DES MOINES – Today, Gov. Kim Reynolds sent United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Secretary Tom Vilsack a letter urging the USDA to prioritize and expedite the approval process for animal vaccines designed to combat foreign animal diseases and other diseases threatening the U.S agriculture industry.  

The letter reads in part:  

“Animal diseases pose significant threats to the agricultural industry, jeopardizing animal health, food security, and economic stability. The recent outbreaks of diseases such as highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) in dairy cattle and poultry, as well as the recent outbreak of Avian Metapneumovirus (aMPV) in Iowa turkey farms, underscores the need for proactive measures to prevent and control future outbreaks. Vaccine development and approvals are critical to ensure the health and safety of our nation’s livestock and poultry operations.  

“I urge the USDA and the USDA Center for Veterinary Biologics (CVB) located in Ames, Iowa, to expedite the review and approval process for animal vaccines, prioritizing those that have demonstrated safety, efficacy, and feasibility. Additionally, I encourage the USDA to allocate resources and support research efforts aimed at developing innovative vaccines and vaccination strategies.” 

You can read the full letter here. 

DES MOINES, Iowa, May 30, 2024 – Agricultural operations in Iowa have been significantly impacted by recent tornados and flooding. The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has technical and financial assistance available to help farmers and livestock producers recover from these adverse weather events. Impacted producers should contact their local USDA Service Center to report losses and learn more about program options available to assist in their recovery from crop, land, infrastructure, and livestock losses and damages.

USDA Disaster Assistance 

Producers who experience livestock deaths in excess of normal mortality or sell injured livestock at a reduced price may be eligible for the Livestock Indemnity Program (LIP). To participate in LIP, producers will have to provide acceptable documentation of death losses or evidence of reduced sales resulting from an eligible adverse weather event and must submit a notice of loss to the USDA Farm Service Agency (FSA) no later than the annual program payment application date, which is 60 calendar days following the calendar year in which the loss occurred.  The LIP payment application and notice of loss deadline is March 3, 2025, for 2024 calendar year losses. Livestock producers who experience losses related to tornadoes should check with their local FSA office for LIP eligibility criteria.

Meanwhile, the Emergency Assistance for Livestock, Honeybees, and Farm-Raised Fish Program (ELAP) provides eligible producers with compensation for feed and grazing losses. For ELAP, producers are required to complete a notice of loss and a payment application to their local FSA office no later than the annual program application deadline, Jan. 30, 2025, for 2024 calendar year losses.

Additionally, eligible orchardists and nursery tree growers may be eligible for cost-share assistance through the Tree Assistance Program (TAP) to replant or rehabilitate eligible trees, bushes or vines. TAP complements the Noninsured Crop Disaster Assistance Program (NAP) or crop insurance coverage, which covers the crop but not the plants or trees in all cases. For TAP, a program application must be filed within 90 days of the disaster event or the date when the loss of the trees, bushes or vines is apparent.

“Once you are able to evaluate the impact on your operation, be sure to contact your local FSA county office to timely report all crop, livestock and farm infrastructure damages and losses,” said Matt Russell, State Executive Director for FSA in Iowa. “To expedite FSA disaster assistance, you will likely need to provide documents, such as farm records, herd inventory, receipts and pictures of damages or losses.”

FSA also offers a variety of direct and guaranteed farm loans, including operating and emergency farm loans, to producers unable to secure commercial financing. Producers in counties with a primary or contiguous disaster designation may be eligible for low interest emergency loans to help them recover from production and physical losses. Loans can help producers replace essential property, purchase inputs like livestock, equipment, feed and seed, cover family living expenses or refinance farm-related debts and other needs. On May 24, 2024, FSA Administrator Zach Ducheneaux signed an Administrator’s Physical Loss Notification (APLN) making 29 counties in Iowa – eight primary and 21 contiguous – eligible for FSA emergency loans for physical damages and loss caused by thunderstorms and tornadoes that occurred April 26 through April 27, 2024. Contiguous counties in Missouri and Nebraska are also eligible for APLN emergency loan assistance.

