(Atlantic, Iowa) – The Cass County Board of Supervisors, Tuesday, voted to adopt a 2022 Cass County Trail Plan in an effort to support trail development within the County. SWIPCO Planner Danielle Briggs addressed the Board, prior to the vote. She said the old trail plan was out-of-date, so they began fresh in 2020 efforts to update the plan that was delayed due to COVID and other matters. She said main reason for updating the plan is to use it as a tool for grant funding necessary to move the trails program forward.

Dave Chase, President of Nishna Valley Trails, thanked those who put in a considerable amount of time to develop the plan. Those persons included Wellness Coordinator Brigham Hoegh, Cass County Naturalist Lora Kanning, Conservation Director Micah Lee, and Danielle Briggs.

SWIPCO’s Danielle Briggs talks about the Cass Co. Trail Plan

Chase said “high on the list of trail projects was the connection of the T-Bone Trail to Atlantic.” As it is now, that trail terminates about three-miles northeast of town.

He said through donations and grant funding, “we’re funding new funding is coming on-line,” and they’re working with Golden Hills RC&D in Oakland, to connect the trail to the rest of western Iowa. Chase said there is no tax asking connected with a request for the plan to be adopted. In other business, the Board passed a Resolution to approve a bridge repair project on West 6th Street (The Airport Road). Cass County Engineer Trent Wolken says the joint County-City project is on west 6^th Street over the Nishnabotna River. The project’s cost is $392,414.00 to repair the abutments, replace the steel beams, and bring the bridge back up to its’ legal load rating of 80,000 pounds. Currently, the bridge is carrying a three-ton load limit. The project wouldn’t start until 2023.

And, the Board approved a Resolution for the use of ARPA funds to purchase an enclosed trailer for the Cass County EMA.

DES MOINES – Today, Gov. Kim Reynolds signed a proclamation relating to the weight limits and hours of service requirements for the transportation of crop inputs for planting season.

“Unprecedented economic and foreign policy challenges have disrupted the food supply chain and worsened the inflation we are seeing across the country,” said Gov. Reynolds. “But Iowa farmers stand ready to answer the call, as they have always done. This Proclamation is intended to help our farmers meet this global challenge by providing regulatory relief for the transportation of crop inputs necessary for a timely and successful planting season.”

The proclamation is effective immediately and continues through May 11, 2022. The proclamation allows vehicles transporting corn, soybeans, other agricultural seed, water, herbicide, pesticide, fertilizer (dry, liquid, and gas), manure (dry and liquid), gasoline, diesel #1, diesel #2, ethanol, and biodiesel to be overweight (not exceeding 90,000 pounds gross weight) without a permit for the duration of this proclamation.

This proclamation applies to loads transported on all highways within Iowa (excluding the interstate system) and those which do not exceed a maximum of 90,000 pounds gross weight, do not exceed the maximum axle weight limit determined under the non-primary highway maximum gross weight table in Iowa Code § 321.463 (6) (b), by more than 12.5 percent, do not exceed the legal maximum axle weight limit of 20,000 pounds, and comply with posted limits on roads and bridges.

(Radio Iowa) – U.S. Senator Joni Ernst says it appears efforts to contain bird flu are working to prevent the outbreak from growing far worse.  “Those that have laying flocks and those that are also poultry producers have really upped their game since 2015 when HPAI first came through Iowa…making sure they have all the biosecurity measures in place,” Ernst says. In the massive bird flu outbreak in 2015, the virus spread among commercial operations. Officials from the U-S-D-A and the Iowa Department of Agriculture say it appears this year’s outbreak is being spread by wild birds that come into contact with backyard flocks and commercial poultry operations.

Ernst says when a sick flock is detected, there’s a quick and coordinated response from federal, state and local officials.  “I feel better about it this time around,” Ernst says, “so we’ll just plan and pray for the best.” Ernst met with poultry producers in Clarion earlier today (Monday). Scientists believe this current strain of bird flu is similar to the virus that has been periodically circulating in Europe and Asia.

“It’s just like with COVID, it’s just something that will be around and that’s why the biosecurity is so important,” Ernst says. “After we learned that lesson in 2015, a lot of measures have been taken since then.” The outbreak of avian influenza among wild birds in America is far more extensive than it was seven years ago. The virus has been confirmed in 40 wild bird species in 30 states.

