PCM-01-11-2024

Iowa Caucuses less than a week away

Caucus locations set for Jasper County communities

By Jamee A. Pierson PCM Explorer

The first in the nation Iowa Caucuses are less than a week away with locals interested in the political process gathering the evening of Jan. 15. There are a variety

of locations assigned to citizens of Jasper County depending on the township they reside.

They include:

• Clear Creek-Independence — Baxter City Hall — 203 S. Main St., Baxter

• Mound Prairie-Poweshiek-Washington, Colfax 1, Colfax 2 and Colfax 3 — Colfax Mingo Elementary School — 20 W. Broadway St., Colfax

• Des Moines — PCM Middle School Library — 407 E. Plainsman Rd., Prairie City

ROZENBOOM: Transparency needed to ensure no foreign, corporate ownership of Iowa farmland

State senator’s priorities for 2024 legislative session focus on agriculture, natural resources

By Christopher Braunschweig PCM Explorer

Editor’s note: The following is the second of three articles going over Jasper County lawmakers’ priorities for the 2024 legislative session.

of corporations or foreign entities running traditional farming families out of business.

• Fairview — PCM High School Library — 400 IA 163 Bus., Monroe

• Hickory Grove — Kellogg United Methodist Church — 417 Second St., Kellogg

• Buena Vista-Elk Creek, Lynngrove-Richland — Lynnville Sully Middle School — 1246 Hwy F 62 E., Sully

• Malaka-Newton-Sherman, Newton 1-1, Newton 1-2, Newton 2-1, Newton 2-2, Newton 3-1, Newton 3-2, Newton 4-1, Newton 4-2, Palo Alto — Berg Mid-

dle School — 1900 N. Fifth Ave. E., Newton To participate, an individual must be a registered member of the party caucus they are attending. A person cannot be registered to no party. The individual must be 18 years old by the upcoming Election Day of the election year, Nov. 5 for 2024. A 17-year-old can participate as long as they will be 18 by Nov. 5. Participants must also reside in the precinct they are caucusing in.

Although Iowa Sen. Ken Rozenboom is chair of the education committee, it is actually his work on the agricultural and natural resources committees that is driving his personal list of priorities for the 2024 legislative session, which includes taking a hard look at who is buying Iowa farmland. Specifically, Rozenboom wants to address concerns of any foreign ownership and corporate ownership. While there there are laws prohibiting the purchase or acquisition of Iowa farmland from foreign businesses and governments, there is a strong feeling there may be some “very deep pockets” inappropriately involved.

With his strong background in agriculture, Rozenboom is greatly concerned about potential foreign investment in farmland in Iowa and across the country. He is also concerned about corporate ownership. Again, there are laws limiting corporate influence on farmland, but he has doubts everyone is in compliance.

“For almost two years now, we’ve been digging into this with the Department of Agriculture, with the Secretary of State’s Office and the Attorney General’s Office,” Rozenboom said. “Not a new issue to me. But it’s not been very high-profile. We think we need to tighten up some laws.”

Currently, Rozenboom is working with the attorney general’s office to see what the Iowa Legislature can do to tighten up its laws.

“With the corporate structures and LLCs, we’re just not quite sure who is buying some of this land,” he said. “The real problem is these folks seem to have very deep pockets. They can blow any Iowa farmer out of the water. If they want a piece of land, their pockets are always deeper than our farming community.”

Considering Iowa’s identity as a predominantly agricultural entity, the state’s economy is very dependent on farming. There is also a culture of family farms to consider. Rozenboom laments the thought

“They can’t compete for land ownership,” he said. “It’s just not a healthy way to go at all. We have some corporations that have farming connections maybe in Iowa, but they also have maybe manufacturing some other interests and they’ve received help from the state or economic development help.”

Then Iowa finds those companies competing with neighbors for landownership. Which does not sit well with Rozenboom. Especially if taxpayers are helping the corporation with their business operations and then they, in turn, compete against other Iowans. Rozenboom said, “That doesn’t strike me as appropriate.”

Ultimately, he added, what lawmakers are afraid of is foreign companies or corporations using “front people” to make land purchases.

“And we don’t know who is behind the curtain,” he said. “We don’t know that, and that’s the problem. There is a corporation ownership law in the books that prohibits corporate ownership. There are parameters and thresholds. But there is a reporting requirement where they report purchases to the secretary of state.”

While thousands of those transactions are on record at the secretary of state’s office, Rozenboom fears they are going into a file with no scrutiny.

“I’ve looked at some of those reports, and we see an LLC and we don’t know who is behind the LLC,” he said. “We don’t know if it’s appropriate or not. That’s a concern. Maybe there’s nothing there. And that’s fine if there’s nothing there. But we need transparency on this. Right now we don’t have enough transparency.”

WATER QUALITY UNLIKELY TO SEE ANYTHING NEW

For years, Rozenboom has worked on water quality, a somewhat polarizing topic. Several critics say the state has made no real improvements to water quality, an assertion Rozenboom has adamantly denied in the past. Although he does not expect lawmakers to introduce anything new this year, it is something to monitor.

Even though he has nothing new to propose in regard to water quality, it still remains a priority for Rozenboom. The state senator wants to continue to see progress and results, though he did acknowledge it will likely take some time to correct issues caused by fertilizer runoff from

How are candidates approaching agricultural issues?

See what presidential hopefuls are saying about today’s farming challenges

By Christopher Braunschweig PCM Explorer

Editor’s note: The following article originally appeared in the Fall 2023 edition of Central Iowa AgMag as a way to show how certain candidates felt about agricultural issues at that particular time. As such, some information has been removed to better reflect the current candidates still in the race for the nomination.

With the primaries for the upcoming presidential election coming up, I bet a lot of us are wondering what the candidates and incumbent are saying about farmers and the agricultural industry. Some folks may have already made up their mind on who they’re voting for, but I’m still curious what candidates have to say.

