DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — A Department of Natural Resources biologist says Iowa’s pheasant population likely will decline this year because of the cool and wet spring. DNR upland wildlife biologist Todd Bogenschutz says Iowa’s pheasant population usually increases after mild winters and dry, warm springs. This year, a snowy winter was followed by record-setting cold temperatures and rain. Because of those conditions, Bogenschutz says the pheasant population will likely be smaller than in 2012.

Habitat also has been an issue for the pheasant population, as high commodity prices lead more farmers to grow crops rather than set aside land for wildlife under the federal Conservation Reserve Program. But Bogenschutz says Iowa has made progress in creating more habitat for pheasants through an effort to set aside 50,000 acres of land to aid the birds.

The conservative group “Americans for Prosperity” is urging members of the U.S. House to vote against the Farm Bill when it comes up for a vote, perhaps later today (Tuesday). Christine Harbin is federal policy analyst for Americans for Prosperity. “This so-called Farm Bill is filled with food stamps and corporate hand-outs,” Harbin says. Her group objects to the subsidies farmers receive to buy crop insurance, calling that “corporate welfare.”  “It doesn’t overwhelmingly go towards small, struggling farmers like my grandmother and grandfather,” Harbin says. “They go to large, well-connected farm companies.” 

Last week the top Republican in the U.S. House — Ohio Congressman John Boehner — announced he would vote for the Farm Bill. Americans for Prosperity is urging Iowa’s entire congressional delegation to vote against it.  “We’re targeting and trying to hold accountable people on both sides of the aisle because people on both sides of the aisle get the Farm Bill wrong,” Harbin says. 

Americans for Prosperity favors an end to farm subsidies. The group’s Iowa director says farmers are “doing quite well for themselves” and federal farm policy should be “based on free market principles” rather than “handouts.” The group also argues consumers pay too much at grocery store because of Farm Bill policies. Last year lawmakers passed a one-year extension of the 2008 Farm Bill when an updated Farm Bill stalled in the House.

(Radio Iowa)

U-S Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack is calling on Congress to pass an immigration reform bill, asserting it would bring a variety of benefits to the ag industry and to rural states like Iowa. Vilsack, a former Iowa governor, spoke with reporters Monday in a conference call about the start of National Small Business Week.  “As we deal with comprehensive immigration reform, we look for the benefits of trying to fix a broken system,” Vilsack says. “One of the benefits is that immigrants come here with a dream and come here with a hope of a better life and one way that they can do that is by being their own boss and developing their own business, which is why immigrants are more likely than those who currently live here in the United States to start a small business.”

Just last week, a report from the U-S Census Bureau found Iowa’s largest minority group — Hispanics — is gaining population quickly. New data shows nearly 163-thousand Latinos lived in the state as of last July, an increase of better than three-percent in the previous year. “Certainly in the agricultural area, we’ve had a number of examples of families coming in and starting a small fruit or vegetable production facility and having that expand over time to support multiple families,” Vilsack says. “This is in addition to the benefits that agriculture will receive from the comprehensive immigration reform bill with a stable and secure workforce, a guest worker system that works.”

The secretary says passage of the bill will help create jobs, in addition to more taxpayers who can help the country reduce deficits more quickly. The Census Bureau report found the growth rate for Hispanics in Iowa is ten times faster than the state’s overall population.

(Radio Iowa)

People who apparently have nothing better to do with their time have damaged property meant for the enjoyment and relaxation of others, in Atlantic. During Monday evening’s meeting of the Atlantic Parks and Recreation Department’s Board of Directors, Director Roger Herring said it’s believed persons from out of town destroyed a park bench at the Schildberg Recreation Area. The incident involving the very first new bench to be installed by a local Eagle Scout wasn’t discovered, until a week ago, when Herring went out to mow.

He says the bench was gone, and next to a picnic table was a round burn mark. Herring learned someone had pitched a tent and camped there the previous weekend. It didn’t take long for him to realize the campers tore apart the bench as used it as kindling for a campfire. Evidence of the fact included the discovery of the bench’s nuts and bolts in the campfire site. Herring says they have received leads in the case, and they don’t point to anyone local.

