Public News Service

Atrazine was the most widely used pesticide in Iowa, and applied to 69% of the state's planted acres. (Adobe Stock)

Common produce in IA tops 'Dirty Dozen' pesticide list

The Environmental Working Group has released a new list of produce items most and least affected by pesticides in Iowa and across the country…

Farmers apply fertilizer, including nitrogen, before spring planting so the seed and the growing plant have nutrients available throughout the season. (Adobe Stock)

Program for farmers lowers the risk of reducing nitrogen application

A farm group is helping Iowa agriculture producers find ways to reduce the amount of nitrogen they use on their crops. Excess nitrates can wind up …

The U.S. Department of Agriculture estimates up to 15 million acres of soybeans have been damaged by dicamba drifting beyond where it was applied. (Adobe Stock)

Court bans popular but controversial pesticide

A federal court has banned the use of a highly controversial but popular pesticide in the Midwest. Advocates for sustainable agriculture said the …

California could buy tax credits from large-scale livestock producers in Iowa to offset California diesel emissions. The new regulations rate Iowa's livestock operations 'cleaner' than diesel. (Adobe Stock)

Iowa CAFOs could cash in on California emissions credits

Iowa factory farms could cash in on new proposed carbon emissions tax-credit rules in California. The new emissions standards would allow …

The Wildlife Disease Surveillance for Pandemic Prevention Act seeks to create a Wildlife Disease Surveillance Program though the Wildlife Health Office at the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. (Adobe Stock)

Wildlife disease measure could benefit IA ag industry

Wildlife advocates are asking Congress to pass bill that would help states track diseases killing wildlife across the country. In Iowa, the measure …

Practical Farmers of Iowa now has a full-time Spanish Engagement Outreach Coordinator to assist the growing number of Latino farmers in the state. (Adobe Stock)

High demand prompts IA farm group to increase Spanish-speaking services

A rural advocacy group has invested in reaching out to Spanish-speaking farmers in Iowa - a population that has grown dramatically. There has been …

The Iowa Environmental Council is calling on the Department of Natural Resources to add better protections for the state's air, soil and groundwater quality in new regulations for concentrated animal feeding operations. (Adobe Stock)

Environmental advocates want tougher CAFO rules

After a two-and-a-half-year process, time is winding down for the public to comment on new rules for concentrated animal feeding operations in Iowa…

Rural advocates are pushing for more protection for independent producers in the next Farm Bill. (Adobe Stock)

Rural groups push for environmental protections in next Farm Bill

Even though the current Farm Bill has been extended for a year, rural advocates are speaking up about protecting independent and family farms when …

If the United States shifted 180,000 acres, or 0.2% of its corn acreage, of genetically modified corn to non-genetically modified, it would generate $7.75 million in additional revenue for U.S. farmers and successfully meet Mexico's shifting needs, according to Farm Action. (Adobe Stock)

Mexico's GM corn ban opens market for American farmers

Mexico has issued a ban on importing genetically modified corn from the U.S., potentially opening a new market for American farmers. Mexico is the …

Around 400 million acres of American farmland are projected to change hands this year in what amounts to the country's largest-ever generational land shift. (Practical Farmers of Iowa)

Young Iowa farmers struggle for a leg up

Today is the deadline for small farmers seeking financial assistance to apply for grants from a farm advocacy organization designed to help them get t…

The USDA says producers can increase their environmental stewardship activities through the department's Conservation Stewardship Program. (Adobe Stock)

Family farm advocates suspect profit motive behind some 'conservation' practices

Midwest family farm advocates have sent a letter to the U.S. Secretary of Agriculture, opposing recent additions to conservation practices they said …

Iowa has nearly 31 million acres of farmland. The average farm is about 360 acres, according to the USDA, and much of is monitored with high-tech equipment. (Iowa State University Extension Dept.)

