w/ Kate Olson

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The Iowa Department of Natural Resources says eight new sites have been added to Iowa’s walk in public hunting access program, increasing the land available for hunting by nearly 600 acres. There are a total of 7,590 acres of private property on 48 sites available to hunters. The Iowa Hunting and Access Program (IHAP) is a partnership with Iowa landowners who agree to allow hunters access to the portion of their property enrolled in the program in exchange for habitat improvement on that land.

The newly enrolled land is spread across the state but all of the new sites are located in north central; an area of the state with the least amount of public hunting access sites in the past.  Hunting opportunities should be even greater this year as the habitat on the sites have had another year of development.  Site maps are available on the DNR’s website showing boundaries, which species would be most likely attracted to the habitat and the location of a comment box where hunters can leave their thoughts on the program.  Detailed information for each site can also be found on the hunting atlas http://programs.iowadnr.gov/maps/huntingatlas/.

Walk-in public hunting through IHAP is available between September 1st and May 31st. Areas are posted with signs, are regularly patrolled by Iowa DNR conservation officers and will be treated like public hunting ground, with the noted exception that it is private property. The DNR has a list of tips and guidelines hunters should follow and maps of the properties online at http://www.iowadnr.gov/Hunting/PlacestoHuntShoot/HabitatAccessProgram.aspx

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Environmental groups have filed a lawsuit seeking to force the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to stop planting genetically modified crops in wildlife refuges in Illinois, Iowa, Minnesota, and Missouri. The federal lawsuit was filed Tuesday in California by the Center for Food Safety, Public Employees for Environmental Responsibility, the Sierra Club, and Beyond Pesticides.

It alleges the Fish and Wildlife Service unlawfully entered into farming contracts on five refuges in the four states without an environmental analysis required by federal law. The lawsuit also seeks to have the service end blanket pesticide use in the national wildlife refuges until environmental impact studies are done.

A similar lawsuit halted the practice of planting GMOs in refuges in several states the northeast and in the southeast.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — The condition of the corn crop in Iowa and nationally has declined slightly as a late summer dry hot spell settles in over Iowa and other Midwest states renewing fears of a crop damaging drought. The Department of Agriculture says in Monday’s weekly report that corn is about two weeks behind schedule in Iowa as 21 percent is now rated poor or very poor up from 18 percent the previous week and 44 percent is good or excellent, down from 48 percent previously. The remaining portion is fair.

Nationally a larger portion of the crop similarly slipped into poor or very poor category. Iowa soybeans are now 20 percent poor or very poor, up from 18 percent the week before. A similar decline is reported nationally.

Iowans who don’t enjoy the extreme heat that’s in the forecast this week may find relief in a prediction from the Farmers’ Almanac. The publication’s managing editor, Sandi Duncan, says they’re predicting a winter with below normal temperatures for about two-thirds of the country. “We are saying it’s going to be a very cold winter, in fact, we’re using the words ‘piercing cold’ in your neck of the woods, with normal snowfall,” Duncan says. “So, it’s going to be one of those rough, old-fashioned, very chilly, very cold, snowy winters.”

The Farmer’s Almanac for 2014 hit newsstands today (Monday). Scientists don’t put much stock in the almanac’s weather forecasts, which Duncan says are based on a secret, mathematical and astronomical formula. “It takes things like sun spot activity, tidal action of the moon, the position of the planets, and a variety of factors into play,” Duncan says. “We’ve been predicting the weather for 197 years and people who follow our forecasts say we’re about 80 to 85 percent accurate.”

The Farmers’ Almanac, which was founded in 1818, is predicting a heavy winter storm will hit the Northeast U.S. right around the time Super Bowl is played February 2 in New Jersey.

On the web at http://www.farmersalmanac.com/

(Radio Iowa)

Shelby County Emergency Management Coordinator Bob Seivert says the local Fire danger signs have been in the “Low” category since spring, and while they are not implementing the bi-weekly fire danger assessments, given the general lack of rainfall…and expected very hot and windy condition expected to prevail through the next week…Seivert advises businesses and area fire departments to move the fire danger signs into the “Moderate” category.

Seivert asks residents of Shelby County to “Please report a planned or controlled burn prior to ignition,” by calling 712-755-2124. If you need help in determining if the burn can be conducted safely, you’re asked to contact the Emergency Mgt Agency, or your Fire Chief.

Seivert says his office will continue to monitor conditions and keep residents and the media updated as necessary.

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — Nebraska cattle producers are being warned to keep watch for a grass fungus that poses problems for livestock. The ergot (UR’-guht) fungus has been confirmed in several nearby states, including Missouri and Iowa.

Richard Randle is a University of Nebraska-Lincoln beef veterinarian, and he says he and colleagues are aware of at least a couple of unconfirmed Nebraska reports. Early moisture followed by heat causes certain grasses to grow quickly and develop seed heads faster than cattle can consume them. That allows ergot to flourish in the seed heads.

The tips of cattle ears and tails fall off because the fungus can hamper blood flow to extremities. Cattle also can become lame, but ergot poisoning is unlikely to be fatal. More information is available online at http://marketjournal.unl.edu/