educational growth in rural India.

The governor will also sign a partner state agreement with the Indian state of Maharashtra, lead roundtable discussions with the U.S.-India Business Council, the U.S. Soybean Export Council and the U.S. Grains Council, and meet with Indian industry leaders. She will also meet with officials from the U.S. Embassy and U.S. Consulate in Mumbai in addition to senior-level Indian government officials.

The trade mission was organized by IEDA with support from the U.S. Embassy in Delhi and U.S. Consulate in Mumbai.

(Atlantic, Iowa) – This week’s Produce In the Park Farmer’s Market in downtown Atlantic, marks the anniversary of 9/11, and is appropriately enough themed “Emergency Responders Night, ” and there’s a great lineup of local emergency responders, and much more. Event coordinator Ciara Hoegh says “This is a time to recognize the important role emergency responders play in our community.”

You can expect to find first responders including: Cass County Sheriff’s Department and their K9 dog, Chase, Atlantic Fire Department with a fire truck, Atlantic Police Department, Iowa United 1st Aid. There will also be a free bounce house, live music, lots of visiting organizations. This week’s food truck is Pim’s Thai. Vendors selling lots of fresh produce, local meats, eggs, honey, breads and baked goods, arts and crafts, and more.

Also note that the Suicide Awareness Community Walk is being held in City Park following the farmer’s market, beginning at 7:00 PM.

Produce in the Park takes place Thursday, September 11, 2025 from 4:30-until 6:30 PM, in the Atlantic City Park, at 10 W 7th Street. There is no admission fee!

Thanks to September Sponsors: Rush CPA, Gregg Young Chevrolet of Atlantic, City of Atlantic, 1st Whitney Bank, Cass Health, Cass County Tourism, Atlantic Area Chamber of Commerce, and Nishna Valley Family YMCA
Event Facebook link: https://www.facebook.com/share/17BAYJ3RRY/

(Report by Radio Iowa) – Senator Chuck Grassley says the “Make America Healthy Again” agenda Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. is pursuing as the nation’s top health official is worrisome to some Iowa farmers. Kennedy has expressed support in the past for banning the farm chemicals glyphosate and atrazine and, in May, a report from his agency linked environmental chemicals to chronic childhood diseases. Grassley is among the senators who’ve quizzed Kennedy today (Thursday) during a Senate Finance Committee hearing.

“Do you think that any comments you’ve made are consistent with what you said in January, that USDA and EPA ought to be regulating farming and that the Department of Human Services should not seek to regulate farms, the tools they use or the markets that they sell into?” Grassley asked. Kennedy told Grassley he’s been working very, very closely with the U-S secretary of agriculture and is consulting every stakeholder in the farm community.

“To make sure that the MAHA agenda is consistent with their agenda, that we are producing the best food in America, that we’re protecting our soils and our soil microbiome and we’re protecting all kinds of farmers, including those who want to transition to regenerative agriculture.” Regenerative agriculture involves practices like no-till farming that doesn’t disturb the soil and either limiting pesticide and fertilizer applications or not using farm chemicals at all. Grassley also asked Kennedy if he would use his authority to require drug companies to disclose the price of their medication on T-V ads.

“Senator, I think it would be good for us to talk about this off line,” Kennedy says. “We are working on this in our agency and I’m happy to give you the details of what we’re going.” Grassley ended his five-minute time slot in today’s (Thursday’s) hearing by telling Kennedy he expects him to take steps to bar people waiting for organ transplants from skipping ahead of others in line.

In July, Kennedy announced his agency had launched a wide ranging investigation after news reports indicating an organ procurement organization in Kentucky had removed organs from patients who still showed signs of life.

Cass County: Corn $3.77 Beans $9.70
Adair County: Corn $3.74 Beans $9.73
Adams County: Corn $3.74 Beans $9.69
Audubon County: Corn $3.76 Beans $9.72
East Pottawattamie County: Corn $3.80 Beans $9.70
Guthrie County: Corn $3.79 Beans $9.74
Montgomery County: Corn $3.79 Beans $9.72
Shelby County: Corn $3.80 Beans $9.70

Oats: $2.67 (same in all counties)

(Radio Iowa) – Harvest season hasn’t even started in Iowa yet and forecasts for bumper crops are driving prices down, as soybean farmers in particular fear the value of their commodity will be well below what it cost to produce it. Iowa Senator Chuck Grassley says disruptions in international trade may share part of the blame. “Record production, I think has more to do with it,” Grassley says, “but it isn’t just soybeans, it’s corn that’s losing money, too.” Even with a powerful, damaging derecho in July and near-record rains this summer, the U-S-D-A projects Iowa growers are on target for what promises to be the biggest-ever corn crop. That good news is also bad as the rules of supply and demand dictate a record crop will mean free-falling prices.

“It’s just kind of a fact of life that farmers make profits maybe two or three years out of seven or eight,” Grassley says, “and you’ve got to save money to get through the rest of the time. That’s just the way farming is.” Trump administration tariffs prompted many other nations to enact retaliatory tariffs, some of which were later reversed, however, crucial agreements with a few key trading partners have yet to be ironed out. “Since the first of the year, China hasn’t bought anything from us,” Grassley says. “I don’t have a report yet, but the Chinese ambassador was over here a week ago yesterday and today, and I think for three days, and soybeans was going to be one of the negotiations.”

Iowa is the nation’s leading corn producer, and it’s among a dozen states which the U-S-D-A projects will haul in bin-busting crops this fall. Iowa Ag Secretary Mike Naig says he’s working to find new international markets for Iowa’s top commodities, with trade trips to India, Indonesia and Vietnam all planned in the coming weeks.