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Crops suffer as ‘extreme’ drought grips part of northwest Iowa
Corn and soybean plants have continued to suffer in some parts of the state from lots of heat and little moisture, especially in far northwest Iowa where drought conditions have worsened, according to a U.S. Department of Agriculture report. Large areas of Plymouth and Woodbury counties are in “extreme” drought, a recent U.S. Drought Monitor […]
Third carbon pipeline would traverse several eastern Iowa counties
A proposed pipeline that would transport liquid carbon dioxide from ethanol plants in Cedar Rapids and Clinton would span about 90 miles in up to five eastern Iowa counties, according to a preliminary map of the project. Wolf Carbon Solutions, a Canadian company that has operated one of North America’s largest carbon pipelines, wants to […]
Ag secretary candidates chart different courses for conservation, water quality
The candidates for Iowa secretary of agriculture offer sharp contrasts in terms of their priorities and assessments of the greatest challenges facing farmers. The state’s incumbent secretary of agriculture — Mike Naig, a Republican — touts his administration’s work in the past four years to expand markets for farmers to sustain the industry’s status quo, […]
Chicken facility manure handling put streams at risk, state regulators say
A large Iowa Falls egg-laying chicken operation improperly stored hundreds of thousands of gallons of liquid manure that had the potential to leak into a nearby creek that feeds the Iowa River, according to the Iowa Department of Natural Resources. The Opal Foods facility is located about one mile north of town and has a […]
Iowa cattle association optimistic about transparency bill passage
Federal legislation aimed at aiding small cattle producers appears to have enough Republican support to pass the U.S. Senate, according to the Iowa Cattlemen’s Association. Such support for the Cattle Price Discovery and Transparency Act from the minority party in the Senate is crucial because legislation needs 60 of 100 votes to end debate and […]
Drywall producer fined twice in three years for air pollution
A Fort Dodge drywall manufacturer has repeatedly failed to properly maintain various components of its facility, which has led to numerous air-quality violations in the past two decades, according to the Iowa Department of Natural Resources. National Gypsum Company was fined $10,000 in 2019 for excessive carbon monoxide emissions. The company — now operating as […]
Redemption centers gird for bottle bill changes
There might be a significant reduction in the number of places that redeem cans and bottles in Iowa when changes to the state’s bottle bill go into effect next month. The redemption businesses that remain are worried about a sudden influx of containers similar to what they experienced after the early months of the coronavirus […]
COVID vaccines for young children arrive in Iowa this week
COVID-19 vaccine doses for infants and toddlers are due to arrive in Iowa this week after federal regulators approved their use last weekend, according to the Iowa Department of Public Health. Children older than 6 months and younger than 5 years are now eligible for the vaccines. About 23,500 vaccine doses for those children will […]
Crop conditions worsen slightly amid ‘sweltering conditions’
Average statewide temperatures were more than 6 degrees above normal last week with little rainfall for most of the state, and corn and soybean conditions dipped slightly, according to a weekly U.S. Department of Agriculture report. “Sweltering conditions blanketed the state on multiple days,” wrote Justin Glisan, the state climatologist, in his weather summary. Little […]
Hospital sewage flows into river from damaged pipe
A sewer line near a western Iowa hospital leaked an undetermined amount of sewage into the ground and the nearby Middle Raccoon River, according to the Iowa Department of Natural Resources. Workers who were installing an underground electrical line damaged the sewer line, the DNR reported. The leak was first noticed about 6 a.m. Monday, when […]
Reynolds poised to make fifth Supreme Court appointment
Five people have applied to succeed the lone remaining Democrat-appointed justice of the Iowa Supreme Court — Justice Brent Appel, who is required by law to retire this year because of his age. The Iowa Judicial Branch on Monday announced the following applicants: — Timothy Gartin, an Ames attorney, city council member and Iowa State […]
Prominent marina excavated Okoboji lake without permit
Parks Marina, a staple of East Okoboji Lake in northwest Iowa, removed lake bed sediment last year near its boat forklift station without a permit — a repeat offense, according to the Iowa Department of Natural Resources. The marina was recently fined $5,000 for the infraction but was granted an “after-the-fact permit” to approve the […]