(Atlantic, Iowa) – Officials with Produce in the Park (PIP), in Atlantic, announced today (Friday), the hiring of a new Market Manager, Maria Miller. Miller will oversee the coordination and marketing of Produce in the Park as well as four holiday off season markets. PIP Board President Bailey Smith says “We’re so thrilled to welcome Maria to the Produce in the Park family. The market has grown substantially over the last five years and we’re eager to see what ideas Maria has to enhance the market, while helping to create the same fun atmosphere patrons have come to know and love.”

Miller was born and raised in Omaha and recently moved to Atlantic in 2022 with her family. Produce in the Park was one of the first community events she visited and is one of the reasons she fell in love with the Atlantic community. She loved how welcoming vendors were, the family friendly atmosphere and the investment the market makes to the community. Maria Miller says she is “Excited to be able to contribute to the tradition of Produce in the Park and serve the community. My husband and I…” she says, “…started a garden and quickly realized the hard work it takes to see a good harvest. [And] While my gardening skills may not be stellar, it’s helped me recognize how essential it is to eat seasonally and support local producers.”

Produce in the Park is a weekly Thursday evening (4:30-6:30 PM) farmer’s market in the Atlantic City Park from June 6th – October 10th. Vendor applications can be found online at www.produceintheparkatlanticiowa.com; printed copies are available at the Atlantic Area Chamber of Commerce (102 Chestnut St., Atlantic). Produce in the Park seeks vendors selling handmade or homegrown products, including local foods, as well as beauty products, candles, crafts, art and decorations.

New Produce In the Park Market Mgr. Maria Miller & family (photo submitted)

Join Produce In the Park on Saturday, March 30th, and find all your Easter goodies at the Spring Celebration Market. The celebration will be at the Nishna Valley Family YMCA from 12 PM – 3 PM and feature produce, baked goods, crafts and more. For the latest information, follow Produce in the Park on Facebook (ProduceInThePark) or Instagram (ProduceInTheParkAtlanticIA).

The Spring Celebration Market is sponsored by Cass Health, Gregg Young of Atlantic, First Whitney Bank & Trust, Nishna Valley Family YMCA, Atlantic Area Chamber of Commerce and the City of Atlantic.

(Toronto, ON and Oakland, IA)  March 12, 2024 – Iowa farmer Seth Watkins together with Cara Morgan at Golden Hills Resource Conservation and Development (RC&D), have collaborated to bring ALUS, the leading agriculture-based ecosystem service program, to Southwest Iowa. Southwest Iowa will be the first ALUS community in the United States. ALUS is a Canadian charitable organization delivering the only turnkey farmer-led community-based program that rewards farmers for creating, restoring, managing and maintaining nature-based projects on their lands. There are currently 38 ALUS communities across Canada. The program will engage Southwest Iowa farmers and ranchers to produce net new nature and ecosystem services, while addressing rural environmental challenges related to soil health, water quality and wildlife habitat.

RC&D Executive Director Cara Marker-Morgan says “Producers in Iowa currently have access to many great cost-share opportunities. We are excited to bring ALUS to the region to both compliment as well as fill any gaps of these current programs. ALUS works alongside these opportunities to support the long-term management and maintenance of projects by providing on-going annual payments, but also by creating and supporting social networks within rural farming communities that facilitate knowledge sharing and peer-to-peer learning. With support from ALUS SWI, local farmers and ranchers will be able to generate permanent, positive environmental benefits for their farms and the surrounding community.”

Iowa is one of the top ten agricultural and cattle producing states in the US. Most of Iowa’s agricultural land was tallgrass prairie prior to settlement. Only 0.1% of Iowa’s prairie remain and most of the remnants are found in western Iowa. Creating tallgrass prairie along field edges and on marginal agricultural land, as well as incorporating prairie management into cattle grazing practices, is one of the areas ALUS SWI will focus their efforts.

Seth Watkins, of Pinhook Farms, says “Adding tallgrass prairie to the working landscape can help address some of the environmental challenges we have in Iowa, like soil erosion and nutrient run-off. Prairie grasses have deep roots that hold soils in place, prevent weed encroachment and filter nutrients and pesticides from water runoff. They’re resilient to drought and poor soil conditions and provide habitat for a variety of wildlife, like pollinators, beneficial insects and birds. This is one of the regenerative agriculture practices that can help farmers and ranchers build longevity into their operations while producing environmental benefits.”

ALUS communities work directly with farmers and ranchers to create, manage and maintain new acres of nature that best suit their farm operation and address local environmental challenges. This includes grassland restoration, but also projects like wetland restoration, tree and shrub planting (e.g., riparian buffers, windbreaks, buffer strips) and on-field regenerative agriculture practices, like modified grazing. New acres of nature are created on marginal land or field edges leaving productive land in production.

