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Wednesday, October 31
by
Sam Garchik
on Wed 31 Oct 2007 10:49 AM CDT
Something Stinks!
By Lynn Heuss Last Wednesday, I attended parts of the Livestock Odor Study Committee meeting. I did so because I’M for Iowa is part of the Coalition for a Healthy and Sustainable Iowa (CHSI), which is working for responsible regulation of hog confinements. One presentation was from Dr. Sean Fitzsimmons, a Senior Environmental Specialist with the DNR’s Air Quality Bureau. He basically told us: a) there are no odor standards in Iowa, b) there isn’t any verifiable way to test odor, since c) there are also no criteria to test levels of odor to measure against the odor standards we don’t have. Not only is that confusing, it’s depressing. It’s incredible that Iowa doesn’t have odor standards when we have the highest number of hogs of any state in the nation. According to many Iowa legislators, there is little hope that things will change soon. At the meeting, Rep. Delores Mertz (D-Kossuth) stated that Iowa does not need new bills or more rules, just more money for the DNR (Department of Natural Resources) and IDALS (Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship). We also heard from Secretary of Agriculture, Bill Northey, who said we need to be using biofilters – lots of them – and we should monitor them. We should also add “robustness” to odor modeling. (I’m not sure what that means, and the public did not have the opportunity to ask questions.) Finally, we have to “do things” that are measurable…like planting trees to block odor and reducing protein in the animals’ diets to minimize the stench. The last speaker of the day, DNR Director Rich Leopold, addressed the committee with four points. The following are direct quotes: 1. “There is a problem. 2. “There is a perceived problem that is larger than the actual problem. The public thinks the problem is growing, but I disagree. 3. “We know enough about the problem to present solutions and to act on those solutions. 4. “It is our (DNR, IDALS, ISU, industry) responsibility to do something about the problem.” Leopold also commented on the matrix when Senator Jack Kibbie asked if re-visiting or fixing the matrix might be the best way to accomplish change. Leopold said, in another direct quote, “I’m not for or against it [the matrix]. I’m for talking about it.” Although always a proponent of collegial efforts, I was disappointed to hear Secretary Northey and Director Leopold make several comments about the camaraderie they’re developing as they work together on several initiatives. My disappointment stems from hearing nothing about any results from these joint efforts. To summarize the morning session of the committee, I learned the end goal is additional money for ISU to do more studies. It app ears that many of the legislature’s designated experts believe the solution to CAFO odor problem is: 1. Plant trees. 2. Put up biofilters in or around lots of buildings and monitor them. 3. Spend more money on additional academic reports and research – although previous studies have amounted to absolutely no action and no changes. Citizen Patrick Bosold from Fairfield offered a better suggestion in his letter to The Des Moines Register today. “The Clean Water Act gives the DNR the authority to crack down on CAFO water pollution. Unfortunately, the DNR refuses to enforce the Clean Water Act and improve the quality of our water. It needs to stop siding with corporate agriculture and big-money interests that pollute our waters, and start standing up for everyday Iowans. This means that the DNR needs to start issuing Clean Water Act permits to CAFOs - and not issuing, or withdrawing, permits for CAFOs that don't comply with the act.” And in the October 28 Des Moines Register, columnist Richard Doak had this to say: “We have what much of the world would, and sometimes does, kill for - abundant fresh water. “Yet, as has been said before and can't be said often enough, we treat our water like dirt. “In a world growing desperate for fresh water, we have plenty, but we show it no respect. “We dump farm chemicals and manure in it, we turn it brown, we let municipal waste flow into it, we channelize it and make it barren, we often can't swim or fish in it. We send nutrients downstream to create a dead zone in the Gulf of Mexico. “We have three times more impaired bodies of water than we have counties, and our namesake river, the Iowa, is on the list of the nation's most endangered. “If states could be guilty of sin, Iowa would be on the road to perdition for defiling a precious gift. “The state government claims to be making progress in cleaning up the water, but there's a long way to go before it sparkles