This year’s weather feels different. With farming, paying attention to the weather is key. Three tabs are open on my phone’s web browser with weather related information which does not include also checking the weather app. The previous two years were so easy. Look at the forecast, see no ...
We reached the end of the 2024 Legislative Session in the early hours of Saturday, April 20. We were in session for 103 days, including 37 days of voting on the House Floor. We passed 295 bills in the House, and 85% of these bills, 252, were non-partisan votes. I want to share with you what I ...
Let’s start with the price: $7,170. That’s the insurance quote I got this week from the only company that will insure us. The only company. Apparently “agritourism” – having tourists on your farm for classes or pizza night or to pet goat kids — is a no-no in Iowa now. And ...
A few years back, Reverend Mark Stringer, who later became the Executive Director of Iowa’s ACLU, came to preach at a church I worked for. It was another politically charged era, and many of the members of our left-leaning congregation were having trouble navigating families and communities ...
If you are a farmland owner and you have not had a discussion about cover crops on your land with your farmer, it may be in your best interest. Most family land is more than likely going to be passed down to the next generation so why not ensure it is in the best shape? The best way to protect ...
Greetings friends and neighbors! Just before 3:30 a.m. on Saturday, April 20, the Iowa Senate adjourned for the year. About an hour later, the House of Representatives adjourned, concluding the 2024 legislative session. The final day was a marathon, with lots of bills making their way to the ...
In the heart of Iowa, Tama County is on the brink of a pivotal change. Lucas Dvorak, a name synonymous with dedication, expertise, and community involvement, has announced his candidacy for the position of Tama County Sheriff. With nearly 15 years of commendable service within the Sheriff's ...
There are plenty of old wives tales like if it rains before seven, it is done by 11. Another agriculture one is, which I did not believe was true at first, when farmers start making money, everyone else in the ag industry makes good money. I am also a numbers person. I was phenomenal with ...
We are in week 15 of the session with the intention of finishing up the budget and policy work yet this week, possibly working through till Saturday. As I finish this newsletter at 7:30 Thursday evening, we are preparing to debate five of these budget bills this evening. The first budget we ...
It’s time to be honest with you. You’re the problem. Every year about this time we warn you, the motoring public, that highway work is beginning across the country. State Police, State Departments of Transportation, workers, Unions, OSHA, and more; we produce public service ...