(Radio Iowa) – The U.S. Labor Department says a Tennesse-based cleaning company will pay $649,000 in penalties for employing children at facilities that included the Sioux City Seaboard-Triumph pork plant.

An investigation earlier this year found that children, some as young as 13, were put on overnight sanitation shifts at the Sioux City plant and Perdue farms facility in Virginia. At the Seaboard Triumph facility, federal investigators witnessed children concealing their faces carrying glittered school backpacks before starting their overnight shift.

They learned children were assigned to use corrosive cleaners to clean dangerous kill floor equipment. Seaboard Triumph has since fired the company.

ADAIR COUNTY—Heavy precipitation is causing a bypass of untreated wastewater from the City of Fontanelle. It is flowing from the lift station located at Washington and Main Streets in town to an unnamed tributary which runs over a mile before reaching the Middle Nodaway River.

The bypassing began at 11:15 p.m. last night. The amount of the discharge is unknown at this time. DNR staff are monitoring the situation and sampling has been required.

It is recommended to stay away from this area until the bypass has stopped.

(Des Moines, Iowa)- Fieldwork activities were limited as rain across the State held Iowa farmers to just 1.4 days suitable for fieldwork during the week ending May 5, 2024, according to the USDA, National Agricultural Statistics Service. Rains the past two weeks have resulted in reports of some counties moving out of the extreme to severe drought stages. Topsoil moisture condition rated 4 percent very short, 12 percent short, 65 percent adequate and 19 percent surplus. Subsoil moisture condition rated 7 percent very short, 20 percent short, 64 percent adequate and 9 percent surplus.

Just 8 percent of Iowa’s expected corn crop was planted during the week ending May 5, 2024, for a total of 47 percent planted. This meant progress went from ahead of average to lagging 2 days behind both last year and the 5-year average. Seven percent of the corn crop has emerged, 3 days ahead of last year and 1 day ahead of the average. Soybean planting progress fell behind the previous year with 5 percent of Iowa’s expected soybean crop planted during the week ending May 5, 2024, for a total of 30 percent of the expected soybean crop planted, 2 days behind last year. Four percent of the soybean crop has emerged. Ninety-six percent of the expected oat crop has been planted, 2 days ahead of last year and 10 days ahead of normal. Oat emergence reached 68 percent, 5 days ahead of last year and 1 week ahead of the 5-year average. The first oat condition rating of the season was 1 percent very poor, 2 percent poor, 29 percent fair, 59 percent good and 9 percent excellent.

The first hay condition rating of the season was 1 percent very poor, 3 percent poor, 21 percent fair, 64 percent good and 11 percent excellent. Pasture condition rated 57 percent good to excellent. There were many reports of cattle being turned out to pasture. Unseasonably wet conditions continued through the reporting period with several disturbances crossing the state. Rain on already saturated ground produced flooding in pockets of northern and southeastern Iowa. Temperatures varied from cooler than average in northwestern Iowa to unseasonably warm southeast; the statewide average temperature was near normal at 55.0 degrees.

Showers remained in eastern Iowa with additional redevelopment in western Iowa ahead of a low pressure center through Sunday (28th) afternoon. Daytime temperatures reached into the upper 60s where cloud cover was sparse with light southerly winds. As the low pressure center propagated towards the Great Lakes, winds shifted westerly with Monday (29th) morning lows ranging from the low 40s northwest to upper 50s southeast. Widespread rain totals were reported at 7:00 am with the highest amounts in pockets of northwest and northeast Iowa; Dyersville (Dubuque County) measured 1.01 inches while Storm Lake (Buena Vista County) collected 1.21 inches with a statewide average of 0.35 inches. Overcast skies persisted north through the day with highs in the 50s, while southern Iowa was 10-15 degrees warmer under mostly sunny conditions. Winds became variable after midnight as starry skies reigned ahead of another approaching strong low pressure system.

Initial Tuesday (30th) morning showers fizzled in eastern Iowa as a warm front lifted across southern Iowa, pumping in moisture and increasing atmospheric instability. Discrete supercells fired rapidly along the cold front near the Iowa-Nebraska line around 3:00 pm; these storms tracked east-northeast and became severe-warned almost immediately. Reports of large hail and isolated straight-line winds followed the consolidating line east with 2.00-inch hail in Massena (Cass County) and a weak tornado near Millerton (Wayne County). The cold front exited eastern Iowa overnight into Wednesday (1st) as skies cleared ahead of another weather disturbance to the west. Event rain totals across western Iowa were in the 0.50-0.75-inch range at many stations with lesser amounts farther east. Showers with some rumbles of thunder increased through the late afternoon and evening hours with temperatures in the upper 50s northwest to upper 60s southeast.

