Jim Field visits with Scrooge contestant Dr. Chet Meneely.

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(Radio Iowa) – The corn and soybean harvest could be close to wrapping up this week. The U-S-D-A says just three percent of the soybeans remain to be harvested statewide, and around ten percent of the corn. The majority of the corn still in the fields is in south-central Iowa, where the report says only 69 percent has been harvested through Sunday.

Crop report/USDA graphic

The same area lags behind in the bean harvest as well, with 86 percent complete, while the report shows 100 percent of the beans have been harvested in the north-central portion of the state.

Chris Parks, Asa Lucas, Jim Field, and Matt Mullenix take a look at 8 area high school football games each week throughout the season. We try to provide some insight into the match-ups while competing for top prognosticator and the Whosman Trophy.

Congratulations to our 2023 winner Chris Parks! Thanks for listening all season and thanks again to Rush CPA & Associates and Fareway for helping us bring you the show this season again.

Last Week:

Chris Parks 8-0

Matt Mullenix 6-2
Asa Lucas 6-2
Jim Field 8-0

Final Overall 2023 Standings:

Chris Parks 69-11

Matt Mullenix 63-17
Asa Lucas 65-15
Jim Field 61-19

(Atlantic, Iowa) – The Schildberg Recreation Area on the northwest side of Atlantic will be the scene this Thursday, for the stocking of well over 200 rainbow trout. The Iowa Department of Natural Resources is partnering with Atlantic Parks and Recreation and Optimal Aquafeed, to load the small pond at the SRA with the fish Thursday afternoon.

DNR Fisheries Biologist Bryan Hayes says this is “something new, something unique, something we’ve never done before.”

The trout are making the road trip to Atlantic from Shenandoah.

The pond 1 at the Schildberg Recreation Area was selected for stocking because of its small size and proximity to Atlantic.

Hayes says the trout range from three-quarters of pound to as much as four-pounds.

Anglers must have a valid fishing license and pay the $14.50 trout fee to fish for or possess trout. The daily limit is five trout per licensed angler with a possession limit of ten. Children aged 15 or younger can fish for trout with an appropriately licensed adult, but they must limit their catch to one daily limit. The child can buy a trout fee, allowing them to catch their limit of five trout.

For more information, contact Bryan Hayes at 712-769-2587.

(Massena, Iowa) – The Cass County Conservation Board will hold a Bird House Workshop on November 18th. The workshop takes place at the Outdoor Educational Classroom near Massena , beginning at 3-p.m. All ages are welcome. At the workshop, you will learn all about making bird houses! You can even take your birdhouse home, for a suggested donation. Suggested donations for House Wren house $8, Bluebird wood or PVC $8, and Kestrel house $20.

The event is designed to be fun for all ages. Children must be accompanied by adult.  Please pre-register by November 15th by calling 712-769-2372 or emailing lkanning@casscoia.us ! The CCCB hopes you will join them for the Bird House Workshop, on November 18th.

Jim Field visits with Iowa DNR Fisheries Biologist Bryan Hayes about a trout stocking project this week at the Schildberg Recreation Pond 1.

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DES MOINES – Iowa Governor Kim Reynolds, Friday, announced the signing of a disaster proclamation for Clay and Hamilton Counties effective immediately through December 3, 2023. The announcement came after the USDA has confirmed positive cases of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) in three game bird duck farms in Clay County, and a positive case in a commercial breeding chicken flock in Hamilton County. 

The proclamation allows state resources from Iowa Homeland Security, the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship, and other agencies to assist with tracking and monitoring, rapid detection, containment, disposal, and disinfection. The proclamation also waives regulatory provisions related to commercial vehicles responding to affected sites. 

The most recent case of bird flu in Iowa previously announced was in a commercial turkey farm in Buena Vista County. With these four new cases, there have now been a total of 10 cases of HPAI  in Iowa for the year.

Flock owners are asked to prevent contact between their birds and wild birds. Additionally, anyone who witnesses sick birds or unusual deaths among birds should immediately report them to state or federal officials. Biosecurity resources and best practices are available on the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship website.

The recent HPAI detections in birds do not present an immediate public health concern, and it remains safe to eat poultry products. If producers suspect signs of HPAI in their flocks, they should contact their veterinarian immediately. 

Jim Field visits with Sheryl Dusenberry, one of the four “Scrooge” candidates helping to raise money for the Atlantic Food Pantry.

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DES MOINES, Iowa, Nov. 2, 2023 – U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Rural Development State Director in Iowa Theresa Greenfield today (Thursday) announced that the Agency is investing $20,500,000 in loans and $95,513 in grants to ten rural Iowa projects to improve electric infrastructure, lower energy costs, and expand businesses. Among them is a Higher Blends Infrastructure Incentive Program grant of $481,768 to Pilot Travel Centers, LLC, in Iowa and 15 other states. The Rural Development investment will be used to expand the sales and use of renewable fuels. The projects is intended to increase the amount of ethanol sales sold by more than 57.8-million gallons per year.

Today’s announcement is part of a larger national announcement detailing $5 billion in support for projects in rural America. A full list of projects from the announcement is available online. USDA Funded Projects:

Three Iowa cooperatives received a total of $20.5 million in Electric Infrastructure Loan and Loan Guarantee program funding. The announcements are part of President Biden’s Investing in America efforts to rebuild the physical infrastructure of our country to grow the economy for decades to come, create good-paying jobs, and better position rural America to compete in a global economy.

