John R. Whitaker, State Executive Director for USDA’s Iowa Farm Service Agency (FSA) reminds Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) participants to schedule maintenance and management activities on CRP acres outside of the primary nesting season.  Iowa’s primary nesting season begins on May 15, 2013, and continues through August 1, 2013.

“Acres enrolled in CRP are not eligible for cosmetic or periodic mowing at any time.  Mowing or spraying weed infested areas is NOT allowed on CRP acreage during the primary nesting season without prior authorization from the County Committee in consultation with NRCS,” said Whitaker.

Participants with maintenance issues that require immediate attention should contact their local FSA office to file a written request for any spot spraying or mowing on CRP acres, with approval obtained prior to performing the activities.   

Whitaker added that CRP participants could refer to their completed conservation plan and NRCS Job Sheets provided during conservation plan development for guidance.Failure to contact the county FSA office prior to any maintenance on CRP acres during nesting season may result in payment reductions or possible contract termination.

For questions or more information about maintenance and management activities of CRP acres, please visit your local FSA county office or visit http://www.fsa.usda.gov

w/ Kate Olson

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ST. LOUIS (AP) — Farmers in the nation’s breadbasket who only recently were praying for an end to a withering drought are now pining for enough sunshine and heat to dry their muddy fields in time to plant their corn and other crops. The U.S. Department of Agriculture says only 12 percent of the nation’s cornfields have been planted. That’s about a quarter of the amount farmers had planted by this point in the season over the last five years. In Iowa, which is the nation’s biggest corn producer, only 8 percent of the corn crop is in the ground. That’s down from 62 percent at this point last year.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) – The Iowa House has backed a bill making it easier for livestock producers to downsize, and the measure now goes to Gov. Terry Branstad.  In an 85 to 14 vote Tuesday, the House approved the bill that would allow livestock producers to close barns and be reclassified as small operations. Then they would no longer need to file plans for manure disposal with the state.

Critics say the measure could allow farms to avoid environmental oversight. Supporters say the bill will help farmers who want to temporarily shutter some operations. The proposal was amended in the Senate to require producers who want to store manure in idled barns to seek permission. The House voted on the measure for a second time to endorse the amendment and send it to Branstad.

A ban on open burning in Mills County is scheduled to be lifted Wednesday afternoon. The Iowa Department of Public Safety reports the Burn Ban, which was initiated in Mills County on April 8th, will end 4-p.m. Wednesday, because conditions are less conducive to field and grassland controlled burns, getting out of control. Once the ban is lifted, there will be no counties in Iowa which remain under such a ban.

The Iowa Department of Natural Resources says trumpeter swans will be released at four locations in southwest Iowa as part of the DNR’s trumpeter swan relocation efforts to restore a wild free flying population to Iowa.

Four swans will be released at 10-a.m., May 8th, at the Mt. Ayr Wildlife Area’s Walnut Creek Lake, with the help from the Ringgold County Conservation Board. Four swans will be released at 2 p.m., May 8th, at Summit Lake, near Creston. The swans will be released near the boat ramp on the south side of Hwy. 25. Four swans will be released as well, beginning 10:30 a.m., May 9th, at Viking Lake State Park, near Stanton, with the help from the Montgomery County Conservation Board. The swans will be released near the restaurant/beach area. And, four swans will be released at 2:30 p.m., May 9th, at Lake Anita State Park, near Anita, with the help from the Cass County Conservation Board. The releases will occur rain or shine.

The public is invited to the releases. There will be a 20 minute presentation including an opportunity to see the swans up close. Trumpeter swans are the largest waterfowl in North America. The all white birds can weigh up to 32 pounds and have an eight foot wingspan.

Monday’s U-S-D-A crop report showed only eight-percent of the corn crop has been planted in Iowa, the slowest start to the planting season since 1995. The wet, cold weather has not only impacted the state’s major crop, but it is also hitting farmers who plant one of the state’s summer favorites — sweet corn. Dean Rebal  grows sweet corn on a farm in eastern Iowa between Solon and Iowa City.  He says he just got his sweet corn into the ground, while last year he had it planted on the 28th of March. Rebal likes to stagger the planting so he has sweet corn maturing throughout the season. The slow planting is causing trouble with the schedule.

