Iowa’s corn crop is struggling due to the drought, but the plants are tall enough to cause some problems on roadways. Jeremey Vortherms, a safety engineer with the Iowa Department of Transportation, is reminding motorists to approach rural intersections with extreme caution.  “As the corn comes up in height, it cuts off some of the sight triangles at the intersections – making it hard to see oncoming traffic from other approaches,” Vortherms said. There are normally about 50 crashes each year in Iowa due to sight obstruction on rural gravel intersections and driveways. “So, it’s not a (large) number, but it represents a certain risk to drivers who use those type of roads,” Vortherms said. Most rural intersections are not marked with stop or yield signs. Some motorists speed through those intersections if they don’t see dust from an approaching vehicle.

Even with the lack of rain, that’s a bad idea, according to Vortherms. “We try to encourage people not to just rely on the dust trail at this time of year. When we get rain, that dust trail…it just doesn’t exist,” Vortherms said. He adds “defensive driving at slower speeds” on rural roads is critical at this time of year. Iowa DOT statistics show there were 28 crashes during 2011 at rural intersections due to obstructed views by trees or crops. The crashes resulted in one fatality and caused at least 34 injuries.

(Radio Iowa)

2012 MONTGOMERY COUNTY FAIR SHEEP SHOW RESULTS

GRAND CHAMPION COMMERCIAL EWE—Kara Gillespie
RESERVE GRANBD CHAMPION COMMERCIAL EWE—Kylee Johnson

CHAMPION HOME RAISED MARKET LAMB—Karlee Fisher
RESERVE GRAND CHAMPION MARKET LAMB—Karlee Fisher

CHAMPION HOME RAISED PEN OF THREE—Karlee Fisher
RESERVE CHAMPION PEN OF THREE RAISED—BreeAnn Fisher

CHAMPION PURCHASED PEN OF THREE—Noah Kammerer
RESERVE NCHAMPION PURCHASED PEN OF THREE—Kara Gillespie

GRAND CHAMPION PEN OF THREE LAMBS—Noah Kammerer
RESERVE GRAND CHAMPION PEN OF THREE PURCHASED—Kara Gillespie
CHAMPION PURCHASED MARKET LAMB—Kara Gillespie
RESERVE CHAMPION PURCHASED MARKET LAMB—Alix Kammerer

GRAND CHAMPION MARKET LAMB—Kara Gillespie
RESERVE GRAND CHAMPION MARKET LAMB—Alix Kammerer

GRAND CHAMPION RATE OF GAIN SHEEP—Jill Vanderhoof
RESERVE CHAMPION RATE OF GAIN SHEEP—Jill Vanderhoof

CHAMPION SENIOR SHOWMAN—Alix Kammerer\
CHAMPION JUNIOR/INTERMEDIATE SHOWMAN—Ben McClain
CHAPION OVERALL SHOWMAN—Alix Kammerer

2012 MONTGOMERY COUNTY FAIR RABBIT SHOW RESULTS

GRAND CHAMPION DOE AND LITTER—Mariah Lombard
RESERVE CHAMPION DOE AND LITTER—Tristan Wolfe

CHAMPION CALIFORNIA BUCK—Tristan Wolfe
RESERVE CHAMPION CALIFORNIA BUCK—Tristan Wolfe

CHAMPION DUTCH BUCK—Marcel Confer
RESERVE CHAMPION DUTCH BUCK—Marcel Confer

CHAMPION FLEMISH BUCK—Teigan Parker
RESERVE CHAMPION FLEMISH BUCK—Justin Bernard

CHAMPION HARLEQUIN BUCK—Hunter McMann

CHAMPION HOOLAND LOP BUCK—Mariah Lombard
RESERVE CHAMPION HOLLAND LOP BUCK—Justin Bernard

CHAMPION JERSEY WOOLY BUCK—Mariah Lombard
RESERVE CHAMPION JERSEY WOOLY BUCK—Mariah Lombard