Iowa farmers concerned with e-data use by corporations

New polling data show Iowa farmers are taking advantage of high-tech agriculture practices, and more plan to do so. But some say there's a downside …

Cedar Rapids, in eastern Iowa, had only 15.5 inches of rain in all of 2022, which is about half of what it would normally get by early October. (Adobe Stock)

IA implements first-ever drought plan

The State of Iowa has just put its first-ever drought plan to work to help it manage one of the longest and most severe dry periods in recent history…

Rural Webster County, Iowa, uses money offered by the state to test water wells. Some 43 million Americans rely on private wells for their water, but many don't have those wells tested for water quality. (Tony Leys/KFF Health News)

Rural IA boosts efforts to test private wells

By Tony Leys for KFF Health News.Broadcast version by Mark Moran for Iowa News Service reporting for the KFF Health News-Public News Service Collabor…

About 80 Ukrainian farmers learn best practices and ask questions during middle-of-the-night Zoom calls when ISU Swine Veterinarian Justin Brown teaches sessions on disease, biosecurity and feed management. (Iowa State University/Association of Ukrainian Pig Breeders)

Iowa experts teach Ukrainian farmers

Livestock and grain experts in Iowa are sharing their experience with Ukrainian farmers who are trying to keep their hog operations viable despite the…

Farmers typically feed their cattle ground-up corn plants, including the stalks, leaves and ears in a mixture called silage. Drought has prompted livestock experts to warn of potentially lethal levels of nitrate in the silage this year and recommend getting it tested before feeding in to their cattle. (Adobe Stock)

Experts warn of dangerous high-nitrate cattle feed

Livestock experts are warning farmers about high nitrate content in their cattle feed this fall because of Iowa's prolonged drought. Farmers …

Iowa's Beginning Farmer Loan Program assists new farmers in acquiring agricultural property by offering loans at reduced interest rates. (Adobe Stock)

Rural advocates push for more farmer credit

More than 90 rural organizations are urging members of Congress to support the Fair Credit for Farmers Act. The bill would help young and …

Iowa has more than 30 million acres of farmed land, and boasts the nation's highest production of corn, soybeans, pork and eggs, according to Iowa Farm Facts. (Adobe Stock)

IA small farm advocates call for less corporate land control

Rural advocates are supporting the Farmland for Farmers Act in Congress. It would restrict the amount of Iowa farmland large corporations can own…

Beef consumption in the United States reached a new high in 2021, when 30 billion pounds were consumed. It's an increase of about 8.7% compared to the previous year, according to Statista. (Adobe Stock)

Community Advocates Call for Support of Beef Labeling Act

Iowa farmers have sent hundreds of comments to their U.S. senators, urging them to support legislation to change the way beef is labeled in the …

With 23.6 million hogs in Iowa, the state continues to dominate the nation's hog production industry. Minnesota and Nebraska rank a distant second and third with 8.6 million and 8.3 million hogs respectively, according to Iowa Source. (Adobe Stock)

Advocates Blast EPA Over 'Inaction' on Confinement Rules

Clean-water activists are angry over a decision by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to sidestep action on threats to water posed by factory …

A bipartisan group of attorneys general in 31 states, including Iowa, and the District of Columbia are partnering with the U.S. Department of Agriculture to enhance competition and protect consumers in food and agricultural markets. Iowa has its own law, but will support any federal action. (Adobe stock)

IA Investigates Possible Food-Price Gouging

Iowa is part of a bipartisan effort around the nation to strengthen enforcement and prevent anti-trust activity within the nation's food system…

The U.S. Postal Service delivers more mail than any of its counterparts around the world, serving nearly 165 million addresses in the country, and covering every state, city and town. (Adobe Stock)

Staff Shortages Challenge U.S. Postal Service in Rural Iowa

The U.S. Postal Service marks National Postal Worker Day this Saturday, recognizing the effort it takes to deliver mail across the country through …

Large feeding operations keep many animals confined to a small, densely populated space. Unlike free-range farms where cows graze through a pasture, or chickens forage for food in fields, Confined Animal Feeding Operations bring feed to their animals, which remain stationary. (Adobe Stock)

State to Rewrite Manure Rules for CAFOs

The Iowa Department of Natural Resources is updating the rules defining how manure is stored at animal feeding operations. For generations, …

Project developers have announced ambitions for more than 200 new capture facilities to be operating by 2030, capturing more than 220 metric tons of CO2 per year globally, according to the International Energy Agency. (Adobe Stock)

Environmentalists Build Opposition to CO2 Pipelines at Des Moines Hearing

The federal Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration regulates carbon dioxide pipelines, and is holding a two-day conference in Des …

Wet Spring Soaks Iowa Drought

For the first time in nearly three years, the widespread drought that has had Iowa in its grip is predicted to end. The latest drought outlook says …

The U.S. Department of Energy Solar Energy Technologies Office is researching the opportunities and tradeoffs of agrivoltaics. (Adobe Stock)

