(Radio Iowa) – Third district Congresswoman Cindy Axne is co-chair of the new Rural Reinvestment Task Force formed by the New Democrat Coalition in the U.S. House. Axne says she’ll be recruiting other House Democrats who can articulate a policy agenda that supports rural communities. “I see it as an opportunity for us to have a greater voice of a concerned group of legislators who can raise these issues up,” Axne says. “…There is a big misunderstanding of what rural America does contribute.”

Last Thursday Axne heard from representatives of farm groups, the biofuels industry and farmers growing organic crops at a forum on the Dallas County Fairgrounds. She expects other House Democrats to hold similar forums around the country. “We want to make sure we’ve got it from the north to the south, from the east to the west,” Axne says. Axne says the New Democrat Coalition represents 95 of the 224 Democrats in the U.S. House and the group will lobby to direct more federal resources to support rural areas, focusing on things like broadband access, housing and biofuels policy. Axne is a member of the U.S. House Ag Committee.

Democratic Congresswoman Cheri Bustos, the other co-chair of the Rural Reinvestment Task Force, is also a member of the House Ag Committee. Bustos, who represents a district in northwest Illinois that includes Moline and Peoria, is not seeking reelection in 2022.

(Radio Iowa) – Dubuque native Kenneth Quinn, a former U.S. Ambassador to Cambodia, led the Des Moines based World Food Prize for 20 years — and Quinn recently got a call from China’s new ambassador to the United States. “It was the first call to any Americans made by the new Chinese ambassador outside of Washington, D.C.,” Quinn says. Sarah Lande of Muscatine was also on the call. She hosted China’s president when Xi Jinping visited Iowa in 1985, back when XI was a regional ag official in China. “I think they’re looking to say: ‘Where can we look to, how can we find some place that could maybe help restore things back to where they were,'” Quinn says, “‘back in 2012.”

Just before Xi became the leader of China’s Communist Party and China’s president, he visited Iowa and then-Governor Terry Branstad hosted a state dinner for Xi at the Capitol in Des Moines. “He went to Muscatine, came to the State Capitol, gave a toast in which he invoked Mark Twain — the sun over the Mississippi — and all of these memories,” Quinn says. “I’d never heard a foreign leader talk about our country that way.” Quinn says he believes China is anxious to rebuild trade relationships with Iowa and he sees Iowa businesses and ag commodity groups with the same desire.

“It is going to be one of the two most significant countries on the face of our planet, for sure, and our question to us and to them is: ‘Are we going to have a super adversarial relationship? Or can we find ways to do things together?'” Quinn says. “…To be sure we have enough food to feed 9 to 10 billion people, to deal with climate change, to prevent pandemics China and the U.S. have to work together.”

Quinn spent 32 years as an officer in the U.S. Start Department. He made his comments during a recent appearance on Iowa P-B-S.

(Radio Iowa) – If your holiday weekend plans involve paddling kayaks or canoes, there are areas of Iowa which the experts say you should absolutely avoid. Todd Robertson, paddling instructor and outreach coordinator for Rivers Programs at the Iowa D-N-R, says the recent rains across northern Iowa have led to near-record flooding on some waterways in that region. “In northeast Iowa and eastern Iowa, we have rivers that are extremely high and dangerous. Paddling on those is not a good idea at this time,” Robertson says. “Then, you look at rivers here in central or western Iowa and we’ve got rivers that are actually still super low.”

Swollen rivers are very powerful and produce unpredictable currents along with tons of wood debris coming downstream to form big piles of limbs called “strainers.” Those strainers are the number-one hazard on Iowa’s rivers and streams, Robertson says, and they can be deadly. “You really have to have paddling skill to know how to navigate around these things,” Robertson says. “It’s a lot easier to navigate around them when the rivers are a little bit lower, but when you’re on a high, fast river after a rainfall, you can easily get sucked into these things.”