–Western Iowa Power Cooperative received a $11,000,000 loan to connect 220 consumers and build and improve 62 miles of line. This loan includes $2,112,312 in smart grid technologies. The cooperative is headquartered in Denison, serving 5,578 consumers over 2,076 miles of line in nine counties in west central Iowa, including Audubon, Carroll, Crawford, Harrison, Ida, Monona, Sac, Shelby, Woodbury counties.

–Prairie Energy Cooperative received a $6,000,000 loan to build two miles of line and connect 78 consumers. Prairie Energy, headquartered in Clarion, in Wright County, serves approximately 4,330 members with over 2,089 miles of line in eleven Iowa counties.

–Northwest Iowa Power Cooperative received a $3,500,000 loan to help with generation system improvements. Northwest Iowa Power Co-op is a generation and transmission electric cooperative headquartered in Le Mars, in Plymouth County, supplying wholesale electric power to seven distribution cooperatives covering 6,500 square miles in western Iowa. These distribution cooperatives supply retail power to over 30,000 members/consumers. The cooperative serves these customers with over 900 miles of 69k V transmission line and 80 distribution substations.

An interstate co-op with ties to Iowa, Associated Electric Cooperative received a $328,924,000 Electric Infrastructure Loan and Loan Guarantee program loan to help with generation system improvements. Associated Electric Co-op is a generation and transmission cooperative that provides wholesale power to its six generation and transmission members, which in turn, provide wholesale power to 51 distribution member cooperatives. The combined 51 distribution members serve more than 910,000 customers in Missouri, southeast Iowa, and northeast Oklahoma. The co-op’s service area in Iowa includes portions of Appanoose, Davis, Des Moines, Henry, Jefferson, Keokuk, Lee, Louisa, Lucas, Marion, Monroe, Van Buren, Wapello, Washington, and Wayne counties.

Seven rural Iowa farms and businesses received Rural Energy for America (REAP) program grants. The funding is designed to help agricultural producers and rural small business owners make energy efficiency improvements and renewable energy investments to lower energy costs, generate new income, and strengthen the resiliency of their operations. This funding is made possible in part by President Biden’s Inflation Reduction Act – the nation’s largest-ever investment in combating the climate crisis.

REAP recipients include:

-Donald Beatty received a $14,576 grant to help install a 16 kilowatt solar array on his grain production operation near Atkins, in Benton County. This project will realize $3,804 per year in savings and will replace 22,560 kilowatt hours per year (96 percent of previous use), which is enough electricity to power two homes.

-Tye Steffen received a $11,925 grant to install a 20.5 kilowatt solar array at his grain production farm near Greenville, in Clay County. This project is expected to save $3,415 per year. It will replace 19,320 kilowatt hours (100 percent of the farm business energy usage) per year, which is enough energy to power one home.

-Kluesner Flooring Inc., a flooring business in Manchester, in Delaware County, received a $14,352 grant to help install a 14.4 kilowatt solar array. This project is expected to save $2,840 per year and to replace 15,256 kilowatt hours (100 percent of the business energy usage) per year, which is enough to power one home.

-Pops Inc. received a $14,196 grant to install a 14 kilowatt solar array at its agricultural management and site preparation contracting business near Dyersville, in Dubuque County. This project will realize $1,826 per year in savings and will replace 18,164 kilowatt hours (99 percent of previous business use), which is enough electricity to power one home.

-BAC CPA LLC, doing business as certified public accounting firm, received a $10,400 grant to install a 17.3 kilowatt solar array at its business in Dyersville, in Dubuque County. This project will generate 12,433 kilowatt hours per year, amounting to $2,216 per year. This is enough electricity saved to power one home.

-John Myers, owner of a grain production operation near Humboldt, in Humboldt County, received a $18,656 grant to install a 22 kilowatt solar array. This project is expected to save $5,312 per year. It will replace 20,275 kilowatt hours (100 percent of the farm business energy usage) per year, which is enough electricity to power two homes.

-Michael Kadow received a $11,408 grant to install a 9 kilowatt solar array on his grain production farm near Lone Rock, in Kossuth County. This project will realize $1,784 per year in savings and will generate and replace 10,056 kilowatt hours per year (100 percent of previous business use), which is enough electricity to power one home.

(Radio Iowa) – While several cases of highly pathogenic avian influenza are reported in commercial Iowa turkey flocks in recent days, officials with the Iowa Turkey Federation says the turkey supply is safe and there will be plenty of birds for roasting at Thanksgiving. Morgan Pothoven, spokeswoman for the Ames-based organization, says Iowa producers are striving to ensure their flocks — and consumers — are protected from bird flu. “Farmers are working diligently to mitigate the spread,” Pothoven says. “They practice really good biosecurity, creating that line of separation and just tracking movement on and off the farm, so they ensure to not spread diseases. Farmers have worked diligently to mitigate the spread so that we don’t have a supply chain issue for turkey.”

State ag officials say migrating wild birds are the likely source of the bird flu outbreaks. Despite the setbacks where outbreaks were confirmed, Pothoven anticipates there will be an ample supply of turkeys for the big holiday later this month. “Shopping early is always recommended when you are looking for a specific size, but you can guarantee that there’ll be turkeys for you at Thanksgiving — at a reasonable price,” Pothoven says. “Grocers plan and often your turkey is actually on sale, so the most economical way to feed your family is actually your Thanksgiving meal because of the deals that many grocers run.”

Most of the turkeys that are raised in Iowa are used for products like sliced sandwich meats, not the type of whole bird you’d put in the oven at Thanksgiving. “Your whole birds are coming from some other states,” Pothoven says, “but it’s a good reminder that turkey is more than just for at Thanksgiving and you can support Iowans by buying turkey year round.”

Iowa is the nation’s seventh largest turkey producer with an estimated 12-million birds raised here each year.