enough to be the attraction to newcomers and the delight to old-timers that it should be.” (End of article) I’ve vented a bit, but that’s never where a truly concerned citizen stops. It’s time to do something! If this is an issue that affects you (and it affects every Iowan) please join us. The Coalition for A Healthy and Sustainable Iowa’s purpose statement is: "We are calling for a temporary moratorium on new construction of industrial livestock facilities (CAFOs) until the negative impacts of industrial livestock production on water quality, air quality, property rights, independent local farmer's financial profits, health and quality of life have been thoroughly addressed in a responsible manner, for the majority of Iowans, by the Iowa Legislature. “The legislative means to do so may be accomplish ed by restoring the local authority of the county boards of supervisors, as well as establishing stronger protective and enforceable statewide environmental and health standards." Here’s how you can get involved: 1. Host a house party to help educate family, friends and neighbors. This isn’t just a rural issue – it affects everyone. We have excellent speakers who can bring their presentation to your home or event site. You can contact Francis Thicke at: fthicke@lisco.com or Jerry Peckumn at: jpeckumn@netins.net. 2. Sign the petition from Iowa Farmer’s Union (www.iafu.org) or Iowa CCI (www.iowacci.org). 3. Find out who your legislators are, then call or write them. You can go to www.legis.state.ia.us and find out who represents you. Tell them you want a temporary moratorium on issuing any new permits for CAFOs until everyone can sit down and find a solution that meets the criteria of our purpose statement. If you need more information on your legislator or on the issue, please write and ask. If I don’t have it, I can pass along your request to someone who will be able to answer you. 4. Respond to this e-mail and let us know if you’d like to join the coalition. If so, please include your contact information: name, address, city, state, zip, phone(s) and e-mail(s). 5. We’ll have a coalition website soon and it will be under the “Information” section of our website (www.imforiowa.org) in the next week or two. 6. If you’d like to be part of a listserve (an internet information and discussion group) please write to Dave Murphy at: dmurphy123@gmail.com. 7. &n bsp; We’ll be having several lobby days at the State Capitol this year. We want to show our representatives that Iowans do care about this issue. If you can attend a rally, please mark your calendar for January 17 and March 4. More information will be available soon. Toward the end of his editorial, Richard Doak said, “The way to show gratitude for nature's gifts is to respect them.” Please -- let’s respect our land, our air, our water, our neighbors and ourselves enough to do something. We can make a difference! Thanks for reading and please write. Lynn Heuss Tuesday, October 30
by
Sam Garchik
on Tue 30 Oct 2007 08:52 AM CDT
Iowa Farmers Union Host 2007 Food and Family Farm Presidential Summit
by Dave Murphy, IFU On Saturday, November 10th, Iowa Farmers Union will host the 2007 Food and Family Farm Presidential Summit at the Downtown Marriott in Des Moines. Beginning at 10 am, the event will offer presidential candidates a platform to meet with Iowa voters, those from other Midwestern states and beyond, who care deeply about food policy and rural issues. Co-sponsored by the National Farmers Union, the Center for Rural Affairs, and the League of Rural Voters, the event will give presidential candidates the chance to tout their vision for rural America to active voters. The 2007 Food and Family Farm Presidential Summit is an exciting opportunity for those concerned with issues relating to food, agriculture, the environment, renewable energy, fair trade, and rural development to present their concerns to a national and international audience. Billed as: "A Conversation on Agriculture, the Environment and Rural Economies in America," the event is designed to showcase each of the presidential candidate's policies on food, farm, conservation, and economic development and also highlight questions the audience may have for our future President. This event will engage leaders in agriculture, the environment, and food policy from across the country, and we believe this is an excellent platform to connect with a wide audience of attendees who are concerned with these issues. (For more details, go to http://www.iafu.org) Sat. November 10 Downtown Marriott 700 Grand Ave. Des Moines, IA 50312 For event information or to by tickets, please call: 515 745-3140 or email: iowafarmsummit@gmail.com Monday, October 29
by
Sam Garchik
on Mon 29 Oct 2007 09:12 AM CDT
