Officials with the Monsanto Seed Company said Tuesday Blane Kerkhoff, of Audubon, has been selected as a winner in the “America’s Farmers Grow Communities” contest, which gives farmers the opportunity to win $2,500 for their favorite local nonprofit organizations. The donations are available through the Monsanto Fund. Kerkhoff has designated the Audubon High School Wresting Fund to receive the award in Audubon County. Audubon Community School District Superintendent Brett Gibbs, Kerkhoff and a Monsanto representative will participate in a check presentation ceremony Saturday morning, beginning at 9:30., at the Audubon High School (800 3rd St. in Audubon).

Farmers in 39 states and 1,245 counties were eligible to win $2,500 for their favorite community nonprofit.  America’s Farmers Grow Communities is part of a broad commitment by the Monsanto Fund to highlight the important contributions farmers make every day to society, by helping them grow their local communities.

Nearly 60,000 farmers participated in the second annual Grow Communities program, which is designed to benefit nonprofit groups such as ag youth, schools and other civic organizations. For more information and to see a full list of winners, visit www.growcommunities.com

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — An Iowa legislative committee has voted to overturn a Natural Resources Commission rule that would have banned hunting mourning doves with lead-shot ammunition. The Senate Natural Resources committee voted 9-3 for the measure on Tuesday. The commission last year unanimously recommended lead-shot ammunition be banned. Environmental advocates say it can harm or kill animals when ingested. A legislative committee put the ban on hold, but it would take effect if lawmakers don’t reverse the rule before adjourning in a few months. If lead-shot is banned, steel-shot ammunition would still be allowed. But hunters say steel-shot doesn’t perform as well, and is inconvenient and expensive. The resolution now goes to the full Senate.

The Adair County Extension office is moving. Officials with the Extension office in Greenfield says as of this April, the center of Adair County’s 4-H and Youth programs will be housed in the south portion of the Warren Cultural Center on the Greenfield Square. “We’re really excited about being up there,” says Adair County Extension Council Chairman Randy Caviness. “We see really positive things coming out of this.”

The Extension Service oversees a variety of ag-related programming, including Adair County 4-H, Clover Kids, and Youth Council. It provides pesticide and manure handling training, livestock and crop management education, and Master Gardener programs, as well as partnering with the Neely Kinyon Research Farm for its annual field day. Extension also focuses on area families with the Growing Strong Families program.

It is currently housed in the City Hall Building on South First Street, where it has been for 15 years. The city will use the additional space to accommodate its office needs. “Agriculture is a part of our culture, and that makes the Extension Service a good fit for our mission,” says Nancy Queck, chairman of the Warren Cultural Center project. “They’re more than just a tenant. They’re a vital part of our community and we’re thrilled to have them in the center.”

Patrons of the Extension office will enter via the main entrance to the building. Extension and the WCC will share a receptionist. The Extension Service will utilize other portions of the building for meetings and conferences as needed. “It’s not only good for us, but it will get people into the building that might not o herwise go there,” says Caviness. “It’s a wonderful historic building, and it’s great to have the opportunity to be a part of it.”

Outdoor enthusiasts are heading to Council Bluffs this weekend for a giant exposition. The 9^th annual River City Hunting Fishing, RV and Boat Expo is being held inside the Mid-America Center tonight (Friday), Saturday and Sunday. Tom Hamilton, member of the Pottawattamie County Pheasants Forever Chapter says the expo will feature many speakers. Including several fishing experts. 

There’s also lots of activities for the kids, such as: Casting, virtual reality videos, archery, and new this year….the Daisy B-B gun shooting gallery, with qualified instructors teaching safety, and how to shoot. There’s also live trout fishing for the kids. Hamilton says any outdoor enthusiast will probably get excited by all the equipment on display at the expo, as well. There’s food, fishing & hunting equipment, R-V’s and vendors from all over the MidWest and Canada. 

The Mid-America Center opens at 4-pm today (Friday) for the 2012 River City Expo. On Saturday the expo will be from 9-am to 6-pm, and on Sunday from 10-am to 4pm. For more information, surf the web to www.rivercityexpo.com

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) – Hunting mourning doves has been legal in Iowa for nearly a year, but the issue still isn’t settled at the Capitol.  A Senate subcommittee on Thursday discussed using lead shot ammunition in hunting the birds.  The state’s Natural Resources Commission last year unanimously voted to ban the practice, but a legislative committee put the ban on hold.
 
Sen. Dick Dearden, D-Des Moines, says the commission overstepped its bounds in banning lead shot. A resolution he backs to overturn that ban advanced out of the meeting.  Environmental advocates told committee members Thursday that lead shot is toxic and can harm animals when eaten. Hunting advocates say the harm is minor and no good alternatives to lead shot exists. The measure now goes to the full Senate Natural Resources Committee.

w/ Denny Heflin

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(Des Moines, Iowa)  January 18, 2012:  John R. Whitaker, State Executive Director for the Iowa Farm Service Agency, reminds producers sign up for the 2011 livestock, honeybees, and farm-raised fish losses ends on January 30, 2012, under the Farm Service Agency’s Emergency Livestock Assistance Program (ELAP).  In addition to submitting a notice of loss, producers must file an application for payment by this date. “With the number and variety of adverse weather conditions in Iowa this year, we want all eligible producers to be aware of this deadline,’ added Whitaker.  

ELAP provides compensation to eligible producers of livestock, honey bees and farm-raised fish for losses due to disease, adverse weather, or other loss conditions, including losses caused by blizzards and wildfires.  ELAP is for losses that are not covered by Livestock Indemnity Program (LIP), Livestock Forage Disaster Program (LFP), or Supplemental Revenue Assistance Program (SURE). Eligible producers under ELAP may receive assistance for losses that occur on or after Jan. 1, 2008, and before Oct. 1, 2011, during the calendar year in which the loss occurs.  Eligible losses include feed losses, physical losses and additional costs incurred in providing feed to eligible livestock.

There are two parts to the ELAP application process:

• A notice of loss
• Application for payment

An application for payment cannot be filed without a notice of loss. There are no late filed provisions for ELAP.  Producers with eligible losses must timely file an acreage report on grazing land acres, honey bee colonies and farm-raised fish pond acres. Eligible physical losses of honey bees and honey bee hives due to adverse weather or loss conditions are eligible under ELAP. Producers will be required to provide documentation of beginning and ending inventory of honey bee colonies when claiming a physical loss of honey bees or honey bee hives.

Kate Olsen talk about sprouting house plants out of fruit seeds.

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