LE MARS, Iowa (AP) — The Iowa Department of Natural Resources says a fish kill in a northwestern Iowa stream has been traced to a Le Mars ice cream making plant. The department says ammonia from the Wells Enterprises plant, which makes Blue Bunny ice cream, found its way into the Plymouth County stream, killing a large number of minnow and chubs.

Officials say the ammonia was in cooling water discharge from the plant. The department said Friday it will continue to look for and verify the spill source and send water samples for laboratory analysis. DNR fisheries staff also planned to do a fish kill count Friday.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Bill Northey has been nominated for an administrative role in the U.S. Department of Agriculture. The White House announced President Donald Trump’s nomination of Northey on Friday. The 57-year-old Northey has been picked to serve as the Undersecretary for Farm Production and Conservation. A news release says the position was created in May as part of a re-organization at USDA.

Northey, a Republican, is in the midst of his third term as Iowa’s ag secretary. Northey graduated from Iowa State University with a degree in Agricultural Business and received his master’s in business from Southwest Minnesota State University.

He must first be confirmed by the U.S. Senate before he can take over the USDA post.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — This year’s annual Iowa pheasant and quail population survey looks bad — a 30 percent drop in the average statewide pheasant population and a 23 percent decline for quail. But state officials say they believe the numbers are misleading.

Iowa Department of Natural Resources officials believe that unusually dry weather during the survey taken in August is to blame for the skewed numbers.

Upland wildlife biologist Todd Bogenschutz says surveyors need heavy dew the mornings of the survey to get accurate numbers. That’s because it’s the dew that causes hens to move their broods from cover to gravel roads to dry off. If there’s no dew, the brood stays hidden from surveyors.

Bogenschutz says he expects similar numbers this year to 2016’s pheasant season, when hunters harvested about 250,000 roosters.

Officials with the Monsanto Fund, Friday night, presented Atlantic Community School District officials with a ceremonial check for $25,000. The funds are from the “Grow Rural Education” program, that allows eligible farmers to nominate their local public school district for grants to help enhance STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) education. Since 2011, the program has given over $9-million dollars to rural school districts.

Once nominated, school districts submit applications to compete for $10,000 or $25,000 grants to help fund projects that enhance their STEM curriculum. Schuler Principal James Northwick and 5^th Grade Teacher DeLana Harris applied for the grant, which will be used by the District to create a Science Lab for Schuler Elementary School.

Schuler Principal James Northwick and 5th Grade Teacher DeLana Harris receive a ceremonial version of a $25k check from Monsanto sales reps.

In general, the grants are used to help improve test scores, but more importantly, according to Monsanto officials, they’re getting kids to think bigger about their tomorrow. Other school area districts that were nominated and are receiving Grow Rural Education grant funds, include:

The Coon Rapids/Bayard Community School District: $10,000 for Equipment Allocation for Student Motivation, Innovation, and Experimentation;  And The Mt. Ayr Community School District: $10,000 for Science Investigation Using Virtual Reality (3D) Technology.

LE MARS—After looking for the cause of a fish kill in a small stream west of Le Mars Thursday afternoon, DNR traced the source to a local industry that uses ammonia as a refrigerant. Officials said the spill appears to be cooling water discharge from Wells Blue Bunny’s north plant. Normally the storm water discharge would not have ammonia in it, but DNR found elevated levels of ammonia below their discharge pipe.

There were several hundred dead minnows and chubs in the unnamed creek, but no obvious issues in the nearby Floyd River. The DNR recommends children and pets stay away from the creek near the ball park south of Highway 3 for at least 24 hours.

Ken Hessenius, supervisor of the Spencer DNR office, said Friday “This is a reminder to everyone that what you pour down a storm sewer or into a street goes directly to a creek and not to the wastewater plant. Some household chemicals which are flushed to sanitary sewers can be harmful to wastewater treatment plants. So be careful what you pour down the drain—sanitary or storm sewer.”