Documenting the Undocumented: New Report Shows Undocumented Immigrants Pay Iowa Taxes
By the IPP Undocumented immigrant families pay less in state taxes than families at similar incomes in Iowa, but they contribute over $40 million to state coffers and they receive fewer services. A new report for the nonpartisan Iowa Policy Project (IPP) finds that discussions focusing only on costs of undocumented immigrants can miss a big piece of the fiscal equation: the taxes immigrants pay, often without services coming to them. “They pay somewhat less, but they’re not getting a great deal in terms of services in comparison to other families. Estimates of the fiscal impacts of undocumented immigrants would provide a better, more accurate picture if they would include the tax estimates,” said Beth Pearson, an IPP research associate who produced the study with economist Michael F. Sheehan. Sheehan agreed, noting that eligibility for services is often restricted for undocumented immigrants, as they are not permitted to receive Medicaid (for other than emergency room care) or Social Security benefits, for example. “But they are helping to pay for those services through taxes on their paychecks, as well as property taxes and sales taxes on rent and daily purchases,” Sheehan said. “Our study recognizes that there is an investment aspect to spending on public services that some of the political shorthand misses. Immigration policy is controversial, but any discussion of it should recognize that public services are an investment in people, and these folks are helping to pay for it.” Pearson and Sheehan said the report refutes the mistaken assumption of some that because they are undocumented, those immigrants pay no taxes. “Our research shows undocumented immigrant families are paying substantial amounts of state and local taxes: between $40 million and $62 million each year,” Pearson said. The report examines the theoretical tax treatment in Iowa of two families making $27,400 — one documented, one undocumented — using computations from the Institute on Taxation and Economic Policy and other research that helps to illustrate taxes likely to be paid by undocumented workers. The authors found that an undocumented family at that income would pay about $1,254 in sales and excise taxes, $110 in property taxes and $307 in state income taxes — or $1,671 a year, about 80 percent of the amount estimated to be paid by a documented family at the same income. “We know these estimates may be conservative, but that gives us an idea of an amount no one can reasonably dismiss in these policy discussions,” Pearson said. “There’s not a lot of data on undocumented people since they are a hard population to measure, but we know there are between 55,000 and 85,000 in Iowa.” The authors suggested that policies could capture more tax from undocumented immigrants with moves such as increasing enforcement of employers’ withholding of income taxes. “As long as they’re here, it makes sense to increase tax payments as much as we are able from those immigrants so that they are paying closer to what a documented family pays,” Sheehan said. “But it’s a given that many of the solutions to this controversial issue will have to be developed at the federal level, not the state level.” The Iowa Policy Project (IPP) is a nonpartisan, nonprofit research and policy analysis organization based in Mount Vernon. IPP reports on job and income trends, budget and tax policy, and energy and environmental issues are available on the web at <http://www.iowapolicyproject.org>. Saturday, October 27
by
Sam Garchik
on Sat 27 Oct 2007 09:20 AM CDT
IOWA FARMERS UNION SPONSORING BIODIESEL HOMEBREWING WORKSHOP NOV. 16 NEAR IOWA CITY
By the IFU ÂAnyone interested in brewing their own biodiesel for use on the farm or at home is invited to a Biodiesel Workshop on Friday, Nov. 16 at Green World Biofuels near Tiffin, just northwest of Iowa City. The workshop will cover biodiesel production from start to finish including oil titration, washing and drying biodiesel, equipment needs, weather issues, quality control testing, implementation strategies and waste stream management. The workshop runs from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., is very hands-on, and is offered by Green World Biofuels owner Steve Fugate. ‘Our workshops are designed to educate people who are seriously interested in biodiesel production,” says Fugate. “You will leave very knowledgeable and excited about making and using your own biodiesel.” Sources of oil will be discussed as well, including collecting used fryer oil and the potential for pressing oil from a farmerÂ’s own seed (soy, canola, etc.) Workshop cost is $25 per person including lunch. Financial