Articles Tagged: Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship

A new project from the Iowa Department of Agriculture will bring food grown locally in Iowa to under-served communities through food banks and food hubs.

With no new cases of bird flu in Iowa since May 2, the state on Friday lifted a ban on live bird exhibitions. That means chickens, ducks, pigeons and a pheasant may return to the Linn County Fair June 22-26.

The tree-killing emerald ash borer has been confirmed in Dickinson and Humboldt counties for the first time.

It brings to 18 the number of outbreaks confirmed so far this year in Iowa, all since the start of March.

IowaWatch, an Iowa-based news nonprofit, is joining Investigate Midwest and will have a new focus reporting on agriculture.

School-age students are encouraged to participate in the 2022 Choose Iowa Calendar Contest hosted by the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship. Artwork submitted should feature at least one aspect of Iowa agriculture — food, livestock, crops or renewable fuels, for example. Submissions will be judged on both creativity and the ability to connect agriculture to everyday life. The deadlnie for entries is June 1.

A 2021 law change that allows Iowa to fine farmers when weedkiller — particularly dicamba — drifts to neighbors’ fields is on hold, at least until later this year, as the state develops new rules for private and commercial applicators.

Bird flu has now been confirmed in 12 of Iowa’s 99 counties.

This marks the 15th case confirmed this year in Iowa, all of them striking after March 1.

The Iowa Food Hub will use a new $18,000 grant from the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship toward a larger refrigerated truck so they can transport more food farther, General Manager Peter Kraus said.

Two more cases of the bird flu were confirmed Sunday in commercial flocks in Western Iowa, bringing to 14 the number of outbreaks so far this year in Iowa.

This year’s first case was announced March 2, while in 2015 it did not appear in Iowa until April 20. With the disease being spread by wild birds, it could continue throughout the migratory season.

The latest case makes 10 outbreaks recorded this year — and all this month — to strike in Iowa.

The outbreaks in Hamilton and Guthrie Counties impact over 1.5 million birds, bringing the total birds killed in Iowa to 8 million from nine total outbreaks.

Another case of the bird flu -- the third to strike Buena Vista County and the sixth to hit Iowa this year -- has been confirmed in a commercial turkey flock, officials announced Thursday.