(Radio Iowa)- The new owners of a chicken processing plant in Charles City are getting nearly $46 million in federal assistance to reopen the facility. The Simply Essentials plant closed in August of 2019. Pure Prairie Farms, the facility’s new owner, is getting a nearly $39 million USDA loan, along with a grant of about $7 million. U.S. Ag Secretary Tom Vilsack said it’s part of the agency’s push to expand meat and poultry processing. “New opportunity, new choice for both producers and consumers,” Vilsack said.

The USDA has also given Upper Iowa Beef in Lime Springs a nearly $9 million grant. The company’s expansion project should increase slaughter capacity by 50 percent, according to the USDA. A more than half a million dollar grant will support the relocation and expansion of the Cherokee Locker, a meat processing facility in Cherokee. The Region XII Council of Governments, based in Carroll, is getting $15 million from the USDA to support new or expanding meat processing facilities.

This week the USDA has awarded $223 million in grants and loans to 32 companies in 19 different states. “We think it’s going to expand capacity in beef and pork and mixed processing by over 500,000 head per year,” Vilsack said. “We think it’s going to expand capacity in poultry nearly 34 million birds per year.”

Pure Prairie, the farmer-owned company that’s reopening the poultry plant in Charles City, expects to begin operations in mid-November.

(Radio Iowa) – Shelby County’s Board of Supervisors has voted to establish regulations for the location of hazardous liquid pipelines. The proposed Summit Carbon Solutions pipeline route would run through the city limits of Early. Supervisor Steve Kenkel says the community is worried about the safety of the project.  “If you want to build a house, or you want to build a shed, or you want to put in a utility line, you have to get a permit and you have to follow zoning ordinances,” Kenkel says. “I don’t know why hazardous pipelines would be any different.

Jennifer Lefeber is the manager of the emergency room at Harlan’s hospital. She says if there’s a pipeline rupture, most emergency responders in the southwest Iowa county are volunteers. “This places more responsibility and burden on an already very limited valuable resource in our community,” she says.

The ordinance establishes separation distances between the proposed pipeline and homes and other community buildings. Representatives of Summit Carbon Solutions say the Iowa Utilities Board has sole authority to regulate pipelines and county restrictions on pipelines violate state law.

(Reporting by Iowa Public Radio’s Kendall Crawford)

w/Kate Olson.

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DES MOINES, Iowa (November 1, 2022) – Doug’s Feed Service, Inc., of Baxter, Iowa has consented to a voluntary revocation of its grain warehouse license, effective October 31, 2022, by the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship. Due to the revocation of the license, Doug’s Feed Store, Inc., is prohibited from storing grain after November 30, 2022.

The warehouse license revocation was due to the licensee being unable to provide proof of insurance as required by Iowa Code, Section 203C.15 (2020). Doug’s Feed Store, Inc., will maintain their grain dealer license.

A grain depositor has three options available to them for their grain storage obligation with Doug’s Feed Store, Inc.

They may:

1. Remove their grain from the facility on or by November 30, 2022
2. Price their grain obligation for payment on or by November 30, 2022
3. Arrange with Doug’s to transfer the storage obligation to another licensed warehouse on or by November 30, 2022.

Any grain storage obligation must be finalized on or before November 30, 2022.

The Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship’s Grain Warehouse Bureau regulates and examines the financial solvency of grain dealers and grain warehouse operators. The functions of the Bureau include warehouse licensing, warehouse examination, grain dealer licensing, and grain dealer examinations.

AMES – As Iowa’s annual harvest wraps up across the state, the Iowa Department of Natural Resources (DNR) encourages farmers to get reacquainted with fire prevention practices to keep the farm ‘firewise.’ This has been an extended drought year, particularly in the western part of the state. The following simple steps for a safer harvest can save time and money.

• Properly prepare machinery to reduce the chance of a field fire from an overheated bearing (check the manufacturer’s recommendations). A spark from an improperly lubricated combine can instantaneously ignite dry plants and field debris.