support has been provided by the Leighty Foundation. Register by November 13 by calling 800-775-5227. The workshop is sponsored by the Iowa Farmers Union Education Foundation, formed in 1999 with a 501(c)3 status to help meet increased needs for education among farmers, rural residents, and consumers. Its mission statement is: “To promote a viable system of sustainable agriculture and high quality of life in rural communities through education of farmers, rural residents, and urban consumers; cooperation among farmers; and community activism.” Iowa Farmers Union is a non-profit advocacy group representing family farmers across the state. IFU also collaborates on legislative work and educational programming with Women, Food and Agriculture Network, NFO-Iowa and the Iowa Renewable Energy Association. IFU is a chapter of National Farmers Union, a general farm organization representing a quarter of a million family farmers and ranchers nationwide. NFU serves its membership by providing educational opportunities, supporting farmer-owned cooperative development, and presenting the organization's policies to lawmakers at the local, state and national levels. -30- Iowa Farmers Union PO Box 8988 528 Billy Sunday Rd Ames, IA 50014 800-775-5227 iafu@isunet.net www.iafu.org Friday, October 26
by
Sam Garchik
on Fri 26 Oct 2007 09:10 AM CDT
NFU: Senate Ag Committee Approves Farm Bill
By NFU, Liz Friedlander National Farmers Union commended Senate Agriculture Committee Chairman Tom Harkin, Ranking Member Saxby Chambliss and members of the committee today following committee approval of a 2007 Farm Bill that supports many of NFU’s priority issues and moves this vital bill forward in the legislative process. The bill protects the safety net for farmers when prices fall; creates a permanent disaster program; ensures mandatory country of origin labeling (COOL) will be implemented for meats, fruits and vegetables; and allows interstate shipment of state-inspected meat. “The committee bill includes many important provisions that have a significant, positive impact on America’s family farmers, ranchers and rural communities. Today’s action moves the bill one step closer to the finish line,” NFU President Tom Buis said. Because the 2002 Farm Bill saved money, the 2007 bill had to be created with a reduced budget baseline. Buis said that despite this obstacle, the Senators were able to write a good bill. A permanent disaster program is NFU’s number one priority for the 2007 Farm Bill and the bill’s $5 billion permanent disaster assistance program will provide a helping hand to producers struck by devastating weather conditions. “The single biggest hole in the current safety net is the lack of a permanent disaster program. Weather-related disasters are going to occur and this program will provide the assurance producers need to continue another year. I commend Finance Committee Chairman Max Baucus and Budget Committee Chairman Kent Conrad for their efforts to include this program in the farm bill,” Buis said. NFU played a vital role in reaching compromise agreements between groups representing both sides of two of the bill’s provisions – interstate shipment of meat and mandatory country of origin labeling (COOL). The committee-passed bill includes a new program that will level the playing field by allowing small producers to ship their high quality products across state lines. The bill also includes slightly modified House farm bill language that would implement mandatory COOL. Mandatory COOL was included in the 2002 bill but its implementation has been repeatedly delayed. “Interstate shipment of state-inspected meat and mandatory COOL will greatly benefit producers and consumers alike,” Buis said. “Producers will be able to ship their quality products to their neighbors across state lines and consumers will be able to tell the origin of the products they purchase.” Other highlights include: * Competition title to reduce concentration in the marketplace; * Ban on packer ownership of livestock; * $3.7 billion for conservation programs; * $4.2 billion increase in nutrition program spending; * $500 million to promote economic growth and jobs in rural America; * Restores the Milk Income Loss Contract (MILC) program to original support levels; * Invests $1.3 billion in fuels from the farm; and * Increases funding for specialty crop producers. “I am hopeful the full Senate will take up the farm bill soon, as the 2002 Farm Bill expired last month and farmers and ranchers across the country need to know what type of federal farm policy they will be operating under next year,” Buis said. The House Agriculture Committee approved its farm bill in July and today’s Senate Agriculture Committee action is another step to final farm bill passage. The bill now heads to the Senate floor, followed by a Senate-House conference committee to work out the two bill’s differences and then to the President’s desk. Iowa Farmers Union PO Box 8988 528 Billy Sunday Rd Ames, IA 50014 800-775-5227 iafu@isunet.net www.iafu.org Thursday, October 25