Bryan Gilvesy, CEO, of ALUS, says “ALUS has been a principles-based program from the very beginning. We believe in working at the grassroots community level to create solutions to local environmental problems. Our program was designed to be integrated alongside other funding mechanisms, such as government programs and grants, and to provide farmers and ranchers with a one-stop shop to access the knowledge, resources and funding they need to maximize the environmental potential of their marginal lands while maintaining farm productivity. We’re excited to launch the first ALUS community in the US in such a vibrant and critical agricultural region as Southwest Iowa.”

The launch of ALUS SWI is generously supported and funded in part by Builders Initiative and the Iowa West Foundation.

About ALUS

ALUS is a charitable organization that envisions a future where all farmers and ranchers produce ecosystem services from nature-based solutions alongside food and fibre to help solve the crises of biodiversity loss and climate change. Through its turn-key farmer-led, community-delivered program, ALUS supports more than 330 community leaders across 38 ALUS communities in helping over 1,600 farmers and ranchers build and actively manage 46,000+ acres of nature-based projects. These projects, like wetlands, grasslands and tree and shrub plantings, help capture carbon, keep lakes, rivers and streams clean, provide food and shelter for wildlife, and better prepare communities for extreme weather events like flood and drought.

ALUS also helps governments, businesses and philanthropic foundations invest in Nature & Climate Solutions on agricultural land to generate positive environmental, economic and social outcomes in the communities where they operate—one acre at a time.

Golden Hills Resource Conservation and Development’s mission is “To collaboratively develop and lead community, conservation, and cultural initiatives to improve our quality of life in rural western Iowa.” Our goals include ensuring healthy natural resources that meet the needs of agriculture, industry, private use, and recreational facilities; promoting and enhancing art, culture and historic resources in rural communities; and working on projects that fill gaps in community services to benefit people of southwest Iowa. Golden Hills was organized under and financially supported by the USDA NRCS in 1981. When USDA operational funding ended in 2011, ongoing work has been as a private non-profit. We have a twenty-three year history of successful conservation and development projects throughout the region. The official Golden Hills footprint is twelve Southwest Iowa counties but much of our projects extend beyond these counties throughout the western part of Iowa.

Jim Field visits with Cass County Conservation Board Executive Director Micah Lee about the “Intro to Turkey Hunting” program Saturday, March 16 at 10:00 am at the Outdoor Classroom Shelter near Massena.

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(Atlantic, Iowa) – Cass County Emergency Management Coordinator Mike Kennon report, effective immediately (as of 9:15-a.m., 3/14/24), “The burn ban for Cass County has been lifted.” Kennon urges those who intend to burn grass or large brush/tree piles, to “Please monitor [those areas] and be careful.”

If you plan to conduct a burn, contact your local volunteer fire department and the communication center at 243-2204 so that they will know. Thank You.

Cass-lift-3142024

Jim field visits with Iowa DNR District Forester Sarah Bell about a tree care workshop presented by the Cass County Master Gardeners on Saturday, March 23, 2024 from 1:00 pm to 4:00 pm at the Cass County Community Center in Atlantic.

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• KJAN, Atlantic  .1″
• 7 miles NNE of Atlantic  .08″
• Massena  .13″
• Earling  .03″
• Bridgewater  .4″
• Villisca  .97″
• Clarinda  .67″

RED OAK  5:01-p.m., 3/13/24 – DNR staff continue to investigate the New Cooperative fertilizer spill near Red Oak in Montgomery County. The release has been stopped and clean-up efforts are still underway.

The product flowed several miles downstream of Red Oak in the East Nishnabotna River, reaching Missouri. The Missouri Department of Natural Resources has been notified.

The DNR encourages private well owners in Montgomery, Page, and Fremont counties with wells in near proximity to the East Nishnabotna River to contact their county health department to test their wells for nitrate. This service is free using Iowa’s Grants-to-Counties (GTC) program. The DNR will be providing county health officials with lists of registered private wells that may be vulnerable.

Due to low water levels in the East Nishnabotna, the concentration of the liquid nitrogen fertilizer is higher than during normal stream flows, causing concern for all animals due to high nitrate and urea levels.

Iowa State University College of Veterinary Medicine Toxicologist Scott Radke recommends keeping all animals away from the East Nishnabotna River until the plume of contaminant moves out of the area.

The Iowa DNR is working with local, state and federal officials, and will continue to investigate impacts of the spill.

