The Iowa House has voted to ground drones over livestock containment and feedlots.

Critics of the measure say drones are used to document unhealthy conditions inside the facilities, but the bill's supporters say the devices are invading farmers' privacy and endangering animals.

House File 572 would restrict drones from flying within 400 feet of an area where farm animals are kept without the landowner's permission.

Rep. Derek Wulf, R-Hudson, a cattle rancher from Black Hawk County, said the bill is intended to protect the safety of Iowa's livestock, arguing drones cause the animals to act erratically.

"Pushing 'em through fences; one producer actually found a crashed drone in one of their feedlots," Wulf pointed out. "As the drone industry continues to progress and grow, it seems to be becoming a larger and larger concern for livestock producers, not only in this state, but seems like across the country."

If the bill passes, drone operators caught violating the restrictions would be guilty of a misdemeanor and the charges could become more severe if the drone takes pictures or video of the livestock operations. The bill is headed to the Senate.

As the recreational drone industry grows, Wulf noted there are most likely operators who are not intentionally trying to cause problems for livestock. On the other hand, he acknowledged the bill is a response to animal rights groups using drones to document conditions inside ag operations. Wulf added there are drone operators who are trying to be disruptive.

"We know there's groups out there that are targeting livestock operations and would rather see the livestock industry not move forward," Wulf explained. "Some of it is definitely maliciously intended, and that's what we're really trying to address, is to make sure that we can protect both the privacy rights and the safety of our livestock in these operations."

The bill would not apply to people flying drones over their own property and was amended to allow business owners who need to survey multiple large plots of land to be able to do so without the threat of penalty.

Farms in the Midwest should become more resilient to challenges created by climate change, with a $10 million grant from the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

The money will go toward working with farmers in Ohio and Missouri on ways to reduce their greenhouse gas emissions, improve soil and water quality and respond to extreme weather conditions, all while remaining profitable.

Ernie Shea, president of the nonprofit Solutions from the Land, one of the partners in the project, said the grant is unique because it centers around farmers' needs.

"When you approach a farmer in that way, you're beginning the conversation with what's important to him or her, which is surviving, continuing to operate," Shea explained. "You then can talk about co-benefits that can help the public."

This grant will also feature partners like Ohio State University and will fund education programs, research and collaborations with other stakeholders. The federal government is investing billions in climate-smart programs trying to reach its goal of a net-zero-emissions economy by 2050.

Agriculture is responsible for about one-tenth of the greenhouse gas emissions in the U.S., mostly from livestock and fertilizer use. Shea pointed out there are many ways for Midwestern ag producers to be climate smart, including no-till operations, where farmers do not plow the ground and plant directly into soil, and much more.

"They could plant cover crops that provide green photosynthesis activity beds for many months of the year," Shea suggested. "We could implement practices where we're substituting nutrient inputs; where we're making a greater use of livestock manure instead of synthetic fertilizers."

Ohio has more than 13 million acres of farmland and agriculture is responsible for about 3% of the state's gross domestic product.


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The U.S. Department of Agriculture will soon require electronic eartags for cattle and bison that cross state lines.

The USDA says its rule will affect some 11 million cattle, or about 12% of the nation's herd.

But the controversial eartag mandate is worrying some small ag producers, like Judith McGeary - a Texas rancher and executive director of the Farm and Ranch Freedom Alliance.

She said it's expensive and unnecessary.

"We have a system that works well right now," said McGeary. "And USDA's own tests of that system show that a cow that crosses state lines can be traced back, in most cases, within an hour. That is more than sufficient."

The USDA argues it will prevent future epidemics, cut down on paperwork errors, and protect international beef exports. The rule is set to go into effect in about six months.

McGeary, who supports the position of the National Family Farm Coalition on this issue, said it will be easy for large meat companies to implement but challenging for smaller family farms, which could lead to more consolidation in agriculture.

Right now, the USDA is giving away electronic tags through state veterinary offices.

But McGeary said there are other costs with this rule for an industry already on thin margins, including the fact that technology keeps changing.

"For instance, we've had reports of a sale barn that went and got an electronic reader to handle the cows that were coming through with electronic tags," said McGeary, "and within a couple of years, couldn't find batteries for those readers."

She added that the rule could be expanded to more domestic herds.

Other stockgrowing groups have supported transitioning to electronic tags, which could cut down on quarantine times during outbreaks.

Multiple bills in Congress seek to block the USDA's rule, but they've yet to build much support.




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An Iowa nonprofit group helps ag-related businesses grow to serve more farmers and get more cover crops planted in the state.

Cover crops like rye and wheat are typically planted to protect the soil in winter months - and in and between row crops like corn and soybeans to control weeds in the growing season.

Practical Farmers of Iowa is making up to $10,000 available to farmers who want to commercialize their cover crop practice through the Cover Crop Business Accelerator Program.

PFI's Senior Field Crops Viability Manager Lydia English said while cover crops are good for weed control and soil health, most farmers who use them have another goal.

"Ninety percent of the time, it's to combat erosion, either wind or water," said English. "So, I think seeing that soil loss is really real - and that's a lot of value that we're washing down the drain, literally, that we don't need to, with a practice like cover crops."

English said PFI wants to plant 12 million of Iowa's 30 million acres of farmland with cover crops and thinks the accelerator program will encourage farmers to help reach that goal.

Iowa corn and soybean Farmer Dan Bahe owns a business that plants cover crops for its clients on about 7,000 acres.

He and his brother were already experienced farmers who have used cover crops for more than a decade, but Bahe said they used PFI's accelerator program to scale up their operation - especially by taking advantage of a personalized business coaching program.

"Helping us put a business plan together," said Bahe. "Ideas on creating a legal entity, marketing, branding. Because we were already established, but we really didn't have a game plan. We were just taking orders, going out and seeding cover crops."

The 2022 Census of Agriculture reported nearly 1.3 million acres of cover crops in Iowa. That's a 32% increase since 2017.

PFI's accelerator program is in its fifth year.