DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — A citizens group opposed to new rules approved Tuesday by the Iowa commission regulating water quality has filed a lawsuit seeking to stop implementation of the rules. Iowa Citizens for Community Improvement Action Fund asks a judge to void the rules approved unanimously by the nine-member Environmental Protection Commission. The rules, supported by farm groups, establish new inspection and permit processes for livestock farms.

Iowa CCI and three of its members claiming they have been personally affected by farm pollution say in the lawsuit the commission vote was illegal because five members of the EPC have a financial stake in livestock farming. The lawsuit says they should have recused themselves from voting on the rules they claim are too weak.

Officials with ISU Extension in Guthrie County report Jim & Jo Laughery of Guthrie Center were inducted into the 2014 Iowa 4-H Hall of Fame during a ceremony at the 4-H Exhibits Building at the Iowa State Fair on Sunday, August 17th. Eighty-two counties and two state level Iowa 4-H Volunteers were inducted during the ceremony at the 4-H Exhibits Building at the Iowa State Fair.

4-H has been a large part of the Laughery family. Mary Jo Laughery grew up in Guthrie County 4-H and was a part of the Beaver Valley Girls 4-H Club. While in 4-H she was busy with sewing, home furnishings, and demonstrations. She was unable to show cattle in the girls club so she joined the Valley Boosters Boys 4-H Club. While in the boys’ club she finally got the opportunity to show her Hereford cattle. She learned many life lessons from both clubs. She then became a 4-H leader for eight years for the US Sunbeams while her children were in 4-H. She also received the Guthrie County Alumni Award in 1983 for all of her hard work and dedication to the program.

Although Jim was never in 4-H he is no stranger to the program. He has served on the county fairboard for many years. Together, they own the Guthrie Livestock Auction. They allow the 4-H’ers the use of their scale before, in-between, and during county fair. They support the 4-H program by also running the fair livestock auction in which Mary Jo clerks all of the animals by hand. They also have purchased animals from the 4-Hers when the buyers fell through so the members didn’t lose their premiums.

Counties select inductees for their exceptional work in contributing to the lives of 4-H members and the overall 4-H program. Many inductees served as club leaders, youth mentors, fair superintendents or fair board members, fair judges, financial supporters, chaperones, or ISU Extension & Outreach staff members. The inductees have demonstrated dedication, encouragement, commitment and guidance to Iowa 4-H’ers through the years.

Gov. Terry E. Branstad, Iowa Sec. of Agriculture Bill Northey and Iowa Department of Natural Resources Director Chuck Gipp presented 88 Iowa farm families with the Iowa Farm Environmental Leader Award during a ceremony at the Iowa State Fair on Wednesday, Aug. 13th. This was the third year for the award program and to date more than 200 families have received recognition.

Among the award recipients this year was: Dan Buman, of Harlan; Randy, Janalee & Merritt Caviness,  of Greenfield; Audrey Charter, of Adair; Dennis & Jacque Hoover, in Guthrie Center; Stanley & Barbara Johnson, of Villisca; Charles and Ruth Owen, of Guthrie Center; and Bill and Margaret Thomas, of Emerson.

The award is a joint effort between the Governor, Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship, and Iowa Department of Natural Resources to recognize the efforts of Iowa’s farmers as environmental leaders committed to healthy soils and improved water quality. It seeks to recognize the exemplary voluntary actions of farmers that improve or protect the environment and natural resources of our state while also encouraging other farmers to follow in their footsteps by building success upon
success.

Winners were presented a certificate as well as a yard sign donated by Monsanto and a  commemorative program provided by The Nature Conservancy. Hagie Manufacturing sponsored a recognition luncheon following the ceremony. All winners were chosen by a selection group representing both conservation and agricultural groups.

Several Area farm families were recognized at the just concluded Iowa State Fair. Ag Secretary Bill Northey awarded families who have owned at least 40 acres for one hundred years in the case of Century farms and one hundred fifty years or more for a Heritage farm. Those awarded century farms in Cass County included; Bartlett and Janis Blake along Cecil Boos and Ronald Boos; In Adams County DeLong Orchard and Cady Farms; In Adair County Jo Beaman; in Montgomery County Mark Focht was recognized, in Pottawattamie County Jeff Bisbee, Lyle Cain Junior, the Bette M Fulton Revocable Trust, Lawrence and Sudan Koerhrsen, Ross Valley Farms, and in Shelby County Melvin and Janis Dinesen and Rodney Knudsen were part of the 344 Century Farms honored. In the heritage program 86 farms were recognized included the Dinesen’s and Knudsen from Shelby County and from Montgomery County the hunt Family Trust was honored. The Heritage Farm Program was started in 2006 on the 30th anniversary of the century farm program. In total more than 18-thousand Iowa farms have been designated Century Farms and over 7-hundred farms have received the Heritage Century Farms.