Original press release information from March 12, 2024:

Fertilizer spill in Montgomery County reaches East Nishnabotna River

RED OAK — On March 11, New Cooperative in Red Oak notified the Iowa Department of Natural Resources (DNR) of a release on-site early Monday morning.

Approximately 1,500 tons of liquid nitrogen fertilizer (32% solution) discharged into a drainage ditch, then into the East Nishnabotna River. The release occurred due to a valve left open on an aboveground storage tank overnight. Areas of pooled fertilizer have been pumped into a vac truck and will be land applied later. Dead fish were observed in the East Nishnabotna. The extent of the fish kill is still being determined.

DNR field staff are on-site. Samples have been collected and will be analyzed. The investigation is on-going.

(Clarinda, Iowa/by Atlantic FFA reporter Lily Johnson) – On Saturday, March 2nd, 2024, 20 members of the Atlantic FFA chapter competed in the District Career Development Events at Clarinda High School.

Lauren Comes

During the District Business session Sophomore Lauren Comes was elected as the 2024-25 Southwest District Secretary. Lauren will have several new responsibilities in her new office. Lauren gave a speech and answered two questions earlier during the business session.

Lauren said, “Being selected as a district officer was truly an amazing experience. I am extremely grateful and excited for what the year will bring. I can’t wait to be able to represent the Atlantic FFA at a district level. Having the experience to advocate for this outstanding organization is an incredible opportunity.” Hayden Kleen and Keston Schmidt were the chapter delegates for Atlantic FFA at the convention.

Earning a Gold rating, placing 3rd earning the Alternate to the Iowa FFA State Convention was Lola Comes Extemporaneous Speaking.

Keegan Kemp

Also earning Gold was Charli Goff in Ag Welding and Keegan Kemp in Torch Welding.

Lola Comes

Claire Pellett competed in Public Speaking and earned a Silver rating, Makenna Schroeder completed in Chapter Website and the Conduct of Meetings Team earned a Silver.

Team members include Addie Freund, Addalyn Sonntag, Rylee Harlan, Jacquie Freund, Lily Johnson, Collin Harris and Maddy Anderson.

In the FFA Chapter Quiz, Atlantic FFA had 2 members participate. Earning a gold were Lauren Comes placing 11th and Lily Johnson placing 14th.

In the FFA Freshman Greenhand Quiz, Atlantic FFA had 6 members participate. Earning a Gold was Jacquelyn Freund. Receiving silvers were, Rylee Harlan, Addalyn Sonntag, Bailey Gresihaber, Maggie Cohrs. Receiving Bronze include Lily Willrich, and Kayedance Sturm.

Charli Goff

Competing in the Farm Business Management Test was Mia Kloewer placing 40th earning a Bronze medal.

(Atlantic, Iowa) – The Atlantic FFA Chapter welcomed Iowa FFA State Officer Collin Bauer and District Officer Presley Buttler to a chapter visit on February 26th, 2024. Atlantic Ag Instructor/FFA Advisor Eric Miller says while at the AHS, the officers discussed opportunities in FFA and the students participated in leadership-building activities.

During a year of service to the organization, Iowa FFA officers serve as ambassadors for agriculture and the FFA. They travel to FFA chapters throughout the state to connect with members and talk about the many opportunities available to students enrolled in agricultural education.

Each Ag Class has a lesson tailored to meet the needs of the individuals in the class. Some workshops are based on Leadership Skills, others on Team Building and finally FFA Chapter Recruitment. Each class begins with an introduction of an ice breaker activity used to get the State Officers and the students in the class introduced to each other. This is followed by a game or activity designed to highlight a specific leadership skill or team building activity.

Agricultural education incorporates three aspects of learning. The classroom provides basic knowledge. FFA develops leadership and personal skills. A Supervised Agricultural Experience (SAE) provides hands-on learning while working or in an agricultural business.

The Iowa FFA Association comprises 285 local chapters preparing over 19,200 students for future career opportunities. FFA activities and award programs complement instruction in agricultural education by giving students practical experience in applying agricultural skills and knowledge gained in classes.

Through agricultural education, FFA makes a positive difference in students’ lives by developing their potential for premier leadership, personal growth, and career success.

DES MOINES, Iowa [KCCI] — A bill moving forward in the Iowa Statehouse limits how the Iowa Department of Natural Resources can purchase land to expand or create public lands. Iowa has 35.7 million acres of land, but only 3% is public, making Iowa second-to-last in the nation for publicly-accessible land.

The bill would restrict the DNR from purchasing land at a public auction. The DNR would still be able to buy land from private sellers and accept land donations.

The bill advanced out of an Iowa House subcommittee on Tuesday and will now head to committee. It will need to pass through the House to make it past Friday’s funnel.