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CLICK HERE for the latest market quotes from the Brownfield Ag News Network!
The Guthrie County SESS 4-H Range Finders club participated in a state wide Winter Postal Match competition. Participating members must submit at least 3 scores over a 5 month period from November to March. These scores are then compared with other SESS 4-H participating members across the state and awards are presented.
(Photo submitted)
Congratulations to all the members for participating in this during the pandemic! Members receiving metals were Sally Jo Geckler for 1st place in Senior Air Rifle, Ruby Hummel for 1st place in Senior Archery Freestyle and 1st place in Senior Archery Traditional, Lauren Kennedy for 2nd place in Senior Archery Freestyle, and Max Owen for 1st place in Intermediate Archery Freestyle.
(Article Submitted by Trever Derry, Reporter)
DES MOINES– The Office of Iowa Governor Kim Reynolds is reminding Iowans participating in the fall harvest that Gov. Reynolds has already suspended the weight limits for transportation of agricultural supplies and commodities on state highways. Section 120 & 121 of the current Public Health Disaster Proclamation issued on September 18, 2020, allows vehicles transporting agricultural supplies and commodities including but not limited to livestock, milk, crop supplies, and agricultural waste (not exceeding 90,000 pounds gross weight) without a permit, for the duration of this proclamation. It also waives hours of service requirements while transporting these loads.
This proclamation applies to loads transported on all highways within Iowa (excluding the interstate system) and those which do not exceed a maximum of 90,000 pounds gross weight, do not exceed the maximum axle weight limit determined under the non-primary highway maximum gross weight table in Iowa Code § 321.463 (6) (b), by more than 12.5 percent, do not exceed the legal maximum axle weight limit of 20,000 pounds and comply with posted limits on roads and bridges.
The Iowa Department of Transportation is directed to monitor the operation of this proclamation to ensure the public’s safety and facilitate the movement of the trucks involved in our state’s harvest. The current proclamation expires at 11:59 p.m. on Oct. 18, 2020, unless extended by Governor Reynolds for another thirty days before that date.
ATLANTIC, IA (October 11, 2020) – The 2020 Harvest Market has been scheduled for Monday, November 23 from 1- until 7 PM at the Cass County Community Center. This holiday market is held the Monday before Thanksgiving so you can pick up local produce, baked goods, and meats to enjoy at your Thanksgiving meal. The market also offers holiday décor and gifts by local crafters and artisans.
Vendor spaces are now available, and local farmers, bakers, artisans or crafters are invited to sign up. Vendors interested in participating can find details and a registration form online at www.atlanticiowa.com or www.produceintheparkatlanticiowa.com, or at the Atlantic Area Chamber of Commerce.
This year, the market is taking additional precautions to slow the spread of COVID-19. Online pre-orders with drive-though pickup will be available, and all in-person shoppers are asked to wear masks, give distance, and limit to one shopper per household. High-risk customers are welcome from 1-until 3 PM, and everyone is welcome from 3- until 7 PM. The number of shoppers allowed in the building at a time will be limited.
A full list of vendors, and information on pre-orders will be posted online at the Produce in the Park website www.produceintheparkatlanticiowa.com. You can also follow the Produce in the Park Facebook page (www.facebook.com/ProduceInThePark) for current event information.
Harvest Market is sponsored by the City of Atlantic Community Promotion Commission and endorsed by the Atlantic Area Chamber of Commerce.
Officials with the City of Atlantic announced Saturday, that the Compost site west of the Schildberg Recreation Area, is once again open for yard and garden waste. The City had announced Thursday afternoon, that the site would be closed until further notice due to the burn ban, wind and extremely dry conditions.
DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Crop loss estimates from a rare wind storm that slammed Iowa in August have increased by more than 50%. The U.S. Department of Agriculture said Friday that the number of crop acres that Iowa farmers are unable to harvest has grown to 850,000 from estimates last month that 550,000 acres were lost because of the storm, known as a derecho.
FILE – In this Aug. 20, 2020 file photo, a cornfield damaged in the derecho earlier this month is seen on the Rod Pierce farm near Woodward, Iowa. Crop loss estimates from a rare wind storm that slammed Iowa in August have increased by more than 50%, a new report shows. The U.S. Department of Agriculture said Friday, Oct. 10 that the number of crop acres that Iowa farmers are unable to harvest has grown to 850,000 from estimates last month that 550,000 acres were lost because of the storm, known as a derecho. (AP Photo/Charlie Neibergall, File)
The Des Moines Register reports that the damage caused by winds of up to 140 mph was compounded in late summer with a drought that, at its peak, encompassed much of the state. The drought is again expanding after some September rainfall.
If you’re looking to spend time outdoors enjoying fall weather, you might want to check out the new Cass County trails map found at www.AtlanticIowa.com. Cass County Wellness Coordinator Brigham Hoegh says printed copies of the Cass County trails map can be picked up at the Atlantic Area Chamber of Commerce, and will be distributed throughout the county this fall and next spring. Nishna Valley Trails sponsored the map, which was created in partnership with Healthy Cass County. The map, designed by Hotch Studios, highlights 12 different trail locations across county.
