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Program connects Iowa farmers with underserved communities

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Program connects Iowa farmers with underserved communities


CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa (KCRG) – A brand new program helps to attach locally-grown meals to underserved folks in japanese Iowa communities.

Sabokwigura Jonathan has lived within the U.S. for a number of years, after immigrating to the US from Tanzania in a refugee camp. In Tanzania, he used to farm.

“I used to be farming simply to hustle, I’ll say it that approach,” Jonathan stated.

Now, he hopes to make farming his full-time job.

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“I prefer it and it seems like Iowa is for farmers,” Jonathan stated. “So I must be one among them.”

A brand new program by way of the Iowa Division of Agriculture and Land Stewardship goals to assist farmers like Jonathan. In accordance with the division, this system is anticipated to “carry $1.8 million to farmers for meals grown, raises, and processed in Iowa.”

Jonathan stated rising meals was truly not the tough a part of farming.

“You recognize, again residence you’ll have to be—until the entire farm by hand. However right here we use machines. You’ll have to irrigate by hand, however right here we use the drip irrigation,” Jonathan stated. “So, among the issues are simple. So, it’s not that tough.”

The tough elements are the enterprise features.

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“Rising crops is simple when you actually know what you’re doing. However promoting it,” Jonathan stated.

Jonathan is in his first 12 months of a three-year program run by way of Feed Iowa First. This system supplies farmers with land, irrigation, and seed-starting amenities in addition to helps them arrange an LLC and get related with markets. Jonathan stated he selected a half-acre by way of this system, quite than a bigger plot of land, as a result of he was nervous in regards to the enterprise aspect of farming.

“I don’t need to develop lots after which find yourself simply shedding it due to lack of consumers,” Jonathan stated.

This system is designed to assist farmers discover extra financial alternatives. On the similar time, it supplies contemporary, native produce to meals hubs and pantries.

Kim Guardado, Meals Reservoir Director on the Hawkeye Space Group Motion Program, stated the IDALS grant is useful contemplating the inflation the nation is experiencing proper now.

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“With the elevated want that we’ve seen in the previous couple of months, there’s much more folks which can be on the lookout for meals,” Guardado stated.

Inflation together with elevated demand additionally implies that HACAP is already experiencing a scarcity.

Guardado did say this system remains to be getting up and working.

“We’re simply on the point of have a bigger statewide assembly in a few weeks the place we’ll start extra in-depth planning,” Guardado stated. “After which we hope to start out reaching out to native producers shortly after that.”

Guardado provides that HACAP hopes to have every part operational by August 1.

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“IDALS has already signed the contract with the USDA, so it’s simply us ensuring we now have all of our geese in a row to have the ability to get began,” Guardado stated.

Jonathan not too long ago made his first sale on July 7, and it was truly to HACAP. He now is aware of first-hand how useful this system may very well be for different socially deprived farmers like him.

“You promote 100 kilos in simply minutes. You recognize, when you go to the farmers market, I don’t assume I’ll be capable of promote 100 kilos in in the future,” Jonathan stated. “In order that’s actually very helpful to me.”

Guardado added that HACAP plans assist expedite the transaction by way of a “producer vetting course of” that may enable native producers to take part simply by filling out a brief software.

Copyright 2022 KCRG. All rights reserved.

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DEBUNKED: No undocumented migrants voted in Perry, Iowa

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DEBUNKED: No undocumented migrants voted in Perry, Iowa


PERRY, Iowa (Gray Media Iowa Capitol Bureau) – Perry Police Chief Eric Vaughn is correcting misinformation about an event at a church in town last week.

A social media posts makes claims that undocumented migrants were given Photo IDs

The state of Iowa only gives out driver’s license and ID cards to people whose lawful presence in the U.S. has been verified by The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services.

The post then claims that once these migrants got an ID, a woman helped them vote by telling them which place to mark, and they told everyone to vote for Kamala Harris.

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Perry Police are debunking an online rumor about noncitizens voting.(Conner Hendricks KCRG)

Chief Vaughn says this isn’t the case at all.

In a Facebook post, Vaughn says people were given a non-government form of ID. Those can be used at places like banks and libraries, but cannot be used to vote or drive.

The original post claims that Perry police officers were at the event and told migrants to show the ID to law enforcement and they’d be allowed to drive on with no charges because Perry is a “sanctuary city”.

Perry is not a sanctuary city, nor is any other city in Iowa. Sanctuary cities were banned in Iowa in 2018.

Vaughn also says Perry Police were not at the event.

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Conner Hendricks covers state government and politics for Gray Media-owned stations in Iowa. Email him at conner.hendricks@gray.tv; and follow him on Facebook at Conner Hendricks TV or on X/Twitter @ConnerReports.





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Big 12 Game of the Week: No. 11 Iowa State vs. Texas Tech

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Big 12 Game of the Week: No. 11 Iowa State vs. Texas Tech


Heading into the first game of November, Iowa State has a perfect record of 7-0. 

They are putting that perfect record on the line on Saturday when they host Texas Tech. The Red Raiders are 5-3 and have had one of the most surprising seasons of any Big 12 team so far this season. In fact, they were 5-1 before losing their last two games. Nevertheless, the Red Raiders have shown that they are a team capable of playing high-level football.

Last week against UCF, Iowa State flirted with disaster. They only defeated the Knights by three points in a 38-35 nailbiter. That narrow win dropped them from No. 9 in the AP Poll to No. 11. Ultimately, winning that game was all that mattered, but they did not look like a very strong team against UCF, who has struggled mightily this season. 