(Washington, D-C) – According to multiple media reports, former Iowa Governor Tom Vilsack, the current US Secretary of Agriculture, is isolating after testing positive for COVID-19. Vilsack received word of his test results on Friday. He’s the latest high-profile Washington figure to test positive for COVID-19. In a Twitter post, Saturday, Vilsack said “I tested positive for COVID. I’m both vaccinated and boosted and thankfully my symptoms are mild. If you have yet to get vaccinated and boosted, please don’t wait.” Vilsack’s office said he is is experiencing mild symptoms.

The positive test comes after the secretary met with Mexican officials earlier this week. The secretary tested negative at the time of his departure and after his return. The Mexican government has been informed of this positive test.

(Des Moines, Iowa) – Iowans will be registering more than 231,000 boats before April 30, when current boat registrations expire. Boat registrations are good for three years and registration fees go to support water trails, navigation enforcement, aquatic invasive species, and boater education and safety.

Boat registrations are handled by Iowa’s county recorders and boat owners may bring their current registration to any recorder’s office when they renew. Nonresidents who register their boat in Iowa will go to the county where the boat is primarily used. Owners who purchased a boat from a private seller and are registering it in their name should bring the signed registration and to make sure the title is signed over to them, if applicable.

Only boats displaying a current registration are allowed to operate on Iowa waters.

(Des Moines, Iowa_ The Iowa Department of Natural Resources and its federal partners are working together to monitor for the presence of avian influenza in Iowa’s wild birds. Avian influenza is a highly transmissible, naturally occurring disease often found in certain waterfowl and shorebirds. There are various strains of the disease ranging from strains causing no harm to domestic poultry to strains that are lethal. “Bird loss in the wild is a natural occurrence, so seeing one dead bird shouldn’t be cause for alarm, but if someone is finding a number of dead birds, especially ducks, geese or raptors, we want to know about it,” said Dr. Rachel Ruden, state wildlife veterinarian with the Iowa DNR.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture has an online database tracking avian influenza positive wild birds by state at https://www.aphis.usda.gov/aphis/ourfocus/animalhealth/animal-disease-information/avian/avian-influenza/hpai-2022/2022-hpai-wild-birds

Ruden said those who find five or more dead wild birds within a week should report their findings to their local wildlife biologist or state conservation officer. Contact information is available online at www.iowadnr.gov under the About DNR tab on the homepage. (https://www.iowadnr.gov/Portals/idnr/uploads/contacts/wildlife_management.pdf) (https://www.iowadnr.gov/Portals/idnr/uploads/Law%20Enforcement/dnrlemap31422.pdf)

Avian influenza can exist in a deceased bird for several weeks, depending upon environmental conditions. “We are encouraging the public not to handle sick or dead birds or to take sick birds to a wildlife rehabilitator to avoid unintentionally spreading avian influenza in the event that the bird is positive,” said Dr. Ruden.

At this point, she said, backyard birdfeeders are not of concern, unless mallards are actively using the feeder. Avian influenza’s impact on upland birds, like wild turkeys, is much less, because of the behaviors and preferred habitats make them less likely to encounter the disease in the wild. Spring turkey hunters can find information on handling and preparing wild turkeys online at https://www.aphis.usda.gov/publications/animal_health/2015/fsc_hpai_hunters.pdf

(Radio Iowa) – Spring turkey hunting season opens this weekend in Iowa. The D-N-R’s Nate Carr says things get started with the youth season Saturday and the other turkey seasons will follow. Carr says you should check now to be sure you have the proper paperwork. “You need your hunting license if you are 16 and over. You need your habitat fee if you’re ages 16 to 64, there are some exceptions if you are a landowner — but for the most part — make sure you get those two things,” Carr says.

The first two seasons after the youth season Saturday runs from April 11th to the 14th and then April 15th to the 19th. The third season begins on the 20th. “It’s a little bit longer, you’re looking at a seven-day season and it has a weekend in it. And then the fourth season is really what’s going to provide a lot of opportunities. Hopefully, the weather is warmed up by then and you might be able to find a lone Tom,” according to Carr. “I think it’s about 19 days — it runs the 27th (of April) through the 15th of May.”

