Agri News, MN
12-11-07
Iowa regional news and notes
Iowa gets funding for biomass testing projects
DES MOINES -- Iowa State University will receive up to $2 million in federal
funds for a biomass research project with ConocoPhillips Co., the U.S.
Department of Energy announced last week.
The funding is part of $7.7 million the department is dispersing to four projects
across the country that will demonstrate the process of turning grasses, stover
and other materials into biofuel.
"These projects will help develop cleaner methods for turning a wide variety of
feedstocks into fuel," said Samuel Bodman, secretary for the Department of
Energy. "Successful completion of these projects stands to redefine the way we
produce America's fuels and follows the president's call to end our dependence
to oil."
Among other projects, the department will offer up to $1.7 million for a biomass
testing partnership between Salt Lake City-based Emery Energy Co., Ceramatec
Inc. and the Western Research Institute.
LE MARS, Iowa -- A sheep program focused on controlling feed costs will be
held in the Extension offices in Le Mars, Rock Rapids and Primghar on Dec. 13
from 7 p.m.-9 p.m.
Iowa State University Extension sheep specialist Dan Morrical will discuss
managing costs at a time of high-prices feeds, the potential for ethanol coproducts in sheep rations and recent changes in the nutritional guidelines for
sheep.
Registration fee is $10 and is payable at the door.
The Extension Service and the Iowa Sheep and Wool Promotion Board are
sponsoring the meetings.
For more information, call (712) 737-4230.
Pesticide applicator training in Orange City
ORANGE CITY, Iowa -- Private Pesticide Applicator training will be offered Dec.
20 in the Sioux County Extension office in the lower level meeting room in the
Orange City Hospital Downtown Campus Building.
Instruction will begin at 1:30 p.m.
For individuals with a current license, the instruction serves as recertification to
apply restricted-use pesticides on property owned or rented by the applicator or
the applicator's employee.
The registration fee is $15 and pre-registration is requested.
For more information, call the Extension office at (712) 737-4230.
4-H/FFA Market beef weigh-ins scheduled
OSAGE, Iowa -- The Mitchell County 4-H and FFA Market Beef weigh-in is
scheduled Dec. 15.
Market beef animals will be weighed and tagged from 8 a.m. to 10:30 a.m.
County fair tags are $1.25 per animal. State Fair and AK-SAR-BEN entries will
be weighed, tagged, nose-printed and DNA sampled.
The fee is $5 for state fair or AK-SAR-BEN and $6 if an animal is ID'd for both.
Worth County 4-H will hold its calf weigh-in from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. Dec. 15 on the
Worth County fairgrounds in Northwood.
For more information about the Worth County weigh-in, call Dennis Johnson at
(641) 324-1531.
Iowa's Promise Youth Grants applications due Feb. 1
AMES, Iowa -- Applications will be accepted until Feb. 1 from youth groups who
want to receive an "Iowa's Promise Youth" grant for a community improvement
project.
The Iowa Commission on Volunteer Service, in cooperation with Iowa State
University Extension 4-H Youth Development, is again offering grants up to $250
to qualifying groups.
The grants, totaling $8,000, will be available to fund projects ranging from
planning and hosting a countywide youth leadership conference to making a field
guide to identify plants in a community prairie. Grant providers estimate that the
previous year's grants resulted in more than $50,000 total value for participating
communities. Last year more than 1,938 youth and adult volunteers contributed
over 3,600 hours to their communities through the grants.
Completed applications are due to the state 4-H office. Notification of funding will
be in February or March. For more information, contact Sue Bogue at (515) 2949915.
4-H project on display at Iowa State University
MASON CITY, Iowa -- Cerro Gordo County 4-H member Matt Sturges, of the
Rockwell Busy Bs 4-H club, is one of 27 young people who has art work on
display on the Iowa State University campus.
The exhibits were selected to showcase the talents of Iowa's 4-H members
beyond a fair setting.
The exhibits on display in the Extension 4-H Youth Building include posters, clay
pots, metal sculptures, leatherwork, weaving, uniquely designed and constructed
purses and clothing, woodworking exhibits, insect collections, watercolors,
paintings, and quilts.
Iowa's Dairy Story receives gift from Monsanto
CALMAR, Iowa -- Monsanto's seed division has presented an ice machine for
use in the Iowa's Dairy Story youth education program at the Northeast Iowa
Dairy Foundation's Dairy Center.
Monsanto representatives Bernie Wetli and Kelly Holthaus presented the
Manitowoc ice machine. The ice machine will provide the fresh, readily available
ice needed for the children's favorite part of their Iowa's Dairy Story experience -making homemade ice cream.
The machine also provides ice necessary for NICC's biology and science
classes, which are taught at the Northeast Iowa Dairy Foundation's Dairy Center.
Renew Rural Iowa celebrates successful first year
WEST DES MOINES, Iowa -- The Iowa Farm Bureau Federation's rural Iowa
business growth initiative, "Renew Rural Iowa" has reached several milestones in
its first year.
More than 500 companies have been educated and trained; and nearly 40
companies have received mentoring as a result of the program. Most recently,
four rural Iowa companies have qualified for funding through the Rural Vitality
Fund, part of the Renew Rural Iowa program.
Renew Rural Iowa was created in September 2006 as an innovative model that
combines mentoring and networking with access to rural vitality investment
funds.
The goal of the program isn't focused solely on jobs, but on expanding the
number and size of hometown businesses in rural Iowa.