(U.S. Small Business Administration News) – On November 30, 2022, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Agricultural Marketing Service announced an extension of the comment period on a proposed rule to revise regulations under the Packers and Stockyards Act. The purpose of the revisions is to promote inclusive competition and market integrity in livestock, meat, poultry, and live poultry markets. The proposed rule would identify and prohibit retaliatory practices that interfere with lawful communications and other protected activities. It would also identify deceptive practices by contractors or dealers in contract formation, performance, and termination of a contract.

Written comments are now due by January 17, 2022.

• Read the proposed rule.
• Read the notice extending the comment period.
• Submit comments on the proposed rule.

(Iowa DNR News) – Iowans can begin buying 2023 resident hunting, fishing and other licenses on Dec. 15.  Licenses purchased for 2022 expire on Jan. 10, 2023. The menu of license options includes the popular Outdoor Combo annual resident hunting/fishing/habitat combo license for $55; the Angler’s Special three-year fishing license for $62; and the Hunter’s Special three-year hunting license with habitat included for $101. Also available is the Bonus Line option for $14 letting resident and nonresident anglers to fish with one more line in addition to the two lines allowed with the regular fishing license. Upgrade your paper license to a durable hard card with custom art from Iowa artists for only $6.

Download the GoOutdoorsIowa mobile app for iPhone and Android devices to buy and access your license information, no matter where you are.  Sync your hunting and fishing licenses on the app to show in the field.  You may download multiple customer licenses to offer one secure digital license document location for families, groups, and more. Licenses are available at 700 locations across the state, and on the DNR website at www.iowadnr.gov/GoOutdoorsIowa.

Hunting and fishing are often enjoyed with family and friends. A fishing or hunting license makes a great stocking stuffer.

(Iowa DNR News) – Iowa anglers can buy the Missouri and Big Sioux River paddlefish license and tags starting Dec. 15 through Jan. 7. Buy your special paddlefish license and tags on the Iowa DNR online licenses sales website at https://gooutdoorsiowa.com. A resident license sells for $25.50 and a nonresident license is $49. You must also have a valid Iowa fishing license. You can buy up to two tags – one from Dec. 15 to Dec. 31 and an additional tag from Jan. 1 to Jan. 7, or two tags if you didn’t buy one in December. A limited number of paddlefish licenses are available – 950 resident and 50 nonresident.

The license, harvest tag(s), and regulations will be mailed to purchasers in mid-January. Purchasers will be asked to complete an electronic survey to help the Iowa DNR evaluate the success of the paddlefish season. Please complete the survey whether you harvested a paddlefish or not.  The Iowa DNR is always working to improve the paddlefish season for anglers; any input provided is considered and is greatly appreciated.

The Missouri and Big Sioux River paddlefish season opens Feb. 1 and runs through April 30. For more information about Iowa’s special paddlefish season, visit the DNR website at www.iowadnr.gov/paddlefish – click on Missouri River Paddlefish Season and Regulations.

(Atlantic, Iowa) – Cass County Naturalist Lora Kanning reports the sponsors of a contest with regard to the arrival of more than six Trumpeter Swans at Lake Number 4 in the Schildberg Recreational Area, have determined the official arrival of the swans as November 22nd. On that day, 30 Trumpeter Swans were here and stayed more than twenty-four hours.

The person picking that date was Carol Seddon. She won a prize from Cass County Conservation for being the lucky contestant. The CCCB thanks to all who participated!

(Des Moines, Iowa) – Officials with the Iowa Department of Agriculture, Tuesday, said 140,000 birds will be destroyed because of a bird flu outbreak in Iowa. The Department of Agriculture reported outbreaks in two commercial turkey flocks in Sac and Cherokee counties. These are the first bird flu flare-ups in Sac and Cherokee counties since the spring. Forty thousand turkeys in Sac County and 100,000 turkeys in Cherokee County will be destroyed.

To date, more than 15 million birds across the state have been destroyed because of the bird flu this year. Across the country, that number is now up to about 53 million, making this outbreak worse than those in 2014 and 2015.

w/Kate Olson.

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WEST DES MOINES, Iowa—Dec. 5, 2022— The Iowa Farm Bureau Federation has announced five semi-finalists (Including one each from Adair and Pottawattamie County), for their Grow Your Future Award, a competition for farmer entrepreneurs under the age of 35. Now, the public is being asked to narrow the contestant pool. The three finalists with the most votes between Dec. 5 and Dec. 11 will compete for a $7,500 grand prize during a pitch-off at Iowa Farm Bureau’s Young Farmer Conference on Jan. 28. Second and third place winners receive $5,000 and $2,500, respectively.