All paddlers, especially those who are relatively inexperienced, are urged to check with a local county conservation board to learn about water conditions before heading out. “This weekend, depending on what part of the state you’re in, you’re going to want to stick to just paddling on the lakes and just enjoying the flat water, because a lot of these rivers are too high,” Robertson says. “Here in central Iowa, if you look at the Raccoon River, it’s still extremely low to where you may still bottom out.”

No matter how good of a swimmer you might be, he says everyone who’s on the water should wear a life jacket.

DES MOINES, Iowa – The unofficial end to summer this weekend is expected to draw thousands of Iowans out to their state parks and waterways. The weekend weather forecast appears to be favorable for various outdoor activities. The DNR reminds users to abide by all safety measures in order to have a safe and enjoyable Labor Day holiday weekend.

Boating Safety

Boaters headed out to a lake, river, pond or any other waterway should adhere to the following safety tips:

• Plan ahead and avoid peak hours and large crowds of boaters.
• Park your vehicles and trailers in designated parking spaces NOT in grass areas or they will be ticketed and towed.
• Alcohol and boating don’t mix. Wind, sun glare and heat can enhance the effects of alcohol, hindering the operator’s ability to make necessary decisions.
• The same limit of .08 for operating a vehicle under the influence applies to boating.
• Always have a designated operator that avoids consuming alcohol.
• Wear your life jacket, it floats, you don’t! Any children under the age 13 must wear a lifejacket at all times on a vessel underway in Iowa.
• Every boat or vessel must have a wearable life jacket for everyone on board; a USCG approved throw-able flotation device is also required on vessels 16’ or longer.
• Make sure there is a charged fire extinguisher on board, as well as a horn/whistle.
• Slow down and watch for other boaters or personal watercraft, have patience.
• Avoid dams and other hazards on waterways.
• Obey all posted warning signs and rules.
• Drain plugs and other water draining devices must be removed and/or remain open during transport to avoid spreading of invasive species.

Beach & Swimming Safety

Wherever you choose to swim this Labor Day weekend, whether it’s a backyard pool, a pond or lake, or a public pool, please follow these safety tips:

• Remember to keep young children at arm’s reach at all times. Never, even for a moment, leave small children alone or in the care of another young child while swimming.
• Drowning is silent.
• Learn how to perform CPR.
• Avoid alcohol use while swimming.
• Alcohol is prohibited at some public beaches.
• Glass bottles are prohibited on beaches.
• Stay within the roped area of the lake.
• Swim with a buddy.
• Obey posted signs and flags.
• Wear a life jacket or some kind of personal flotation device if needed.
• Use sunscreen and drink plenty of water as needed.
• Iowa’s public beaches do not have lifeguards on duty.

Because the beaches are busier this summer, staff are encouraging visitors to utilize the non-peak times and days. For the busier beaches/parks, the non-peak days usually include Sundays through Thursdays, and Fridays before 5:00 pm. If you plan to go to the beaches on Saturdays, the non-peak hours are usually before noon.

Parks staff may temporarily close parking lots when they become full and limit the number of visitors at that point. The DNR recommends visitors go to another nearby park or beach that is not as heavily populated. Visitors are reminded to only park in designated parking spaces. All violators will be cited by staff.

State Parks/Campgrounds Safety

This weekend will be another very busy one if you plan to visit a state park and campground, use these safety tips to ensure an enjoyable time:

