On February 17, 2023, at approximately 8:13AM, the Henry County Sheriff’s Office attempted to conduct a traffic stop on a vehicle in New London, Iowa, The vehicle fled and a brief pursuit ensued, before the vehicle was lost upon driving off the roadway, through fields. At approximately 8:16AM, the New London Police Department located the vehicle traveling at a high rate of speed through New London and another brief pursuit ensued. The vehicle then intentionally left the roadway, driving through fields again, before crashing through fences.

The driver fled on foot and was apprehended a short time later. Joshua Helmick, of Norwalk, was identified as the driver of the vehicle. Helmick was subsequently arrested and charged with Eluding (class D felony), Interference with Official Acts (serious misdemeanor), Criminal Mischief (aggravated misdemeanor) and Failure to Maintain Control (simple misdemeanor).

The Henry County Sheriff’s Office was assisted by the New London Police Department and Mount Pleasant Police Department.

AGENDA

February 21, 2023

Approve Agenda

Approve Minutes

9:00 Jake Hotchkiss, Engineer Weekly Update

9:30 Joe Buffington, Subdivision of Lot 1A of Lot 1, Sunrise Acres Subdivision

In Section 29 Salem Township

Other County Business as time allows

Supervisors Sub-Committee Updates

Today, February 17, 2023, Iowa Wesleyan University will celebrate its Founders Day and commemorate 181 years since its founding. Iowa Wesleyan will be hosting a series of events for students, faculty, and staff across campus throughout the day.

Founders Day allows the community to reflect on IW’s history as the oldest co-educational institution in Iowa. Since the Iowa Territorial Legislature granted a charter for the Mt. Pleasant Literary Institute on February 17, 1842, Iowa Wesleyan has committed to fostering a student-centered community and providing an assessable and affordable education. Today, IW is ranked as a top regional college in the Midwest. Notable alumni include Belle Bab Mansfield (1866), the first woman to be admitted to the bar in the United States; James Van Allen ’35, discoverer of the earth’s radiation belts; Clement Isong ’54, one of the most celebrated governors in Nigerian history; and Peggy Whitson ’81, the first female commander of the International Space Station.

“As the regional University for Southeast Iowa, we couldn’t be more proud to acknowledge the historical significance Iowa Wesleyan has had in our community,” said Meg Richtman, Vice President for Enrollment, Marketing & Communications.  “Today, we celebrate our rich history while recognizing the labors and love of our community’s past and current members who have devoted so much to making this a special place.”

Iowa Wesleyan University: As Southeast Iowa’s regional comprehensive University, Iowa Wesleyan University is a transformational learning community whose passion is to educate, empower and inspire students to lead meaningful lives and careers.

DES MOINES, Iowa, Feb. 16, 2023 – Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack announced that agricultural producers and private landowners can begin applying for the Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) General signup starting February 27 through April 7, 2023. CRP is a cornerstone voluntary conservation program offered by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) and a key tool in the Biden-Harris administration’s effort to address climate change and help agricultural communities invest in the long-term well-being of their land and natural resources.

“The Conservation Reserve Program is one of the largest private lands conservation programs in the United States, offering a range of conservation options to farmers, ranchers and landowners,” said Matt Russell, FSA State Executive Director in Iowa. “CRP has and continues to be a great fit for farmers with less productive or marginal cropland, helping them re-establish valuable land cover to help improve water quality, prevent soil erosion, and support wildlife habitat. Under this administration, we have made several updates to the program to increase producer interest and enrollment, strengthen the climate benefits of the program and help ensure underserved producers can find a pathway to entry into CRP.”

Producers and landowners enrolled more than 5 million acres into CRP through signups in 2022, building on the acceptance of more than 3.1 million acres in the largest Grassland CRP signup in history. There are currently 23 million acres enrolled in CRP, with 1.9 million set to expire this year. USDA’s Farm Service Agency (FSA) is aiming to reach the 27-million-acre cap statutorily set for fiscal year 2023.

General CRP

General CRP helps producers and landowners establish long-term, resource-conserving plant species, such as approved grasses or trees, to control soil erosion, improve water quality and enhance wildlife habitat on cropland. Additionally, General CRP includes a Climate-Smart Practice Incentive to help increase carbon sequestration and reduce greenhouse gas emissions by helping producers and landowners establish trees and permanent grasses, enhance wildlife habitat, and restore wetlands.

Continuous CRP

Under Continuous CRP, producers and landowners can enroll in CRP throughout the year. Offers are automatically accepted provided the producer and land meet the eligibility requirements and the enrollment levels do not exceed the statutory cap. The Climate-Smart Practice Incentive is also available in the Continuous signup.

FSA offers several additional enrollment opportunities within Continuous CRP, including the Clean Lakes Estuaries and Rivers Initiative (CLEAR30), the State Acres for Wildlife Enhancement (SAFE) Initiative, the Farmable Wetlands Program (FWP), and the Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program (CREP). The CLEAR30 Initiative, which was originally piloted in twelve states in the Great Lakes and Chesapeake Bay watershed, has been expanded nationwide, allowing producers and landowners to enroll in 30-year CRP contracts for water quality practices. Under this administration, FSA also moved SAFE practices back to the Continuous CRP signup, giving producers and landowners more opportunities to participate in the initiative. Through the FWP, producers and landowners can enroll land in CRP as part of their efforts to restore previously farmed wetlands and wetland buffers, to improve both vegetation and water flow.

This administration has also made significant improvements to CREP, which leverages federal and non-federal funds to target specific State, regional or nationally significant conservation concerns. Specifically, USDA made significant improvements to CREP to reduce barriers and make the program more accessible to a broad range of producers and new types of partners. These updates included flexibility for partners to provide matching funds in the form of cash, in-kind contributions, or technical assistance, along with an investment in additional staff to work directly with partners. Through CREP, for the first time ever, three Tribal Nations are now partnering with USDA to help conserve, maintain, and improve grassland productivity, reduce soil erosion, and enhance wildlife habitat.

Grassland CRP

FSA will announce the dates for Grassland CRP signup in the coming weeks. Grassland CRP is a working lands program, helping landowners and operators protect grassland, including rangeland and pastureland and certain other lands, while maintaining the areas as working grazing lands. Protecting grasslands contributes positively to the economy of many regions, provides biodiversity of plant and animal populations, and provides important carbon sequestration benefits to deliver lasting climate outcomes.

How to Sign Up

Landowners and producers interested in CRP should contact their local USDA Service Center to learn more or to apply for the program before their deadlines.

Producers with expiring CRP acres can use the Transition Incentives Program (TIP), which incentivizes producers who sell or enter a long-term lease with a beginning, veteran, or socially disadvantaged farmer or rancher who plans to sustainably farm or ranch the land.

More Information

Signed into law in 1985, CRP is one of the largest voluntary private-lands conservation programs in the United States. It was originally intended to primarily control soil erosion and potentially stabilize commodity prices by taking marginal lands out of production. The program has evolved over the years, providing many conservation and economic benefits.

USDA touches the lives of all Americans each day in so many positive ways. Under the Biden-Harris administration, USDA is transforming America’s food system with a greater focus on more resilient local and regional food production, fairer markets for all producers, ensuring access to safe, healthy and nutritious food in all communities, building new markets and streams of income for farmers and producers using climate smart food and forestry practices, making historic investments in infrastructure and clean energy capabilities in rural America, and committing to equity across the Department by removing systemic barriers and building a workforce more representative of America. To learn more, visit usda.gov.