OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — Global consumption of seafood is outpacing wild fish populations, so farmers are turning from roving the world’s waters to aquaculture. Increasingly, that includes growing fish in large indoor tanks in the Midwest — hundreds of miles from any ocean, bringing the surf to America’s turf.

Experts say fish farming in tanks — or closed containment systems — nearly eliminates fish manure runoff and waste through use of water recirculating and treatment systems. It also eliminates the chance of spreading disease or genetic mutation to wild populations.

And such tank systems can be placed almost anywhere — from Minnesota to Florida — because temperature and water quality can be controlled in an indoor environment. Recently such operations have popped up in Nebraska and Iowa — typically cattle and corn country.

The Cass County Extension office is once again hosting continuing instructional courses (C-CICs) for local commercial pesticide applicators, but wants to remind anyone who has yet to attend the training that all CIC training must be completed by the end of December. Kate Olson, Extension Program Coordinator in Cass County, says “We know year end is a busy time for all, but we don’t want anyone to miss the
opportunity to attend their annual required training, as time to meet those annual requirements is getting short.”

Olson said “We do offer trainings on a first-come, first served basis, and our hours will be slightly different during the holidays, so we’d like to remind folks to call and get their classes scheduled before our year-end calendar fills up!” Training dates can be scheduled locally by calling the Cass County Extension office at 712-243-1132 or emailing lander@iastate.edu<mailto:lander@iastate.edu>.

For more information on the Commercial Pesticide Applicator program or the CIC classes, visit
www.extension.iastate.edu/psep/ComAp.html.

Officials with the Iowa Department of Natural Resources say a man from northeastern Iowa was charged after allegedly threatening hunters near his property in rural Cresco. 61-year old Ralph Leroy Flugge, was charged Friday, with two counts of threats of terrorism against hunters, both Class D felonies. He was later released on $5,000 bond.

During execution of a search warrant at Flugge’s home on Friday, law enforcement officers seized 30 different firearms. The search warrant was executed by the Iowa Department of Natural Resources and
assisted by the Iowa State Patrol Tactical Unit, the Howard County Attorney’s office and the Howard County Sheriff’s Department.

w/ Denny Heflin

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (3.9MB)

Subscribe: RSS

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Aside from increased demand for corn to make food sweeteners and a boost in soybean exports, few adjustments are found in the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s latest crop update. The U.S. Department of Agriculture did not change in Wednesday’s report the number of corn acres planted this year, as some analysts expect it may.

The agency will likely wait until January to make adjustments, because there is still corn in some Michigan and Wisconsin fields. Currently, the number of acres reported in federal program applications exceeds USDA estimates by about 5 million acres, a larger discrepancy than usual.

Farmers in 22 states including Iowa and Nebraska expect record corn yields this year as part of the anticipated record 14.41 billion-bushel crop. Soybean farmers expect a record 3.96 billion bushel harvest.

A wildlife research supervisor with the Iowa Department of Natural Resources says hunters have reported harvesting 19-percent more deer in Iowa during the first shotgun season compared to last year. Willy Suchy credits the relatively mild weather. “Last year was a tough shotgun opener with really cold weather and strong winds,” Suchy said. Today (Wednesday) is the final day of the first shotgun deer season. Suchy anticipates the first season’s harvest will be around 37,000 deer.

“We’re similar to where we were in 2011-2012,” Suchy said. “We’re down substantially from the peak in 2006. Deer numbers are down.” Around 150,000 deer were killed in Iowa in 2006, the first year of so-called “mandatory harvest reporting” in the state. Prior to 2006, the DNR conducted a harvest “estimate” which was calculated based on a postseason postcard survey. Last year, hunters in Iowa killed fewer than 100,000 deer for the first time since the mid-1990s. Suchy isn’t sure yet if the harvest will be below six-digits again this year.

“A lot will depend on this next weekend, the second shotgun season. We still have a lot of licenses to be issued,” Suchy said. “Sometimes, when we have a good opener in the first season, a lot of hunters don’t go the second season so maybe there are (fewer deer killed). But, if we have good weather like we’re looking at, we may have somewhere around 100,000 animals reported.” The deer harvest during the first shotgun season increased over last year, despite 3,000 fewer licenses being sold this year compared to 2013. Suchy notes the license sales decline was primarily due to fewer antlerless licenses being available, which was by design.

Iowa’s second shotgun deer season opens this Saturday (December 13) and runs through Sunday, December 21.

(Radio Iowa)

w/ Kate Olson

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (3.9MB)

Subscribe: RSS

The Cass County Conservation Staff is inviting you to join them at Atlantic’s Schildberg Park Recreation Area on Saturday, January 3rd, 2015. Staff will be giving ten-minute presentations regarding the Trumpeter Swans every half-hour beginning at 11:00 a.m. with the last one being presented at 2:00 p.m. There will also be time to view the swans through spotting scopes and witness random swan feeding sessions.

Hot chocolate, cookies, grilled hotdogs, and other snacks will be provided free of charge with donations being accepted (for swan care). The Schildberg Recreation Area is located on the northwest edge of Atlantic, on the north side of Highway 83. (Note: If the weather is bad or if the swans are not at the park, the program will be held at the Atlantic Public Library from 12:00 p.m.-1:00 p.m. with a light lunch available).

The event is being sponsored by the Cass County Conservation Board, Atlantic Parks and Recreation, the Iowa Department of Natural Resources, and the Atlantic Public Library.

Temperatures have warmed up and that might make you want to head out to try some ice fishing. Army Corps of Engineers Natural Resource Specialist, Phillip Rustad, says that’s one activity that should be still be put on hold until further notice. “Until we get some more consistent cold weather to create good ice, I would recommend nobody probably go out on the ice or wander out on the ice we have out there because it’s just not very safe. There’s a lot of open spots on a lot of the lakes,” Rustad says.

Rustad says you should always wear some sort of life preserver whether you’re in a boat or just near the water.  “They have inflatables now that aren’t very bulky at all, you can wear em under your coat, you can wear em on top,” Rustad says. “They are just little packs that can go around your waist, there’s a lot of options for people.”

Rustad says if you fall into the water, don’t panic. Remember the 1-10-1 rule. Cold shock will pass in about one minute: in the next ten minutes; you will have effective use of your fingers, arms and legs. And it could take up to an hour before you become unconscious due to hypothermia. Rustad says it will take several days of sub freezing temperatures before the ice will be safe again.

(Radio Iowa)

Authorities in northwest Iowa’s Woodbury County are investigating the mysterious death of 17 head of cattle this weekend. Lieutenant Charles Hertz of the Woodbury County Sheriff’s Office, says the cattle were discovered by a creek near Lawton around 1:30 Saturday afternoon. He says the cattle owner was checking on the animals and discovered 17 cattle in the creek dead, while there were 13 others nearby that were just fine. Hertz says the were no marks on the animals or anything else to indicate why they died.

“We had checked the creek to determine if there were any other deaths associated with these cattle and we could not determine anything. There were no fish that were killed or any other livestock or animals in the area that had been killed,” Hertz says. “The state vet did a field autopsy at the scene, and there was nothing readily apparent.” He says the county emergency manager took water samples.

“And found everything to be in normal parameters. These samples are going to be forwarded to Storm Lake to have further tests done on them. The state vet also took samples from these animals and there will be further tests conducted,” according to Hertz. Hertz says there are not indications of criminal activity as they continue to investigate looking for the cause of the death of the animals.

(Radio Iowa)