Cass County Naturalist Lora Kanning says “People ask about trails in Cass County, but we haven’t been able to give them a simple reference until now. This map does that. It tells you where the trails are, how long they are, if they are accessible, and if they are dirt, grass, gravel or paved. Additionally, we know the risk of transmitting COVID-19 is lower outdoors, so now is a fantastic time to spend more time on our trails.”
Nishna Valley Trails and Healthy Cass County, in cooperation with other area organizations, are developing a trail-needs survey that will be made available this fall with the goal of gaining input and feedback about how the Cass County Trail System can be improved. In the meantime, ideas for trail improvements may be submitted to Cass County Wellness Coordinator Brigham Hoegh at bhoegh@iastate.edu or 712-249-5870.
If your business or organization would like printed copies of the map, please contact Brigham Hoegh. For more information on local wellness events or resources, follow Healthy Cass County on Facebook @HealthyCassCounty.
(Radio Iowa) – The U-S Drought Monitor out today (Thursday) shows around 47 percent of the state in moderate drought — and more than two-thirds of the state is still abnormally dry. Iowa D-N-R hydrologist, Tim Hall, says there’s also a surplus of moisture in parts of the state. “It’s kind of a mixed bag in the state. Northeast Iowa has a surplus of water and west-central and southwest Iowa has a deficit of water. On average it’s not too bad. But you really can’t look at averages this year,” Hall says.
He says central Iowa is doing okay for water — but things change as you move west. “In Audubon, Guthrie, Carroll, Greene, and Shelby counties — driest April to September on record for that part of the state. So those folks in some of those places they are more than 15 inches behind where they should be on rainfall for that time period,” according to Hall. The end of September brought the end of the growing season and concern about the crops having enough water. Hall says the focus now shifts to other water needs.
“We’re looking ahead towards the next growing season certainly, and we are also looking ahead to the point where the ground freezes up and we have less ability to move water into the soil,” Hall says. “And any water that gets into the soil and eventually into the groundwater typically will end up not just being a source of water for plants, but a lot of communities pump groundwater out and use that for their drinking water supplies,” Hall says rainfall usually slows down this time of year — but any rainfall in the dry areas can help.
“We come out of a dry summer, if we go into a dry fall and the ground freezes up and sort of cuts off the ability of moisture to get down into the soil — folks is those parts of the state who have been really suffering this summer from dryness are going to find themselves in the same dryness hole next spring and it’s going to be hard to get out of,” Halls says. The counties now in extreme drought include Palo Alto, Clay, Dickinson, Osceola, O’Brien, Lyon, Sioux, Plymouth, and Cherokee.
(Radio Iowa) – U-S Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue says the U-S-D-A has awarded over nine-MILLION dollars in grants to increase ethanol and biodiesel sales in the state of Iowa. The money may be used to install new storage tanks or new fuel pumps for biodiesel or higher blends of ethanol. “A consumer will have the ultimate choice. That’s what we want to do,” Perdue said. “…I’m confident that our wise consumers when they see a cleaner product, higher octane, lower price, that benefits their neighbors — I think they’re going to choose that.”
Iowa Senator Chuck Grassley and U.S. Ag Secretary Sonny Perdue talk with reporters.
Perdue made an appearance in Mason City today (Thursday) to announce the opening round of grants from a 100-million dollar federal grant program he unveiled in May. The 22 million dollars awarded today (Thursday) goes to retailers in Iowa and 13 other states. “Many stations had hidden that E15 pump out in the back. It was kind of like putting tobacco in a cage, where you had to go find it or ask for it,” Perdue says. “Now, we’re taking those skulls and crossbones off those pumps, putting them out there with a single blended type of pump.”
A year ago, the Trump Administration moved to allow year-round sales of E-15 nationwide, but most stations that offer an ethanol blend offer E-10. In September, President Trump announced he had directed the E-P-A to let stations use current E-10 pumps to sell E-15. These U-S-D-A grants are for NEW tanks and pumps that dispense E-15 or higher blends. “This is the beginning of getting this kind of situation and availability across the country and if you go from 10 to 15, I’m not a math major, but that looks like that’s a 50% increase,” Perdue said, laughing.
Iowa Democratic Party chairman Mark Smith held a virtual news conference to critique Perdue’s announcement. “This is an election year ploy,” Smith said. Former Iowa Lieutenant Governor Patty Judge, a Democrat who also served two terms as the state’s ag secretary, says President Trump’s trade and biofuels policies have crushed the rural economy. “Now he thinks he can buy us off,” Judge says. “…What we’re seeing today is too little and it’s too late.”
Perdue says the program was announced in May and it takes a while in the federal government to get grants awarded. “It sounds like this may be sour grapes because they didn’t think of it,” Perdue said.
Ankeny-based Casey’s is getting a nearly five-million dollar grant to replace 346 dispensers at 70 fueling stations across the Midwest. West Des Moines-based Kum and Go will use a one-and-a-half million grant to install 128 dispensers at 17 fueling stations in six states, including Iowa.
(Radio Iowa) – A farmer was killed in a grain bin accident Wednesday afternoon in Hardin County near Eldora. Upon arrival, it was determined that a man was buried under a significant amount of corn which was spilling from a grain bin. The individual was located and recovered from the corn. The victim is identified as 79-year-old Kennerly Reece of rural Eldora. Reece’s body was recovered by several law enforcement, fire and rescue departments and multiple area farmers.
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