Check that all fire extinguishers carried on the machinery are fully charged with loose powder inside. If the powder is not loose, remove the extinguisher from its bracket then thump the canister with a rubber hammer until the powder moves when shaken.

Make sure the size of the extinguisher is appropriate for the size of the machinery. You may need larger and/or additional extinguishers. Also make sure you have the correct extinguisher for the type of fire to be extinguished. There are two types of extinguishers, the powder extinguisher for electrical and petroleum-based fires and the water extinguisher for vegetative fires. You may need to carry both kinds of extinguishers.

• Keep equipment clean. Check and remove combustible harvest debris from motors, exhausts, ledges and brackets several times a day. A portable gas-powered leaf blower is great for blowing debris from the various surfaces of the combine.
• Service grain storage and drying equipment. Storage facilities are like your bank vault. Protect their contents by properly servicing all bearings, belts, motors and drags. Dryers frequently cause fires, so before drying grain have a qualified service technician perform the necessary maintenance. Keep weeds mowed around the facilities to discourage a fire from spreading. All extinguishers should be handy, fully charged, and the proper size and type for the area.
• Turn off interior lighting in overfilled bins. A grain fire will start if the grain surrounds the bulb. Turn off the light’s breaker to avoid accidentally turning the light on. This also applies to hay storage facilities.
  Handle hay properly. Improper hay storage commonly causes or complicates farm fires. Preventative measures greatly reduce this risk.

Planning proper hay storage is crucial. Store hay away from combustibles such as gasoline, fertilizers and pesticides, as well as open burning areas like burn barrels, brush piles and vegetative burning. Arrange round bales in groups of 10 or fewer and place at least 100 feet away from structures. Leave 30 feet of mowed grass, bare ground or rock between the bale groups, creating a solid fire break.

Many hay fires occur by spontaneous combustion of moist hay, usually within six weeks after baling. Plan to bale hay at its driest stage and do not bale in the morning dew or too soon after a rain.

Check stored hay frequently for hot hay or an internal hay fire. Be aware of a caramel or strong burning odor, a visible vapor or smoke, a strong musty smell, and/or hay that is hot when touched. If any of these occur, call the fire department immediately and do not move the hay. Moving it exposes overheated or smoldering hay to oxygen, speeding the fire.

• When tilling in the fall, till a 30 foot break around building sites, remote bin sites and outside storage facilities to minimize fire spread, and around fields if there is excess fine fuels in the area.  Remove weeds and other combustibles around structures and stored equipment.
• If a fire occurs, remain calm, call 911 immediately. Provide clear, concise directions to your location. Many field and bin sites do not have 911 addresses, so be prepared to identify an intersection or landmark to direct responders.

To help control field fires until firefighters arrive, remain calm and act swiftly. Quickly disk a fire break approximately 15 feet wide around the fire. Be cautious when doing this as smoke will starve and stall a motor and will make hazards and bystanders difficult to see. To assist with a structural fire, make sure there are no flammable objects nearby and if the circuit panel is safely accessible, turn off the building’s electricity. If time allows, evacuate any livestock to a distant pasture. If possible, spray high-pressure water on any surrounding vegetation or structures, discouraging spreading embers. Do not take risks.

After using any equipment to fight a fire, check air filters, ledges, nooks and crannies for burning debris. For more detailed information, visit www.iowadnr.gov/Conservation/Forestry/Fire-Prevention/Fire-Protection-Prevention.

Remember, in a fire emergency, call 911 immediately. Do not wait until all your means of fighting the fire are exhausted. Every minute impacts your losses.

(Lewis, Iowa) – It’s that time of year once again, for the Cass County Conservation Board to ask “When do you think the first Trumpeter Swan will arrive at the Schildberg Quarry?” Please call in your prediction (by November 22nd) to the Conservation Board at 712-769-2372, leave a message and return phone number if they are not in. Duplicate dates will not be allowed. For example, if a caller predicts November 25th, no one else will be allowed to predict that arrival date. So, call anytime until November 22nd to make your prediction! One prediction per family, please.