Additionally, FSA offers several loan servicing options available for borrowers who are unable to make scheduled payments on their farm loan programs debt to the agency because of reasons beyond their control.

The Farm Storage Facility Loan Program (FSFL) provides low-interest financing so producers can build, repair, replace or upgrade facilities to store commodities. Loan terms vary from three to 12 years. Producers who incurred damage to or loss of their equipment or infrastructure funded by the FSFL program should contact their insurance agent and their local USDA Service Center. Producers in need of on-farm storage should also contact USDA.

Risk Management

Producers who have risk protection through Federal Crop Insurance or FSA’s NAP should report crop damage to their crop insurance agent or FSA office. If they have crop insurance, producers should provide a notice of loss to their agent within 72 hours of initial discovery of damage and follow up in writing within 15 days.

For NAP covered crops, a Notice of Loss (CCC-576) must be filed within 15 days of the loss becoming apparent, except for hand-harvested crops, which should be reported within 72 hours.

“Crop insurance and other USDA risk management options are offered to help producers manage risk because we never know what nature has in store for the future,” said Pamela Stahlke, Director of USDA’s Risk Management Agency (RMA) Regional Office that covers Iowa. “The Approved Insurance Providers, loss adjusters and agents are experienced and well-trained in handling these types of events.”

Conservation

FSA’s Emergency Conservation Program (ECP) and Emergency Forest Restoration Program (EFRP) can assist landowners and forest stewards with financial and technical assistance to restore fencing, damaged farmland or forests, and remove debris from feed stocks, water supplies and feeding areas.

USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) is always available to provide technical assistance during the recovery process by assisting producers to plan and implement conservation practices on farms and working forests impacted by natural disasters. The Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP) can help producers plan and implement conservation practices on land impacted by natural disasters.

“The Natural Resources Conservation Service can be a very valuable partner to help landowners with their recovery and resiliency efforts,” said Jon Hubbert, NRCS State Conservationist in Iowa. “Our staff will work one-on-one with landowners to make assessments of the damages and develop approaches that focus on effective recovery of the land.”

Assistance for Communities

Additional NRCS programs include the Emergency Watershed Protection (EWP) program, which assists local government sponsors with the cost of addressing watershed impairments or hazards such as debris removal and streambank stabilization.

The EWP Program is a recovery effort aimed at relieving imminent hazards to life and property caused by floods, fires, windstorms and other natural disasters. All projects must have an eligible project sponsor. NRCS may bear up to 75% of the eligible construction cost of emergency measures (90% within county-wide limited-resource areas as identified by the U.S. Census data). The remaining costs must come from local sources and can be in the form of cash or in-kind services.

EWP is designed for installation of recovery measures to safeguard life and property as a result of a natural disaster. Threats that the EWP Program addresses are termed watershed impairments. These include, but are not limited to:

• Debris-clogged waterways.
• Unstable streambanks.
• Severe erosion jeopardizing public infrastructure.
• Wind-borne debris removal.

Eligible sponsors include cities, counties, towns or any federally recognized Native American tribe or tribal organization. Sponsors must submit a formal request (by mail or email) to the NRCS state conservationist for assistance within 60 days of the natural disaster occurrence or 60 days from the date when access to the sites become available. For more information, please contact your local NRCS office.

DES MOINES, Iowa — The latest U.S. Drought Monitor (USDM) released today (Thursday) showed no drought conditions anywhere in the state of Iowa, marking the first time the entire state has been without drought conditions since 2020.

The USDM shows drought conditions in several stages. D1-D4 are considered drought conditions. At least part of Iowa has been in D1 or above since July 2020. Parts of the state, particularly in eastern and northeastern Iowa, are still under “abnormally dry” conditions, which do not meet the criteria for drought but could indicate areas that are either entering or recovering from drought.

In western Iowa, a good section of western Pottawattamie County, most of northern Guthrie County, and a section of northern Dallas County are shown as “Abnormally Dry, on the Drought Monitor map.

Parts of Iowa had been in extreme drought — D3 on the scale — from June 2022 through early May of this year before consistent rainfall helped bring the state out of those conditions.

