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DES MOINES, Iowa – The 2018 Farm Bill is now headed to the House floor in Washington after Wednesday’s approval by the GOP-controlled House Agriculture Committee on a party-line vote. In addition to requiring new work and job requirements from those who receive food stamps, sustainable farming advocates say the bitterly contested bill would eliminate programs that help farmers get their products to market and undermine successful investments that have helped create more resilient farms. Policy director for the National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition, Greg Fogel, says the current farm bill is more extreme than other farm bills in attacking sustainable agricultural programs.

“There’s definitely a certain vision behind this farm bill and it’s not one that puts small and mid-sized farms or diversified agriculture or organic agriculture or beginning farmers or the environment front and center,” says Fogel. The Agriculture Committee is asking Congress to vote on the Farm Bill by early May. The Farm Bill was drafted by Republicans without input from Democrats. House Speaker Paul Ryan has hailed the bill as a “critical component” of the House Republican agenda. The Farmers Union opposed the bill and called for language to provide more funding for working lands and energy programs.

The bill would eliminate the nation’s 70-million-acre Conservation Stewardship Program, with cuts to incentive programs that help protect water quality, conserve soil and build resilience to floods and drought. Fogel says it also would eliminate investment in programs that connect farmers with new local customers. “It’s more extreme than any other farm bill in the past, in its attack on these sustainable ag programs,” says Fogel. “You see these programs working every day in communities, and this bill would end all that.” The Farm Bill also adds new work and job-training requirements for recipients of the nation’s nutrition assistance program, or SNAP, formerly known as food stamps. If passed, workers in their 50s would be ineligible to receive food assistance if they are not working 20 hours a week or participating in an approved training program.

(Iowa News Service)

Many Iowa farmers are anxious to start their spring field work, but Mother Nature has other ideas, with recent snowfalls and continued cold weather. Iowa State University Extension crops specialist Joel DeJong says due to the frigid soil temperatures, farmers are limited on what they can do. “I’ve heard of a little manure being hauled, but past that, very little other activity out in the fields,” DeJong says. “I’m not sure it’s really been fit for the activities to go on. We know it’s going to take a little while for that soil to warm up. It’s going to take a few days of average to above-average temperatures to get us there.”

DeJong says soil temperatures need to be at least 50 degrees — and climbing — for suitable growing conditions for corn and soybeans, and we’re nowhere near that. “Soil temperatures are still in the low 30s, just over 32 degrees, and actually looking at temperatures all the way at our sites that measure to 50 inches, it’s only about 35 to 36 degrees at 50 inches,” DeJong says. “That’s a big chunk of slab of soil that we’re going to have to warm up before it’s really fit for the crop growth.” If we would start having outside air temperatures in the 60s for a period of about a week, we may begin to see the soil temperatures rise enough to germinate corn seeds. However, DeJong says farmers may be lacking in patience.

“We’re probably not going to see people wait that long, because more than likely, if we had that scenerio, we’re going to be drier, so, we’re going to see a lot of those other activities start,” he says. “There’s a few producers that probably will, if it’s early next week, that’s typically the week that most people really want to get going and going hard. So, if the soil conditions are fit, they’re going to go out there and plant and they’re are just going to trust that it’s going to warm up.”  He notes, the good news farmers can take away about this year’s field conditions is that we do have either adequate — or surplus — levels of moisture.

(Radio Iowa)

WATERLOO, Iowa (AP) — A county zoning board in northeast Iowa has approved a 35-turbine wind farm despite heated opposition from neighbors who raised health and property value concerns. The Waterloo-Cedar Falls Courier reports that the Black Hawk County Planning and Zoning Commission voted Tuesday to recommend the approval of the Washburn Wind Energy project, which is being developed by RPM Access south of Waterloo. Area residents are concerned about the project’s impact on their health, wildlife and property values.

RPM Access Spokesman Felix Friedman says the company has taken steps to reduce the project’s impact on surrounding property owners. He says the concerns of negative health impacts and property value loss don’t have scientific merit. The county Board of Adjustment is expected to make the final decision on the issue next week.

