Meat Processing

Rewind 2009: The worst of times and the best of times (12/31/09)

Like they need more to worry about (11/18/09)
It's been a tough year for pork producers. Declining market prices and increased feed expense put a strain on profit margins earlier this year. Just when things had begun to get better, in the spring the H1N1 virus, erroneously referred to as the "swine flu" popped up in Mexico. Thousands of animals were slaughtered in Mexico and other nations in a misguided effort to stop the spread of the virus, which actually has nothing to do with pigs...

China to lift ban, pork industry sighs in relief (11/02/09)
Last week officials from China announced plans to lift a six-month ban on pork imports from the United States -- news that could be a shot in the arm for a suffering pork industry. The ban has yet to be lifted, but National Pork Board president Tim Bierman, of Larrabee, Iowa, has no doubt this will have a widespread positive impact on the pork industry...

Judge emphasizes design, gain in swine winners (08/03/09)
The term "design" came into play frequently Saturday as exhibitors in the Fair's Swine Show maneuvered their entries before Show Judge Dr. Tom Baas, Ph.D. Baas, a professor in the Department of Animal Science, Iowa State University, explained that while the design of a pig "has always been very important" the design of the pig -- its structure and "how it's put together" -- is receiving added emphasis today in light of modern-day options for pork production...

Oyens to celebrate centennial this weekend (06/03/09)
Oyens will kick off a weekend full of activities Friday to celebrate its 100th anniversary. The fun begins at 5:30 p.m. with the Tri-State Car Cruisers Show. The Pork Producers will also be grilling pork burgers and brats that night, while Oyens Fire Department will be in charge of the beer garden...

Outside review of information refutes allegations against school board (12/16/08)
A letter to the office of the State Auditor of Iowa with allegations against the Le Mars Community School District Board of Education by a district resident was addressed at the Dec. 8 board meeting. Jeffrey Peters, a certified public accountant with Williams & Company, in Le Mars, presented his findings to the board after receiving the information from the state auditor's office...

Holiday happenings (12/12/08)
Dec. 13 - No hustle, no bustle $5 Holiday Soup and Sandwich Lunch available at the Arts Center, 200 Central Ave. S.E., from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Eat in or take out. Gift Wrapping contest winners and raffle winners announced at 4:30 p.m. Dec. 13 - "The Nutcracker" presented by The Dance Studio Performance Company and the Le Mars Arts Council, 6 p.m. at the Le Mars Community Middle School Auditorium. Tickets at the door, $8 for adults, $5 for children through high school age...

LCS ends fiscal year with $1.1 million general fund balance (11/14/08)
The Le Mars Community School District ended the 2007-08 school year with a general fund balance of $1,123,037. That fund is down $731,756 from the year's beginning balance of $1,854,793. Jeff Peters of Williams and Company presented the district's annual audit report to the board of education Monday evening...

Students use five senses on area farm tour (09/23/08)
They came by the busload. Students from area schools experienced fun on the farm last week during the annual Le Mars Area Chamber of Commerce Agricultural Tour. Children from Le Mars Community, Gehlen Catholic, Remsen-Union and Remsen St. Mary's had a chance to visit four farms to learn about agriculture in Plymouth County. The students were from the third or fourth grades, depending on which school they attend. They were divided into four groups that traveled from one farm to the next...

Harker's closes after 100 years in Le Mars (08/27/08)
A century-old Le Mars establishment is folding. Harker's, a food service company that began with a meat market started by George Harker in 1906, will have its last day Friday, according to Harker's president Jim Harker. Cardboard boxes fill the front lawn of the Le Mars corporate headquarters building at 801 Sixth St. S.W...

Get ready to 'Scoop da Loop' (08/18/08)
For those who like classic cars, trucks and cycles, downtown Le Mars is the place to be Wednesday evening for the annual Scoop da Loop fun. People may gather at Olson Cultural Event Center at the corner of First Avenue and First Street Northeast for some good food starting at 6 p.m...

Local Pork Producers will donate to flooded hog farmers (07/23/08)
A group of northwest Iowa pork producers are coming to the aid of southeast Iowa pork producers who were hit hard by the June floods. The Plymouth County Pork Producers Association will once again operate its Grandstand Pork food stand during the Plymouth County Fair. The producers have decided to donate the entire day's proceeds from the stand on Friday, July 25, to help their flooded brethren in southeast Iowa...

Grassley gives his take on fuel crunch at Le Mars meeting (07/01/08)
U.S. Senator Chuck Grassley praised ethanol and drilling for more oil in the United States during his stop at a Le Mars town hall meeting where concern about energy and food prices was the prevailing mood. Speaking to a crowd of about 50 people at the American Bank Monday, Grassley responded to questions about fuel prices by presenting his idea for an energy program...

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