So I’ve scoured through some of the latest headlines and campaign websites for any information I could find about candidates’ views on agriculture.

Here’s what I’ve found:

JOE BIDEN

While farmers were waiting for fields to dry after a late October rainfall, President Joe Biden announced more than $5 billion in investments to rural communities.

Funds from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, the Inflation Reduction

Act and other programs will go towards advancing rural prosperity, economic development, competition and sustainability, according to a Nov. 1 press release from the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Here is a breakdown of the funds:

• $1.7 billion in investments in climate-smart agriculture practices.

• $1.1 billion in investments in rural American infrastructure through loans/grants.

• $2 billion in investments to partner with rural communities to create jobs, support rural-led economic development.

• $274 million to expand critical rural high-speed internet infrastructure.

• $145 million to expand access to renewable energy, lower energy costs for rural Americans.

However, some pundits have criticized Biden’s green-focused approach to agriculture. In August 2023, Politico reported that even some advocates are not convinced it will help. Coupled with the negotiations to pass the farm bill (the results of which were unknown by press time), Biden might have an uphill battle.

DEAN PHILLIPS & MARIANNE WILLIAMSON

The president has primary challengers? You bet.

Dean Phillips, a congressman from Minnesota, is

the latest Democrat to enter the race. According to his campaign website, there is no platform for agriculture, but he does have priorities for clean water and climate action, among many other issues. During his tenure in Congress, Phillips focused on protecting access to clean water. The future health and well-being of Americans, he says, “relies on responsible stewardship of our waterways, forests, farmland, wetlands and public lands.” He is committed to a bipartisan approach to preserving clean water.

Phillips says the effects of climate change are being seen and felt by everybody, and American has to resume its role as a global leader in addressing the crisis. Incentives from the Inflation Reduction Act will help lower energy costs and the speed of the transition to a clean energy economy, Phillips says. Marianne Williamson, a Texas-born author and speaker, also does not have a catch-all “agriculture” platform, but she does have policies on climate action and food safety. Williamson says global warming harms weather patterns which harms agriculture/animals which harms people’s capacity to live in certain areas.

Rozenboom

Metro Photo

Agricultural issues no doubt affect Iowans and the rest of the country. We scoured headlines to find out what every candidate in the 2024 presidential election has said about political issues that impact farmers, such as the carbon capture pipeline, climate change legislation and ethanol, among others.

Explorer PCM

Worth Mentioning

Send your event to news@pcmexplorer.com

Events at The Gathering Place

Upcoming activities at The Gathering Place in Monroe:

The Patty Richards Music Show is set for Thursday, Jan. 11.

Piano with Jacque Robinson is from 2 to 3 p.m. Friday at The Gathering Place. Get Fit, Move More will begin at 1 p.m. Wednesday, Jan. 17.

PCM Food Pantry

The PCM Food Pantry at the Monroe Presbyterian Church, 113 S. Main St. in Monroe, is open 9 a.m. to noon and 6 to 7 p.m. Mondays and 9 a.m. to noon Thursdays.

TOPS

TOPS 1025 meets at 5:30 p.m. every Monday at the First Reformed Church in Prairie City for weigh-in, with meeting to follow. Go to the north side parking lot at the church and enter in the north door. Call 515-994-2200 for information.

Men’s Recovery meeting

Lighthouse Recovery Ministries hosts a Men’s Recovery meeting at 6:30 p.m. each Monday at Grace Alive Church, 703 W. Second St. in Prairie City. Contact Barb at b.miller@lighthouserecoveryia.com with questions.

PCM Clothing Closet

The PCM Clothing Closet, on the second floor of the Family Life Center at 105 S. Sherman St. in Prairie City, will be open from 3:30 to 7 p.m. every Tuesday and Thursday and 2 to 4 p.m. Sundays.

American Legion Auxiliary meets

The Monroe American Legion Auxiliary meet at 6:30 p.m. the third Tuesday of the month at the Legion.

Alzheimers and Dementia Support Group

The Prairie City First Reformed Church hosts an Alzheimer’s and Dementia Support Group that meets at 3 p.m. the third Tuesday of the month at the Prairie City First Reformed Church. This support group is for family members and caregivers of those living with Alzheimer’s and other dementias.

Community Meal Wednesday

A Community Meal will be served beginning at 5 p.m. the third Wednesday of the month at the Monroe United Methodist Church. All are invited to share our free meal and fellowship.

Womens Recovery meeting

Lighthouse Recovery Ministries has a Women’s Recovery meeting at 6 p.m. each Wednesday at the Grace Alive Powerhouse, 701 W. Second St. in Prairie City. Contact Barb at b.miller@lighthouserecoveryia.com with questions.

Time to renew registrations

ATV/UTV/Golf Cart registration in Monroe are due March 1 at city hall. A valid driver’s license and proof of insurance showing a special rider on your auto policy must be provided.

Outdoor Notes

By Iowa Department of Natural Resources

Hunting seasons will begin closing soon in early Janu-

Faye Rene Clark

Jan. 1, 2024

Obituaries

Faye Rene Clark, born May 4th, 1936 in El Paso Arkansas to Oliver Edward Modlin and Mary Estella (Ramsey) Modlin, passed away on Monday night, January 1st, 2024. She will be forever remembered as a beloved mother, wife, sister, grandmother, and friend who never passed up an opportunity to snuggle a baby or offer a warm hug—a woman who laughed, shared, and loved with such sunshine-fierce intensity that the warmth and wisdom of her kindness will continue to inspire generations to come. While Faye was blessed to travel to such exciting places as Hawaii and Israel during