(Cass County, Iowa)  – The Cass County Conservation Board, Nishna Valley Trails, and Atlantic Parks and Rec are holding a free National Trails Day Area trail event on Saturday, June 1. The event is 10-a.m. until Noon, at the Schildberg Recreation Area (102 Buck Creek Road, Atlantic, IA 50022) at the East Shelter (near the campground).

People of all ages are invited to come out and enjoy this free event. The Kiwanis will have their food truck on site, and hot dogs and watermelon will be available for a free will donation. The Schildberg Recreation area is connected to approximately five miles of trails, much of which is paved. Bikes, strollers, runners or walkers–all are welcome.

At 10:30-a.m., Jon Jordan will lead a bike ride out to the T-Bone Trailhead and back (approximately 15 miles). Portions of the route will be gravel, and Jon will share tips on biking safely. The event will be canceled if there is inclement weather.

The Schildberg Recreation area is just one of many trails sites in Cass County. A map of Cass County trails, including information on trail type, ADA accessibility, and restrooms, can be found at https://www.atlanticiowa.com/experience/cass-county-trails-map-2/. Printed copies of the Cass County Trails Map can be picked up at the Atlantic Area Chamber of Commerce (102 Chestnut St., Atlantic, IA 50022).

Jon Jordan shares cycling tips with rides before the 2023 trails ride

Nishna Valley Trails is a tax-exempt local nonprofit that promotes the development of recreational trails and cycling. People who support these causes are welcome to join the group. For more information on Nishna Valley Trails or to join the organization, contact President Dave Chase at 712-249-3059.

DES MOINES – Today Gov. Kim Reynolds announced the signing of a disaster proclamation for Sioux County, Iowa effective immediately through June 27, 2024. The USDA has confirmed a positive case of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) in commercial layer chickens. 

This proclamation allows state resources from Iowa Homeland Security, the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship, and other agencies to assist with tracking and monitoring, rapid detection, containment, disposal, and disinfection. The proclamation also waives regulatory provisions related to commercial vehicles responding to affected sites. 

The recent HPAI detections in birds do not present an immediate public health concern, and it remains safe to eat poultry products. If producers suspect signs of HPAI in their flocks, they should contact their veterinarian immediately. 

(Iowa DNR) – The Iowa Department of Natural Resources (DNR) has forestry experts available to help landowners impacted by recent storms with forest storm damage assessments and forest recovery plans. Lindsey Barney, district forester for 11 counties in southern and southwest Iowa for the Iowa DNR, said the phone calls are just beginning as the cleanup progresses.

“These storms have caused significant damage across the state. When the landowners are ready, we will be here to help them assess the impact to their timber,” she said. There is a map and contact information for the local district foresters online at https://www.iowadnr.gov/Conservation/Forestry/Forestry-Landowner-Assistance

(Iowa DNR News) – Fawning season traditionally begins during the last week of May, peaks in the first couple of weeks of June, before gradually tapering off. And that means deer are on the move. Does are secretive about the birthing process and will venture out from normal use areas looking for a secluded spot to deliver this year’s crop of fawns in peace, said Jim Coffey, forest wildlife research biologist with the Iowa Department of Natural Resources (DNR). “This seclusion process is a driving force in protection for the lanky, wavering fawn. Fawns will be left alone while the doe returns only to nurse. This is normal deer behavior,” he said.

“The doe searches out an isolated location where she feels safe and, on occasion, those places may leave us scratching our heads wondering what the doe was thinking. But she chose that location because it made sense to her,” Coffey said. “The worst thing someone can do at this stage is to ‘rescue’ the fawn. Mom is likely nearby and watching you. Leave it be, or if you did handle the fawn, return it to where you found it and walk away.”

With the recent flooding and saturated soils, many areas near river bottoms are not available for fawning, pushing deer to higher elevations. These spots can be anything from open hayfield to a field terrace to the flowerbed in the backyard. The Iowa DNR will not be rehabilitating or comingling fawns with other deer to avoid the potential of spreading chronic wasting disease – or other disease – to new areas. This emphasizes the point of leaving ‘abandoned” fawns be.