The DNR will continue to look for and verify the spill source, and send water samples for laboratory analysis. DNR fisheries staff were conducting a fish kill count today (Friday).

The Cass County Conservation Board has several events set to take place over the next few days. The “Mysterious Monarchs” program will be held at various locations this Friday and Saturday, and again in Atlantic on Sept. 9th.

The events allow you to discover Monarch Butterflies before they begin their journey south, and includes tagging of the butterflies. If you want your own tagging kit, pre-register by calling 712-769-2372. The program will be held:

Friday, Sept. 1st: 4:30-p.m. at Lake Anita State Park Campground Loop; Saturday, Sept. 2nd: 2-p.m. at the Cold Springs State Park Campground Shelter, and 4-p.m. at the Outdoor Educational Classroom near Massena (get there by following Highway 148 south of Massena, turning left onto Tucson Road and proceeding 1.5 miles to the park, which will be on the right); Saturday, Sept. 9th: Camblins Addition Shelter at Sunnyside Park, in Atlantic.

The Conservation Board is also holding a “Movie in the Park” Campground program, featuring “Princess Bride,” 9-p.m. Friday, Sept. 1st, at Cold Springs State Park, in Lewis.

And, a “Stand up Paddleboard” demonstration will be held Sat., Sept. 2nd, at the COld Springs State Park beach, from 9-a.m. until Noon. The fun, total body work out offers a unique perspective when it comes to being on the water. After a quick demonstration, you can try out the board for yourself. If you do not bring a life jacket, one will be provided for you. Children must be 16 years or older.  There are 10 spots available.: 9-a.m., 5 spots and 10:30-a.m., 5 spots.  Call to pre-register your spot at 712-769-2372.

All the events are free and open to the public, not just campers.

w/Denny Heflin.

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KINGSLEY, IA – Officials with the Iowa Department of Natural Resources report a manure spill from a sow facility in Plymouth County Tuesday afternoon, reached a small creek about four miles northwest of Kingsley. The spill, which occurred over the weekend, came from the Kingsley Sow Facility, managed by Dave Wittry.

Authorities don’t know how much manure spilled. The unnamed stream has low flows, is very small and there were no fish in it. DNR staff found low dissolved oxygen levels in the stream, but no evidence that the manure had reached Johns Creek about one mile downstream.

Wittry reported that most of the manure was captured by a berm near the facility. He will pump manure from the tributary and land apply it. The DNR will continue to monitor the cleanup progress and consider appropriate enforcement action.

w/Kate Olson.

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WASHINGTON, Aug. 29, 2017 — In response to a request from Bob Wegand, Farm Service Agency’s (FSA) acting State Executive Director in Iowa, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has designated Clarke, Decatur, Jefferson, Lucas, Madison, Marion, Union, Wapello, Warren and Wayne counties in Iowa as primary natural disaster areas due to a recent drought.

Farmers and ranchers in other counties in Iowa also qualify for natural disaster assistance because their counties are contiguous. Area counties included are:

Adair; Adams; Dallas; Guthrie; Ringgold and Taylor.

All counties listed were designated natural disaster areas on Aug. 25, 2017, making all qualified farm operators in the designated areas eligible for FSA’s emergency (EM) loans, provided eligibility requirements are met. Farmers in eligible counties have eight months from the date of the declaration to apply for loans to help cover part of their actual losses. FSA will consider each loan application on its own merits, taking into account the extent of losses, security available and repayment ability. FSA has a variety of programs, in addition to the EM loan program, to help eligible farmers recover from adversity.

Other FSA programs that can provide assistance, but do not require a disaster declaration, include Operating and Farm Ownership Loans; the Emergency Conservation Program; Livestock Forage Disaster Program; Livestock Indemnity Program; Emergency Assistance for Livestock, Honeybees and Farm-Raised Fish Program; and the Tree Assistance Program. Interested farmers may contact their local USDA service centers for further information on eligibility requirements and application procedures for these and other programs. Additional information is also available online at http://disaster.fsa.usda.gov.