her lifetime, she was most known for her dedicated service to local community and family, where, in addition to her many talents as a grandma-extraordinaire, she worked, volunteered, and provided caregiving services in various capacities throughout the Monroe-Pella-Newton area. If someone needed a little TLC, Faye was always willing to lend a hand. Her infectious smile and gentle ways brought happiness wherever she went. After marrying Seth Blake Clark on October 16, 1954, Faye spent much of her early adult life raising six children and helping her family run their farm in Monroe, Iowa. Later, while working outside the home and watching her family continue to grow, Faye always managed to make time to be a dedicated sister and friend to her many siblings, to fulfill her role as a most-adored grandma and great grandma to her many grandchildren, and to be ready

to help whenever possible and in whatever capacity was most helpful—whether that be in the garden, taking a long walk, or providing a sympathetic ear. Of course, all who really knew Faye knew that her most treasured role was in spending time with her grandchildren and great-grandchildren, whether that involved rolling up to cheer at a game or meet, jumping into a friendly competition between the kids, or simply cuddling her newest great-grandbaby with the biggest smile you’ve ever seen. She will be deeply missed.

Faye is preceded in death by her parents, her husband, Seth Clark, two sons, Park Eldon Clark and Wayland Seth Clark, her sister Loy Bell (Goodsell) Stines, her brothers, Vernon, Hoy, Oliver “Junior,” Lois Dale “L.D.”, several siblings-in-law, two sons-in-law, and a grandson. Survivors include her children, Randy

(Judy) Clark of Monroe, Candy (Terry) Amyx of Wisconsin, Cindy (Vince) Vincentz of Florida, and Julie Olson of Grinnell. Also surviving are thirteen grandchildren, twenty-three great grandchildren, and two great-great grandchildren with one more on the way.

It has been said that the legacy of a life well lived is a tribute to all, and it is with the most profound and deepest gratitude that her family and friends will honor Faye’s many gifts during a memorial service at United Methodist Church in Monroe, Iowa on Friday, January 5th at noon. She will then rest in eternal peace with her beloved family in the Dunreath Cemetery in Monroe, Iowa. Memorials may be directed to the Dunreath Cemetery Fund care of Angie Clark (angie.clark@gmail.com) and condolences may be left for family at www.coburnfuneralhomes.com.

Weekend activities at NSNWR

Bison Storytime

Enjoy learning about bison through a free educational story time event presented by Denise Bean, Youth Services Librarian for the Iowa Library for the Blind and Print Disabled, from 3 to 4 p.m. Friday at the Neal Smith National Wildlife Refuge’s Visitor Center. Visitors of all ages are welcome to participate in this program. Participants will create handson crafts and enjoy engaging activities, including working with tactile coloring pages. Attendees will learn about bison and their habitat while enjoying the smells of the prairie. For a bonus, participants will receive a tactile bison bookmark that includes their very own name in braille.

Second Saturday Stewardship –Native Prairie Seed Cleaning Would you like to help build tallgrass prairie? Staff at the Neal Smith National Wildlife Refuge is looking for volunteers to help clean native prairie seeds by hand and with tools from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday during Second Saturday Stewardship.

This activity involves removing the stem, leaves and other parts, leaving just the seeds for planting. This work will be done inside the seed lab located at the refuge visitor center. You can enjoy learning about prairie plants while contributing to building prairie for

people and wildlife. Individuals, families, and groups are welcome to participate. Free hot chocolate and snacks will be available for volunteers. Volunteers are required to fill out a volunteer agreement and those under the age of 18 must have a parent or legal guardian sign the form. Volunteers are required to wear closed sturdy shoes and pants. For additional information and to register, contact nancy_corona@fws.gov or call 515-9943400.

Free National Rubber Ducky Day Scavenger Hunt

In honor of National Rubber Ducky Day, Neal Smith National Wildlife Refuge has welcomed 10 rubber ducky guests to hide themselves throughout the visitor center exhibits. Guests are welcome to join in the hunt to try to find all 10 by following hints and riddles from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday. You can win a prize by going to the front desk and telling the volunteer a few fun facts the ducks taught you. This scavenger hunt is directed towards children ages 5-10, but all are welcome. The refuge trails, wildlife drive, and visitor center are free to visit.

farms.

“We think we’ve made some really good progress,” he said. “But we need to stay on that. These are long-term issues. Whatever problems we have with, for instance, nutrient pollution, that didn’t happen overnight and we’re not going to fix it overnight. But we think we’ve put a lot of programs and funding in place.”

OH DEER!

An issue for Rozenboom that seems to never go away is the deer population in Iowa. Some years

back the Iowa Legislature passed a bill whose primary feature was to call for a study of the economic and environmental damage caused by the heavy deer population, which was recorded at around 450,000 deer pre-hunt. “We’re hearing so many complaints about crop damage from them but also raccoons — that population is out of control,” Rozenboom said. “There are always those things that are not real high on the radar of most people, but they’re real problems in Iowa out in rural Iowa.”

While a report of the study will not be ready until November 2024, Rozenboom said it covers 50 years of history in deer

Iowa hunters have reported harvesting 96,000 deer so far during the 2023 season.

2023 hunting, fishing and trapping licenses expire Jan. 10.

HIP Reminder - Hunters who pursue migratory game birds are required to register for Harvest Information Program (HIP) either through the Go Outdoors Iowa

ary. Pheasant, archery turkey and deer seasons, and late muzzleloader deer season close Jan. 10. Goose seasons start closing first in the north zone on Jan. 13, followed by the central zone Jan. 20, and the south zone Jan. 27. The season for quail, partridge, ruffed grouse, and squirrels closes Jan. 31. Rabbit season closes Feb. 28. The furbearer hunting and trapping seasons also close on Feb. 28. Furharvesters can continue trapping beavers until April 15.

population.

“We value our deer hunting industry and the recreation that goes along with that and the revenue to the state, but there’s an economic cost to car deer accidents, there are safety issues. This study requires not only the DNR to be involved but I’ve also requested Iowa State Extension and the Iowa Insurance Institute.”