• Pack snacks, food, water and personal hygiene products, including hand sanitizer, to bring along for hiking and utilizing the state parks.
• Stay hydrated with plenty of fluids.
• Don’t hike alone and always have some way to communicate if you get lost and need help.
• Wear proper outdoor attire for hiking.
• Plan ahead for your visit to our parks and campgrounds. If a parking lot becomes full at a park or campground, staff may temporarily close the parking lots and limit the number of visitors at that point.
• If there is no parking available, do not park in the grass areas or any other area that is not a designated parking spot. All violators will be cited.
• Utilize the parks during non-peak times, which often include mornings and evenings.
• If a park is heavily populated, find another nearby state park that is less populated.
• Don’t transport firewood, buy it locally.
• Be respectful of your neighbors camping around you.
• Slow down on park roadways and obey posted speed limit signs. Families and kids are often walking or biking on the roads!
• “Carry In, Carry Out”—please pick up any trash and carry out what you carry into the park. Be respectful and care for our natural resources.
• Campers should dispose of trash in receptacles, not burn it in the campfires.
• Check the DNR website for all of the latest closures.
• If you plan to fish, be sure to have a current fishing license. You can purchase one by visiting: gooutdoorsiowa.com, or by downloading the Go Outdoors Iowa app on your smartphone through the Google Play store or the App Store. You can also purchase your fishing license at some local retailers in your area.

Paddling Safety

Whether it be tubing, kayaking or canoeing, paddlers are enjoying the splash of the water, scenic views, and wildlife viewing from Iowa’s rivers, rapids and streams, stay safe each time you paddle with these simple safety tips:

• Some rivers in northeast and north-central Iowa are swollen and swift with consistent rainfall earlier this week. Stay on lakes and flat-water while the rivers are high.
• With very low water levels in central and western Iowa, due to drought conditions, some waterways are not suitable for paddling, often leaving paddlers stranded.
• Always know your river conditions before you go paddling.  For the latest river conditions, contact Iowa DNR Customer Service at 515-725-8200 or your local county conservation board for updates.
• Let others know where you will be paddling, including what access to what access, and when you are expected to return.
• Always wear your life jacket. Kids under age 13 must wear a life jacket at all times. The vessel must have enough life jackets for all members on board.
• Avoid sandbar crowds and “rafting” up together. Tubers are reminded not to go in groups larger than 10 and don’t tie tubes to one another.
• Check the Iowa DNR’s interactive paddler’s map at www.iowadnr.gov/Things-to-Do/Canoeing-Kayaking/Where-to-Paddle for updates on real-time hazards like downed trees and log jams, strainers and bridge construction. Pay attention to the dam warning signs and know where dams are located before you head out on the water.
• Find individual water trail maps, including access points at www.iowadnr.gov/Things-to-Do/Canoeing-Kayaking/Water-Trail-Maps-Brochures.

The Guthrie County Fair is underway in Guthrie Center, through Sept. 5th. Gate admission daily is $10. Carnival rides and Grandstand entertainment are FREE.

Today’s schedule (Sept. 3rd) includes:

8:00 AM 4-H/FFA Swine Show

8:30 AM 4-H/FFA Horse Show

8:00 AM – 6:00 PM 4-H/FFA Education Center Open

12:30 PM 4-H/FFA Sheep & Goat Show

6:00 PM Clover Kids Show

7:00 PM Rodeo at the Grandstand (Presented by Grand River Rodeo)

This weekend’s activities include:

Saturday, Sept. 4th –

10:00 AM Parade

5:00 PM Tractor & Pickup Truck pulls (at the Grandstand)

Sunday, Sept. 5

6:00 PM Queen Coronation (Grandstand)

7:00 PM Figure 8 races (Grandstand)

For more information, see the Guthrie County Fair website, or follow them on Facebook.

(Radio Iowa) – The pheasant season last year saw hunters take the second-highest number of pheasants in more than ten years — and the numbers are lining up for a repeat. D-N-R wildlife biologist, Todd Bogenschutz oversees the roadside survey and says one area stood out. “Up in the northwest, it could be some of the best hunting they’ve seen in years,” he says. Southeastern and eastern Iowa saw fewer birds in this year’s survey — while the overall outlook pretty much mirrored 2020. Bogenschutz says in 2020 they average 20-point-three birds on each route and this year they average 20-point-one birds.