As we approach the first release of the College Football Playoff rankings, the eye test is one of the most important parts of evaluating a team for the postseason. The Cyclones would benefit greatly from a convincing win over Texas Tech on Saturday. Additionally, this would be the first time in the history of Iowa State’s program that they have started a season 8–0. 

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Texas Tech has won the last two meetings in this series by very slim margins, and they are coming off a very disappointing loss to TCU. The Red Raiders surrendered a 17-point second-half lead and lost 35–34 to the Frogs. They cannot play that poorly and expect to beat Iowa State. 

For the conference as a whole, Iowa State winning this game would be a much better result. The Big 12 would benefit greatly from having an undefeated conference champion in the playoffs. Iowa State is hoping that they are that team, while the Red Raiders hope they can spoil that party.

Want to join the discussion? Click here to become a member of the Killer Frogs message board community today!

Follow KillerFrogs on Twitter to stay up to date on all the latest TCU news! Follow KillerFrogs on Facebook and Instagram as well.





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Hines: Answering your Iowa State football mailbag questions ahead of Texas Tech matchup

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Hines: Answering your Iowa State football mailbag questions ahead of Texas Tech matchup


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AMES – One of the things that the transfer portal and NIL money have scrambled is team and roster building. 

There used to be a relatively standard way for coaches to try to create the best team possible. They recruited the best high school players they could, and then they tried to develop them into the best collegiate players possible. 

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Simpler times, I suppose. 

Now, with rosters flipping constantly and immediate financial remuneration possible, the old way isn’t really the new way. Or at least what’s viewed as the cutting-edge way to build a roster. 

But what it has done is make the process of roster building more variable. Programs are having to find different ways to build and compete. 

Ohio State and Alabama can spend tens of millions of dollars on a roster if they want. LSU and Penn State can pony up extra dollars to keep their own players from becoming someone else’s. 

That’s not really the case at Iowa State. 

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The Cyclones, though, are trying to make their shortcoming – or at least what looks like one at this point in time – a strength. 

“We have a relationship and a bond that is bigger and stronger than ever,” quarterback Rocco Becht said. “It’s fun out there now. It’s not just we’re out there with a teammate going through the motions. We’re out there with our friends.  

“Not just our teammates, but our friends and playing the game that we love and playing it as a team.” 

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Maybe sounds a little corny, sure, but there is something to be said for a college football team to be playing for the people they care about rather than with their co-workers. 

“That emphasis on team is what we’ve always sold here,” Iowa State coach Matt Campbell said. “We haven’t wavered from that. It’s not like we’re out there able to sell much more than that, to be honest with you. The hope that we can develop you to be your best if you come be a part of our team. 

“There’s a multitude of guys who certainly financially had the chance to enhance themselves, but maybe the lessons learned will set them up to be the best humans they possibly can be. 

“We don’t take their loyalty to us for granted, for sure.” 

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Something to think about as we prepare for the College Football Playoff rankings to be released on Tuesday, where the best rosters money can buy and Iowa State will be on display. 

When you talk to Cyclones players and coaches, do you detect any pressure building from being undefeated? 

One of my biggest questions about this team coming into the year was its maturity and poise. I thought the talent would be enough to compete, but I wasn’t sure this group had enough of the other stuff to be consistent over the course of three-plus months. 

They’ve obviously shown that they do – or at least enough for two months – and dealing with being 7-0 has been no exception. 

“It’s something we worked for,” senior right tackle Tyler Miller said. “We wanted it. We expected it. It’s really big for us with the history of this university and it’s something that’s very cool.  

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“Our team does a great job of staying grounded, focusing on the next game and not worrying about what’s to come or anything like that.” 

It’s an easy thing to say that, especially to a reporter, but I think Iowa State’s performances over these last seven games backs up the sentiment. 

Nothing has seemed to really rattle these guys. Least of all success. 

Why is it that Iowa State football can keep throwing linebackers in and don’t miss a beat? I know we finally have depth but the talent they have is unreal. 

Certainly I think the credit here has to go to the players and the coaching staff for making it possible. The coaches had to identify players who don’t immediately project as Big 12 contributors who could step in. And those players had to prepare and make the most of the moment. 

It is really a tribute to Campbell and Co.’s system, from start to finish. 

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But I also think it’s worth taking this time to engage in a little bit of bygone romanticism. 

The guys who are stepping up and in, like Kooper Ebel, Rylan Barnes and Beau Goodwin are all small-town Iowa kids. Ebel and Goodwin had scholarship opportunities elsewhere while Barnes is a walk-on. 

When the name on the front of the jersey means something to the name on the back, I do think there’s an added component there. 

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I don’t even know that I could totally put my finger on it, but defensive coordinator Jon Heacock has thought a lot about this over his four-decade career. 

“I think anytime you have players on your team from your home state, it means more,” he said earlier in October. “When this is your home state and your name is on the university, I think it’s really a critical factor in guys wanting to do well.  

“It’s all really, really important to them.” 

If you’re Barnes, maybe it makes the everyday walk-on grind a little more palatable even though your chance is likely far off, if it ever comes at all. If you’re Ebel or Goodwin, maybe knowing you’re representing the place and people you’re from gives you a little extra. 

I don’t know exactly, but I’m with Heacock. I think, whatever it is, it makes a difference, and it matters. 

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Iowa State columnist Travis Hines has covered the Cyclones for the Des Moines Register and Ames Tribune since 2012. Contact him at thines@amestrib.com or (515) 284-8000. Follow him on X at @TravisHines21.



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