Other bills passed by the legislature in previous sessions changed penalties for illegally taking a deer with no antlers. Although the deer population needs to be controlled by taking antlerless deer and doing it legally, Rozenboom said the depredation program

had not been very effective.

“So I created another January season — I call it a depredation season — to allow for the harvest of antlerless deer after all the hunting seasons are over just as a population control measure,” he said.

“That’s already in place and that started last year. When we see the results of this study, maybe we can decide whether we need to do something more.”

NO PERSONAL TO-DO LIST FOR EDUCATION

In the 2023 legislative session, Rozenboom took over as chairman of the Iowa Senate Education Committee. As such, a great deal of his time

app on their smartphone, through a link at www.iowadnr.gov/waterfowl or at www.gooutdoorsiowa.com and answering a few questions. Migratory game birds mean more than ducks and geese; it includes ducks, geese, coots, doves, woodcock, rails, and snipe.

Once registered, hunters will need to physically write a confirmation number on the line provided at the top of the license as proof of registration. The HIP registration can be found on the home screen in the GoOutdoorsIowa mobile app. Registering for HIP is a federal requirement for all migratory bird hunters.

was dedicated to legislation that affected both public and private school districts. This upcoming session he expects there will be more bills affecting education. While he does not have his own personal to-do list when it comes to education, he knows the governor has a couple of initiatives that affect the structure of the Area Education Agencies. Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds also wants to cover teacher salaries and expand preschool, something Rep. Jon Dunwell mentioned, too.

Still, Rozenboom is in wait-and-see mode when it comes to education bills.

“Rather than create the confusion of another bill, I’m going to see what comes out from the governor and the House on those,” Rozenboom said.

Submitted Photo

Several fun and creative events are occurring Friday and Saturday at the Neal Smith National Wildlife Refuge. The events are free and open to the public.

Rozenboom

Explorer PCM

Consider these tips before filing your tax return

By Barb Wollan Iowa State University Human Sciences Extension and Outreach

Many Americans look forward to a significant income tax refund each year and may be eager to file their tax returns as quickly as possible. Before rushing to your computer or your tax preparer, consider these tips from Barb Wollan, a human sciences specialist with Iowa State University Extension and Outreach.

“Filing your tax return too early creates the risk that you may not have included all the necessary information on your return,” Wollan said.

It is not uncommon for people to file early and then a month later receive an extra W-2 or 1099 form that they had forgotten they should expect. Most income documents do not have to be mailed until Jan. 31 and some investment income documents are allowed to be mailed even later. Wollan urges consumers to be cautious about filing their return before Feb. 1 or even Feb. 8 because they may receive more documents after those dates.

“If you choose to file in late January or early February,

Candidates

“…Which harms the city-to-rural ratio which harms social stability which creates a refugee crisis which all together lead toward untold catastrophe,” she says.

Williamson advocates for reducing food waste and promoting regenerative agriculture. She is also for banning concentrated animal feeding operations and addressing emissions and other pollution caused by huge agribusiness. Big factory farms not only threaten the livelihoods of farmers, she says.

“But they are the largest producer of dangerous greenhouse gases.”

Williams wants a return farming to families instead of factories and find ways of reducing the impact of animal agriculture on the environment. Food safety and security is another priority for Williamson, who says Big Ag has “collectively created a poisonous brew that is now affecting our health and well-being.”

DONALD TRUMP

The Republican frontrunner and former president touted at a Council Bluffs campaign rally that he will cancel “every Biden policy that is brutalizing our farmers.” Donald Trump claims Biden has been in a nonstop war on American agriculture, saying he is trying to kill ethanol and replace it with electric cars.

Some of this assertions from Trump may be exaggerated though. According to a report from The Hill in July 2023, the latest standards from the Environmental Protection Agency on how much conventional biofuel would be required for blending still represents an increase over previous years.

Even when Trump was in office. During a campaign stop in Ottumwa in October 2023, Trump voiced many of the same criticisms toward the Biden administration. According to the Ottumwa Courier’s report, Trump touted

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think carefully about every job and every type of income you had in 2023. It is easy to forget about a short-term or seasonal job that you left eight to10 months ago,” Wollan said.

Each year the IRS sets a date when it will begin receiving tax returns electronically, typically around Jan. 20, Wollan noted. Seeing your tax preparer before that date does not get your return submitted early.

Filing a paper return is not an advantage because paper returns are always much slower to be processed.

“These days, the only people who should file a paper return are those with unusual circumstances that prevent them from filing electronically,” Wollan said.

In addition, the IRS is legally prohibited from issuing any tax refunds that contain the Earned Income Tax Credit or the Additional Child Tax Credit until Feb. 15. In many situations, refunds over $1,000 include one of those credits, so they will not be issued until that date. Taxpayers filing earlier gain only a slight advantage in timing: they may be first in line, but they still need to wait until Feb.15 at the earliest for their refunds to be issued.

Some tax firms may offer what they call a quick re-

his administration’s approval of yearround E-15 gasoline and tariffs imposed on China.

But Ottumwa Courier points out the Tax Foundation, a nonpartisan tax policy nonprofit, found the tariffs intended to protect agriculture largely hurt the economy “by burdening U.S. industry and workers” More so when the Trump administration’s actions caused retaliatory tariffs on U.S. exports.

Which may have damaged the economy even more. Still, according to Trump’s campaign website, he is committed to unleashing the production of domestic energy sources, reduce prices on gasoline/diesel/natural gas, promote energy security for allies around the world and eliminate the Green New Deal.

RON DESANTIS

The Florida governor has long-affirmed in campaign materials that agriculture is essential for America’s revival.

Ron DeSantis says America needs to take a page from Iowa’s farmers to better harvest resources, accommodate nature’s challenges and “cultivate a culture resilient to history’s seasons.”