ROCK VALLEY, Iowa (AP) — Authorities say a man was fatally injured when he was run over by a piece of equipment at a farm in northwest Iowa. The accident occurred Monday afternoon at the farm 4 miles west of Rock Valley. The Sioux County Sheriff’s Office says the man was run over while walking behind a payloader as it was backing up. He was taken to a local hospital and then flown to a Sioux Falls, South Dakota, hospital, where he was pronounced dead.

The Sheriff’s Office identified him as 52-year-old Bradley Peetsch, who lived in Baxter, Minnesota. The payloader driver was identified as 17-year-old Joey Van Ginkel, of Rock Valley. A payloader is a heavy vehicle with a large blade or broad scoop mounted on its front.

A new study says a devastating livestock disease could be transported to the United States through animals food and vitamins — but an Iowa expert says it hasn’t happened yet. The study, released in March, put 11 viruses into samples of several different ingredients. Then, the samples went through simulated temperature and humidity conditions for a trip across land and sea. Study lead author, Scott Dee of Pipestone Veterinary Services, found seven viruses lived. “There’s a growing body of evidence that… (it’s) pretty hard to refute the fact that this could be a significant risk factor for pathogen transport between countries,” Pipestone says.

Iowa State University’s Jim Roth wasn’t involved in the study. But he looks at foreign disease threats and says the most-feared virus, foot and mouth disease, is present in China but has not yet arrived here. So, the threat is real, he says, but may not be imminent. “We’ve been bringing in feed from China, the same feed ingredients, for many years. China has had FMD-food and mouth disease-all of those years and it hasn’t gotten here in the feed,” Roth says.

Pipestone says he’s now looking to find ways to safely prevent virus survival in imported feed.

(Radio Iowa)

The Iowa Pork Producers begin their 16th annual search for Iowa’s Best Tenderloin Wednesday. Pork Producers spokesman, Ron Birkenholz says the tenderloin is an item many restaurants across the state have on the menu. “We’re hoping for another good turnout — we had over three-thousand nominations last year with 271 different establishments named in the contest,” Birkenholz says. “We know there’s a lot of good tenderloins out there and we hope people will nominate them,” Birkenholz says.

Nominations for the best tenderloin can be submitted at the I-P-P website www.iowapork.org Birkenholz said the deadline for all entries is June 5th. He says the contest generates good publicity for the eateries. “It’s good for the business, all of the past winners have told us that their business has increased exponentially after wining the contest. Even the runners up — we name a top five — and even those restaurants see a major increase in their business,” according to Birkenholz.

2017’s Best Pork Tenderloin in Iowa was from the Grid Iron Grill in Webster City.

The winning tenderloin is announced during “Pork Month” in October. It’s something he says the creators of the tenderloins anxiously await. “It puts them on the tenderloin map if you will,” Birkenholz says, “we have people all over the midwest that follow this contest and love tenderloins and want to go to the winner’s restaurant and try it. So, it’s a great deal for the entire industry.”  Last year’s winning restaurant was the “Grid Iron Grill” in Webster City.

(Radio Iowa)

President Trump said last week he would support lifting restrictions on ethanol sales, a move that could provide a boost to Iowa corn growers. There are still questions, however, if that waiver to allow E15 to be sold year-round will require Congressional action. Lynn Chrisp (of Hastings, Nebraska) is first vice-president of the National Corn Growers Association’s Corn Board. He says the N-C-G-A believes the Environmental Protection Agency has the authority to make that change. “We have taken a stand for a long time that this can be an administrative fix, as far as extending the waivers to E15 and blends above that,” Chrisp said.

The E-P-A currently bans the sale of E15 during the summer. At the same time, N-C-G-A continues to call on the E-P-A to stop giving RIN hardship exemptions to oil refiners. “It has a real negative effect on the RFS (Renewable Fuels Standard), to the point that it’s going to reduce the obligation by as much as a billion gallons – which is just something that cannot happen,” Chrisp said.

