Local News
ISU Dean Critical of Proposition 2
Wendy Wintersteen, dean of Iowa State University's College of Agriculture, testified before the House and Senate State Ag Committees in February on what she sees as the harmful effects of Ca
EPC Denies Hog Factory Proposal in Van Buren County
The Environmental Protection Commission (EPC) voted 6-2 in July to deny a 4800-head hog factory in southwest Van Buren after the DNR gave an initial approval to the CAFO, according to IowaPolitics.com.
The Van Buren County Board of Supervisors originally recommended against the CAFO in April, based on their review of the Master Matrix. Their assessment found problems in six areas with out-of-state owner Steve Robinson's application.
However, when the DNR reviewed the application in June, the DNR disagreed with the Board of Supervisors on four of the areas and scored the Cargill-backed CAFO high enough to approve the facility reports th June 12 Fairfield Ledger.
One area of disagreement was over the legal separation distance to a nearby residence. The Supervisors determined that a trailer in close proximity to the proposed CAFO qualified as a residence since the owner lived there two days a week to look after his livestock. Since there wasn't an approved septic system for the trailer, the DNR disqualified that.
The Board of Supervisors demanded a hearing with the EPC, and in July, the EPC handed down a ruling denying the facility, located near the town of Cantril.
The Iowa Citizens for Community Improvement worked with the county to oppose the hog farm and find weaknesses in the Master Matrix. This was the third time in less than a year that ICCI in conjunction with the Board of Supervisors stopped the site from moving ahead.
State House Passes Bill Limiting Winter Manure Applications
After much lobbying from environmental groups, the Iowa House passed new legislation limiting the spread of liquid manure during the winter months according to Blog for Iowa and Radio Iowa. An improved SF 432 makes it illegal to spread liquid manure on snow-covered crop fields between December 21 and April 1 and on frozen ground between February 1 and April 1.
For the past year, the Environmental Protection Commission worked on a rulemaking process to restrict applying manure to frozen ground to protect Iowa's waterways. In the process, they took extensive input from environmental and agricultural commodity groups, as well as community members and farmers, to fine-tune their rule.
Lawmakers felt an elected body rather than an appointed commission should make the regulation change, however, and crafted their own version.
An early version of SF 432 originally passed in March, but the bill undercut and greatly weakened the EPC's draft. A companion bill in the House provided loopholes that would have enabled manure to be spread in "emergency situations."
Thousands of Iowans put pressure on House members to improve the
legislation. The final bill, signed by Governor Culver, extended the
period of the ban, closed major loopholes, and also provided guidelines
for dry manure. The DNR must also provide progress reports on the state
of Iowa's water quality to various legislative committees.
DNR Lays Off Livestock Enforcement Field Officers
One third of the DNR's animal confinement enforcement field officers have been laid off because of state budget cuts to the agency according to a Radio Io
Iowa Gets a "Poor" Grade for Water Quality
Iowa received a C- for water quality in the DNR's 2009 Environmental Report Card.
DNR Offers Funds to Clean Up Iowa's Waters
A new DNR grant program will award a total of $200,000 to cities, counties or other organizations to clean up Iowa's lakes, rivers, or streams report Radio Iow
2007 Census Figures Show Increase in Small Farms
Small farming operations increased over the last five years in Iowa reports the Des Moines Register, although mega farms account for nearly half of
Complaint Against Mertz Dismissed
An ethics complaint filed against State Representative Dolores Mertz (D-Ottosen) by Iowa Citizens for Community Im
Sustainable Agriculture Growing in Popularity in Iowa
Community supported agriculture farms (CSA's) are becoming very popular in Iowa reports Radio Iowa.
More Added to Iowa's Impaired Waterways List
The US Environmental Protection Agency approved Iowa's state list of impaired waters, which added 105 water bodies to the DNR's list of imp