(Radio Iowa) – Iowa Senator Chuck Grassley fears the recent U-S Supreme Court ruling on hog confinement sizes will have “a tremendous economic impact” on Iowa’s pork producers and he hopes a legislative solution will help to ease the blow. The ruling upheld what’s known as Proposition 12, a California law that will ban the sale of pork products from sows that come from pens of a certain size. “It’s not only going to make it difficult to market any Iowa products in California, maybe even prohibit it,” Grassley says. “I don’t want to go that far, for sure, but it could.”

Nearly one-third of the nation’s pork is raised in Iowa and while California only raises about one-percent, that state consumes about 15-percent of the pork that’s produced in the U-S. Grassley couldn’t yet offer specifics on any bills in the works. “We need a legislative solution that is bipartisan, and put it in the Farm Bill as an option,” Grassley says. “I think you’re going to see Senator (Roger) Marshall of Kansas lead the way in this direction.”

Grassley says he and fellow Iowa Republican Senator Joni Ernst co-sponsored Marshall’s bill last year called the EATS Act, or the Exposing Agricultural Trade Suppression Act, which did not win passage. It would have banned state and local governments from interfering with agricultural production in other states. If that bill is reintroduced by Marshall, who’s also a Republican, Grassley is uncertain what level of support may come from the other side of the aisle. “The animal rights organizations of this country are going to be a big voice in this,” Grassley says, “and Democrats tend to listen to their voice more loudly than they should, and that’s a factor that we have to fight here.”

Grassley fears the court ruling could raise pork prices while also forcing some producers to close up shop. An Iowa ag economist says we’re already seeing some of the biggest losses in the pork industry in 25 years and some farmers won’t be able to afford to implement major changes in their operations.

(Audubon, Iowa) – The Audubon School Board, Monday night, held a Public Hearing with regard to a proposed Budget Amendment and Expenditures from the Professional Development /Teacher Leadership Flexibility Fund for the District’s Middle School Science Curriculum. As we reported last week, the $300,000 amendment is for Support Services.

The amendments were approved as presented, along with the $21,548 Flex Fund expenditures. The Audubon School Board approved reimbursing the Athletic Fund by use of the General Funds to refurbish football helmets and other safety equipment. The Board increased Student Fees for the 2023-24 School Year. Student breakfast and lunches prices went up by 10-cents.

They also increased Substitute personnel pay.

And, the Audubon School Board made some changes to the Para-Educator pay structure.

The Board agreed to sell the old greenhouse for a some of $800. The structure will be removed by the buyer. The District will build a new greenhouse in its wake. And, various change orders were approved during Monday’s Audubon School Board meeting. Eric Trager said they continue to work on their facility projects and as things come up, will review and act on those matters.

And finally, the District continues to work on contingency plans in the event a 4th Grade and Pre-K HeadStart Teacher can’t be found before the beginning of the school year.

Superintendent Trager said also, graduation this past weekend went well, and the excitement continues for the multiple of sports activities underway and those still to come.

(Atlantic, Iowa) – The Cass County Board of Supervisors, today (Tuesday), passed a Resolution approving the sale of County-owned farm land (at the site of the former Willow Heights Care Facility). The vote was 4-to 1, with Supervisor Wendy Richter opposed. Board Chair Steve Baier..

The property consists of 117.73 acres of cropland and 34.43 acres of pasture land. Milk Unlimited owners Kelly and Christy Cunningham had a high bid of $13,100 per acre for the farmland and a high bid of $6,200 per acre for the pasture. Supervisor Steve Green reminds citizens of the County, the decision was not made without public input.

In other business, the Cass County Supervisors set June 13, 2023 as the date for a Public Hearing on Fiscal year 2022-23 Budget Amendments. Cass County Engineer Trent Wolken reported the Secondary Roads Department is still hauling rock for rural roads and driveways in two County districts, and other projects. Wolken updated the Board some Secondary Roads Department construction projects.

On a related note, the Board approved an updated Title IV Non-Discrimination Agreement with the Iowa Department of Transportation & U-S Department of Transportation. The agreement existing agreement, Wolken said, dates back to 2016, and needed to be updated according to the DOT’s satisfaction.

The Supervisors then approved extending the current insurance deductible/out-of-pocket maximum through Dec. 31, 2023, but they tabled discussion and possible action, with regard to the Wellness Program and base premium insurance rate for County employees who do not participate in the program, and a discount for those who do. The Supervisors want more information before they act on the matters.

(Griswold, Iowa) – The Griswold School District’s Board of Education, Monday evening approved various personnel matters. They also set the Activity Pass Fees for the 2023-24 School Year, and approved a Spanish III/IV waiver, along with an agreement with the City of Griswold. Superintendent Dave Henrichs told KJAN News the Board approved the transfer of Autumn Osterloh from Elementary Para Educator to MS/HS Cook for the next school year. They also approved compensation for Ryan Lockwood, who currently serves as the HS Baseball practice coach.

There was also a contract amendment and a resignation approved by the Board.

Other personnel action includes an agreement with the Area Education Agency, for a Social Services worker. Henrichs says it’s the second year of the agreement.

The Griswold School Board also established Student Fees for 2023-24.

And, they approved a renewal of an agreement between the District and City of Griswold to share resources and possibly, personnel. Other business included the approval of Fuel Bid and Technology Support Specifications, as well as District Procedures for Student Activity Trip Expenses.

And, the Board agreed to change the date/time for its June and July meetings. Their meetings will be held on the third Monday of each month, but with a 4-p.m. start, instead of 5:30-p.m. There will also be a work session on June 6th at 8-a.m.