“Usually I plant in every week to week and a half intervals…so I am gonna be cut a little short, I probably won’t get quite as many acres in as I normally do,” Rebal says. Last year’s early planting resulted in a longer season and more corn to sell. “Last year we were right at nine-thousand dozen here, right on Highway one,” Rebal says. He is not expecting the sweet corn season to last as long this year. “We’re going to be cut on this sweet corn season by, I would says two to three weeks,” according to Rebal.

The means sweet corn lovers will have less time to enjoy the golden ears compared to last year.

(Radio Iowa)

Officials with the Harrison County Historical Village and Iowa Welcome Center, say the “Living Loess Tour” series returns Saturday, May 18, 2013, with nine artisans in the Loess Hills welcoming visitors 9-am to 3-pm each third Saturday through October. This month, visitors are invited to celebrate two special anniversaries- the 100^th Anniversary of the Lincoln Highway and the 75^th Anniversary of the Harrison County Historical Village. The anniversary activities are at the Harrison County Historical Village and Welcome Center, located 5 miles east of I-29, Exit 75 on Highway 30 between Missouri Valley and Logan. 

Special 75^th Anniversary activities May 18 include a guided trail hike, talks on fur trapping and early pioneer life.  Tour a log cabin and school, and learn about the Farmer’s Market, then enjoy grilled burgers and soda from 11am to 1pm from Reisz Farms compliments of the Harrison County Conservation Board. As part of the double anniversary event, you can register to win a two night stay in a housekeeping cabin at Willow Lake Reservation Area near Woodbine, or a Lincoln Highway Centennial gift basket.

To celebrate the 100^th Anniversary of the Lincoln Highway, from 11am to 2pm you can meet the collector of a special exhibit, “Lincoln Highway: The First 100 Years”, get questions answered by an expert, and sip on samples of “Lincoln Highway Red” wine from Santa Maria Winery.  You’ll also be able to take a state by state visual tour on the Lincoln Highway with the special exhibit. For more details, log onto www.livingloess.com.

The Lincoln Highway: The First 100 Years special exhibit will be at the Harrison County Welcome Center until May 27, 2013.

Warmer weather is returning to Iowa — and so is the pollen. An allergy expert says this spring is shaping up to be one of the worst allergy seasons in years, but Iowans who are constantly sneezing likely already know that. Ted Myatt, an environmental health specialist, says allergy sufferers have more to worry about than just the great outdoors as there can be no where to hide, inside or out. “There’s allergens that are generated outside, the pollen from grass and trees and mold spores from outdoors, all of those particles end up in your home because you’re constantly moving outdoor air into your home,” Myatt says. On top of that, there are allergens generated indoors as well, like pet dander from dogs and cats. Those things, in combination with coming off of last year’s drought, are making for foul conditions for Iowans with allergies. After you’ve been outside, Myatt says it may be helpful to shower right away or to change your clothes — and to use bedding that’s hypoallergenic.

“Washing those sheets in hot water is a great strategy to prevent dust mite exposure,” Myatt says. “Dust mites love bedding and are hard to get rid of unless you use really hot water. Another thing I like to recommend is to take off your shoes. You track in a lot of dirt, a lot of pollen, a lot of mold.” Mold can be a huge problem. Even an isolated area of mold, like a window sill, can trigger symptoms in those allergic to it. He says mold spores travel by air and they will spread. Dust and pollen gather on TV screens and other electronics so keeping them clean is very important. Myatt says even for Iowans who were never bugged by allergies before, this spring could be different.

“People as they age acquire new allergy symptoms,” Myatt says. “If you move to another area of the country where the mixture of the types of pollens and allergens in the air are different than what you’re used to, you see people acquire new allergies.” Even opening the windows to let in a fresh spring breeze will also be letting in dust, mold spores and pollen.

(Radio Iowa)

The field and grassland Fire Danger Index in Shelby County remains in the “Low” risk category this week. That was the word today (Monday), from the Shelby County Emergency Management Agency, who said also, that the weekly notifications will likely be discontinued soon, unless unusually dry conditions return to the area.