Iowa State University Extension and Outreach and the University of Nebraska will be teaming up to offer a Feedlot Roundtable session at six Iowa locations on Thursday, Feb. 21 from 12:45-3:45 pm. Locally, the meeting will be hosted at the Wallace Learning Center/ ISU Armstrong Research Farm, 53020 Hitchcock Ave, near Lewis. Interested participants can contact 712-769-2600 or email cclark@iastate.edu to register. A fee of $10, payable at the door, will cover proceedings, meeting costs and refreshments. Please register by Tuesday Feb. 19 so proceedings and refreshments can be provided.

The webinar program will feature Dr. Temple Grandin, presenting from the Nebraska location, discussing animal welfare challenges for the beef feedlot industry. Also, Stephen Koontz from Colorado State University will discuss the market outlook and issues related to formula pricing for fed cattle via recorded session.  The afternoon will wrap up with an overview of research and projects related to the beef feedlot industry at Iowa State University by Dr. Dan Loy and Dr. Stephanie Hansen, presenting from the ISU campus.

The feedlot roundtable sessions are offered annually in Nebraska for feedlot operators and agri- business personnel.  Through a cooperating agreement between ISU Extension and University of Nebraska Extension to share livestock educational resources and programs, and with the benefit of technology, the roundtables will be offered at the Iowa locations via internet connection.

For more information, please contact your local county extension office or ISU Extension Beef Field Specialist.

(Press Release – Cass Co. Extension)

GERING, Neb. (AP) — Feedlot operators in Nebraska and Iowa can get advice this month from experts about dealing with high feed costs and drought. The annual beef feedlot roundtables will be held February 19th through 21st in Gering, Holdrege and West Point. The events will be broadcast to locations in Iowa. The sessions will focus on the latest in feedlot health, nutrition and economics.

The event is sponsored by University of Nebraska-Lincoln Extension, Iowa State University Extension and the Nebraska Beef Council. The presenters include a mix of university and industry experts who will offer tips on dealing with the current high feed prices and what alternatives exist. Registration costs $30 ahead of time or $40 at the door. More details are available online at panhandle.unl.edu.

ST. LOUIS (AP) — The persistent drought is taking a toll on producers of ethanol, with corn becoming so scarce that nearly two dozen ethanol plants have been forced to halt production. The Renewable Fuels Association, an ethanol industry trade group, provided data to The Associated Press showing that 20 of the nation’s 211 ethanol plants have ceased production over the past year, including five in January. While most expect to resume, they won’t likely do so until after 2013 corn is harvested in late August or September.

Industry experts don’t expect an ethanol shortage because millions of barrels are stockpiled and the remaining 191 plants are still producing. But there is growing concern about the high price of corn and what happens if the drought lingers through another corn-growing season.

A newly restored barn in rural Harrison County went up in flames Wednesday. The Missouri Valley Times reports the barn, located at 2731 Quentin Trail (five miles outside of Logan) started on fire around 10:15-am, Wednesday. Firefighters with the Logan Fire Department were the first to arrive on scene. Fire Chief Craig Charbonneau said the barn and another shed burned down quickly.

Firefighters from Woodbine, Missouri Valley, Magnolia and Modale were also on the scene, bringing anyway from 9-to 10,000 gallons of water altogether, but that wasn’t enough to save the structure, which was originally built in 1941, and completely restored last  November.

The loss, including an adjoining shed, was estimated at $45,000, not including the contents of the barn, which were still being inventoried. Firefighters were on the scene for more than two-hours. No injuries were reported.   Officials say an electrical issue appears to have been the cause of the fire.

Officials with the Iowa Department of Natural Resources say 88 counties notified the DNR last month, that they plan to evaluate construction permit applications and proposed locations for animal confinements by using the master matrix. Animal producers in these counties must meet higher standards than other confinement producers who also need a construction permit. They must earn points on the master matrix by choosing a site and using practices that reduce impacts on air, water and the community.

With 11 exceptions, all counties will use the matrix during the next 12 months. None of the 11 counties who opted not to use the matrix are in western or southwest Iowa.  Counties that adopt the master matrix can provide more input to producers on site selection, the proposed structures and proposed facility management. Participating counties can also join in DNR visits to a proposed confinement site.

While all counties may submit comments to the DNR during the review process for permit applications, counties that adopt the master matrix can also appeal approval of a preliminary permit to the Environmental Protection Commission. The deadline for enrolling in the program is Jan. 31st of each year. Producers and citizens can obtain more information and view a map of participating counties by looking for preconstruction requirements for permitted confinements at www.iowadnr.gov/afo.

The matrix affects only producers who must get a construction permit for a confinement. Generally, these include proposed construction, expansion or modification of confinement feeding operations with more than 2,500 finishing hogs, 1,000 beef cattle or 715 mature dairy cows.

w/ Extension Program Coordinator Kate Olson

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Iowa Agriculture Secretary Bill Northey is encouraging Iowans to consider joining a Community Supported Agriculture program. Northey says with a C-S-A program, farmers sell subscriptions and then share the harvest with the members.  “They get a portion of the production off that farm, and be able to give a signal to a farmer, that you’re interested in their product and so they can know how much to grow and how much interest there is,” according Northey. He says instead of hoping to find what you want at a farmer’s market, the membership allows for more stable availability of locally grown food.  “And so you sign up not necessarily for products but for a share of the production with a list of the products that the farmer intends to produce,” Northey says.

Most C-S-A programs producers invite customers to visit the farm to learn more about the operation. Northey says it ends up almost like you are harvesting your own garden, but the farmer does the work and you’re able to enjoy the product each week. Northey says Iowa has seen significant growth in the number of C-S-As. There were just 50 in 2006 and in 2012 there were 90. C-S-A members typically receive a bag or box of produce but some producers offer other items such as honey, baked goods, herbs, meat or flowers.

(Radio Iowa)

More than 600 people enjoyed a prime rib dinner Saturday in Defiance, as part of the Shelby County Cattlemen banquet. The banquet was held at Saint Peter’s Hall, and is the biggest event of the year for the cattlemen as they hand out scholarships to local college students and a few awards. This year the Shelby County Cattlemen gave out more than two-dozen $1,000 scholarships to local students attending a college of their choice.

In the awards category, the “2013 Cattlemen of the Year” was presented to Roger Ahrenholtz and his wife Peg. Shelby County Cattlemen President Tim Graeve said in his speech, Roger could be described in one word, “Passionate.” That was defined as his passion for agriculture and family. Ahrenholtz has a farming and cattle operation along with a grain bin business, which continues to grow with a son and grandson being heavily involved in its operation, along with two full time employees and several other persons lending a hand.

Tom and Marcy Muenchrath won the 2013 Beef Backer award at the Shelby County Cattlemen’s banquet. Tom works as an electrician at his own business Tom’s Electric and Grain Equipment. He employs seven people full-time, and up to 27 people who work during the peak season of operation. The Muenchraths work closely with the Cattlemen industry, and said they were thrilled to win the award.

(Joel McCall/KNOD)

MASON CITY, Iowa (AP) — The frenzied pace of farmland sales has slowed at the start of the year amid uncertainty about the drought. Fred Greder, who owns Benchmark Agribusiness, says that between Labor Day and the end of 2012, about 100 farmland auctions were held in north Iowa. Greder says he’s only aware of seven so far this year. Greder says he thinks the market is catching its breath. The fast pace of sales last fall was boosted by worries about possible tax law changes, low interest rates and high farmland values.

The average value of Iowa farmland rose 24 percent to $8,300 an acre at the end of 2012. Some farmland near Mason City sold for $15,540 an acre last year to set a county record.