According to the Farmers For DeSantis page, Republican candidate says a robust agriculture sector is a key part of a stronger America. Throughout his campaign in Iowa, DeSantis says he has spoken with many farmers, ranchers and others involved in the agriculture industry about the challenges they face.

The federal government, he says, is hurting critical industries like agriculture. Farmers do a great job of feeding the world, but the federal government insists on making it more difficult to farm, DeSantis says. If elected, he will not allow “unelected federal bureaucrats to stifle American agriculture.”

NIKKI HALEY

The former U.N. ambassador and governor of South Carolina has stated in a column to the Des Moines Register in September 2023 that farmers will thrive when Washington, D.C. starts working for them and not the other way around. Nikki Haley also says one of the biggest

threats to farmers is China.

fund, by which they pay the money to you as a loan the day after your return is submitted. Then, when the IRS pays the actual refund, it is paid directly to the tax firm as repayment of the loan. This usually involves a fee, and it also involves real risks.

“If your tax refund was calculated incorrectly, or if part or all of your refund is held back by the IRS to cover some debt you owe – such as back taxes, back child support or other debts – then the tax firm will require you to repay the loan,” Wollan said.

People who meet guidelines for amount and types of income may qualify to have their tax return prepared and filed for free at a Volunteer Income Tax Assistance site by IRS-certified volunteers. To find a free site near you, call 211 or search the IRS website for VITA. Wollan said there also are options that allow you to prepare your own tax return (federal and state) for free if your income is below about $70,000. Email centraliowavita@gmail.com to learn how to access the same software used at VITA sites, with support for answering tax law questions also provided. Or go to www. irs.gov and search for FreeFile to access software that you can use for free.

In Haley’s column, she recounts a sixth-generation farmer’s worries about price increases on fuel, fertilizer and feed. The farmer is worried their family can’t make ends meet. Other farms are losing money with each passing year, and the farmer also worried about China purchasing farmland and stealing seed technology.

“I made that farmer a promise: As president, I will free America’s farmers and ranchers — Washington and China,” Haley says. Haley wants to cut federal spending that she claims is fueling inflation on farmers and their families, and she wants to put an end to federal overreach pushing farmers to the brink. She says Biden is trying to control agriculture in the name of climate change, but she claims it is making it harder for farmers to do business. She also wants to eliminate federal gas and diesel taxes that she claims are hamstringing farmers. Haley also says food security is a national security.

In November 2023, Haley launched a new coalition called Farmers for Nikki, with endorsements from Iowa agricultural leaders. Those leaders say Haley has proven herself to be a capable leader to Iowa’s agricultural industries, especially with her talks of energy independence and increased ethanol production.

VIVEK RAMASWAMY

The entrepreneur and youngest Republican candidate in the race is known for his extreme views and positions, one of which that gets significant attention is his goal to eliminate a large number of federal agencies. One of the agencies Vivek Ramaswamy is targeting the Food and Nutrition Service is the USDA.

In August 2023, the Iowa Capital Dispatch reported Ramaswamy’s strategy to stabilize the U.S. dollar drew interest from farmers. Ramaswamy said to tie the value of the dollar to gold, silver, nickel and agricultural commodities. Specifically, it would be tied to grain.

Like Haley, Ramaswamy is interested in independence from China. When it comes to trade, Ramaswamy says the only way to decouple from China is to expand trade with trusted allies and hemispheric neighbors on fair, bilateral terms. How will that affect trade with Chinese goods?

Well, Ramaswamy says Chinese goods must be replaced by a combination of greater U.S. production and stronger trade relationships with allies.

CHRIS CHRISTIE, ASA HUTCHINSON & RYAN BINKLEY

The long-shot candidates have also weighed in on agricultural issues; some more than others.

Chris Christie, the former governor of New Jersey, is making another run for president, and while his campaign materials do not necessarily show what his thoughts are on current agricultural issues, we can look to his record. In 2011, he signed legislation making $90.6 million available for farmland preservation. In 2014 he also vetoed a pig crate ban which would have prohibited crates that severely limit the mobility of pregnant pigs; the ban was eventually approved in 2023 by New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy. Christie in the past has stressed the importance of farmers and protecting them from government overreach.

Asa Hutchinson, former governor of Arkansas, submitted a column to the Des Moines Register in October 2023, saying farmers don’t need tariffs to protect them. Instead, they need opportunities to sell what they produce without penalty. Trump’s proposed tariffs sends the message that American producers cannot compete.

Hutchinson rejects across the board 10 percent tariff tax on all incoming goods to the United States. Citing the Tax Foundation, Hutchinson says the tariffs would add $300 billion in costs for American consumers and result in a loss of 500,000 jobs, including from agriculture and manufacturing.

Ryan Binkley, a pastor and businessman, announced in September 2023 that he is standing with landowners trying to stop the carbon capture pipeline by Summit Carbon Solutions. Binkley says of the hundreds of people he talked to about it, only one person was in favor of it, and they work for an ethanol company.

“A few companies stand to make a lot of money from this pipeline. What about the local communities? If you’re a farmer and don’t want it, you should be able to oppose it. It’s not for public use; it’s a private pipeline. The farmers are owed due process,” Binkley said in a Newswire press release. If farmers are forced to sell, he added, they will get the short end of the stick but not getting the royalties. Binkley is also a proponent of energy independence. He supports the promotion of America-grown biofuels, and he wants to responsibly expand the exploration and development of America’s oil, natural gas and coal.

PCM SPORTS Mustangs

BOYS BASKETBALL

Defense leads PCM to win over Montezuma

Troy Hyde thyde@shawmedia.com

MONROE — Gavin Steenhoek and Kaleb DeVries didn’t score a single point against Montezuma on Jan. 4.

But the Mustang guards’ effort on the defensive end of the floor against Montezuma’s Brady Boulton turned out to be the difference in the game.