CHAMPION MINI LOP BUCK—McKenzie Nissen

CHAMPION NEW ZEALLAND BUCK—Rochelle Sink

CHAMPION POLISH BUCK—Jessa Davis
RESERVE CHAMPION POLISH BUCK—Haley Woods

GRAND CHAMPION BUCK—Mariah Lombard
RESERVE GRAND CHAMPION BUCK—McKenzie Nissen

CHAMPION CALIFORNIA DOE—Tristan Wolfe
RESERVE CHAMPION CALIFORNIA DOE—Tristan Wolfe

CHAMPION DUTCH DOE—Marcel Confer

CHAMPION FLEMISH DOE—Justin Bernard

CHAMPION HARLEQUIN DOE—Hunter McMann

CHAMPION MINIK REX DOE—Jessa Davis

CHAMPION NETHERLAND DOE—Teigan Parker

CHAMPION NEW ZEALAND DOE—Erin Sorensen
RESERVE CHAMPION NEW ZEALAND DOE—Justice Meyers

CHAMPION POLISH DOE—Mariah Lombard
RESERVE CHAMPION POLISH DOE—Carlee Culbertson

GRAND CHAMPION DOE—Justin Bernard
RESERVE GRAND CHAMPION DOE—Mariah Lombard

GRAND CHAMPION BREEDING RABBIT—Justin Bernard
RESERVE GRAND CHAMPION BREEDING RABBIT—Mariah Lombard

GRAND CHAMPION BREEDING PAIR—Tristan Wolfe
RESERVE GRAND CHAMPION BREEDING PAIR—Marcel Confer

CHAMPION FRYER RABBIT—Kylie Pendleton
RESERVE CHAMPION FRYER RABBIT—Maddilyn Ballard

CHAMPION ROASTER RABBIT—Kylie Pendleton
RESERVE CHAMPION ROASTER RABBIT—Daniel Platt

GRAND CHAMPION MEAT RABBIT—Kylie Pendleton
RESERVE GRAND CHAMPION MEAT RABBIT—Kylie Pendleton

CHAMPION PEN OF THREE FRYERS—Maddilyn Ballard
RESERVE CHAMPION PEN OF THREE FRYERS—Anika Wenstrand

CHAMPION PEN OF THREE ROASTERS—Heidi Vanderholm
RESERVE CHAMPION PEN OF THREE ROASTERS—Katie VanMeter

GRAND CHAMPION PEN OF THREE RABBITS—Maddilyn Ballard
RESERVE CHAMPION PEN OF THREE RABBITS—Anika Wenstrand

CHAMPION SENIOR SHOWMAN—Kylie Pendleton
CHAMPION JUNIOR/INTERMEDIATE SHOWMAN—Mariah Lombard
CHAMPION BEGINNER SHOWMAN—Julia Smith
CHAMPION OVERALL SHOWMAN—Kylie Pendleton

2012 MONTGOMERY COUNTY FAIR POULTRY SHOW RESULTS

CHAMPION EGG PRODUCTION INDIVIDUAL—Daniel Platt
RESERVE EGG PRODUCTION INDIVIDUAL—Andy Vial

CHAMPION EGG PRODUCTION PEN—Andy Vial
RESERVE EGG PRODUCTION PEN—Kyle Olson

CHAMPION AMERICAN HEN—Daniel Platt
RERVE AMERICAN HEN—Daniel Platt

CHAMPION ENGLISH HEN—Andy Vial

CHAMPION AMERICAN ROOSER—Daniel Platt
RESERVED CHAMNPION AMERICAN ROOSTER—Justin Bernard

GRAND CHAMPION STANARD CHICKEN—Daniel Platt
RESERVE CHAMPION STANDARD CHICKEN—Andy Vial

CHAMPION BREEDING CHICKEN PEN—Daniel Platt

CHAMPION BREEDING BANTAM GAME HEN—Kami Tibben
RESERVE CHAMPION BREEDING BANTAM GAME HEN—Ashley Bullington

