Iowa Air National Guard Unit Returns Home
DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) – The Iowa National Guard says 13 airmen have returned from a six-month deployment in Kuwait.
The 13 members of the Air National Guard’s 132nd Security Forces Squadron arrived Sunday. They’re based at the Des Moines Air National Guard Base.
The Iowa Guard spokesman, Col. Gregory Hapgood, said Monday the 13 were on a mission at Abdullah Al-Mubarak Air Base in Kuwait as part of Operation Inherent Resolve, which is aimed at countering actions by the Islamic State group. Hapgood
says the airmen provided air base defense, performed flight line security and conducted law enforcement operations.
Commission Formed To Assist Minorities Seek Employment
DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) – A group has been formed to improve Iowa’s minority unemployment rates over the next few years.
Iowa Workforce Development announced Monday that a subcommittee, under the State Workforce Development Board, will try to reduce unemployment in minority communities over the next five years. The goal is either a reduction of 5
percentage points or to the state unemployment average.
Census data show Iowa’s overall unemployment rate is below 4 percent. It’s 14.2 percent for African Americans and 8.1 percent for Hispanics. Native Americans and Asian Americans also have unemployment rates above the state’s overall rate.
The subcommittee will hold listening tours this spring as part of its effort to better match minority communities with existing job training programs and employment opportunities. There is no state funding tied to the initiative.
Grain Marketing Specialist Sees Potential For Spring Rally
(Le Mars) — Despite the current low commodity prices paid to farmers due to the record-setting production of the last couple of years crops, one Iowa State University agricultural economist believes there may be an opportunity for a modest price rally to take place during the spring. Chad Hart recently informed
farmers during a crop advantage seminar that this year is looking very much like last year, and farmers will need to strike while they can to capitalize on any potential price rally.
Analysts believe the South American crop production will also be good this year, but Hart says it, too, is resembling last year’s patterns, which is helping the soybean markets.
The Iowa State University Extension Grain Marketing Specialist says producers, and trading partners are watching closely the actions of the Trump administration. Already, Trump has discontinued the efforts to secure a trade agreement with many nations when he stopped the T-P-P Trade Pacific Partners
agreement. The next trade agreement that President Trump has said he wants to cancel is the North American Free Trade Agreement, or NAFTA. Both Canada and Mexico are among the best trading partners with American agricultural products.
So much of U-S agricultural trade depends on the value of the dollar in foreign nations. Hart says the value of the dollar has been on the increase, however, trading partners have not been deterred from purchasing U-S grown commodities.
Hart suggests farmers to look at conducting some forward contracting to take advantage of price rallies when they occur.
Plymouth County Pork Banquet Scheduled For February 25th
(Le Mars) — Plymouth County Pork Producers Association have announced they will hold their annual pork banquet on Saturday, February 25th at the Willow Creek Country Club at Le Mars. The evening’s activities will begin with a social hour at 6:00 p.m. with members of the Union Vikings 4-H Club preparing pork appetizers for guests enjoyment. Dinner will begin at 7:00 p.m. The banquet program will follow with the crowning of the 2017 County Pork Queen and Little Miss Pigtails youth ambassador. Entertainment will be provided by ventriloquist David Malmberg
and his cast of characters, including Simon Spencer, America’s grouchiest farmer.
Candidates to compete for the county’s youth ambassador positions are still needed. The Little Miss Pigtails position is for girls 6 to 8 years of age whose parents are pork producers and county/state members. Young women who are high school juniors or seniors are needed to compete for the county Pork Queen title.
To be eligible, parents must be pork producers and county/state members. To enter the contests or obtain additional information, contact Janelle Johnson at (712) 539-3115.
