Iowa

Nation's Longest-Serving Governor Set To Become Top Diplomat In Beijing

11:31am May 17, 2017

by Clay Masters

Terry Branstad served more than 22 non-consecutive years as governor of Iowa, helping shift the state's politics to the right. Now he heads to China to steward a delicate diplomatic relationship.

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Two different variations of Confederate flags fly in Owen Golay's yard in rural Pleasantville, Iowa.

National

Feeling Kinship With The South, Northerners Let Their Confederate Flags Fly

5:00am May 04, 2017

by Sarah McCammon

"They wanted their independence, they wanted a smaller government. I find that a lot in people, it's just that rebelliousness," Iowa resident Bruce Peterson said.

Green shoots of cereal rye, a popular cover crop, emerge in a field where corn was recently harvested in Iowa. The grass will go dormant in winter, then resume growing in the spring. Less than three percent of corn fields in the state have cover crops.

How To Make Farmers Love Cover Crops? Pay Them

6:39pm March 16, 2017

by Dan Charles

New satellite images reveal that few Midwestern farmers are planting pollution-preventing "cover crops." In Maryland, though, farmers are doing it, thanks to hefty subsidies.

Iowa State University College of Agriculture and Life Sciences students Liz Hada, left, and Melissa Garcia Rodriguez say they have experienced racial tension in some of their classes, despite feeling generally welcomed by most students and faculty.

National

To Diversify The Farming Landscape, Diversify Who Works It

10:06am March 02, 2017

by Amy Mayer

The people working on farms and elsewhere in agriculture often don't reflect the nation's demographics. Changing that is becoming a priority, in hopes that new people will bring fresh ideas.

Kevin and Ranae Dietzel, owners of a small dairy herd near Jewell, Iowa, named their signature cheese after this cow, Ingrid.

National

How Fancy Cheese May Save Some Small-Scale Dairies

9:56am February 17, 2017

by Amy Mayer

Because of unstable milk prices, small-dairy owners are also selling artisanal cheeses to help them stay afloat. The idea is catching on — in Iowa, the number of on-farm cheese-makers has doubled.

Hundreds of demonstrators on the Iowa Capitol's Rotunda floor protest a bill that would restrict collective bargaining for local and state government workers.

Iowa Moves To Restrict Collective Bargaining For Public Sector Workers

11:30am February 15, 2017

by Clay Masters

About 180,000 state and local government workers would be prohibited from negotiating over issues such as health insurance and extra pay. The bill is high on the state GOP's legislative agenda.

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Protesters opposing the proposed Dakota Access Pipeline at the Oceti Sakowin Camp in North Dakota. Lawmakers in the state have proposed bills that would increase penalties for protesters who block highways.

Bills Across The Country Could Increase Penalties For Protesters

4:40pm January 31, 2017

by Clay Masters

In North Dakota, a lawmaker has introduced a bill that would allow motorists to run over and kill any protester obstructing a highway as long as the driver did not do it intentionally.

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Crews clean up the diesel fuel spill after a pipeline broke in Worth County, Iowa on Wednesday.

'It's A Big One': Iowa Pipeline Leaks Nearly 140,000 Gallons Of Diesel

5:22pm January 26, 2017

by Rebecca Hersher

The leak from an underground pipeline in north-central Iowa was first discovered in a field on Wednesday morning. Crews for the company, Magellan Midstream Partners, are working to clean it up.

Iowa Gov. Terry Branstad greets Chinese President Xi Jinping before a meeting at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing in April 2013. The two first met in 1985, during a visit by Xi to Iowa.

An 'Old Friend Of China' Prepares To Bridge Differences At A Fraught Time

11:26am January 18, 2017

Donald Trump chose Iowa Gov. Terry Branstad as ambassador to Beijing because of old ties with President Xi Jinping and Iowa's history of trade with China. Branstad will have a tough job.

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President-elect Donald Trump waves to supporters during a rally Thursday in Des Moines, Iowa.

Trump Supporters to Detractors: 'Pull Up Your Panties' And Stop Whining

11:58am December 10, 2016

by Sarah McCammon

Despite skepticism of Trump — and losing the popular vote — his supporters say it's time to move on and trust the president-elect to figure things out. They're willing to give him a very long leash.