IARN — The Trump Administration this week announced that the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) is investing $5.4 million to provide broadband service in unserved and underserved rural areas in Iowa. This investment is part of the $550 million Congress allocated to the second round of the ReConnect Program. Read more
Grassley, Ernst urge EPA to modernize rulemaking for biogenic carbon emissions
IARN — Iowa Senators Chuck Grassley and Joni Ernst – along with 12 of their Senate colleagues – have sent a letter urging the EPA to modernize its rulemaking for biogenic carbon emissions. Read more
Enrollment begins for 2021 ARC, PLC
IARN — Farmers have until March 15, 2021, to enroll in the Agriculture Risk Coverage (ARC), or Price Loss Coverage (PLC) programs for the 2021 crop year. The enrollment period opened this week for the risk management programs, known as ARC and PLC. The key Department of Agriculture safety-net programs help producers weather fluctuations in either revenue or price for certain crops. USDA says more than $5 billion in payments are in the process of going out to producers who signed up for the 2019 crop year. Read more
NMPF: All dairy farmers should sign up for DMC
IARN — The National Milk Producers Federation (NMPF) urges all dairy farmers to sign up for the Dairy Margin Coverage (DMC) Program. Enrollment in the program administered by the Department of Agriculture opened Tuesday. NMPF cites the ongoing COVID-19 crisis, and the expectation of volatile dairy margins in the next year, in the need for DMC protection. Read more
SmartStax technology: Key in fight against corn rootworm
IARN — Iowa farmers zeroed in on harvest will soon need to make important decisions for the upcoming crop season.
Jim McDermott, DEKALB Asgrow technical agronomist in northwest Iowa, says, “Naturally, a lot of decisions are going to be made with data from 2020.” However, McDermott reminds farmers, “2021 is probably going to be a different year.” Read more
Iowa deer hunters helping combat hunger
IARN — State and local leaders joined the Iowa Wildlife Federation Tuesday morning via Zoom to discuss opportunities for hunters to help address food insecurity. Read more