The Iowa Department of Natural Resources says DNR Conservation Officer Dan Pauley reported a fish kill in a creek near Westside in Crawford County to the DNR Environmental Services Field Office in Atlantic on Thursday, Sept. 19th.

Holly Vandemark responded Thursday afternoon and observed dead chubs and minnows and a few larger fish in the East Boyer River for a mile downstream, possibly originating between the FAC Farmers Co-op Elevator and the city wastewater lagoon. The fish appeared to have been dead for some time.

Water samples from the kill area and downstream revealed only the slightest elevation in ammonia, nitrate and dissolved oxygen. Live fish and aquatic wildlife were observed in the sampling areas. There may be several contributing factors to the fish kill and the DNR will continue to investigate.

Report fish kills and spills to the state’s 24-hour spill line at 515-281-8694.

MISSOURI VALLEY, Iowa (AP) — Thousands of people are expected to gather at a farm in Iowa’s Loess Hills to celebrate a berry touted for its health benefits. The free North American Aronia Berry Festival will be held Saturday and Sunday at Sawmill Hollow Family Farm north of Missouri Valley.

The festival will include vendors, craftsmen and activities involving aronia berries, which are prized by some for their high levels of antioxidants. On Sunday, the Hy-Vee Healthy You Wellness Tour Bus will be at the festival to offer flu shots. More information is available at www.sawmillhollow.com.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) – The brother of Gov. Terry Branstad will pay a fine and spend $26,000 to install a wetland area after his cattle farm failed to comply with requirements of his clean water permit.  The Environmental Protection Agency says Branstad Farms near Forest City did not maintain adequate records for the application of manure onto farm land and did not sample the manure and soil as required.

EPA documents show Monroe Branstad, the governor’s brother, operates the farm. The EPA says the farm will pay a $5,100 civil penalty and spend the additional money to install a wetlands restoration area, the first agreement of its type in the EPA region covering Iowa, Kansas, Missouri and Nebraska.  The governor’s spokesman says he will not comment.

Andrea Farrior and Chris Parks talk about the latest happenings at the Atlantic Animal Shelter.

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w/ Dr. Keith Leonard

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From the Cass and Audubon County FSA and NRCS offices w/ Max Dirks.

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A U-S-D-A survey finds the value of Iowa farmland and farm buildings rose dramatically in the past year. According to the U-S-D-A, Iowa farmland sold for an average price of 84-hundred dollars an acre in August — a 20 percent increase from the same month a year ago. No other Midwestern state is recording farm land values that high. The average price of farmland in Illinois in August was 78-hundred an acre; in Minnesota it was 47-hundred-50; in Wisconsin it was 44-hundred. Nebraska and Missouri farmland was selling for an average of about three-thousand an acre in August. In the Dakotas, it ranged from 17- to 18-hundred an acre. Economists say Iowa’s farm land price boom has been directly tied to farm income gains.

(Radio Iowa)

w/ Kate Olson

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Iowa State University researchers have developed a new tool to help fight a virus sweeping across U-S hog farms that has the potential to kill entire litters of piglets. Porcine Epidemic Diarrhea Virus has been confirmed in 17 states including Iowa since its first appearance last spring. Iowa State University’s John Johnson says they’ve developed a test that identifies the animal’s immune response to exposure to help determine when it’s safe to move the hogs.

“If we say, well, the P-C-R is negative but they are antibody positive, then the producer and their veterinarian have to assess the amount of risk they’re willing to assume on moving those animals,” Johnson says. But, Johnson says, if both tests are negative, producers can be confident their pigs won’t infect a new herd. Johnson says researchers are still trying to understand this virus. “There’s just a whole lot we don’t know yet about PED as far as the whole epidemiology of the disease,” according to Johnson.

P-E-D-V is particularly devastating for piglets and entire litters can be wiped out — which poses serious economic impacts for producers. P-E-D-V has been confirmed on almost 600 farms, but is not dangerous to humans.

(Radio Iowa)

Those who track farm injuries say grain bin accidents and wrecks involving all-terrain vehicles are increasing, while the number of children killed in farm-related accidents is on the decline. This is National Farm Safety and Health Week and Carolyn Sheridan — director of the “AgriSafe” program at Spencer’s Hospital — says operating a farm isn’t a “one-person show.”

“This involves the entire family many times or extended family members, so when we talk health and safety we need to…decide who’s doing the jobs…Maybe we’re asking somebody who’s young to do a job they’re not quite prepared for or maybe a farmer who’s maybe retired (or) slightly retired and they might be helping through the harvest season…What are we going to be doing different to keep those people safe?” Sheridan asks. “…Remember, throughout life we have different skill sets. You know, we may have a teenager who may be asked to do something different throughout the harvest because we need the workforce. So, what is our workforce made up of and what can we do make sure that we’re keeping them safe all through the harvest?”

According to the Centers for Disease Control, tractor roll-overs are the leading cause of death on the farm. Sheridan, who is a farm wife herself, counsels folks on the farm to ask questions. “And I maybe not have driven that tractor since last harvest and I don’t remember exactly what I’m supposed to do and we’re busy and maybe I don’t ask for the right instructions or remember those sorts of things,” Sheridan says, “or maybe that tractor seat isn’t far enough ahead for me and it’s hard for me to get those brakes and things.”

On average, about 112 kids under the age of 20 die each year from farm-related injuries. Sheridan says there are a number of things families have to consider in order to keep kids safe on the farm. “Do we have safe play areas? Are we taking them along with us?” Sheridan says. “What about after school? They’re coming home alone, you know are they’re going to look for us? — things such as that.” The latest data from the U.S. Department of Labor shows those working in the agriculture sector are in the most dangerous line of work in America. National Farm Safety Week was first established in 1944 and is held the third week in September.

(Radio Iowa)