ENVIRONMENTAL LEADER AWARDS
39 Iowa farm families were recognized with Iowa Farm Environmental Leader Awards this week at the Iowa State Fair. Locally, recipients included Craig and Nancy Anderson of Plymouth County, and Vos Family Farm- Ron and Nancy Vos of Sioux County.
The award acknowledges farmers who take voluntary actions to improve and protect our state’s natural resources while serving as leaders in their communities. The winners were chosen by a committee representing conservation and agricultural groups.
These farm families use proven in-field and edge-of-field practices such as cover crops, no-till, wetlands, bioreactors and saturated buffers, among many others, that support the goals of the Iowa Nutrient Reduction Strategy by holding soil in place and improving water quality.
FLOYD ENCAMPMENT
The annual Sergeant Floyd Memorial encampment is this weekend along the banks of the Missouri River in Sioux City. Sergeant Charles Floyd was the only member of the 1804 Lewis and Clark Expedition to die. Sioux City Public Museum director Steve Hansen says re-enactors will show the public what expedition members did on their way to the Pacific Ocean.
Those presentations are happening Saturday and Sunday. There will be a re-enactment of the burial of Sergeant Floyd Saturday at the monument that bears his name.
The encampments on the river take place from 10 a-m until 4 p-m Saturday, and from 10 a-m until 3 p-m on Sunday.
HEAT WAVE IMPACT ON CROPS
The National Weather Service forecast is calling for hot and humid air to flow into Iowa this weekend and it could stick around through the middle of next week. The conditions might be uncomfortable for humans and animals and they could potentially pose a problem for corn producers as well. Farmer Dave Rothman from Hartley, in O’Brien County, says this year has been a mixed bag that started out cold and dry.
Recent rains helped, and usually corn thrives with heat and humidity, but Rothman worries about the heat and wind.
Rothman says breezy conditions could offset the humidity.
The most recent U-S-D-A crop report shows both corn and soybeans rated 58-percent, good to excellent, with one-third falling into the fair category. Rothman says his soybeans do have early signs of disease.
IOWA GOP DESENSITIZED TO TRUMP INDICTMENTS
Senator Joni Ernst says the fourth indictment against former President Trump has had little impact on the 2024 presidential race. Ernst says Iowa Republicans are really becoming desensitized because there are so many indictments. Ernst, who does not intend to endorse a candidate before the Iowa Caucuses, says the race for her party’s presidential nomination is far from over. Ernst suggests the candidates who’ll be debating next week in Milwaukee should focus on economic issues, Ernst says the top concerns she hears from Iowans at her town hall meetings are about the impact of inflation on things like groceries and gas.
FACIAL RECOGNITION USED AT IOWA AIRPORTS
Facial recognition scanners are now in fulltime use at the state’s two largest airports. T-S-A regional spokesperson, Jessica Mayle, says the scanners take a photo of you and then compares it to the image on your I-D and validates that it is you. Mayle says the system also confirms that the person is booked on a flight that will be leaving the airport. She demonstrated the system at the Des Moines Airport, and says the photo is deleted immediately once the person walks away. If you don’t want your picture taken you can decline to the T-S-A officer and the officer will manually verify your I-D. Mayle says the scanners aren’t any faster but improve security. She says the best way to speed things up at check in is to ensure everyone is prepared when they show up at the airport. The facial recognition devices are also being used at the Cedar Rapids Airport.
BIG PIG WINNER
The 11 day reign of a big pig from northeast Iowa will end at midnight on Sunday. Sasquatch, this year’s Big Boar at the Iowa State Fair, weighed in at just over a thousand pounds. Wilbur Kehrli (like “curly”) of Manchester and his son, Ken, are the boar’s owners.
Sasquatch is a Red Wattle boar. Red Wattles are red and have what look like furry tassels dangling from their jowls. Kehrli says they’ve had a common sense nutrition plan for Sasquatch.
Kehrli says five generations of his family have been involved in the hog business. It started with his grandfather and his own grandchildren are now involved.
There were two competitors in this year’s Big Boar contest. Sasquatch was 118 pounds heavier than a boar named “Big Joe” that came from a farm in Muscatine County.