The spindly legged newborn fawn is designed with a few survival tools built in –its spots are cryptic camouflage that emulates the sunlight spots projected onto leaf litter of the forest floor and its lack of movement the first two weeks helps to reduce scent patterns. This combination is its best chance at survival until it is capable to following the doe.

Fawning season also coincides with an increase in deer vehicle collisions. “There is a lot of movement this time of year that relates to the social structure of deer. The doe is on the move looking for the safe isolated place to have the fawns.  Additional movement comes from last year’s fawns that are now isolated teenagers starting to venture out to find new space. These yearlings have to make their own decisions for the first time, encounter other adult deer and build new social structures,” Coffey said. “This movement behavior can occur during all times of the day. Once it settles out, the active movement time will return to dawn and dusk.

“The key to remember is that for the next month deer may not be acting like we think deer should act, stay alert while driving at any time of the day.” Drivers are reminded to drive defensively, avoid distractions, slow down, and provide safe distance between vehicles. Don’t veer for deer. If a driver does hit a deer, drivers can get a salvage tag for the meat by calling either the local conservation officer or local law enforcement agency. The salvage tag is free and is required to legally possess the meat. Salvaging requires that the entire deer be removed from the roadway.

(Radio Iowa)- Researchers on the Mississippi River say two years of work to try and deter invasive carp using sound has yielded some promising results. Christa Woodley with the Army Corps of Engineers says four types of invasive carp were intentionally brought here in the late 60s and early 70s, but they led to problems that include reducing water quality that leads to increased dredging and bank destabilization. “When you’re thinking about something like the Mississippi River where we already have quite a bit of flood risk and flood elements, the fish can actually increase those impacts,” she says.

Woodley and Marybeth Brey with the Geological Survey designed a 16-speaker soundbar and installed it at Lock 19 to try to deter invasive carp while minimizing impacts on native species. The soundbar plays sounds specifically at the frequencies the carp can hear. Woodley says the sounds should be irritating to the carp, so they don’t come near. “In some cases it should stop them from wanting to cross, sometimes it will actually cause them to turn around,” Woodley says. The soundbar can be controlled both on site and remotely. It is on for three days and eight hours, then off for three days and eight hours. The scientists can then compare how many fish cross the lock when the system is active and how many cross when it is inactive. Brey and Woodley’s team puts transmitters in 700 to 800 fish a year to track their movements.

The Fish and Wildlife Service, Missouri Department of Conservation, and the Iowa and Illinois Departments of Natural Resources are all involved in the fish tagging. Brey says the data from 2022 shows a 50 percent decrease in silver carp specifically. “So, for every two fish that pass upstream when it’s off, one would pass when it’s on,” Brey says. Most native species in the Mississippi do not hear at the same frequencies as the carp. So far, the system seems not to bother them. Bigmouth buffalo are crossing the lock at similar rates when the system is off and on, but they have not seen significant impacts on the freshwater drum, the paddlefish, or the white bass. “But all things considered on the fish side, it’s looking definitely better than not having it there,” Brey says.

The data from 2023 will be analyzed soon. Though Brey and Woodley provide the results, they don’t decide if the system should be implemented on a broader scale. That decision is left to the states. Besides studying the movement of fish, Brey and Woodley have also been tracking how well their equipment functions over longer periods of time. Woodley says the technology developed for this project can be used for other projects as well. It is already being used by others trying to attract fish towards certain areas, or cover up construction noise. “It’s had a lot of applicability and some really neat science going in to it that we’re able to track and hopefully push out to the people that need it for whatever purpose,” she says. Researchers are studying other deterrent strategies as well.

Carbon dioxide, electricity, and walls of bubbles can all be used to deter the passage of fish. But those methods all deter native fish as well. Brey says some groups are also working on combining removal methods with deterrent methods. “We’re trying to say how can we, if we’re deterring fish, how can we remove them at the same time,” Brey says.

The underwater acoustic deterrent system study is set to continue through the end of the year. It may be extended with different research questions depending on needs of the partner agencies.