CHAMPION BREEDING BANTAM SINGLE COMB CLEAN LEG—Sierra Fenn

CHAMPION BREEDING BANTAM HEN ROSE COMB CLEAN LEG—Sierra Fenn

CHAMPION BREEDING BANTAM GAME ROOSTER—Kami Tibben
RESERVE CHAMPION BANTAM GAME ROOSTER–    Kami Tibben

GRAND CHAMPION BANTAM—Sierra Fenn
RESERVE CHAMPION BANTAM—Sierra Fenn

CHAMPION BANTAM WEIGHT DUCK—Kami Tibben
RESERVE CHAMPION BANTAM WEIGHT DUCK—Justin Bernard

CHAMPION HEAVY WEIGHT DRAKE DUCK—Kyle Olson
RESERVE CHAMPION HEAVY WEIGHT DRAKE DUCK—Andy Vial

CHAMPION LIGHT WEIGHT DRAKE DUCK—Justin Bernard

GRAND CHAMPION BREEDING DUCK—Kyle Olson
REESERVE CHAMPION BREEDING DUCK—Kami Tibben

CHAMPION BREEDING DUCK PEN—Justin Bernard

CHAMPION BROILER INDIVIDUAL—Jonathon Sands
RESERVE CHAMPION BROILER INDIVIDUAL—Emma Bullington

CHAMPION ROASTER INDIVIDUAL—Jill Vanderhoof
RESERVE CHAMPION INDIVIDUAL—Wyatt Bailey

GRAND CHAMPION MEAT CHICKEN—Jill Vanderhoof
RESERVE GRAND CHAMPION MEAT CHICKEN—Wyatt Bailey

CHAMPION MEAT DUCK INDIVIDUAL—Kyle Olson
RESERVE CHAMPION MEAT DUCK INDIVIDUAL—Andy Vial

CHAMPION MEAT TURKEY—Jessa Davis
RESERVE CHAMPION MEAT TURKEY—Jessa Davis

CHAMPION MEAT PRODUCTION CHICKEN BROILER PEN—Emma Bullington
RESERVE CHAMPION MEAT PRODUCTION CHICKEN BROILER PEN—Abbie Bullington

CHAMPION MEAT PRODUCTION CHICKEN ROASTER PEN—Grant Vrba
RESERVE CHAMPION MEAT PRODUCTION RIASTER PEN—Scott Vanderhoof

GRAND CHAMPION CHICKEN PEN—Grant Vrba
RESERVE CHAMPION CHICKEN PEN—Scott Vanderhoof

GRAND CHAMPION DUCK PEN—Kyle Olson
RESERVE GRAND CHAMPION DUCK PEN—Andy Vial

GRAND CHAMPION TURKEY PEN—Jessa Davis

WASHINGTON (AP) — Federal weather forecasters predict the unusually hot dry weather that has gripped much of the nation will linger into fall, especially for the parched heartland. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s outlook for August through October shows that nearly every state likely will have hotter than normal temperatures. Much of the Midwest is likely to be drier than normal, too.

w/ Max Dirks

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Small, non-farm businesses in 43 Iowa counties and neighboring counties in Illinois, Missouri, Nebraska and Wisconsin are now eligible to apply for low interest federal disaster loans from the U. S. Small Business Administration (SBA). Alfred E. Judd, Director of SBA’s Disaster Field Operations Center-West said Wednesday, that the loans offset economic losses because of the frosts and freezes that occurred in the following primary Iowa counties from April 6th through the 30th. Businesses primarily engaged in farming or ranching are not eligible for SBA disaster assistance.

The Primary Iowa counties in this area include: Audubon and Harrison.  Neighboring Iowa counties: Adair, Carroll, Cass, Crawford, Dallas, Guthrie, Monona, Pottawattamie, and Shelby.

Agricultural enterprises should contact the Farm Services Agency (FSA) about the U. S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) assistance made available by the Secretary’s declaration. Applicants may apply online using the Electronic Loan Application (ELA) via SBA’s secure Web site at https://disasterloan.sba.gov/ela. Disaster loan information and application forms are also available from SBA’s Customer Service Center by calling SBA toll-free at (800) 659-2955, emailing disastercustomerservice@sba.gov, or visiting SBA’s Web site at www.sba.gov/services/disasterassistance.