It looks like the E15 and RIN issues could get tied up in the courts for some time. According to Chrisp, the N-C-G-A is “up for that fight.” Trump’s comments about ethanol came in a meeting last Thursday at the White House. The meeting included Senators Joni Ernst and Chuck Grassley and Iowa Governor Kim Reynolds.

(Radio Iowa, w/Thanks to Ken Anderson, Brownfield Ag News)

Atlantic Parks and Recreation Department Director Seth Staashelm said Monday evening, that work on various projects have, as you might expect, been delayed by the weather. With regard to the Schildberg Recreation Area (SRA) west shelter, Staashelm said a pre-construction meeting with Precision Concrete Services will be held next month, with construction slated to begin around May 12th, weather permitting. Inspection should be completed by June 28th, with opening soon thereafter.

Staashelm said the City of Atlantic Street Department started the site work for the East playground at the SRA. Once that’s done, landscape fabric will be applied, as well as perforated pipes for drainage. Sidewalk work will follow. Seth said also, donations have started to arrive for memorial or dedicated sponsor benches. Those are being ordered.

On May 18th and 19th, construction will begin on the playground equipment. Several groups have stepped forward to help out on the 19th, to assemble the equipment. There will be hot dogs available for volunteers, who will begin work at around 8-a.m. and stay until it’s finished that same day. Tools will be made available, but you’re welcome to bring your own. Gloves are also necessary.

Staashelm said site work on the Lake #3 Trail at Schildbergs will begin as soon as weather permits. As for the Community Parks Projects, there was a meeting between Staashelm and ISU Extension representatives with regard to the layout and what needs to be planted at Mollett and Cedar Parks. With regard to the Sunnyside Park Entrance Sign, Staashelm said the old entrance pillars will be demolished and new footings established.

Once the supports are in-place, decorative pillars and rock landscaping will be accomplished, with the assistance of the Girl Scouts. Seth says when all is said and done, “It’s going to be quite a statement coming in off 10th Street into Sunnyside Park.” Weather has delayed the project, but it’s hoped things can get underway in May.

Earth Day was moved from this Saturday to April 28th, due to a conflict with the 100th Anniversary of ISU Extension. If there is rain or snow on that date, the event will be cancelled. Earth Day at the Schildberg Rec Area involves volunteers cleaning-up the park from 11-a.m. until 2. Hot dogs and chips will be made available. Volunteers should meet at the west end of the park.

Love Atlantic, according to Staashelm, will be held May 5th and 19th. The event is an initiative of community members who will be working May 5th on sprucing up the 7th Street Corridor through downtown Atlantic, and on May 19th groups will be working on parks projects at Schildberg and Cedar Park, the latter of which includes maintenance work and removing the old teeter-totter. Also, a High School Service Learning Day takes place April 25th, where students will be working a couple of hours on parks projects, pickup up debris, cleaning the pool and putting down mulch in the City Park, among other projects.

And, finally, Seth Staashelm said the campground at the SRA is “still pretty full,” with employees of the ethanol plant and others. People are anxious to fill vacancies as quickly as they are made available. Seth said the campground has generated $48,000 in revenue as of the end of March, with $56,000 expected by the end of April. Expenses, such as more water and electricity, but the revenue has outpaced the expenses, and Staashelm said some of those campsites will be occupied until June. Better signage is expected to be in place within the next couple of weeks.

Volunteers are helping Iowa DNR wildlife biologists monitor the state’s frog and toad populations. The research of the amphibians, which start “singing” around this time of year, could tell scientists more about the state’s water quality. The DNR’s Stephanie Shepherd says frogs and toads are tied to the health of their environment. “They can actually breathe through their skin and they soak up their environment,” Shepherd said. “It’s what makes them so vulnerable to toxins and pesticides and things in the water that aren’t supposed to be there.”

Field work training sessions for the frog and toad call survey were held last week in Sioux City and Ladora. The survey, conducted since 1991, is one of the longest running in the country. According to the DNR, over 13,000 call surveys have been done on more than 1,200 wetland sites in 82 of Iowa’s 99 counties.

(Radio Iowa)