JOHNSTON, Iowa (AP) – A group that monitors the biodiesel industry in Iowa says a record has been set for production.  The Iowa Renewable Fuels Association says the state’s biodiesel plants produced 184 million gallons in 2012. That’s up from the previous 2011 record of 169 million gallons.

IRFA Executive Director Monte Shaw says he expects more production in the new year after Congress reinstated the biodiesel tax incentive that had expired. He says that will be beneficial for jobs, the environment and energy security.

The group, which represents the state’s liquid renewable fuels industry, says soybean oil accounted for more than 70 percent of production. Animal fats came in second at 18 percent. Canola oil, inedible corn oil, and used cooking oil made up the remaining 10 percent.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) – The bill Congress approved Tuesday night providing tax relief for most taxpayers also helps wind energy and ethanol producers by extending tax credits designed to encourage continued development.  States like Texas, the nation’s leading wind energy producer, and Iowa, the leading ethanol maker, should benefit from the incentives. Many of the credits had expired in 2012.

The bill extends to the end of the year a production tax credit for wind energy on any facility under construction before the end of 2013.  The bill also extends a $1.01-per-gallon tax credit for cellulosic ethanol made from corn plants, grasses, algae, and sources other than corn kernels. The bill allows ethanol makers to depreciate equipment for new plants placed in service in 2013 and extends biodiesel production tax incentives for two years.

Officials with ISU Extension and Outreach say Confinement site manure applicators should plan to attend a two-hour workshop offered by Iowa State University Extension and Outreach and the Iowa Department of Natural Resources, in order to maintain or renew your confinement site manure applicator certification. The Shelby County workshop will be offered on January 29th, 2013 at 1:30 pm in Harlan at 906 Sixth Street.

Angela Rieck-Hinz, ISU Extension and Outreach program specialist and coordinator of the manure applicator certification program, says “Iowa law requires confinement site manure applicators to attend two hours of continuing education each year of their three-year certification period, or take and pass the exam once every three years. “If applicators fail to get the two hours of continuing education each year, they will be required to pass a written exam to be eligible to recertify.”

The workshop serves as initial certification for those applicators that are not currently certified, recertification for those renewing licenses and as continuing education for those applicators in their second or third year of their license. Operators must be certified to handle, transport and apply manure if the confinement livestock operation has more than a 500 animal unit capacity, unless the manure is applied by a commercial manure applicator. The certification fee is $100 for a three-year certificate. The fee is paid when applicators initially get certified and then every three years when they re-certify to apply manure.

Confinement site applicators are also required to pay an annual education fee of $25. All fees and application forms must be sent to the Iowa Department of Natural Resources to complete certification requirements. ISU Extension and Outreach will charge a $10 fee to applicators choosing to view the certification materials on a non-scheduled reshow day at the county office. For this reason all applicators are encouraged to attend the workshops or to plan to view training materials on the scheduled reshow date at their local county extension office. This fee will not apply to workshops or scheduled reshow dates. Contact the county extension office to determine which days are scheduled for the manure applicator certification programs.

Applicators are encouraged to complete certification requirements prior to March 1st to meet certification deadlines and avoid being assessed a $12.50 late fee for re-certification.

For more information about meeting dates and locations, or to schedule an appointment to attend training, contact the ISU Extension – Shelby County office at 712-755-3104 or visit http://www.agronext.iastate.edu/immag/certification/confdates.html to see the 2013 workshop schedule.

w/ Kate Olson

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A recent report from Iowa State University found the average price for an acre of Iowa farmland hit a new record high in 2012. The price was just short of 83-hundred dollars, an increase of 24-percent from the year before. Doug Stark, president of Farm Credit Services of America, says obtaining farmland is the single biggest issue facing new farmers. “It’s that they need to find access to land to be able to farm,” Stark says. “It’s so competitive out there right now, with people buying land and with successful producers that are bidding up the price of rented land, it’s very challenging for young producers just to get the base of operation through land to get their operations started.”

Stark says with advances in technology, farmers today have a bit more down time for family and other activities, something relatively new in the world of agriculture. That’s making it more appealing for young people to pick farming as a career path.  “I think we’re seeing more young people wanting to come back to farming now than we’ve seen in a long, long time,” Stark says. “They know they can come back to the farm and not only have it be a way of life, but that they can they can have a life.”

The challenge of finding land to farm remains, it part due to record corn and bean prices as well as low interest rates.

(Radio Iowa)

The Cass County Board of Supervisors have approved a resolution pertaining to the construction of livestock confinement facilities within the County. The move came during the Board’s meeting Monday morning, in Atlantic. Auditor Dale Sunderman said it’s the same thing the board approved last year and in previous years, with the exception of the dates. Sunderman says basically if a person has plans to construct a livestock facility and a permit is required, the application must be reviewed by the Board. The Supervisors will evaluate the application using the Master Matrix created by Iowa Code.

The Board’s recommendation to the Iowa DNR may be based on the final score on the Master Matrix or on reasons other than the final score.

Jim Field speaks with Kate Olson, Program Coordinator for ISU Extension in Cass County, about the Master Gardner program that begins Jan. 15, 2013 in Atlantic.

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