The sponsors of this contest will determine the official arrival of more than 6 trumpeter swans to Lake 4, and if they arrive before Nov. 22nd no more dates will be taken. The winner will receive a Trumpeter Swan Prize from the Cass County Conservation Board. Sorry, this contest is only for residents of Cass County.

Fun fact: Trumpeter Swans have visited the Schildberg Quarry for, at least, Twenty-three out of the last twenty-four winters. Arrival and departure dates of the swans have been as follows:

1997/1998 December 18 – January 2

1998/1999 Nothing on record

1999/2000 December 25 – February 15

2000/2001 November 23 – March 6

2001/2002 December 25 – February 24

2002/2003 November 23 – March 15

2003/2004 November 26 – March 21

2004/2005 November 25 – March 18

2005/2006 November 17 – March 5

2006/2007 October 30 – March 9

2007/2008 November 22- February 14

2008/2009 November 18- March 12

2009-2010 November 19 – January 5

2010-2011 November 5 – February 10

2011/2012 November 17 – February 21

2012/2013 November 24– March 4

2013/2014 November 12- April 7

2014/2015 November 11- April 6

2015/2016 November 22- March 24

2016/2017 November 19- March 9

2017/2018 November 9- March 20

2018/2019 November 11- January 23

2019/2020 November 8- March 3

2020/2021 November 30- February 13

2021/2022 November 22- February 28

November 1:

• Lynn Dorsey of Anita (winner)
• Lonn Kilworth of Exira

November 2:

• Ethan Zellmer of Atlantic (winner)
• Jane Schwartz of Atlantic

November 4:

• Bob Hagen of Anita (winner)
• Wesley Waters of Surprise, Arizona

November 5:

• Olivia Davis of Lewis (winner)
• Bart Feltner of Exira
• Jeff Strand of Atlantic
• Cody Reineke of Massena
• Kelsey Schmidt of Massena
• Gary Robertson of Audubon
• Kathy Bradfield of Lewis
• Teagen Williams of Atlantic
• Ryan Evans of Griswold

November 6:

• Mary Gochanour of Atlantic (winner)
• Chloe Davis of Lewis

November 7:

• Yvonne Wittrock of Hamlin (winner)
• Ava Lee of Griswold
• Barb Fischer of Marne
• Carol Lea Rasmussen of Exira
• Joyce Jorgensen of Exira

November 8:

• Michaela Myers of Atlantic (winner)
• Terry Madsen of Elk Horn
• Thad Planck of Atlantic

November 9:

• Scarlett Toft of Audubon (winner)
• Isla Jean Nelson of Audubon
• Tom Benton of Exira
• Deb Field of Atlantic

November 10:

• Patty Marxen of Atlantic (winner)
• Tom Christofferson of Hamlin
• Jason Smith of Atlantic

November 11:

• Joyce Bierbaum of Atlantic (winner)
• Mahala Kemp of Atlantic
• Cathy Stockwell of Elk Horn

November 12:

• Rosemary Mally of Atlantic (winner)
• Tom Williams of Lewis
• AJ Barber of Wiota
• Shari Clemsen of Brayton

November 14:

• Becky Akers of Exira (winner)
• Terri Silence of Atlantic

November 15:

• Kelly Schwarte of Elk Horn (winner)
• Robert Schmidt of Harlan

November 16:

• Brad Wolfe Of Exira (winner)
• Avangelign Silence of Atlantic
• Roberta Roddy of Audubon

November 17:

• MaDonna Riesgaard of Exira (winner)

November 18:

• Grace Martins of Atlantic (winner)
• LaDonna Clark of Atlantic
• Olivia Erickson of Gallup, NM
• Chase Fiebelkorn of Exira
• Cole Lowary of Atlantic
• Kelly Knight of Atlantic