(Indianola, Iowa) – Simpson College, in Indianola, has hired a new president, and it’s an alumnus. According to a news release, Jay Byers, a 1993 graduate of Simpson, will be the school’s 25th president when he takes office for the 2023-24 academic year. Byers will succeed retiring president Marsha Kelliher, who was hired in 2020. A formal announcement on Byers’ hiring will be held at 1:30 p.m. Wednesday, May 17, in Hubbell Hall on Simpson’s Indianola campus.

Jay Byers has worked for the Greater Des Moines Partnership, an economic and community development organization based in downtown Des Moines, for 18 years — the last 11 as president and CEO — and has been on the school’s board of trustees since 2012.

(Radio Iowa) – Wetter weather slowed the planters in the fields a bit last week.The U-S-D-A crop report released Monday, showed an increase of 16 percent in the amount of corn planted during the week — about half the amount planted last week.

The corn planting total is now at 86 percent — eight days ahead of last year and one week ahead of the five-year average. Bean planting moved at about the same pace — gaining 20 percent compared to last week — putting the total at 69 percent. That’s about one week ahead of last year and the five-year average for beans.

Thirty-five percent of planted corn has emerged from the ground, nearly five times as much as last week. And the report now says 19 percent of the beans have emerged.

(Radio Iowa) – Iowa is the nation’s top corn grower, with more than 13-million acres devoted to the vegetable, but some Iowans are planting their first small crops of -sweet- corn this spring. Aaron Steil, consumer horticulture specialist at the Iowa State University Extension, says if you’d hoped to have sweet corn by the 4th of July, you would need to have planted in mid-April, but he says there’s still plenty of time to get seeds in the ground. “The last practical planting day, especially for the early varieties, is the end of June,” Steil says. “You would obviously be harvesting later if you planted that late, but you would still be able to get a crop in before frost easily.”

There are many types of sweet corn from which to choose. Steil says the “standard sugary” cultivars have the traditional sweet corn flavor and texture, but are only of the best quality within the first day after harvest, because sugars quickly convert to starch after picking. “Most folks really enjoy sweet corn that has good storage life,” Steil says. “Sweet corn really does start to go downhill very quickly after harvest and so certain varieties, like the super sweet or the augmented super sweets, store pretty well.”

Before buying seed, you’ll need to consider what elements are important, including flavor, sweetness, crunch and kernel color. When arranging your sweet corn plot, plan ahead for irrigation and make sure the soil is well fertilized, because corn uses a lot of nitrogen, as well as phosphorus and potassium.  “Rather than planting corn in long rows, like we so often see it in the field, planting our sweet corn in blocks because it’s wind-pollinated,” Steil says. “When we plant them in blocks, it does a better job of pollinating those ears of corn and you get better filled corn ears. You don’t have those little gap-tooth missing spots in the corn ear.”

Crayon drawings by kids may depict eight or ten ears of corn on each stalk, but Steil says you shouldn’t expect nearly as many. “One good ear can be expected from each stalk of corn,” Steil says. “In general, you can expect in a 10-foot row that you’ll get about 11 to 13 ears of corn, when you properly space your corn plants when you’re planting.”

For a continuous supply of sweet corn, plant early, mid-season and late cultivars. Also, he says to plant only fresh seeds, as old seeds may not germinate well. In addition, keep sweet corn isolated from popcorn as the quality of sweet corn will be lowered if it’s cross-pollinated by other types of corn.

Des Moines, Iowa – A woman from Guthrie County faces multiple felony theft, forgery and money laundering charges, after allegedly stealing thousands of dollars from two former employers.

Authorities say 44-year-old Angel Marie Welker, of Menlo, forged checks and used company credit cards from Infomax Office Systems in Des Moines to buy over $10,000 in gift cards and make other unauthorized purchases last year, according to court documents, which go on to say she took more than $50,000 from Infomax.

Angel Marie Welker (Polk County Jail photo)

She also allegedly forged more than $10,000 in checks while working at Vision Park Eye Care in Urbandale. Welker was booked into the Polk County Jail on May 14th. Her preliminary hearing is on May 25th.

(Radio Iowa) – An Iowa State University economist says there was a whole lot of uncertainty in the hog market well before last week’s Supreme Court opinion on pork production. The court ruled California may require that any pork sold in California must come from pigs that are the offspring of sows that had enough room to turn around in a livestock barn. I-S-U Extension livestock economist Lee Schulz says some producers have already retrofitted or built new confinements. Others may not be able to afford it.

“Pork producers are having some of the largest losses in 25 years. You have to go back to 1998 to see losses this large,” Schulz says. “…We’re already seeing contraction in the industry.” There could be an opportunity for businesses that make and install the metal enclosures for sows, but Schulz says given the labor market, finding enough employees to do the work will be challenge.

“Not only the availability of labor, but the cost of labor also is kind of a prohibitatnt when we think about having to make large changes on farms to both buildings and equipment,” Schulz says. California produces just one percent of U.S. pork. However, Californians consume 15 percent of all the bacon and other pork products sold in the country.

“The adjustments will have to take place outside the state of California. Where those exactly take place are still to be determined,” Schulz says. “Certainly there will be an impact here because of the size of Iowa’s pork production.” Nearly a third of the nation’s hogs are raised in Iowa. Schulz says Iowa swine operations that have already adjusted to California’s new rules will get higher premiums for their pigs in the near term.

“Likely they are the lower cost producers that would enable them to do that,” Schulz says. “A lot of times it’d be the larger producers. There are economies of scale in pork production, so if I have per unit lower costs, I am able to make some of those transitions a bit quicker.”

A court injunction that has prevented pig production rules for pork sold in California from taking effect will expire July 1st. The U.S. Humane Society says the Supreme Court made it clear preventing animal cruelty is a core function of state governments and California will have the strongest animal welfare law in the country.