Steve Nedved
Author's posts
Jan 10
A record year for ethanol production in Iowa
Iowa ethanol plants had another record-breaking year in 2018, producing 4.35 billion gallons. That’s up from 4.2 billion in 2017. Iowa Renewable Fuels Association Executive Director Monte Shaw says the increased production was due largely to record ethanol exports. But he says that good news was offset by small refinery exemptions to the RFS and …
Jan 10
State Senator Troy Heinert thanks a colleague for saving his life
Democratic State Senator and minority leader Troy Heinert of Mission presented Republican State Senator Blake Curd of Sioux Falls with a handmade Native American blanket in gratitude for essentially saving his life. The blanket, titled ‘The Native American Way of Life” was wrapped around Curd who is a physician. Heinert was seriously ill on veto …
Jan 10
Ten kids for Keith Urban? Nicole Kidman thinks about what might’ve been
ABC/Image Group LAKeith Urban and Nicole Kidman are the proud parents of 10-year-old Sunday Rose and 8-year-old Faith Margaret, but if they’d gotten together earlier, Nicole says, they might have had many more kids. “We go, ‘Oh gosh, I wonder if we met when we were 25, then we could have had 10 of them!’” the actress tells People in this week’s cover …
Jan 10
Pompeo defends US withdrawal from Syria, rebukes Obama’s Middle East strategy, during foreign policy address in Egypt
Jordan Pix/Getty Images(CAIRO, Egypt) — Secretary of State Mike Pompeo defended the U.S. withdrawal from Syria and issued a strong rebuke of the Obama administration’s Middle East strategy, during a major foreign policy address in Egypt on Thursday. While the secretary challenged Middle Eastern countries to take on new responsibilities in the fight against extremism, …
Jan 10
Fiat-Chrysler could pay $800 million in emissions cheating settlement
wellesenterprises/iStock(WASHINGTON) — Fiat-Chrysler could pay more than $800 million in fines and settlements, the administration announced Thursday, after allegations that the automaker used illegal software to circumvent laboratory emissions inspections on 100,000 diesel vehicles. That figure includes $305 million the company will pay to settle the claims filed by the Department of Justice and Environmental …
Jan 10
‘Infants at work’ program at Girl Scouts of Greater Iowa lets babies come to the office
Courtesy Chelsey DeRuyter(NEW YORK) — Moms who work outside the home are in a constant struggle between being present in their careers and being present with their kids. For the new moms employed by the Girl Scouts of Greater Iowa, that struggle has been far lessened by a new program called “Infants at Work.” The …
Jan 10
Watch now: Tim McGraw gets nostalgic in new “Thought About You” video
ABC/Image Group LAWhen Tim McGraw put out his current hit “Neon Church” back in October, he also released another song called “Thought About You.” Now, he’s made a lyric video to match. “The cool thing about ‘Thought About You,’” he commented on social media, “is that it brings something, or someone, different to mind for everyone who hears …
Jan 10
Stabenow says shutdown needs to end
The Ranking Member of the Senate Ag Committee says she’s concerned about the impact limited USDA operations during the government shutdown is having on farmers. In a letter to U.S. Ag Secretary Sonny Perdue, Michigan Senator Debbie Stabenow says with a 19-day lapse for funding, it’s the second-longest shutdown in history. Stabenow says the shutdown …
Jan 10
Trade talks with EU exclude agriculture
Trade officials from the U.S. and the European Union discussed trade in Washington D.C. this week, but EU Trade Commissioner Cecilia Malmstrom told reporters after the meeting that talks would not include agriculture. According to various media report, Malmstrom says the EU has made it clear they are instead focusing on industrial goods. Last month …
Jan 10
Trade disputes impacting organic grain sector
Trade disputes and the resulting drop in commodity prices have impacted U.S. organic grain farmers. Midwest Organic and Sustainable Education Service (MOSES) executive director John Mesko says organic prices track conventional markets to an extent. “The trade tariffs do impact organic producers because organic grain flows around the world as well. So whenever we see …