The USDA’s Farm Service Agency (FSA) announced today it is updating the  Livestock Indemnity Program (LIP) payment rate to support livestock producers in the Midwest who have lost cattle to the extreme heat and humidity experienced this summer. To help indemnify ranchers to reflect a trend towards higher cattle weights in feedlots, the 2023 LIP payment rate for beef calves over 800 pounds will increase from $1244 per head to $1618, an increase of $374.

“The recent heat domes plaguing many parts of the country have proven to be unsurvivable for some animals and temperatures are not expected to let up any time soon. This is one of the latest, many examples of how a changing climate is creating immediate challenges for farmers and ranchers, and we’re finding that our emergency relief programs need to adapt accordingly,” said FSA Administrator Zach Ducheneaux. “Given these circumstances and the trend towards higher weights in feedlots, it became clear that USDA’s Livestock Indemnity Payment rates were not reflective of the true market value for cattle. This change will better indemnify the investments producers have in the livestock they raise, and we will continue to find flexibilities where possible to help our farmers and ranchers in the wake of climate-related impacts.”

LIP provides benefits to livestock owners and some contract growers for livestock deaths exceeding normal mortality from eligible adverse weather events, certain predation losses and reduced sales prices due to injury from an eligible loss. Indemnity payments are made at a rate of 75% of the prior year’s average fair market value of the livestock.

The updated LIP payment rate is effective immediately and will be applied retroactively starting Jan.1, 2023, for all eligible causes of loss including excessive heat, tornado, winter storms, and other qualifying adverse weather. Producers who have already received LIP payments for 2023 losses will receive an additional payment, if applicable, commensurate with this updated rate. For details on eligibility and payment rates, review the LIP fact sheet.

FSA recognizes that an annual update of LIP payment rates does not account for the volatile nature of livestock markets and is further exploring flexibilities to establish more current payment rates.

More Information

On farmers.gov, the Disaster Assistance Discovery Tool, Disaster Assistance-at-a-Glance fact sheet, and Loan Assistance Tool can help producers and landowners determine program or loan options. For assistance with a crop insurance claim, producers and landowners should contact their crop insurance agent. For FSA and NRCS programs, they should contact their local USDA Service Center.

Republican presidential candidate Ron DeSantis is on a three day campaign swing through Iowa following this week’s debate with seven other candidates. DeSantis says he chose to emphasize his record as Florida’s governor rather than quarrel with the others.

DeSantis and his family stopped at the Field of Dreams last (Thursday) night and DeSantis spoke to a crowd in Rock Rapids this (Friday) morning.

DeSantis also has promised to classify Mexican drug cartels that are shipping fentanyl into the U-S as foreign terrorist organizations.

Former Iowa G-O-P co-chair Cody Hoefert (HOH-fert) also spoke to the crowd and said after watching Wednesday’s debate, he decided to endorse DeSantis.

The campus cooling system at Iowa State is back up and running — but classes won’t return to normal until Monday.

Information from I-S-U says crews were able to restart the cooling system faster than originally thought following a fire at the university’s power plant Thursday. But it will take time for some campus buildings to cool down and classes will be virtual today (Friday).

The Ames Fire Department reported a piece of equipment at the power plant failed and caught operating oil that was connected to it on fire. It took firefighters about an hour to put out the fire.

This is the last weekend before Labor Day, the unofficial end of summer, and gasoline prices are inching downward as demand drops with less travel, though prices are still high compared to a year ago and even a month ago. Triple-A-Iowa spokesman Brian Ortner says crude oil prices are gradually falling and that translates to a drop in prices at the pump.

The motor club says the average price for a gallon of self-serve unleaded is now three-61 in Iowa, which is 21-cents below the national average.

Triple-A says the highest gas prices in the state are in both Ames and Dubuque at three-76 a gallon, while the lowest prices are in Waterloo/Cedar Falls at three-47.

More than 400-thousand Iowans will have to resume paying off their student loan debt in October. Nathan Nash, an attorney with the Federal Trade Commission, warns scammers are hoping to capitalize.

Every U-S government website ends with dot-gov. Nash says the Federal Trade Commission recently stopped scammers claiming they could get student loans forgiven — for a fee.

The defendants in the recent student loan scam claimed be from the U-S Department of Education and falsely promised to lower or eliminate student loan payments.

U.S. Representatives Zach Nunn (IA-03) and Angie Craig (MN-02) today introduced bipartisan legislation to support rural small businesses. The Rural Microentrepreneur Assistance Act will eliminate barriers within the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Rural Microentrepreneur Assistance Program (RMAP) to increase support for small businesses receiving loans through the program.

“Small businesses are the backbone of our rural areas, providing needed services and a sense of community that drive the economy,” said Rep. Nunn. “As costs climb for businesses, we need to adapt to ensure additional support to these job creators throughout the areas of Iowa that need it most.”

99 percent of all Iowa businesses are small businesses, employing near half of all working Iowans. In August of 2022, 64.2 percent of small businesses reported finding it challenging to access the capital they need to start a business. Rural small businesses often find it especially difficult to find ample cash flow.

The USDA Rural Microentrepreneur Assistance Program provides loans or grants to small businesses to help with startup and growth. The program also provides training and technical assistance to borrowers and microentrepreneurs. Currently, loans are limited to 75 percent of the project cost up to $50,000. The loans are limited to use for certain start up, expansion, new equipment purchases, or facility improvement costs.

The bipartisan Rural Microentrepreneur Assistance Act will remove those limits to ensure this program fully supports rural small businesses.  Specifically, the bill:

• Provides an inflation adjustment to the maximum loan amount given to a business.
  Allows a RMAP loan to be used for 100 percent of project costs, an increase from the current rate of 75 percent.
  Empowers businesses to use RMAP loans to finance up to 50 percent of real estate construction costs, which is prohibited under current rules.