Battle Heats Up Over Iowa Solar-Project Sites

Supervisors in Tama County this week are considering an ordinance to limit the size of solar installations on farmland, to generate no more than 25 …

There are around 35 commercial facilities applying Carbon Capture Utilization and Storage to industrial processes, fuel transformation and power generation, with a total annual capture capacity of almost 45 metric tons of carbon dioxide. (Adobe Stock)

IA Lawmakers Table Ethics Complaint Over CO2 Pipeline Bill

Iowa lawmakers have tabled an ethics complaint against a state senator whom critics said blocked a bill to regulate carbon dioxide pipelines in the st…

The Federal Crop Insurance Corporation promotes the economic stability of agriculture through a sound system of crop insurance and providing the means for the research and experience helpful in devising and establishing such insurance, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture. (Adobe Stock)

Organic Farmers Want More Time to Plant, Qualify for Crop Insurance

Organic farmers want more time to get their corn crops in the ground and still be able to qualify for crop insurance. Right now, they are held to the …

The global commercial drone market size was estimated at almost $30 billion in 2022. It is anticipated to increase 38% over the next seven years, according to Grand View Research. (Adobe Stock)

Iowa Bill Would Prohibit Drone Use Near Livestock Operations

The Iowa House has voted to ground drones over livestock containment and feedlots. Critics of the measure say drones are used to document unhealthy …

Among many benefits, cover crops remove carbon dioxide from the atmosphere and help make soil more resilient to a changing climate. (Adobe Stock)

Ag Secretary Announces Federal Money to Reduce Iowa Soil Erosion

Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack has announced two federal grants aimed at helping farmers reduce soil erosion in Iowa and other Midwest states…

Investing in solar produces zero carbon emissions and other heat-trapping greenhouse gases and improves cost efficiency over time, which will end up saving on energy bills, according to Iowa Interfaith Power and Light. (Adobe Stock)

Opportunities Abound 'Under the Sun' for Houses of Worship

A new report by a prominent national research center said America's houses of worship lag in alternative energy investment. The Lawrence Berkeley …

Rural hospitals are facilities not located within a metropolitan area as defined by the U.S. Office and Management and Budget and the U.S. Census Bureau, according to the American Hospital Association. (Adobe Stock)

IA Lawmakers Work to Save Rural Hospitals

The Iowa Senate has approved a measure allowing some medical facilities to be licensed as "emergency hospitals." This would be especially important in…

The U.S. Interior Department manages 400 national parks, 560 national wildlife refuges and nearly 250 million acres of other public lands in America. (Adobe Stock)

Bill Could End IA Public Land Acquisition

A bill passed by the Iowa Senate would repeal programs currently in place for maintaining open space and trails, and require state agencies to submit …

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and other national agencies will host a webinar focusing on past and current drought conditions and the impact on rainfall, temperature and precipitation in the Midwest and Great Lakes regions. (Adobe Stock)

Iowa Drought Plan Uses History to Predict Future

Iowa has developed its first-ever plan to predict drought before it happens. Officials said it is designed to mitigate the effects of the drought by …

Beekeepers are positioning hives adjacent to fields planted in clover and grasses, which grow better in the shadow of solar panels than traditional row crops. (Photo courtesy Joel Fassbinder)

Dual-Use Solar Means Healthier IA Honeybees

Farmers, ranchers and livestock producers are working with solar companies in Iowa to find multiple uses for land once used only to plant corn and …

Wetlands are areas where water covers the soil, or is present either at or near the surface of the soil all year or for varying periods of time, including during the growing season, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. (Adobe Stock)

Interior Invests $120 Million in Midwest 'Prairie Potholes'

As part of the Inflation Reduction Act, the Interior Department has announced it is investing $120 million to restore and rebuild key segments of …

In 2021, around 132.3 million tons of poultry meat were consumed worldwide, making it the most consumed type of meat globally. Pork came in second, followed by beef and veal, according to Statista. (Adobe Stock)

USDA Proposes New Requirements for 'Product of USA' Label Claim

A proposal by the U.S. Department of Agriculture would change the rules on what foods can be labeled 'Product of USA.' Current laws contain …

Hogs and other livestock are used in what's known as

Solar-Powered Mobile Barn Transforms Traditional Agriculture

By Twilight Greenaway for Civil Eats.Broadcast version by Mark Moran for Iowa News Service reporting for the Solutions Journalism Network-Public News …