Boulton came into the game averaging 25 points per game. And while he put in 20 points in the contest, he only had five at halftime and 13 came in the fourth quarter when the game was essentially already decided.

PCM’s defense held Montezuma to 18 points under its season average and Jacob Wendt and Gavin Van Gorp led the offense during the Mustangs’ 59-48 non-conference home victory.

“The defense was great,” Wendt said. “(Boulton’s) averaging 25, which is really good. Holding them under 50 is crazy. Gavin and the guards did well guarding him up top and it was a great team effort. We had solid help defense, and we rotated and talked well, too.”

The win came on a night when the program recognized and honored longtime head coach Fred Lorensen and his long-time assistant coach Joel Grier at halftime.

It also put the Mustangs back above .500 for the second time this season.

“This is the fruits of their labor,” PCM head boys’ basketball coach Tony Ford said. “The guys are playing really hard and together and it’s turning into wins on the floor.”

The game was tight most of the way.

The Mustangs led 9-5 on a Van Gorp 3-pointer and the hosts went in front 11-9 after one quarter.

PCM maintained the advantage throughout the second.

A 6-0 run that included a Jack Jungling free throw, a Jacob Elrod bucket inside the lane and a Van Gorp trey made it 19-11.

GIRLS BASKETBALL

Jacob Wendt’s triple pushed it to 22-13 and the Mustangs led 22-17 at halftime.

PCM outscored the Braves 19-9 in the third. They opened the quarter with six straight and a pair of Wendt hook shots in the lane pushed the margin to double digits.

The second one was part of a 9-2 run that ended the frame. Cutler VandeLune’s 3, Alex Wendt’s layup and Jacob Wendt’s jumper also highlighted the spurt.

Jacob Wendt finished with a teamhigh 19 points and added seven rebounds and five assists.

“We want to give him a paint touch on every possession,” Ford said. “We put him right in the middle of the defense and then he does a good job attacking. His turnovers are down and he’s strong with the ball. He has a great mid-range jumper and he also sees his teammates well. It makes sense to run through him if they play zone against us.”

PCM (6-6) led by 16 after three, and Montezuma never got closer than 10 in the fourth.

Boulton hit three 3-pointers in the frame and the second one trimmed the visitor’s margin to 49-39, but PCM got back-to-back buckets inside by Jungling and Van Gorp.

Chase Wagaman and Van Gorp scored consecutive hoops inside the paint a few possessions later to push it back to 15, and the hosts went on to win by 11.

Boulton finished with 20 points, six rebounds and four assists in the loss.

Steenhoek gets the job of defending the other team’s best guard every night, but DeVries and the other Mustang guards took their turns, too.

“We usually put (Steenhoek) on their best guard,” Ford said. “He made it hard for him to get the ball and made it hard on him when he had the ball. That was the plan.”

Ford and his coaching staff made a few changes at halftime that seemed to catch Montezuma off guard on both ends in the deciding third frame.

“We changed our defense from our press into a man instead of a man into a zone,” Ford said. “We also changed some things offensively by putting Jacob on

the free-throw line and getting him the ball there.”

BOYS • 5

Fast start not enough for Mustangs against Montezuma

MONROE — PCM head girls’ basketball coach Sami Allison-Rodriguez admitted playing a non-conference opponent who won’t present much of a challenge is something the Mustangs could do.

That would certainly help them pile up wins. But Allison-Rodriguez knows the tough schedule will only help PCM later this season.

The Mustangs faced another stateranked opponent on Jan. 4 and not even a fast start was enough during a 48-39 home loss to Class 1A No. 15 Montezuma.

“We’ll be better for this game down the road,” Allison-Rodriguez said. “I’m proud of the girls for their efforts. Montezuma is well coached, veteran-led and used to winning. We’ll play that game every night because that’s fun basketball. I do feel like we got better tonight.”

The Bravettes won their sixth straight game and improved to 5-0 against PCM since Jan. 30, 2020.

The Mustangs lost the game despite holding Montezuma to eight points under its season scoring average. But they lost their third straight game mostly because they struggled to score at the offensive end.

“I think we’ll get there. I really do,” Allison-Rodriguez said. “We are just tight. We just need to hit a couple. We are shooting it well in practice. We’ll get there.”

PCM jumped out to a 10-2 lead in the first quarter. Addison Steenhoek hit a jumper to open the game and back-toback 3-pointers from Steenhoek and Tori Lindsay extended the margin to eight before Montezuma closed to within 10-6 after eight minutes.

Neither team led by more than four in the second. Shiressa Wetering closed the Bravettes’ deficit to two twice in the frame before her final bucket of the period gave the visitors a 20-16 lead at halftime.

Wetering finished with 16 points and seven rebounds to lead the Bravettes in the win.

“She’s a beast. It was hard to stop her,” Allison-Rodriguez said. “We were locked in defensively until we let a few of their shooters get some good looks and make a few. They hit big shots when they

needed to and we didn’t.”

Lindsay opened the third with a 3 and another trey by Steenhoek tied the game at 22-all. The Bravettes went back in front 29-23 before Steenhoek hit another shot from long range to close the margin to three.

The Mustang junior added two more buckets in the frame, but a triple by Claire Erselius made it 36-30 after three.

PCM stayed within four early in the fourth as Jorja Teeter made a short jumper and Lindsay produced a 3-point play.

A bucket and the harm by Teeter kept it at four with 1:47 to go, but Montezuma made 5-of-6 from the free-throw line after that to close out the victory.

“The last two games going into break we didn’t have much fire, and I can’t

coach that,” Allison-Rodriguez said. “They know that. Tonight, we got the fire back. They were ready to go.

“We had a good break. I’m not worried about the loss. I feel like we got better as a team.”

Steenhoek and Lindsay combined for 28 of the team’s 39 points. Steenhoek led the way with 17 points, four rebounds, five assists and three steals, while Lindsay added 11 points and two assists.