Showers and thunderstorms overspread the state into Thursday (2nd) bringing widespread, moderate rainfall to much of Iowa. Rain continued across eastern Iowa through the afternoon hours with stubborn showers holding over the southeast corner where flood warnings were issued. Northwesterly winds ushered in cooler temperatures behind the system as dense fog developed from southwest to north-central Iowa. Rain totals reported on Friday (3rd) morning for the last 36 hours showed almost 200 stations receiving at least the weekly climatological average, which was just shy of an inch. Nearly 30 stations had 2.00 inches or more with 2.10 inches in Sigourney (Keokuk County) to 4.10 inches in Centerville (Appanoose County); the statewide average was 0.98 inches.

Daytime conditions were pleasant with winds gradually shifting southerly and upper 60s and low 70s. Yet another low pressure center entered western Iowa early Saturday (4th) morning with thunderstorms forming a narrow line along the attendant cold front. Rain totals were highest across west-central to north-central Iowa where amounts were in the 0.75-1.00-inch range; many of the state’s remaining stations collected 0.20-0.50 inches. Skies gradually cleared west to east through the afternoon and evening as highs held in the upper 50s. Variable winds developed into Sunday (5th) with lows generally in the upper 30s and low 40s.

Weekly precipitation totals ranged from 0.31 inches at Muscatine (Muscatine County) to 4.53 inches in Forest City (Winnebago County). The statewide weekly average precipitation was 2.23 inches, more than double the normal of 0.93 inches. Shenandoah (Page County) reported the week’s high temperature of 83 degrees on the 30th, 15 degrees above average. Forest City and Storm Lake reported the week’s low temperature of 32 degrees on the 5th, on average 12 degrees below normal. Four-inch soil temperatures ranged from the mid 50s northwest to low 60s southeast as of Sunday.

Temperature and Precipitation Maps, courtesy of the Midwestern Regional Climate Center, are available at: https:/mrcc.purdue.edu/CLIMATE/

• KJAN, Atlantic  1.34″
• 7 miles NNE of Atlantic  1.3″
• Massena  1.84″
• Elk Horn  1.22″
• Exira  2″
• Avoca  1″
• Earling  .88″
• Oakland 2″
• Neola  2″
• Villisca  1.72″
• Corning  2.33″
• Bridgewater  2.2″
• Creston  2.29″
• Carroll  1.25″

(Radio Iowa) – The U-S-D-A Crop Report says there were less than two suitable days for field work last week due to wet fields. Corn planting advance just eight percent to 47 percent now completed, and the progress is now two days behind last year and the five-year average. Soybean planting progress is now also behind two days as well, with farmers only progressing by five percent for a total crop planted at 30 percent. Iowa State University Extension field agronomist, Angie Rieck-Hinz, says things in her north-central area is one where planting came to halt. “My best guess depending on how much rain we get this week is it’ll be a probably solid seven to 10 days before we’re back in the field to finish planting,” she says. Rieck-Hinz says there’s still time.

“We’re still within that point that we’re not losing a lot of yield potential by planting a little bit later, but that’s all going to depend on how much rain we get this week and even there’s rain in the forecast for next week,” she says. She says farmers don’t like to sit and wait after getting planting started, but that’s going to have to be the case for now.

“Before people get all too worried about losing yield potential I think got some time to get it dried out and get some more crop in the ground,” Rieck-Hinz says. Statewide seven percent of the corn crop that’s in the ground has emerged — which is three days ahead of last year and one day ahead of the average. Four percent of the soybean crop has emerged.

Jim Field visits with Cass County Wellness Coordinator Grace McAfee about the “Grow Another Row” produce stands, now open for the 2024 growing season.

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(Des Moines, Iowa) – A letter to the Iowa Department of Natural Resources (DNR) from more the five-dozen Iowans from 18 counties, are asking state agencies for a formal investigation of an “unprecedented” fertilizer spill that in March killed 750,000 fish in a Southwest Iowa river. The Gazette in Cedar Rapids reports 63 people signed onto the letter asking for the DNR to pursue “penalties and civil actions,” including referring enforcement to the Iowa Attorney General’s Office, which can pursue bigger fines.  Signers of the letter include people from Cass, Clayton, Crawford, Dallas, Guthrie, Greene, Johnson, Linn, Mitchell, Montgomery, Muscatine, Page, Polk, Pottawattamie, Story, Warren, Wayne and Winneshiek counties.

(View a copy of the letter HERE)

Around March 9, someone at the NEW Cooperative in Red Oak left open a hose valve that leaked about 265,000 gallons of liquid nitrogen fertilizer into a drainage ditch that went to the East Nishnabotna River. An employee noticed the spill March 11 and alerted the Iowa DNR.