Rep. Nunn introduced the legislation with three small business owners and the Center for Rural Affairs in Ottumwa, Iowa.

The Adams County Sheriff’s Office issued a report on recent activity Friday.

On July 28th, deputies arrested 40 year old Kristin Wiechman of Prescott for causing bodily injury.  Wiechman was booked and released.

On August 1st, 34 year old Megan Johnson of St. Joseph, Missouri was arrested during a traffic stop in Corning and charged with possession of drug paraphernalia.  She was booked at the Adams County Jail and released after posting bond.  A 14 year old juvenile in the vehicle was also charged with minor in possession of a vapor product.

On August 6th, 31 year old Sandra Kile of Creston was arrested during a traffic stop and charged with driving while suspended.

On August 8th, 48 year old Cherokie Davis of Corning was arrested at a traffic stop and charged with operating while intoxicated, 1st offense.

On August 12th, Christopher Draman of Lenox was charged during a traffic stop with driving while suspended.

Also on August 12th, a 16 year old juvenile was arrested and charged with possession of a controlled substance (marijuana) and possession of drug paranernalia.

On August 14th at 6:30 pm, the Adams County Sheriff’s Office received a 9-1-1 call that 5 juveniles were missing from a kayaking trip on the East Nodaway River.  Deputies were able to locate the 5 juveniles walking in a bean field approximately 2 miles east of Brooks.  The youngsters said that they were kayaking in front of two adults and another juvenile on the river.  The 5 stopped on the river to wait for the others to catch up.  The adults never showed up after the juveniles waited for nearly 4 hours.  The adults dialed 9-1-1 when they found the 5 kayaks the juveniles were using empty along the riverbank.  The 5 were treated by Adams County ambulance and released to their families.  Later that night, shortly after 9:30, the Sheriff’s Office got another 9-1-1 call that the two adults and one juvenile were still on the river about 1.5 miles east of Brooks.  The caller said one adult male was experiencing medical issues and needed immediate attention.  The three were safely located and the adult male was taken to CHI Health Mercy in Corning.

On August 22nd, Angela Marie Nicholson of Corning was arrested on an active warrant for failing to appear on an original charge of probation violation.  Nicholson was posted bond and was released.

Family Crisis Support Networks hosted a duck pond activity

The Cass County Child Abuse Prevention Council partnered with the Healthy Cass County Coalition and other community organizations to host their second annual Family Fun Day at the 2023 Cass County Fair.

On Saturday, July 29th, the fairgrounds were full of family activities from noon-4 PM, including water fights, a duck pond, a garden story walk, hands-on S.T.E.M. activities, a book walk, yard games and more! Each station earned a stamp on a prize card that rewarded the family with a food voucher provided by the Family Crisis Support Network.

Thank you to all the participating organizations for making the day a huge success:  Healthy Cass County, Shift ATL/Sunnyside Range, Cass County Child Abuse Prevention Council, Atlantic Fire Department, Atlantic Public Library, Zion Integrated Behavioral Health Services, Cass County Master Gardeners, Cass County ISU Extension, Cass County Farm Bureau, Iowa Learning Farms, Cass County 4-H and Iowa Corn.

Iowa Learning Farms set up their Conservation Station to teach about the science of water quality and natural resources through hands-on interactive activities

The Cass County Child Abuse Prevention Council and Healthy Cass County loved seeing families enjoy some time together at the Cass County Fair while gathering ideas for activities that can be done at home, at school and out in the community as a family. The council also reminds people that child abuse is preventable, and everyone can play a part in creating safe, healthy, and nurturing environments for kids in our local communities. We cannot wait for next year to do it all over again!

For more information and updates about the Cass County Child Abuse Prevention Council, visit @CassCountyChildAbusePreventionCouncil on Facebook.

4-H Staff and volunteers provided hands-on robotics experiences to youth

For more information on local health and wellness events, resources, and partnerships follow Healthy Cass County on Facebook @HealthyCassCounty.

Red Oak police report that on Thursday, August 24 at 11:45 pm they arrested 31 year old Drew Gagnon of Harlan in the 200 block of North Broadway in Red Oak for possession of drug paraphernalia.  He was held in the Montgomery County Jail on $300 bond.

Also, on Thursday, a minor traffic accident was reported shortly afternoon 2:00 pm at the intersection of North 6th Street and East Corning Street in Red Oak.  Susan Edenburn of Red Oak was traveling south on North 6th Street in her 2001 Pontiac Grand Am and went through the stop sigh, striking the front of a 2012 Chevy Silverado driven by Justin Eugene White of Red Oak.  Neither driver was injured.  Damage to each vehicle was $1,000.  Edenburn was charged with failing to obey a stop sign.

That excessive heat warning is still posted for a fifth consecutive day for 28 counties in southern Iowa until 7 o’clock tonight (Friday), and while the rest of the state is no longer under the warning, it’ll still be hot — just not as hot as it’s been all week. Meteorologist Alexis Jimenez (hah-MEN-ez), with the National Weather Service, says the extreme heat wave is finally cooling off, though it’ll be gradual.

Parts of northern Iowa saw showers and scattered thunderstorms this morning, though the rain won’t be widespread. By tomorrow, Jimenez says temperatures should be closer to normal for Iowa in late August.

Forecasters say some areas of the state may see highs a few days next week only in the 70s. That’s a big change from this week, as multiple records were set in triple-digits, including 105 degrees in Waterloo on Wednesday, and a heat index of 122 degrees in Sioux City on Monday.