Teeter chipped in five points, six rebounds, three assists and two steals, Lila Milani finished with four points, two boards and two blocks, Rebecca De Vries pulled down seven rebounds and Elle Davis corralled three boards.

The Mustangs (8-4) shot 31.2 percent from the floor, made 5-of-19 from 3 and connected on 4-of-8 from the foul line.

They committed 16 turnovers.

Ellen Cook and Vivian Cook complimented Wetering with 10 points apiece. The Bravettes (9-2) shot 34.7 percent from the floor, buried 5-of-22 from 3 and drained 9-of-13 from the foul line. The visitors committed 15 turnovers.

Notes: There was a moment of silence for Perry High School before the game. The Mustangs’ conference rival had a mass shooting on its campus on the morning of Jan. 4. … PCM’s offense is still seeking consistency beyond Steenhoek and Lindsay. “Jorja got some good looks, and I thought Rebecca played hard,” Allison-Rodriguez said. “They have a strong post player so that makes it tough. Lila also got knocked in her jaw but played through it.” … Montezuma came into the game with a point differential of 20 per game.

PCM 59, Nevada 48

NEVADA — A huge fourth quarter rallied the Mustangs past Nevada on Jan. 5.

PCM trailed by three after three quarters, but an 14-point surplus in the final frame pushed the visitors to a 59-48 victory during Heart of Iowa Athletic Conference play.

“We got a big conference road win,” Allison-Rodriguez said. “We got great team scoring and we were locked in on the defensive end.”

Nevada led 11-8 after one and both teams scored 15 points in the second and 18 in the third. The Mustangs won the fourth 18-4.

Lindsay led PCM with 18 points, three rebounds, three assists and five steals and Steenhoek tallied 17 points, three rebounds, four assists and five steals.

De Vries collected six points, 11 rebounds and two steals, Teeter and Milani both contributed nine points and two boards and Claire VanWyk pulled down three rebounds.

PCM (5-2 in the HOIAC) shot 51.2 percent from the floor, made 4-of-13 from 3 and connected on 13-of-21 from the foul line. The Mustangs turned the ball over 23 times and swiped 16 steals.

Nevada got 12 points, four rebounds, five assists and five steals from Dakota Hendricks. The Cubs (6-5, 3-3 in the HOIAC) were 8-of-20 from 3 but only 2-of-12 from the foul line and they committed 32 turnovers.

Troy Hyde thyde@shawmedia.com

Troy Hyde/PCM Explorer

PCM sophomore Tori Lindsay (11) matched her number with 11 points during the Mustangs’ home loss to Montezuma on Jan. 4.

Troy Hyde/PCM Explorer

PCM senior Jack Jungling, left, scores two points inside the lane against Montezuma on Jan. 4. The Mustangs used strong defense in claiming the non-conference victory.

Wheeler, Brinegar continue dominance at home

MONROE — Tucker Wheeler is undefeated and looking better than ever right now. And Hewitt Brinegar looks pretty sharp, too.

Both Mustangs claimed the individual championships at their respective weight classes on Jan. 6 during the PCM Mustang Invitational.

The two wrestlers combined to go 8-0 with seven pins and that led the PCM wrestling team to sixth at its home tournament.

“Tucker looked as crisp and fresh as I’ve seen him in a while. He looked like he had more energy,” PCM head wrestling coach Jeff Nicholson said. “Hewitt looks as hot as anyone, too. I was proud of all of our kids today. There weren’t a ton of surprises.”

Three Mustangs reached championship matches with Wheeler winning at 144 and Brinegar claiming the title at 150.

Kaliber Fry finished second in his first appearance at 113 and Wyatt Wheeler and Kaden Clark both took third at 175 and 285, respectively.

PCM’s 15 wrestlers accounted for 139 points. Southeast Polk’s junior varsity won the tournament with 230.5 points. The rest of the top five included Class 1A No. 9 Earlham (170.5), South Tama County (151), Indianola JV (150) and Pleasantville (147.5).

Tucker Wheeler, who is ranked third in Class 2A at 144 by IAwrestle.com, finished 4-0 with four pins and two first-period falls. He defeated 1A No. 12 Zane Mullenix (26-3) of Pleasantville in the championship match.

“The mindset was no different. I just wrestle as hard as I can and give everything I got,” said Tucker Wheeler, who improved to 29-0. “I put in a bunch of work and the hard work is paying off. I’m wrestling better because of it. I can always improve though and still have things to work on.”

Brinegar, who is ranked 12th in 2A at 150, improved to 27-3 after a 4-0 day. He recorded three pins and three first-period pins. He defeated Carter Metcalf (216) of Pleasantville 9-2 in the championship bout.

“We all really push each other in the room,” Brinegar said. “Going against Tucker every day, it gets competitive. It’s hard to not get better going against him. We go live a lot.”

Jacob Wendt made good decisions with the ball at the high post. The offense has worked better this year when it runs through him.

“When we get the ball in the middle where I’m playing, it helps the offense,” Jacob Wendt said. “The defense either collapses on me and I can spread the floor and look for the open guy or if they don’t collapse I can try to score.”

Van Gorp chipped in 16 points and two rebounds, Jungling had nine points and four boards and Alex Wendt tallied six points and 10 rebounds off the bench.

Steenhoek finished with seven rebounds, four assists and two steals, while DeVries chipped in eight assists, four boards and three steals.

The Mustangs also got three points and two boards from VandeLune and two rebounds and three assists from Wagaman off the bench.

PCM shot 41.7 percent from the floor despite making only 4-of21 from 3. The Mustangs were 5-of-11 from the free-throw line, turned the ball over nine times and out-rebounded Montezuma 37-22.