The entrepreneurs competing in the public voting include:

• Jordian Dougherty of Main at Hart in Marshall County who sells pasture-raised chickens, fall pumpkins, gourds, mums and fresh-cut flowers.
• Titan Immel of AgHub Genetics in Adair County who operates a seed conditioning facility which helps companies supply farming customers with the best quality grain and cover crop seeds to plant.
• Annie Palmer of H8R Acres LLC in Warren County who raises purebred Berkshire feeder pigs and Navajo Churro Sheep, which she plans to market to local restaurants.
• Tanner Sanness of Reconnected Farms in Allamakee County who every year grows between 5,000 to 8,000 pounds of organic gourmet mushrooms sold at grocery stores, farmers markets and to local restaurants.
• Matt Vermeersch of Mud Ridge Ranch in Pottawattamie County who raises and sells Scottish Highland cattle with future plans to direct-market beef and also raises goats that target-graze problem vegetation for public and private projects.

“Young agriculturalists are incredibly savvy in putting their unique thumbprint on Iowa agriculture,” says Amanda Van Steenwyk, Iowa Farm Bureau’s farm business development manager. “And as you watch the videos tied to the online voting, you’ll hear they also have big goals. I’m always impressed by not only the diversity of their businesses but the vision they have that will keep Iowa agriculture moving forward.”

To learn more or to vote, visit www.iowafarmbureau.com/growyourfuture.

(Radio Iowa) – The state expert who tracks the deer population in the state says the herd has been healthy this year. The D-N-R’s Tyler Harms says Hemorrhagic Disease has been a problem in the past — but not this year. “The hemorrhagic disease has been pretty low this year so not a main concern of ours — obviously chronic wasting diseases is still a big concern — and we’re continuing our intensive surveillance efforts across the state,” he says. Harms says they’ve held several public information meetings on C-W-D.

“In Jefferson, Iowa, Glenwood Iowa and Decorah, Iowa, all very well attended and very obvious that folks are concerned and passionate and willing to help with the management of this disease,” Harms says. “We did also just have a virtual public meeting, had at about 225 folks attend that meeting as well. So, really grateful to our hunters and our citizens for taking an interest in learning more about what we all can do to slow the spread of that disease.” Harms says they keep track of the disease by asking hunters to donate samples during the season.

“Especially in areas where we’ve detected Chronic Wasting Disease in the wild, to consider providing a tissue sample for testing for chronic wasting disease, it’s a very valuable contribution to helping us monitor,” he says. The first shotgun deer season is underway now and wraps up on December 7th.

DES MOINES, Iowa (Dec. 2, 2022) – The Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship and the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS), Friday, confirmed a positive case of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) in Buena Vista County, Iowa.

The virus was found in a commercial turkey flock.

Commercial and backyard flock owners should prevent contact between their birds and wild birds. Sick birds or unusual deaths among birds should be immediately reported to state or federal officials. Biosecurity resources and best practices are available at iowaagriculture.gov/biosecurity. If producers suspect signs of HPAI in their flocks, they should contact their veterinarian immediately. Possible cases must also be reported to the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship at (515) 281-5305.

(Iowa DNR News) – The Iowa Department of Natural Resources is reminding shotgun deer season hunters of the rules, requirements, and tips for keeping safe:

• Make sure to have a valid hunting license and habitat fee, and deer tag for the correct season.
• Make sure blaze orange still fits and that the orange hasn’t faded to the point of being ineffective. The minimum amount of blaze orange required by Iowa law to hunt in the firearm deer season is a 100 percent solid blaze orange vest, but more is better.
• Talk to the landowner or tenant to confirm permission to hunt and to see if anyone else has permission to hunt the same property.
• Create a hunting plan that identifies the hunt location, who’s on the hunt and outlines their role, describes how the hunt will unfold and when the hunters are expected to return home. Leave a copy of the plan with someone in the event of an emergency.
• Pick up and fill an antlerless deer tag. County specific antlerless deer tags are still available in 27 counties. Go to https://gooutdoorsiowa.com/RealTimeQuotas.aspx for info on antlerless tag availability.
• Check the Iowa Deer Exchange to see if someone nearby is looking for deer meat. The Iowa Deer Exchange is a deer donation program connecting participants willing to provide deer meat with those willing to accept it. To sign up, go to iowadnr.gov/deer then scroll down to Iowa’s Deer Exchange Program link and fill out the required fields. The database creates a map and table with information deer donors and deer recipients can use to get connected. There is no cost to participate. It is illegal to sell wild fish and game in Iowa. The deer exchange, along with the Help us Stop Hunger (HUSH) program, allows hunters an opportunity to provide high quality lean protein to their neighbors.
• Report their harvest by midnight on the day after it is tagged or before taking it to a locker or taxidermist. The hunter whose name is on the transportation tag is responsible for making the report. If no deer is harvested, no report is necessary.
• The Iowa DNR will be working with hunters to collect deer tissue samples to test for chronic wasting disease. Interested hunters are encouraged to contact their local wildlife biologist to arrange for sample to be collected. If the sample quota has filled, the DNR will assist with submitting the sample through the hunter submission system, in partnership with Iowa State University – which comes with a fee of $25.
• Shotgun one is Dec. 3-7; shotgun two is Dec. 10-18.
• Become a mentor and share your hunting experience. Invite someone along from outside of the group to experience Iowa deer hunting.