by
Sam Garchik
on Thu 25 Oct 2007 08:52 AM CDT
ISU HOSTS SEVENTH ANNUAL IOWA ORGANIC CONFERENCE NOVEMBER 19
By Leopold Center for Sustainable Agriculture Seventh Annual Iowa Organic Conference Scheman Building, Iowa State Center, Ames, Iowa Organic sales have more than doubled in the past five years, reaching $16.9 billion last year, according to the Organic Trade Association. The demand for organic crops currently exceeds supply and growers everywhere are encouraged to consider the potential for organic production. This year's Iowa Organic Conference at Iowa State University will include multiple sessions on organic livestock production taught by farmers who have successfully managed their animal systems, as well as local foods including marketing options for beginning growers. The transition to organic farming also will be emphasized, including hearing from producers who have successfully made the transition and ISU researchers who will offer tips on weed management. In addition, there will be presentations about organic grains, vegetables, herbs, fruits, soil health and incentives to help producers get started or enhance their marketing skills. A trade show of 30 vendors featuring organic products and services will be held during the conference with ample time for visiting. The all-organic, four-course lunch will include organic products from Iowa and the Midwest. “Iowa State has made a commitment to source local and organic foods and more producers are needed to fill this demand,” says conference organizer Kathleen Delate, of ISU’s Agronomy and Horticulture departments. Registration for attendees and exhibitors is now open at: http://www.ucs.iastate.edu/mnet/organic07/home.html. More information about the conference and the ISU Organic Agriculture program is available on the web at: http://extension.agron.iastate.edu/organicag/, or by contacting the Organic Agriculture lab at (515) 294-5116. ## Leopold Center for Sustainable Agriculture Iowa State University/209 Curtiss Hall Ames, IA 50011-1050 (515) 294-3711; FAX: (515) 294-9696 All news releases also are posted on our web site: http://www.leopold.iastate.edu Wednesday, October 24
by
Sam Garchik
on Wed 24 Oct 2007 09:09 AM CDT
High Pill Prices - Today's Campus Crisis!
By Planned Parenthood of Iowa The cost of birth control at campus health centers has increased from $5-10/pack to $40-50/pack. College students across the country are outraged and are organizing this week to raise awareness about the problem. Students will be doing visibility on campus, gathering petitions and having classmates call Senator Grassley and Senator Harkin urging their immediate attention to this issue. Congress is aware of the high cost of birth control on college campuses but has failed to act to fix this problem. Help Save Low-Cost Birth Control Today! Take Action in support of students organizing at universities and colleges across the state. Send your letter to Senator Grassley and Senator Harkin urging them to fix this problem and ensure that college students and low-income women have access to affordable birth control. For many students and low-income women, birth control is now out of reach. Send a letter to the following decision maker(s): Senator Chuck Grassley (if you live in Iowa) Senator Tom Harkin (if you live in Iowa) Below is the sample letter: Subject: Save Birth Control Now! Dear [decision maker name automatically inserted here], College students in Iowa and across the country have been affected by the high cost of birth control pills on campus. The cost of birth control pills at campus health centers has skyrocketed from $5-10/pack to $40-50/pack. Last year Congress changed a law, through the Deficit Reduction Act, which has allowed drug companies to provide birth control pills at very low cost to certain health care providers - including college health centers. This change has negatively impacted access to affordable birth control. The mistake is having a devastating impact on women and families nationwide. Birth control costs are out of reach for many students and low-income women. Congress is aware of this problem and is doing nothing to fix it. I urge you today to help resolve this problem and help ensure college students and low-income women have access to affordable birth control. Sincerely, YOUR NAME HERE Tuesday, October 23
by
Caroline Vernon
on Tue 23 Oct 2007 05:23 PM CDT