In another incident, Herring says someone took trash from a can at the City Park in downtown Atlantic last weekend, and dumped it in the men’s restroom. With the heat and humidity allowing the refuse to “Ferment” over the weekend, when the incident was discovered by Park workers, the stench nearly overwhelmed their senses. The culprits didn’t do any other damage, and even returned the trash can to its proper place.

City Councilman Chris Jimerson, who represents the Council on the Parks and Rec Board, mentioned also, that sometime over the weekend, persons on motorcycles tore up the Soccer Field by the Little League Park.  Herring says he believes that young people who are bored, are responsible for “That kind of Mickey Mouse stuff.”

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — The latest crop report from the U.S. Department of Agriculture shows Iowa’s cornfields have been hit hard by the wet spring. Twelve percent of the crop is in poor condition, worse among the 18 leading corn growing states. Monday’s report says 4 percent is very poor while 34 percent is fair and 50 percent is good or excellent. Eleven percent of corn plants haven’t emerged from the ground yet and 6 percent of the crop hasn’t been planted. Normally the crop is all in by now and 99 percent emerged.

The USDA already assumes the average amount of corn expected to be harvested per acre in the U.S. to be reduced to 156.5 bushels per acre down from 158 bushels estimated a month ago.

A Shelby County company that produces honey, is planning an expansion of their facilities. Smitty Bee in Defiance is prepping to add close to 20,000 square feet to their plant. The expansion is set to increase capacity by close to 50 percent. The company says the new space is for bottling room, offices, and additional warehouse space and research and development labs. 

Smitty Bee sales have soared to the highest ever in the 80 years of production in part because of the increasing finds of health benefits in honey. The fourth generation family owned operated honey packer and producer says they remain committed to the quality of honey customers have consumed over the years and the expansion will continue to help maintain the high standards along with building the business. 

Smitty Bee in Defiance provides a wide variety of honey products to both industrial and retail customers and can be found at many local grocery stores.

(Joel McCall/KNOD)

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) – An Iowa Supreme Court decision in a dispute over the value of shares in a farm business two cousins inherited from their fathers gives additional clout to minority shareholders in closely held family businesses and could have wide-sweeping effect on inherited family business operations.  The court’s decision released Friday centers on cousins Jack and Bob Baur who have argued over the value of Jack’s shares in Baur Farms Inc. since the early 1990s. 
 
Jack Baur sued alleging Bob and the farm corporation engaged in oppressive conduct by refusing to buy Jack’s shares at a fair market value. The high court says minority shareholders may reasonably expect to share proportionally in a corporation’s gains, setting a new standard in disputes over the value of shares in family corporations.

w/Marissa Hovde speaking with Andrea Farrior of the Atlantic Animal Shelter discussing this week’s pets available for adoption.

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Cass County Extension and the Cass County Conservation Board say they have once again teamed-up to offer their annual summer day camp programs to local youth. Officials say there is still time to get registered for several upcoming camps, but registration deadlines are approaching fast, so you shouldn’t delay signing-up.

The “To Earth and Beyond” camp at the Anita Community Center, is for those who have completed 3rd through 5th grade. It will be held on Friday, June 28^th, from 8-a.m. to 5-p.m. The camp will explore all of the solar system, landing at Earth at the end of the day to learn about rocks, plates, earthquakes and volcanoes. Participants will learn through hands-on activities, interactive games and creating projects to take home. Registration deadline is Tuesday June 18th.

For older youth interested in fishing, archery, hiking and Dutch oven cookery, the “Outdoor Adventure Camp” is the place to learn. The camp will be held on Tuesday, July 11 from 8-a.m. to 5-p.m., at Cold Springs State Park in Lewis. Outdoor Adventure Camp is for those who have completed 6th, 7th or 8th grades. Registrations for the camp are due by Monday, June 24th.

The cost for either camp is $10 per child. To sign up for a camp, stop by the Cass County Extension Office in Atlantic to fill out a registration and health form, along with a $10 payment, by the deadlines listed. More information and registration forms are also available online at www.extension.iastate.edu/cass to print and return. If you have any questions, please check the Cass County Extension website, call the Cass County Extension Office at 712-243-1132, or stop by the Extension Office at 805 W. 10^th St in Atlantic.

w/ Dr. Keith Leonard

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