The Trustee in the bankruptcy case of G&R Feed and Grain, Co., Inc., in Portsmouth, has announced a training session will be held 7-p.m. Thursday, May 23rd, on how to bid at the online auction of the company’s physical assets. Trustee Deborah L. Petersen says the session will be at Club 191 in Portsmouth.  Petersen says persons interested in the online bidding process will be able to register for the sale the evening of the session. To register, simple bring identification with your name and address on it, provide an e-mail address, and have a valid Mastercard, Visa or Discover Card.

The online auction is available for bidding now, with items beginning to close in the live board on Tuesday, June 11th, at 10-a.m. You may register at any time, review the catalog of all items available for sale, and view a video explaining the bidding process, at www.delpeterson.com.

Questions about the online bidding process or auction should be referred to Del Peterson and Associates, at 1-800-492-9090. The training is provided by the Bankruptcy Trustee for all persons interested in bidding at the sale of all equipment and property of G&R Feed and Grain. You may also bring a laptop computer, of you wish.

In the wake of scandals with the I-R-S targeting conservative groups and the Justice Department checking reporters’ phone records, now the E-P-A admits it gave personal information on 80-thousand livestock producers to environmental activist groups. Iowa Senator Chuck Grassley is preparing legislation to restrict the E-P-A’s ability to release such data. Iowa Cattlemen’s president Ed Greiman, of Garner, says the measure is badly needed to protect producers’ privacy and rights.

“It’s crazy that we’ve got to deal with the EPA this way,” Greiman says. “It’s a good thing Senator Grassley has been working closely with the National Cattlemen who helped him draft this legislation.” Greiman says the personal privacy issue has drifted down to the state level where E-P-A has been overseeing the state Department of Natural Resources’ regulation of confined animal feedlots, or CAFO’s.

“We know the EPA would like for the Iowa DNR to identify all possible CAFOs,” he says. “The real question we have for the Iowa DNR is, okay, where does this information go? The government just cannot be releasing all of our personal information.” The E-P-A was responding to a Freedom of Information Act request by Earth Justice, the Pew Charitable Trust and the Natural Resources Defense Council. E-P-A officials admit they released more information than was required. One critic in the U-S Senate, Republican Mike Johanns, of Nebraska, says the EPA is “too cozy” with environmental activist groups.

(Radio Iowa)

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Iowa lawmakers have approved a $40 million compromise budget for the state departments of natural resources and agriculture. The Senate and House both approved the spending Thursday. The total budget for the next fiscal year is about $5 million more than the current year. It includes a $2.4 million increase for the state Department of Agriculture to study Iowa’s water quality and encourage farmers to implement water quality practices.

Other budget items include spending for the Iowa State University’s Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory. The plan also creates a new Iowa Nutrient Research Center at Iowa State to study nutrient management practices in the state. The plan now moves to the governor’s office.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Iowa lawmakers have approved a bill that provides farmers with additional liability protection for educational tours. The state House and Senate passed the legislation Thursday night. A February ruling from the Iowa Supreme Court said that educational tours for the public are not shielded from personal injury lawsuits under a law meant to promote recreation on private lands.

This legislation revises state law so that educational activities would be included under recreational use protections. Supporters say this will give farmers confidence to continue offering tours. It will next move to the governor’s office. The court ruled that owners of a dairy farm in northeast Iowa could be sued by a woman who was injured when she fell through a hole in a hayloft while chaperoning a field trip.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — An effort to maintain a tax break for ethanol blended fuel has won state Senate approval. The Iowa Senate on Thursday backed a bill that would extend a tax break for fuel that includes ethanol and gasoline for another year. Currently, ethanol blends are taxed at 20 cents a gallon and pure petroleum is taxed at 22 cents a gallon. Those numbers include a 1 cent environmental fee.

Without this bill, both types of fuel would soon be taxed at 21 cents total. The legislation has been amended, so it now moves to the House for approval. Representative Joshua Byrnes, a Republican from Osage, filed an amendment Thursday that would gradually increase the state fuel tax by 10 cents. It’s not clear the effort has enough support to pass.

