The hundreds of head of hogs at the just-opened Iowa State Fair are being carefully monitored for signs of illness. Outbreaks of a new flu strain were reported at recent fairs in Ohio and Indiana. Iowa State Fair manager Gary Slater says they’re being vigilant at the big event in Des Moines for any indications of influenza.

Ten people got sick at the fair in Ohio. The new flu strain is called H-3-N-2, a disease in swine that’s slightly different from the H-1-N-1 strain that hit three years ago. Slater says H-3-N-2 can be passed from swine-to-humans but not from human-to-human. The H-1-N-1 strain could be passed human-to-human. Slater says they’re being watchful at the fair, but he says he’s not particularly worried.

He says the state fair’s livestock entries are steady in number with past years and he’s expecting a very good showing with all the species. Slater hopes to match or beat last year’s attendance of one-million-80-thousand fairgoers. He says the most unique exhibit this year is an 11-foot stainless steel moose, covered with two-inches of Dutch chocolate in the Food Building. It contrasts from the cow covered in butter in the Ag Building. The Iowa State Fair opened Thursday, and runs through August 19th.

Facing one of their most difficult seasons in history, hundreds of people involved in the production of ethanol are meeting this week in Omaha. U-S Ag Secretary Tom Vilsack will be the keynote speaker today (Friday) at the American Coalition for Ethanol conference. Brian Jennings, the coalition’s executive vice president, says the worst drought to hit the region in decades is hurting farmers, consumers and everyone in between.“This is going to be an incredibly challenging year financially for ethanol producers,” Jennings says. “As corn prices continue to climb, many ethanol plants across the country have had to adjust output accordingly because corn is the greatest cost component of an ethanol production facility.”

Iowa is the nation’s number-one ethanol producer with more than 40 plants operating. While one of the conference sessions is called “Proud History, Bright Future,” Jennings says the future is uncertain for many of those producers in Iowa and nationwide.
“We know of some plants that are not operating what-so-ever today,” Jennings says. “We know of others that have cut production back by as much as 20 or 30%. The challenges are very real for these producers.” While there’s much anxiety over the drought’s impact on the corn crop, Jennings says waiving the Renewable Fuel Standard — which insures more ethanol is blended into gasoline — is not the way to go.

“It simply would not reduce corn prices,” he says. “It certainly won’t make it rain or make more feed available and the consequences of removing that would result in higher gas prices and more costs on the refiners who benefit handsomely today from the cheap octane that ethanol provides them.” As the corn plants have withered in fields across the region in the hot, dry weather, the corn supply has thinned while demand has gone up. Gasoline prices have risen more than 20-cents a gallon in the past month. “Ethanol prices have tended to track along with corn,” Jennings says. “You see some instances where ethanol prices are increasing in association with corn but you also see gas prices are rising along with that and corn prices are rising far greater than ethanol prices.” This is the coalition’s 25th annual conference, drawing ethanol producers and other industry officials from as far away as Arizona and Michigan. Learn more at “ethanol.org”

(Radio Iowa)

One “must see” every year for many Iowa State Fair-goers is the big boar. This year, they’re seeing the biggest boar EVER at the fair.

“Reggie” (Radio IA photo)

“Reggie” was the last of seven supersized swine to waddle onto a scale before a big crowd gathered Thursday to witness the annual big boar competition. He posted a new Iowa State Fair record weighing in at 1,335 pounds. Reggie’s owner, Rick Stockdale of Madison, Indiana, says his big boar is not too picky about his diet.

“He’s a slop pig. He eats a lot of bread, Twinkies, Ho-Hos and donuts,” Stockdale said. “Then, of course, corn and produce. He’s a big fan of all the melons – watermelon and cantaloupe. He’ll eat virtually anything, except squash. He will not eat a squash.” Reggie also holds the Indiana State Fair record for biggest boar. At five years old, the Iowa State Fair prize may be Reggie’s last.

“This possibly was his last show, we don’t know. He is getting up in age,” Stockdale said. “We have his son…that is keeping the tradition alive.” A giant pig with the number 32 painted on his side was quite the crowd pleaser – despite finishing third in the competition.

Fred “Hoiboar” escorted by Fred Hoiberg (Radio IA photo)

Fred Hoiboar was escorted to the scale by Iowa State men’s basketball coach Fred Hoiberg. He was contacted late last year by some Cyclone fans who wanted to use the pig to raise money for charity.

“When I heard that, it was a no-brainer for me,” Hoiberg said. “It’s for a camp for kids with heart disease. I was up there last week to spend time with the kids and raise money for the organization.” Camp Odayin is located in northern Minnesota. Prior to Hoiberg’s return to Ames, he worked in the front office of the NBA’s Minnesota Timberwolves. Hoiberg and dozens of others wore cardinal and gold t-shirts which feature a pig and a basketball. The group is selling the shirts to raise money for the camp.

(Radio Iowa)