Good morning, West Des Moines.

On Tuesday night at the Iowa Events Center, over 1,000 volunteers packaged more than 600,000 hunger relief meals (surpassing the previous record of 533,000) during the 40th Borlaug Dialogue.

The World Food Prize Foundation organized the event to support food relief efforts in Iowa and overseas.

Ryan Lincoln of the SBA says Iowans can nominate their favorite small business for the annual Small Business Week Awards with categories like manufacturers, exporters, blue collar, and veteran-owned businesses.

Nominations must be submitted by Dec. 7 (at SBA.gov/nsbw).

A USDA crop report shows Iowa soybean harvest jumped from 31% to 57% last week while corn reached 26% amid early wet conditions that delayed field work, leaving both crops behind their five-year averages.

West Des Moines schools plan $4.5 million in cuts due to declining enrollment, reduced state aid, and rising fuel costs; officials will finalize decisions by Feb.

8 — steps aimed at managing ongoing financial challenges.

Award-winning actor Martin Sheen opened the World Food Prize events yesterday in Des Moines and urged policymakers to restore USAID programs that once combated global hunger — stressing the need for renewed humanitarian support.