Francis Thicke to announce bid for Iowa Secretary of Agriculture

by: desmoinesdem

Tue Sep 08, 2009 at 12:35:29 PM PDT

Thicke's campaign website outlines his "new vision for Iowa agriculture," which involves more local food production, on-farm energy production, and "animal production systems that are profitable, environmentally sound, and socially responsible."

You can see from his bio how qualified he is for the position as an organic dairy farmer, educator and public servant.

There's also a blog on the campaign website; recent posts include this endorsement from Denise O'Brien, founder of the Women, Food and Agriculture Network and Democratic nominee for Iowa Secretary of Agriculture in 2006.

Thicke will be an underdog against incumbent Bill Northey, who after considering a bid for governor announced this summer that he'll run for re-election instead. Industrial agriculture interests generously funded Northey's 2006 campaign and will fight hard against Thicke. If you can afford to contribute to Thicke's campaign, his ActBlue page is here.

In case anyone's wondering, the name is pronounced "Tic-kee."

New limits on winter manure application take effect in Iowa

by: desmoinesdem

Wed Jul 01, 2009 at 11:35:56 AM PDT

You'll be pleased to know that amendments greatly improved Senate File 432 before the final version passed the Iowa House in April. Governor Chet Culver then signed the bill into law, and it takes effect today along with a bunch of other measures approved during the 2009 Iowa legislative session.

On principle I dislike legislative efforts to interfere with DNR rulemaking. However, knowledgeable people tell me that the new law includes tougher restrictions on liquid manure application than the rules that the DNR would have eventually produced. So, this law is on balance good news for water quality in Iowa and downstream from us.

It's important to note that these restrictions apply only to liquid manure, which comes from hogs. Iowa's cattle farmers face no new limits on spreading solid manure over frozen or snow-covered ground. I've been told that cattle farmers turned out in large numbers for the DNR's public hearings on the winter application rules.

Policy wonks can find the full text of Iowa Senate File 432 and bill history here.