The Gazette reports Neil Hamilton, a Drake University emeritus professor of agricultural law, wrote in the letter dated April 29th, “The extent of this pollution event is unprecedented and requires the attention of all Iowans. The devastation of life in over 50 miles of the river, including the death of 750,000 fish as reported by your dedicated staff, is difficult to even comprehend.”

New Cooperative spill (File photo from the Iowa DNR)

In addition to seeking higher penalties for offenders, the letter asks the Iowa DNR to work with the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship to review rules about agricultural chemical storage to see if they are adequate to protect waterways.

Des Moines, Iowa (April 29, 2024) – Atlantic High School students attended the 13th annual World Food Prize Iowa Youth Institute (IYI), where 277 students representing 89 Iowa high schools gathered with 85 educators at Iowa State University to explore pressing global food security challenges and professional opportunities in STEM fields. ISU President Wendy Wintersteen said “Iowa State University is proud of its longtime partnership with the World Food Prize to provide this premier educational program. The Iowa Youth Institute is an opportunity for high school students to connect with Iowa State expertise, resources and scholarships. We are pleased to see how this program ignites students’ passion to help address one of society’s most complex challenges – global food security.

The IYI, a cornerstone of the Foundation’s esteemed youth programs, is dedicated to inspiring the next group of global leaders to pursue influential careers in STEM fields—science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. It attains this goal by fostering connections among students, faculty from Iowa State University, and industry professionals with a focus on addressing critical issues in global food security.

“We live in a world where some days it’s easy to be hopeless,” said Amy Akers, teacher at Southview Middle School. “But this event is so hopeful. I feel the energy of these young changemakers. I hope they walk away feeling empowered by the experts and peers that truly listened to them.”

Before the event, students conducted research on food insecurity within a chosen country, crafted a research essay, and provided a personal recommendation for solving the identified problem. During the event, students presented their findings to leading experts and faculty members from Iowa State University.

Attending Atlantic High School Students:

Lauren Comes | Animal Agriculture in the Central African Republic (CAR)

Lily Johnson | Malnutrition in Somalia

Each participating student is eligible for a $1,000 scholarship towards Iowa State University’s College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, with the opportunity to apply for the esteemed Wallace-Carver Fellowship program in collaboration with the USDA. Exceptional participants from Iowa will also secure a spot working with scientists and policy experts from around the world at the three-day World Food Prize Global Youth Institute in October. The Iowa Youth Institute strives to reach every school in Iowa to encourage students to pursue career paths in science, technology, and policy to help fight world hunger.

World Food Prize Foundation logo

World Food Prize Foundation President/Ambassador Terry Branstad said “It’s empowering to see the future champions of food security in action. Through events like the Iowa Youth Institute, they are demonstrating their ability to rise to the challenges of the past, the present, and the future.”

About the World Food Prize: The World Food Prize is an international award that honors individuals who have improved the quality, quantity or availability of food worldwide. The Prize was founded by Dr. Norman E. Borlaug, recipient of the 1970 Nobel Peace Prize, for his work that contributed to increases in agricultural outputs which was termed the Green Revolution. Since then, the Prize has been awarded to 53 distinguished individuals during the Norman E. Borlaug International Dialogue. The Dialogue, also known as the Borlaug Dialogue, is a week of events dedicated to an issue surrounding food insecurity or hunger each year.

Jim Field visits with Kate Olson about the Cass County Master Gardeners Plant Sale on May 11 and the Bus Trip on May 22.

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(Des Moines, Iowa; via the Iowa Capital Dispatch) – Drought conditions in the state continue to retreat amid abundant rainfall, according to the U.S. Drought Monitor. A Thursday report shows the biggest moisture gains in western and southern Iowa. Less than half of the state now has drought for the first time since June 2023. That’s down from about 96% of the state in October.

Last week’s statewide precipitation averaged 1.32 inches, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture. That’s about 45% more than is normally expected. The highest reported rainfall was 4.72 inches in Little Sioux in far western Iowa, whereas the least was one-tenth of an inch near Guttenberg in far northeast Iowa.

A wide area of severe drought remains in eastern Iowa, although it has been shrinking. Much of that area had previously suffered from extreme drought — the second-to-worst classification issued by the Drought Monitor — but its presence has greatly diminished. About 2% of the state has extreme drought, down from 35% at the start of the year.

Drought conditions might lift from about a quarter of the state in the coming months, according to a recent report by the U.S. Climate Prediction Center. Drought is expected to remain, but improve, in the worst-affected areas. A USDA report on Monday said about 78% of cropland has adequate or surplus soil moisture, which is slightly better than a year ago.

Crop planting has been several days ahead of the five-year average. As of Sunday, about 39% of corn and 25% of soybeans had been planted.