The Iowa Department of Natural Resources (DNR) reports four men from Louisiana were found guilty of poaching Iowa deer from a case that started when someone made a call to the Turn in Poachers hotline. The four men pleaded guilty to various wildlife crimes in Kansas as well.

Michael Fralick, of Ponchatoula, La., was convicted on all 32 counts of deer hunting violations in four southwest Iowa counties. Fralick was assessed $6,123.90 in fines and court costs, forfeited two rifles and received a five year license suspension. He was ordered to pay $22,500 in civil damages.

James Moore, of Ponchatoula, La., pleaded guilty to discharge firearm from roadway, having a loaded gun in vehicle, failure to tag deer, illegal method of take in Adams County, Iowa, and was fined $604.50.  He also pleaded guilty to two counts unlawful transportation/possession of whitetail deer, no valid non-resident hunting license, no valid non-resident any-sex deer license, no habitat fee, illegal method of take in Montgomery County, Iowa, and was assessed $1,688.50 total fines and court costs. Moore received a five year license suspension and was ordered to pay $10,000 in civil damages. Moore was in possession of an illegal deer in Oklahoma when he was served with the Iowa citations by officials in Oklahoma.

Stanley Russel, of Roseland La., and William “Heath” Chambliss, of Kentwood, La., were both found guilty in Montgomery County, Iowa, of no valid non-resident hunting license, no valid non-resident any sex deer license, no valid non-resident antlerless deer license (required) and no habitat fee. Their fines and court costs totaled $1,433.40 each and they received a two year license suspension. 

The investigation into the men’s activities began in late November 2011 when the Kansas Wildlife and Parks Department received a TIP call from a concerned citizen about the activities of these men. The information led authorities to possible illegal activity in Iowa. The Iowa Department of Natural Resources received a TIP call about illegal deer activity around the same time that linked the two cases together.

The convictions were the result of a 10 month investigation by the Iowa Department of Natural Resources Law Enforcement Bureau, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Louisiana Department of Game & Fish, the Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks, and the Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation.

Officials say information received through the TIP hotline in both Iowa and Kansas was critical in this investigation.  If you have information on wildlife crimes call TIP of Iowa at 1-800-532-2020. You can remain anonymous.

Info from the Atlantic Animal Shelter.

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Campers looking to reserve a campsite at an Iowa state park with electricity for Memorial Day weekend are nearly out of luck. The Iowa Department of Natural Resources says to date, Clear Lake State Park has one site, Marble Beach has two and Pilot Knob has eight.  Officials say the Wilson Island State Recreation Area near Missouri Valley, is open for day use only. Once construction begins, the DNR expects to close the park completely.

Kevin Szcodronski, chief of State Parks Bureau for the Iowa Department of Natural Resources, says  the Memorial Day weekend has traditionally been the kick off to summer with campgrounds filled to capacity. Campers without sites should arrive as early as possible and may want to have a back up park in case all the sites are taken. He said also that campers should plan to go through their equipment before hitting the park to prevent any surprises. It’s also good to review campground rules and etiquette, like getting firewood locally, watching the noise level after quiet hours and picking up after yourself.

Tips

·        Keep track of the weather and have a plan in case of severe weather

·        Plan to arrive as early in the day to set up the site, look for potential problems and avoid those areas

·        Prepare ingredients for meals before leaving home for less time cooking and more time playing

·        Bug spray, sun screen and a basic first-aid kit are must haves

·        Check the registration kiosk for activities in the area

·        Don’t burn trash

·        Don’t bring fireworks

      ·        Be a good neighbor. Observe quiet hours and pick up after yourself

Firewood

The Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship requires all firewood sold or acquired in Iowa to have the county and state of harvest location on the label of packages and the delivery ticket for bulk firewood.  The rules were added to prevent the spread of invasive species. The rules only apply to firewood sold and acquired in Iowa.

The rule also requires the Iowa DNR to collect firewood from campers that does not have a label.

Park Updates are available at:

www.iowadnr.gov/Destinations/StateParksRecAreas/ClosureInformation.aspx