The results showed three of the nine regions — northwest, north-central, west-central averaged at or more than 30 birds on each route — which hasn’t happened since 2007. Bogenschutz says the spring season is always key in determining how many new birds live into the fall. “I think the nesting season overall was generally pretty good. But last winter was particularly tough on southern Iowa,” according to Bogenschutz. “we had snow, and then it warmed up and melted, and then we went sub-zero and got some freezing rain and that happened a couple of times — to the point that by the end of February in southeast Iowa, full-grown adults were walking on top of the snow, and not breaking through.”

Bogenschutz says he’s not too concerned about the recent flooding, as flooding has the most impact in the spring nesting period. “So, April into May and maybe the first part of June. After that flooding doesn’t have near the impact once the chicks are out and grown up a little bit,” Bogenschutz says. “The flooding we had in July and August shouldn’t have hurt the newly hatched chicks as much.” He expects at minimum a repeat of the pheasant harvest from last year. “I’m expecting we’ll have a harvest of around that 250 to 300-thousand mark again,” Bogenschutz says.

The pheasant season opens on October 30th and runs through January 10th.

(Radio Iowa) – College football season opens in Iowa tomorrow (Saturday) and buses carrying two Iowa teams will also carry new branding. The Iowa Soybean Association and the Iowa Biodiesel Board are partnering with Windstar, the bus company that provides transportation for the Iowa Hawkeyes and Iowa State Cyclones. Iowa Biodiesel Board executive director Grant Kimberley says the buses run on biodiesel and it says so in big letters down the side. “These buses transport these teams to home games to the stadium and away games, as well,” Kimberley says. “It’s not just for football season, it’s also utilized at other times of the year for some of the other sports teams. These buses get some miles on them and they go all across the country.”

He says the partnership and the rebranding of the buses is a great way to educate people about biodiesel. “We can reach a wide audience this way,” Kimberley says. “People that may not normally see a lot about agriculture or about biofuels. It’s a way to get a good cross-section of people.” The Hawkeye and Cyclone team buses have a broad reach, all the while advertising one of Iowa’s biggest biofuels. “People told me that they’ve seen these buses in places like Los Angeles and Denver and even driving by the Capitol in Washington D.C.,” Kimberley says. “They do get around a lot of different places and that’s why we think it’s a great partnership with the university.”

Iowa’s farmers are expected to harvest more than 525-million bushels of soybeans this fall. Every bushel will enhance Iowa’s standing as the nation’s top producer of biodiesel.

(Radio Iowa) – Congresswoman Cindy Axne, a Democrat from West Des Moines, says she’d like to see a proposed tax change get rolled back, so it only applies to the country’s richest families. President Biden has proposed treating the transfer of inherited property as if it were a sale, so capital gains taxes would be collected. Individuals would be able to inherit a million dollars worth of property and couples up to two million dollars worth of land or buildings, but Axne says that’s not a big enough exemption for family farms.

“Let’s say the farm was, I don’t know, $1000 an acre when they first got it and now it’s $7000 — so it’s a $6000 increase per acre and they’ve got 500 acres. You’re talking a lot of money that you’ve got to pay the taxes on. If you do that, you may end up having to sell some of the land to pay the taxes,” Axne says. “What we don’t want is to sell family farms.”

Axne says small business owners also could be prevented from passing their business onto the next generation. “I look at this as a Main Street issue,” Axne says, “and we’ve got to get this fixed.” Axne says it’s not just an issue in rural America. She cites as an example a couple who bought a property in the Bronx and have run a bodega for decades, as they would be unlikely to be able to pass the small convenience store onto their children or grandchildren.

“Let’s say they bought it back in the day for a couple of hundred thousand dollars 50 years ago and now with all the gentrification, everything in the Bronx, it could be worth $4 million,” Axne says. “They will not be able to pay the taxes on $3.8 million. Who’s going to come in there? 7-Eleven — it’s going to be a large company — so this is an issue across this country.”

Axne made her comments after a meeting in Adel with representatives of more than a dozen farm and ag-related organizations.

