Iowa natives who were adopted can now obtain copies of their original birth certificates under a new state law signed by Gov. Kim Reynolds last month.

Why it matters: The identities of thousands of biological parents are now more easily accessible to their biological children.

• Uncovering medical and family information can be important for an adoptee's well-being, potentially helping them minimize effects of genetic diseases or other conditions.

What's happening: People born in Iowa before 1971 are now able to apply for copies of their original certificates and, on Jan.1, the law expands to anyone 18 or older.

• There were 85 requests as of Friday, the state's Public Health Department told Jason.

The state of play: Iowa adoption rights advocates argued for years that the state's 80-year-old law denying adoptees access to their original certificates was antiquated.

• Stigmas associated with adoption or unwed mothers have eroded in recent decades.
• DNA testing makes adoption anonymity difficult because people can now easily trace their biological relationships via sites like ancestry.com.

Details: Under the new law, biological parents can fill out a contact preference form that includes an option to keep their identities confidential.

• They can also file medical history forms, which will now be released with the birth certificates.

The big picture: Iowa is following the lead of multiple states that have eased records restrictions in recent years.

• At least 31 states now allow adoptees at least limited access to original birth certificates, according to the Pew Charitable Trusts.

What they're saying: The certificates help adoptees secure identity and their innate dignity, Michelle Spear, a founder of the Iowa Adoptee & Family Coalition, told Jason yesterday.

• "The law is more about documents that my government was holding that I wasn't allowed to have," Spear said.

Global food prices continue to rise, putting more pressure on businesses and food-insecure Iowans.

By the numbers: In the U.S., food prices rose by nearly 3% in 2020, roughly double the rate of inflation. That particularly burdens the poorest Americans, who spend more than one-third of their income on food, writes Axios’ Bryan Walsh.

Between the lines: The spike has multiple interlocking causes, but COVID-19 lockdowns "are a wrecking ball for food systems," noted Lawrence Haddad, executive director for the Global Alliance for Improved Nutrition.

• Broader inflation and extreme weather events like February's winter storms in Texas play a role as well.

Who it hurts: Everyone in the Des Moines area will spend an extra $10-15 at the grocery store. But it's felt steeper by food pantries and food-insecure families on tight budgets, said Becky Whitlow, director of the DMARC Food Pantry Network.

• The wholesale price of rice has risen by 15-cents a pound. But if you're buying a whole palette, that can become an extra $500, Whitlow said.
• DMARC typically spends $4-5 per individual, but it's now $6-7 to give someone a box of food, including fresh produce.

What's next: Expect more people to stop by the pantry, especially as unemployed Iowans lose their $300 weekly bonus checks starting Saturday, said Luke Elzinga of DMARC.

How to help: You can lend a hand by volunteering or making a monetary donation to DMARC. Details here.

We're still in the thick of tick season this month and unfortunately for us — there could be more of them out this year.

The bad news: Ticks actually like snowfall and we recorded a decent amount of it last winter.

• Snow protects ticks from harsh winds and frigid temperatures, possibly helping more of them survive last year, said Ryan Smith, assistant professor of entomology at ISU.

And more bad news: Deer ticks, which pass on Lyme disease, have been spreading from Iowa's northeast to southwest in the last 20 years, Smith said.

What to do: Check yourself (and your pets) for ticks after going outside.

• Removing them as early as possible reduces their ability to transmit Lyme disease, Smith said.

Polling from our Axios-Ipsos Coronavirus Index, which started in March 2020, shows that respondents who reported never wearing masks were twice as likely to test positive for COVID as those who said they wore masks all the time, Axios managing editor David Nather writes.

• Share this graphic.

Got a question about our city? Hit reply and ask away. Here's what one reader recently wanted to know:

Question: "I've never gotten a clear explanation of why high school students in Iowa finish their senior years like a week and a half before the rest of the schools." — Matthew Ely, DSM

Answer: Iowa Administrative Code allows school districts to excuse students up to five days early if they've met graduation requirements, Heather Doe, a spokesperson for the state's education department, told us.

• Seniors may also be excused from extended school calendar days, mostly the weather makeup days.
• The early outs are board-policy decisions that are generally intended to help accommodate post-graduation plans.

Des Moines' eclectic Black Cat Ice Cream is returning Saturday at its new spot in the Drake neighborhood.

• Cool down at its grand opening from noon to 8pm at 2511 Cottage Grove Ave., Des Moines.

Flashback: Black Cat Ice Cream was housed at the Gas Lamp until new owners took over the building in 2019.

🍦 Our take: Heck yeah, vegan ice cream!