Controversial Rabbi Michael Lerner to Speak at Spiritual Progressives Conference Nov. 3rd in the Quad Cities By James Lee As the Election Season closes in on the Quad Cities, people are looking at the vast challenges facing our country and questioning how individual citizens can make a difference. According to national polling, over 70% of Americans feel that our nation is on the "wrong track". Organizers of the Spiritual Progressives Conference feel the answers to many of our concerns and worries are rooted in our values, faith and spirituality. Quad Cities Progressive Action for the Common Good (PACG) in conjunction with Churches United of the Quad Cities, Democracy for America–Quad Cities, Davenport Unitarian Church, Edwards Congregational-UCC, First Congregational-UCC, Network for Spiritual Progressives, and a host of other supporters are sponsoring a Spiritual Progressives Conference on November 3, 2007. The theme of the conference is: Living our Faith: Integrating Values and Politics in the Heartland. PURPOSE OF THE CONFERENCE It is our hope that the conference will help the public better understand how to more effectively integrate progressive values with political action that can create positive change in our nation. Conference organizers assert that progressives have been the social innovators who have initiated changes in our society that have given us more freedom, liberty, and equality. Progressives believe in continually improving our society in order to assist as many people as possible to achieve a better life for themselves, their families and the community as a whole. During this time of national drift when confusion seems widespread over what America represents and truly believes, progressive people must amplify their voices in the public conversation on what we value as a nation. We reject the tactic of using religion and spiritual traditions to be a divisive force in our nation; pitting one group of Americans against another group. We believe that ethics and morality cannot be claimed as the property of a single religion or political group, but must be understood in the context of furthering the well being of all humanity, present and future. The conference will cover three main areas:
1) Promoting a conversation on Progressive Values, Faith & and Spirituality The key-note speaker, Rabbi Michael Lerner, will examine the question of how our values are translated into political action. Rabbi Lerner is an internationally renowned social theorist, theologian, editor of Tikkun magazine, and author of The Left Hand of God: Taking Back Our Country from the Religious Right. He has a PhD from the University of California, Berkeley and is the founder of the Network for Spiritual Progressives. Faith, values, and spirituality play an important role in responding to the many challenges we face in our country today. The primary focus of this conference will be to explore how our values, faith, and spirituality can direct political action and transform our nation and our world. In so doing, this conference will be addressing the most serious issues facing our communities such as affordable, quality health care, the war, and global warming to name a few. Conference workshops include topics such as "Challenging the Misuse of God and Religion by the Religious Right", "Global Consciousness and Ecological Sanity", "Our Common Values" and "Grounding Justice Work in Spiritual Practice". To learn more about other workshops which will be presented at this conference,
click here. To download the flyer to print (double-sided to conserve paper) go to our home page: www.qcprogressiveaction.org. The Conference commences at 9:30am with a spiritual reflection on the state of our world. Rabbi Michael Lerner will speak at 10:15am. Workshops will continue throughout the day. At 2:30pm Rabbi Lerner will be part of a panel discussion with local leaders on the state of values and spirituality in our nation. Lunch will be served and the conference will come to a close at 3:30pm. This event is open to the public; seating is limited. To Register, contact PACG at 563-676-7580 or go to our website for more information: www.qcprogressiveaction.org. Interfaith Service The conference begins with an Interfaith Service led by Rabbi Lerner on Friday evening, November 2nd, 7pm at the Unitarian Church, 3707 Eastern Avenue, Davenport, Iowa. Spiritual Progressives Conference On Saturday morning, November 3rd, the Spiritual Progressive Conference will be held at the First Congregational Church-UCC, 2201 Seventh Avenue, Moline, IL 61265. Registration starts at 9:30AM. Book Signing with Rabbi Lerner Saturday evening, November 3rd, 5:30pm at Borders Bookstore, 4000 E 53rd St in Davenport. |
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