For Immediate Release: Friday, Aug. 3, 2018
DES MOINES – Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Mike Naig today encouraged
visitors to the Iowa State Fair to shoot hoops and learn more about Iowa
agriculture when visiting the “Ag Park” on the first floor of the Agriculture
Building. Kids will also have the opportunity to experience “driving” through
rural Iowa and see how all roads lead to agriculture with our simulated truck
experience.
“The State Fair is a celebration of Iowa and a wonderful
opportunity for fairgoers to have fun while seeing the many aspects of our
state’s agriculture industry up-close. The Department is excited to again be
able to interact with Iowans at our booths and work with ag organizations to
help showcase how important agriculture is in our state,” Naig said. “I hope
Iowans will stop by our booths to have some fun, but also take the opportunity
to learn more about our state’s exciting and diverse agriculture industry.”
The Iowa Soybean Association, the Iowa Corn Growers
Association, the Iowa Egg Council, Midwest Dairy Association, Iowa Turkey
Federation, Iowa Pork Producers, and the Iowa Beef Industry Council will also
be present in the “Ag Park” and have information available about Iowa
agriculture. The Iowa Egg Council will
be offering eggs on a stick to fairgoers from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. every day of the
fair.
In the Varied Industries building the Department will
also have a display to educate Iowans about the activities of the Department
and continue the tradition of weighing fairgoers on a scale certified by the
Weights and Measures Bureau. The
Department will also be handing out tech cleaning cloths with www.CleanWaterIowa.org on them, a
website that was created for all Iowans learn about what they can do to help
protect water quality. The cloths can be used to clean phone screens or
glasses.
The Iowa Century Farm
and Heritage Farm Awards will be presented on Thursday, Aug. 16 starting at
8:30 a.m. at the Livestock Pavilion.
Everyone is invited to attend and help recognize the families receiving
the awards. Century Farm awards
recognize farms that have been in the same family for 100 years and Heritage
Farms awards recognize farms that have been owned by the same family for 150
years.
There are 361 Century Farm winners and 148 Heritage Farm
winners that will be recognized this year.
The awards are sponsored by the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land
Stewardship and the Iowa Farm Bureau.
The lists of the 2018 Century and Heritage Farm Award winners are
available on www.IowaCenturyFarms.com. The site also includes a full, searchable
list of Century Farm recipients from past years.
On Wednesday, Aug. 15 starting at 10:00 a.m. Gov. Kim
Reynolds, Lt. Gov. Adam Gregg, Naig and Iowa DNR Acting Director Bruce Trautman
will recognize 66 Iowa Farm Environmental
Leader Award winners. The awards
will be presented at the Penningroth Center inside the Cattle Barn and recognize
the efforts of Iowa’s farmers as environmental leaders committed to healthy
soils and improved water quality.
The awards recognize the exemplary actions of farmers
that improve and protect the environment and natural resources of our state
while also encouraging other farmers to follow in their footsteps by building
success upon success. Hagie
Manufacturing sponsors a luncheon for award winners following the ceremony at
the Farm Bureau shelter that Naig will also attend. A full list of award recipients is available here.
At 10:00 a.m. on Tuesday, Aug. 14 the Department will be
recognizing the winners of the 2018-2019
From the Farm to You Calendar drawing
contest in the Agriculture Building.
Kids from across the state submitted pictures for the calendar. Copies of the calendar are available to
fairgoers at the Department’s booths in the Ag Building and the Varied
Industries Building.
Naig will also participate in the 2018 Governor's Charity Steer Show on Saturday, Aug. 11, at 4:00
p.m., in the Pioneer Livestock Pavilion at the Iowa State Fair. Naig will be showing a steer owned by Alec
Staudt from Floyd County. Immediately
following the competition the steers will be sold at auction with proceeds
going to the Ronald McDonald House Charities of Iowa.
The Iowa State Fair runs from Aug. 9 to 19 at the state
fairgrounds in Des Moines.
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For more information, contact Dustin Vande Hoef, (515) 281-3375 or (515) 326-1616 (cell) or Dustin.VandeHoef@IowaAgriculture.gov
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