Spending on conservation programs is expected to range between $6 billion and $6.5 billion in 2023, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture. (Adobe Stock)

Most Farmers Still Denied Conservation Grants

The Institute for Agriculture and Trade Policy reports nearly three quarters of farmers across the country who applied for two types of U.S. …

As of March 2022, Iowa had at least 349 megawatts of total installed solar capacity, up from approximately 2 megawatts of solar installed in 2012, according to the Iowa Environmental Council. <br />(Adobe Stock)

ISU Researchers to Study Growing Crops in Solar Farms’ Shadow

The U.S. Department of Agriculture has awarded Iowa State University a $1.8 million grant to raise high-dollar crops in the shadow of huge solar …

The Iowa Water Quality Initiative is a coordinated approach for reducing nutrient loads discharged from the state's largest wastewater treatment plants and agricultural sources, according to Cleanwater Iowa. (Adobe Stock)

IA Water Quality Initiative Aims to Remove Nitrates

The Iowa Legislature is considering a bill to maximize protecting the state's water. Senate File 311 would allow the state Department of …

Concentrated Animal Feeding Operations are regulated by federal, state and local agencies. (Adobe Stock)

Rural Ag Summit Advocates 'Food not Feed'

Progressive agricultural growers returning this week from the Food not Feed Summit in Washington, D.C., are asking their fellow farmers to consider a …

A growing number of projects nationwide focus either on carbon dioxide capture or transport and storage to handle fuel-production byproducts, according to the International Energy Agency. (Adobe Stock)

Iowans Organize to Block Use of Eminent Domain for CO2 Pipelines

An environmental group will host an online rally tonight in support of a bill in the Iowa Legislature to block the use of eminent domain to build capt…

Americans spend more than $1 billion per year to import organic food, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture. (Adobe Stock)

Organic Growers Support New USDA Fraud Rules

New U.S. Department of Agriculture rules will target fraud and increase oversight of the $64 billion-a-year organic food industry. In Iowa, the …

More than 58 million chickens in 47 states have been affected by the most recent avian flu outbreak, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture. (Adobe Stock)

Farm Group Asks FTC to Investigate Egg 'Price Collusion'

A national farmers' advocacy group is asking the Federal Trade Commission to investigate the possibility of price collusion between major egg producer…

U.S. solar power capacity stands at an estimated 97.2 gigawatts. This is enough to power the equivalent of 18 million average American homes, according to the U.S. Department of Energy.<br />(Adobe Stock)

Asking IA Lawmakers to Prioritize Water Quality, Renewable Energy

The Center for Rural Affairs wants the Iowa Legislature to prioritize water quality and renewable energy in the new session. One priority is more …

There are 1,168 businesses designated as Tractors and Agricultural Machinery Manufacturing businesses in the U.S. as of 2023, a slight increase over last year. (Adobe Stock)<br />

Farm Mechanics Win 'Right to Repair'

Tractor maker Deere and Company has reached a deal with the American Farm Bureau Federation to allow independent mechanics to work on John Deere brand…

Agriculture makes up 38% of Iowa's total greenhouse gas emissions, according to the nonprofit Food and Water Watch. (Adobe Stock)

Fewer Cases Filed Against Industrial Polluters By EPA

The Environmental Protection Agency's enforcement of federal pollution rules has plummeted. Last year, the agency referred 88 cases to the Justice …

Audio Activation
	"Siri, play the Public News Service (podcast)"
	"Hey Google, play the Public News Service podcast"
	"Alexa, play Public News Service podcast" or "Alexa, what's my news flash?" once you set it up in the Alexa app
	Embed this Newscast

Audio Activation
	"Siri, play the 2024 Talks podcast"
	"Hey Google, play the 2024 Talks podcast"
	"Alexa, play 2000 24 Talks podcast" or "Alexa, what's my news flash?" once you set it up in the Alexa app
	Embed this Newscast

Audio Activation
	"Siri, play the Yonder Report podcast"
	"Hey Google, play the Yonder Report podcast"
	"Alexa, play the Yonder Report podcast" or "Alexa, what's my news flash?" once you set it up in the Alexa app
	Embed this Newscast

PNS Daily Newscast - April 16, 2024

2024Talks - April 16, 2024

The Yonder Report - April 11, 2024

IA: Rural/Farming