Small, nonfarm businesses, small agricultural cooperatives, small businesses engaged in aquaculture and most private, nonprofit organizations of any size may qualify for Economic Injury Disaster Loans (EIDLs) of up to $2 million to help meet financial obligations and operating expenses which could have been met had the disaster not occurred. The deadline to apply for the loans is March 11th, 2013. By law, SBA makes EIDLs available when the U. S. Secretary of Agriculture designates an agricultural disaster. Secretary Tom Vilsack declared this disaster at the request of Governor Terry Branstad.

w/ Kate Olson

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The hot, dry weather that’s plaguing much of the nation’s Corn Belt is leading the U-S-D-A to reduce its estimated corn yield for the season. The agency’s chief economist Joe Glabuer (GLAU-bur) says the yield estimate was cut by about 12-percent, taking it down to 146-bushels per acre nationwide.

Glabuer says, “I don’t think that anyone is going to be surprised at the estimate in and of itself just because we saw from June 1st, about 13-percent in drought conditions and now 60-percent of the crop in drought.” Iowa corn growers pulled in an average of 172 bushels per acre last year, but the new estimates show it’ll be closer to 160 bushels per acre this year. The head of the U-S-D-A says worries are growing as crop conditions in the Midwest worsen due to the hot, dry weather. U-S Ag Secretary Tom Vilsack says a bad crop year would mean reversing course on an ag economy that’s done very well in recent years.

Vilsack says they’re always concerned with the momentum slowing down after seeing agriculture, as well as ag machinery and ag manufacturing doing so well. Vilsack says the country continues to export at a very rapid rate, so the world wants what we produce. He says one out of 12 jobs in the economy is connected to agriculture and he wants to keep that going. Vilsack, a former Iowa governor, says if farmers didn’t buy crop insurance, they won’t be able to rely on a disaster program this year.

He says the reality is, there’s no disaster programs and he hopes farmers have crop insurance. Vilsack says the crop insurance won’t cover everything, but at least it will be something. He says there will be low-interest loans through the USDA, but their capacity to help is very limited absent a “food, farm and jobs” bill being passed in Congress. This week’s U-S-D-A report showed only 46-percent of Iowa’s corn crop rated as good to excellent, a drop from 62-percent last week. The soybean crop is also suffering, falling from 59 to 48-percent good to excellent.

w/ Kate Olson talking about Sweet Corn

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The House Agriculture Committee is could vote today (Wednesday) on a farm bill package. Western Iowa Congressman Steve King, a Republican from Kiron, is a member of the committee.

He says they’ve been putting it together on the House side for a long time, with hearings starting back in April. He says they will “mark up” a farm bill on July 11th. King says one of the areas of the ag bill he wants to bring under control is the spending on the program formerly known as food stamps.

He says just a few years ago, there were 19 million Americans on food stamps, and now there’s 44-point-seven (44.7) million. “We have the U-S Department of Agriculture spending millions of dollars advertising to get more people to sign up on food stamps. Now I’d rather spend that money on food than advertisement, if people are hungry then they are going to find a way to get fed. So that’s what we’re missing here, the philosophy of the U-S-D-A,” King says. “Neither do I buy the line that for every dollar worth of food stamps you hand out you get a dollar-four of economic activity. That’s not the way to grow the economy.” King says the way to grow the economy is to create more jobs. The U-S Ag Secretary is former Iowa Governor Tom Vilsack and the husband of King’s Democratic opponent, Christie Vilsack. King says he hopes the full House can pass a bill before the month.

He says the goal is to get a bill done and get it to the conference committee, that way they can work on it during the month of August and have a bill ready to vote on after Labor Day “before the real silly season of politics is upon us.” Overall, the House bill would cut Agriculture Department spending by 35-billion-dollars over 10 years, or 12-billion-dollars more than the Senate. The House bill’s revenue plan would pay growers when revenue is from 15-25 percent below average, while the Senate bill would eliminate traditional subsidies such as target prices and instead compensate growers when revenue from a crop is 11-21 percent below average. In either bill, crop insurance would cover deeper losses.