(Atlantic, Iowa – Story by Atlantic FFA reporter Aspen Niklasen)

Over the summer, the Atlantic FFA participated in several different livestock judging contests across the area; all of which at county fairs. Livestock judging is all about analyzing animals, whether that be beef, swine, sheep, or goat, and how they compare with one another as well as how they compare to an ideal standard. At most local events, teams up to four will place four animals in the most optimal order, while at state events and above, contestants will have to give specific reasoning for their choices.

The first contest that members attended was at the Adams County Fair in Corning. Team members Aspen Niklasen, Bryan York, Daniel Freund and Dylan Comes placed 7th overall. The next contest the Atlantic FFA chapter attended was at the Montgomery County Fair in Red Oak. Team members consisted of Daniel Freund, Bret Dreager, the team placed 4th overall. McKenna placed 5th overall in the Individual portion of the contest.

The third contest of the season was the Audubon County Fair in Audubon. Two teams competed in the contest, Team two consisting of Reid Woodward, Lola Comes and Malena Woodwar placed 8th. Team one that consisted of McKenna Sontag, Dylan Comes and Brett Dreager placed 9th overall. Individually Malena Woodward placed 6th overall and McKenna placed 10th.

Adair Co Fair Left to right
Cooper, Daniel Freund, Dylan Comes, McKenna Sonntag, Lola Comes

Audubon Co Fair Left to right
Ried Woodward, Lola Comes, Malena Woodward, McKenna Sonntag, Dylan Comes, Bret Dregaer

Cass Co Team 1
Malena Woodward, Cooper Jipsen, McKenna Sonntag, Bret Dreager

At the Adair County Fair, the team of at the Adair County Dan Freund, Dylan Comes, Cooper Jipsen, Lola Comes, McKenna Sonntag placed 5th. Newcomer to the team Lola Comes said, “My focus has been cattle because that is what I love to work with, but livestock judging has opened my eyes to other varieties of livestock. “

Last warm up before Districts was Page County Fair at Clarinda. Dylan Comes led the team with a 9th place individually, Daniel Freund, Cooper Jipsen and McKenna Sonntag placed 7th. Sonntag said, “Livestock judging was a great opportunity to learn even more about each livestock species and have a lot of fun together “

The Southwest FFA Districts Contest was held at the Cass County Fair this year. Atlantic FFA team 1 consisting of Malena Woodward, Cooper Jipsen, McKenna Sonntag and Bret Dreager placed 5th at the SW District FFA livestock judging contest at the Cass County Fair. Malena placed 4th individually and Cooper placed 9th. Atlantic FFA team 2 consisting of Ried Woodward, Brock Henderson, Lola Comes and Dan Freund placed 7th at the SW District FFA livestock judging contest today at the Cass County Fair.

Finally at the Iowa FFA State Livestock Judging Career Development Event, McKenna Sonntag, Dylan Comes and Malena Woodward placed 25th out of 46 chapters earning a Silver rating. Atlantic FFA Advisor Mr Eric Miller said, “the contest was very competitive. There were only 25 points separating 10th and 25th. I am very happy with how far the team has come this year. The three individuals competed in placing breeding and market classes of beef, swine, sheep and goats; keep/cull and oral reasons classes; and a general knowledge test.

In the upcoming months Atlantic FFA will attend 2 more Livestock Judging Contests, the Guthrie County Fair and the Clay County Fair. If you are interested, please talk to Mr. Miller or any of the FFA Officers. Anyone is welcome to join FFA.

(All photos are courtesy Atlantic FFA Advisor Eric Miller)

(Atlantic, Iowa) – Atlantic Police Chief Dave Erickson, Wednesday, spoke to the City Council with regard to permits for bow hunting in the City limits. The hunting season begins Oct. 1st.

The Chief says the City is doing the Doe depredation program, also.

If you aren’t already certified to bow hunt in the City, you will need to contact Chief Erickson and qualify to do so. The numbers of hunters taking advantage of the program have declined over the past couple of years, and the herd has grown as a result.