Carr he expects around 50-thousand hunters for the turkey seasons. “About 20 to 22 percent of tags are filled each year — so really if you are getting two tags it’s probably not 50-thousand hunters — it’s probably less than that,” he says. Carr says there should be some 10-thousand-500 turkeys harvested by the end of the season There is more information on the turkey season at www.iowadnr.gov.

(Atlantic, Iowa) – Cass County Grow Another Row is ramping up for 2022. Now entering its third year, Grow Another Row is a local produce sharing program that encourages people in Cass County to grow and share fresh produce. The program is now recruiting volunteers and local gardeners and farmers, and seeking to hire a seasonal program coordinator for 2022.

Grow Another Row began in 2020 as a Healthy Cass County initiative by a group of local growers, and has proved a valuable program for the county. Through a network of produce sharing sites managed by volunteers, Grow Another Row has provided free fresh local produce across county. Produce donated to the program is also shared through all four Cass County food pantries. Fresh produce is not only healthy and nutritious, but also in-demand. All four Cass County food pantries have shared with Grow Another Row that they want more fresh produce.

Can you help?

• Grow Another Row is looking for volunteers to grow, harvest, bag, and transport produce across the county. Individuals and groups—such as organizations, churches, or workplaces—are welcome to join the effort.
• Cass County ISU Extension is now also seeking to hire a seasonal Grow Another Row program coordinator, a position which provided to be very valuable last year.

The Grow Another Row Program Coordinator position is made possible through AmeriCorps funding. The coordinator position is a temporary position through fall 2022. The coordinator will manage produce donations and distributions throughout Cass County. Cass County ISU Extension is seeking to fill the position immediately. Interested individuals should visit www.extension.iastate.edu/cass/ for more information.

More information on Grow Another Row, the open coordinator position, and to sign up for the program’s email newsletter or volunteer to grow, deliver, or help harvest (pick or dig) food, visit
https://www.extension.iastate.edu/cass/content/grow-another-row-cass-county or contact Cass County Extension Director Kate Olson or Cass County Wellness Coordinator Brigham Hoegh at 712-243-1132.

(Radio Iowa) – A majority of Iowa remains in dry or drought conditions — but things have improved quite a bit in the last month. The D-N-R’s Tim Hall tracks the water summary. “You compare the drought monitor map from early March to late March — we saw significant improvement. At the beginning of March, about 90 percent of the state was rated in some form of dryness and drought — now we are down to 60 percent,” according to Hall. He says turning things around is not a quick process.  “You have to remember that the drought that we came through last year that we are still kind of working out way of, was so deeply entrenched in that state that it’s just going to take awhile to slowly dig ourselves out of those precipitation deficits we’ve been at,” according to Hall. He says the driest areas start in central Iowa and move east and north.

“Up toward Cedar Rapids and Waterloo, up toward northeast Iowa, sort of that east-central part of the state they’ve had some pretty good rainfall over the last month. Northeast Iowa has been pretty wet, in fact we saw some reductions in the Drought Monitor just in that east-central, northeast Iowa location just in the last week or two,” he says. “So, they’re getting what they need in that part of the state.” There are still some areas to the west that could use more rain as they have D-2 or severe drought. “In Monona and Pottawattamie County in western Iowa, just about two percent of the state. That’s a little bit troubling to see that creep in, because that’s a part of the state where we’ve had some drought challenges in the past,” he says. Hall says the increased rainfall hasn’t caused any problems. 

“We have not seen any substantial flooding this spring, which is a great thing for us not to have. And it kind of indicates that the rain we’ve gotten in addition to getting the right total inches of rain, it’s also come over very slow, long periods of time, and it’s had a chance to soak into the ground. So that part of the precipitation in March has also been really, really helpful,” Hall says. He says everything worked well with the snowmelt as well. “The snowpack was not significant, the snowmelt came very gradually — so really, the timing of the rain and snowfall has been almost ideal,” Hall says.

You can see Iowa’s water resource trends at: www.iowadnr.gov/watersummaryupdate

DES MOINES, Iowa (April 6, 2022) – The Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship and the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) have confirmed a positive case of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) in Hardin County, Iowa. The virus was found in a commercial turkey flock. This brings the total number of cases of HPAI in Iowa, to 16.

Flock owners should prevent contact between their birds and wild birds and report sick birds or unusual deaths to state/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 should also be reported to the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship at (515) 281-5305.