Garrett Watts carried the Braves (8-3) in the first half, scoring 12 of his 19 points. Montezuma was 7-of-26 from 3 and 3-of-4 from the foul line. The visitors shot 41 percent from the floor and had 12 turnovers.

Notes: Lorensen and Grier were given plaques from the school district for more than three decades of service to the community’s basketball program. … There was a

Nicholson said a reason for Brinegar’s big improvement this season is his aggressiveness on his feet.

“He’s gotten comfortable at being aggressive on his feet,” Nicholson said about Brinegar. “He’s always been hard to score on. He’s stingy and he can wear you out when he gets his offense going.”

Fry (17-9) moved from 120 to 113 during the winter break and looked as strong as ever on Jan. 6. He was 2-1 with a 20-8 win by major decision and another victory by decision.

His loss in the finals came against 1A No. 9 Tommy Booth (24-2) of Pleasantville.

“(Kaliber) moved really well at the lighter weight,” Nicholson said. “He didn’t open up his offense until the third period in the finals. That’s a good wrestler he faced, but we might have given him too much respect early on.”

Wyatt Wheeler (24-7) was 4-1 for the day at 175. He had one pin and two wins

by decision. His only loss was 7-4 to Indianola’s Gabby King in the semifinals. King was a state qualifier last season.

The other third-place finish came from Clark, who was 4-1 with four pins at 285. Clark (23-5) bounced back from an early loss to win four straight by fall. Three of those pins came in the first period.

“Wyatt lost to a state qualifier from last year. It was a good match. He just got beat but got the next best thing,” Nicholson said.

“Kaden knows he shouldn’t have lost that match but credit to him for coming all the back to get third. He also finished ahead of the kid who beat him. He made a mistake, and it’s correctable.”

The Mustangs’ next best finish came from Jeffrey McDanel, who was fifth at 157. Sawyer Bouwkamp also competed at 157 and finished eighth.

McDanel was 3-2 with one pin and Bouwkamp was 2-3 for the day. The difference was McDanel’s win over his teammate.

Besides Clark, Nicholson said the other wrestler who didn’t finish as well as they had projected was Remington Fry. But the senior is battling a shoulder injury that will not be healed before the season is over.

Remington Fry (20-10) was seventh at 138 after a 3-2 day. He had one pin and two wins by decision.

“He finished lower than we thought,

moment of silence for Perry High School before the girls’ game. There was a mass shooting at the Mustangs’ conference rival’s campus on the morning of Jan. 4. …

The Braves came into the game averaging 66 points per game and outscoring their opponents by an average margin of 13.3 points per contest.

Nevada 63, PCM 41

NEVADA — All 15 Mustangs saw action against Nevada on Jan. 5, but a tough shooting night and 24 turnovers led to a 63-41 road loss during Heart of Iowa Athletic Conference action.

PCM trailed 14-7 after one and was outscored 16-7 in the second and 21-8 in the third. The Mustangs won the fourth 19-12.

No Mustang scored in double-figures but seven players had at least three points in the loss.

DeVries led PCM with seven points and six rebounds, Jacob

Wendt tallied three points, seven boards and two assists and Van Gorp tallied five points and two rebounds. Jungling grabbed three boards and Steenhoek had two boards and two assists.

The rest of the production came from PCM’s reserves. Easton Webb scored a career-high seven points and dished out two assists, Gavin DeRaad put in a career-best five points and grabbed two rebounds and Mark Bussan added four points and two boards.

Alex Wendt pulled down four rebounds and blocked two shots, Pete Kiernen scored three points, Jake Winters grabbed three boards and VandeLune and Shay Burns each had two steals.

The Mustangs (3-4 in the HOIAC) shot 38 percent from the floor, made 4-of-17 from 3 and missed 11 of their 16 shots from the foul line.

Nevada improved to 9-1 and 6-1 in conference play.

but that was a tough bracket,” Nicholson said about Remington Fry. “He’s a good wrestler, and he was seeded sixth or seventh.”

The other Mustangs who recorded one win for the day were Charlie Sitzmann (126), Trystin Anderson (165), Trent Nickelson (190) and Kaiden Valcore (215). Both Sitzmann and Anderson had wins by pin.

The rest of the 14-team field included Panorama (120), Chariton (108.5), Southeast Warren/Melcher-Dallas (103.5), Gilbert (94), Central Decatur (87), Iowa Falls-Alden (73), Colfax-Mingo (69) and Nevada (51).

Notes: Nicholson said all of his wrestlers will benefit from the two-pound allowance given after the winter break, but Tucker Wheeler seems to be benefiting a lot. “I feel pretty good. I think I was sick and down at Fort Madison, but I felt great today,” Tucker Wheeler said. “It’s always nice to have the ability to eat more food and drink more water.” ... Brinegar knows how important Tucker Wheeler has been to his success this season. He also said he’s taking way more shots than in previous seasons. “The biggest difference in my season from past years is I’m taking way more shots and it’s just easy to get better when Tucker is in the room battling with me every day,” Brinegar said. “I have always been better on my feet, but I’m taking more shots and being more aggressive this year.”

Jorja Teeter

PCM sophomore Jorja Teeter leads the Mustangs in rebounding at nearly eight per game. Her 95 total rebounds ranks fourth in the Heart of Iowa Athletic Conference. She also averages 5.1 points, 1.3 assists and 1.6 steals per game this winter.

Troy Hyde thyde@shawmedia.com

Troy Hyde/PCM Explorer

PCM sophomore Tucker Wheeler, top, is now 29-0 after winning all four of his matches at 144 pounds by fall at the Mustang Invitational on Jan. 6.

Brinegar K. Fry

Troy Hyde/PCM Explorer

Former PCM head boys’ basketball coach Fred Lorensen, right, and his longtime assistant coach Joel Grier were recognized at halftime of the boys’ varsity game on Jan. 4 for their efforts and accomplishments over the course of more than three decades in the district.

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