November 19:

• Tammie Nelson of Marne (winner)
• Jessie Evans of Griswold
• Mike Brown of Exira

November 20:

• Gloria Hansen of Exira (winner)
• Greg Zellmer of Atlantic

November 21:

• Arnie Bintner of Exira (winner)

November 22:

• Jason Smith of Atlantic (winner)
• Randal Jensen of Carroll
• Cooper Lamp of Atlantic

November 23:

• Carol Hensley of Atlantic (winner)
• Lyle Jeppesen of Anita
• Amber Knudsen of Marne
• Heather Erickson of Gallup, NM
• Drew Barber of Wiota
• Sam Edwards of Panora
• Leighton Faith Hart of Atlantic
• Brennon Christopher Williams of Atlantic

November 24: 

• Carol Ames of Lewis (winner)
• Yvonne Camblin of Atlantic
• Nancy Gibson of Atlantic
• Luca Roy Hanika of Nebraska City
• Garry Martens of Anita

November 25:

• Abby Olsen of Lewis (winner)

November 26:

• Keith Madsen of Elk Horn (winner)
• Gloria Hackwell of Exira
• Dawn Templeman of Wiota

November 27:

• Jon McFadden of Atlantic (winner)
• Debbie Crawford of Atlantic
• Angie Madsen of Harlan
• Greg Mortimer of Council Bluffs

November 28:

• Raymond Coglon of Exira (winner)
• Marilyn Andersen of Exira
• Maury Sutton of Audubon

November 29:

• Darlene Jessen of Anita (winner)
• Carly Westphalen of Anita

November 30:

• Sherry Pross of Atlantic (winner)
• Sophie Johnson of Lewis
• Nancy Templeman of Atlantic
• Patrick Roddy of Audubon

DES MOINES, Iowa (October 31, 2022) – The Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship and the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) have confirmed a positive case of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) in Wright County, Iowa. The virus was found in a commercial layer flock, and this is the first confirmed case of HPAI in Wright County in 2022.

“With HPAI continuing to be a significant threat across the country, this is a difficult and stressful time for poultry farmers and egg producers,” said Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Mike Naig. “We have been preparing for the possibility of additional outbreaks and are working closely with USDA and producers to eradicate this disease from our state. With migration ongoing, we continue to emphasize the need for strict biosecurity on poultry farms and around backyard flocks to help prevent and limit the spread of this destructive virus.”

Commercial and backyard flock owners should prevent contact between their birds and wild birds. Sick birds or unusual deaths among birds should be immediately reported to state or federal officials. Biosecurity resources and best practices are available at iowaagriculture.gov/biosecurity. If producers suspect signs of HPAI in their flocks, they should contact their veterinarian immediately. Possible cases must also be reported to the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship at (515) 281-5305.

According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the recent HPAI detections in birds do not present a public health concern. It remains safe to eat poultry products. As a reminder, consumers should always utilize the proper handling and cooking of eggs and poultry products. An internal temperature of 165˚F kills bacteria and viruses.

Chris Parks, Jim Field, and Matt Mullenix take a look at 8 area high school football games each week throughout the season. We try to provide some insight into the match-ups while competing for top prognosticator and the Whosman Trophy.

Congratulations to our 2022 winner and defending champion Matt Mullenix! We apologize if you were looking for the show online this past week as we had an issue getting in posted but it is up now if you’re interested. Thanks for listening all season and thanks again to Rush CPA & Associates and Fareway for helping us bring you the show this season again.

Last Week:

Matt Mullenix 8-0
Chris Parks 6-2
Jim Field 6-2

Final Overall 2022 Standings:

Matt Mullenix 64-16
Chris Parks 60-20
Jim Field 55-25

Jim Field visits with Alan Cranston, Commander of the Atlantic VFW Post #3415 about their membership drive on Sunday, November 6, 2022 at 2:00 pm at the American Legion Memorial Building.

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