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U.S. House panel debates nutrition benefit changes to open GOP farm bill consideration

by Allison Winter, Iowa Capital Dispatch May 23, 2024 WASHINGTON — Democrats and Republicans on the U.S. House Agriculture Committee clashed late into the evening Thursday over funding for food and nutrition programs as part of Republicans’ sweeping proposal for the new five-year farm bill. The committee’s $1.5 trillion omnibus farm bill would set policy […]

Reynolds tours ‘gut wrenching’ Greenfield tornado damage, will seek federal aid

Devastation in Greenfield, Iowa after a tornado cause multiple fatalities and destroyed a large portion of the town. (A screen grab from video by Monte Goodyk)

by Robin Opsahl, Iowa Capital Dispatch May 22, 2024 Gov. Kim Reynolds, touring what she called “horrific” damage in Greenfield from Tuesday’s tornadoes, emphasized the resiliency of the Iowa communities and appreciation for the support received in the day since the storm. As severe weather impacted areas across Iowa, Greenfield was hit by a major […]

USDA chief voices ‘deep concerns’ over U.S. House GOP farm bill’s nutrition cuts

U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack, pictured in Omaha on March 28, 2024, raised concerns Wednesday with U.S. House Republicans’ farm bill proposal. (Photo by Cindy Gonzalez/Nebraska Examiner)

by Jane Norman, Iowa Capital Dispatch May 22, 2024 WASHINGTON — Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack, on a call with reporters Wednesday, strongly criticized a farm bill draft written by U.S. House Republicans, saying it would damage the coalition that traditionally has united behind farm bills and “raises the real possibility of being unable to get […]

Farmers make planting gains between rains

About 47% of the state's corn crop has emerged from the ground. (Photo by Jared Strong/Iowa Capital Dispatch)

by Jared Strong, Iowa Capital Dispatch May 20, 2024 The pace of corn and soybean planting accelerated last week amid a rainfall reprieve for much of the state, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Farmers planted more than a fifth of the overall expected acres for each crop that week and edged closer to […]

Gov. Kim Reynolds signs final bills from the 2024 legislative session

The Iowa Capitol

by Robin Opsahl, Iowa Capital Dispatch May 17, 2024 Gov. Kim Reynolds on Friday signed the final slate of bills remaining from the 2024 legislative session, including new laws related to the regulation of hemp-derived product and changes to the state’s boards and commissions. The signing of 20 bills marked the end of action on […]

Widespread rains eliminate ‘extreme’ drought in Iowa

(Courtesy of National Drought Mitigation Center)

by Jared Strong, Iowa Capital Dispatch May 9, 2024 For the first time in nearly two years, no part of Iowa has extreme drought — the second-worst dryness classification of the U.S. Drought Monitor. A new report on Thursday that takes into account the significant rainfall of last week and early this week shows the […]

FDA chief says feds are preparing for low probability of bird flu moving to humans

U.S. Food and Drug Administration Commissioner Robert Califf testifies before the U.S. Senate Agriculture Appropriations Subcommittee on Wednesday, May 8, 2024. (Screenshot from Senate livestream)

by Jennifer Shutt, Iowa Capital Dispatch May 8, 2024 WASHINGTON — The commissioner of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration said at a congressional hearing Wednesday the agency is preparing for the possibility the strain of avian influenza affecting dairy cattle could jump to humans, though he cautioned the probability is low. Robert Califf told […]

Ames National Laboratory team transforms plastic waste into fuel

(From left) Kajol Tonk, Chao Meng, Yi-Yu Wang and Aaron Sadow, along with other members of their team, are working together to convert plastic waste to fuels and chemicals. (Photo by Brooklyn Draisey/Iowa Capital Dispatch)

by Brooklyn Draisey, Iowa Capital Dispatch May 8, 2024 When Yi-Yu Wang pictures the future, she hopes for a day when someone can just pop an empty water bottle in their car’s tank when running low on gas in order to deliver the energy it needs to keep driving. A graduate research assistant in the […]

TikTok sues to block new U.S. law banning app if it is not sold

TikTok

by Jacob Fischler, Iowa Capital Dispatch May 7, 2024 TikTok and its Chinese parent company on Tuesday challenged a recently enacted federal law banning the short-form video platform from the United States if it is not sold to a non-Chinese owner. TikTok Inc., the U.S. company that operates the popular social media service, and ByteDance, […]

Inside a rural Iowa school district’s fight to save public education

The Grinnell-Newburg School District in rural central Iowa is facing nearly $1 million in budget cuts for next school year after a vote by the school board in March. The district, among swirling accusations of who to blame for the financial crisis, is struggling to retain staff and maintain morale. Across Iowa, many school districts are encountering similar challenges. (Photo by Zach Spindler-Krage)

by Zach Spindler-Krage, Iowa Capital Dispatch May 4, 2024 When Kevin Hosbond was teaching English and coaching speech in the rural southeast Iowa school district of Fairfield, his position was on the chopping block three separate times. Each time, students and parents convinced the school board to save his position. Kevin Hosbond, an English teacher […]

             

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