WASHINGTON, Oct. 5, 2015 - Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack today made the following statement following the successful conclusion of negotiations on the Trans-Pacific Partnership:

"An agreement on the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) negotiations provides a more level playing field in trade for American farmers. The agreement would eliminate or significantly reduce tariffs on our products and deter non-science based sanitary and phytosanitary barriers that have put American agriculture at a disadvantage in TPP countries in the past. Despite these past barriers, countries in the Trans-Pacific Partnership currently account for up to 42 percent of all U.S. agricultural exports, totaling $63 billion. Thanks to this agreement and its removal of unfair trade barriers, American agricultural exports to the region will expand even further, particularly exports of meat, poultry, dairy, fruits, vegetables, grains, oilseeds, cotton and processed products.

"Increased demand for American agricultural products and expanded agricultural exports as a result of this agreement will support stronger commodity prices and increase farm income. Increased exports under TPP will create more good paying export-related jobs, further strengthening the rural economy. Today, agricultural trade supports more than 1 million jobs here at home and contributes a trade surplus year after year to our nation's economy. All of this activity benefits rural communities and keeps American agriculture on the cutting edge of global commerce. The TPP agreement will contribute to the future strength of American agriculture and helps to ensure that the historic agricultural trade gains achieved under President Obama since 2009 will continue.

"The TPP agreement would not be possible without the extraordinary efforts of the negotiating team at the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative, assisted by the dedicated staff of USDA's Foreign Agricultural Service and the Office of the Chief Economist. I'd also like to thank the formal trade advisors and experts from agricultural commodity groups who provided valuable market information and creative proposals to better inform U.S. negotiators. Collectively, their efforts have led to a strong deal for American agriculture.

"Failing to grasp this opportunity would be a mistake: worse than just losing out on potential gains, our producers would fall behind other countries that are negotiating their own preferential arrangements in TPP countries. We are committed to working with Congress within the framework of the recently-passed Trade Promotion Authority to obtain a strong bipartisan understanding of and support for this historic trade deal that benefits farmers, ranchers, and all those who live, work and raise families in rural communities."

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Ambitious goal aims to give Iowans the skills needed for rewarding careers and provide Iowa employers with the skilled workforce needed to grow and innovate

(DES MOINES)  - A new report released today by the Branstad-Reynolds Administration in collaboration with the Georgetown University Center on Education and the Workforce (Georgetown Center) projects that from 2010 to 2025, Iowa will add 612,000 jobs to its economy, including replacement jobs due to retirement. The report, Iowa: Education and Workforce Trends Through 2025, also finds that 68 percent of all jobs are expected to require postsecondary education and training beyond high school, which positions Iowa 18th among the states and 3 percentage points above the national average. Building on that foundation, Gov. Terry E. Branstad and Lt. Gov. Kim Reynolds are calling for 70 percent of Iowans in the workforce to have education or training beyond high school by 2025 so that more Iowans have great career opportunities and employers have the skilled workforce they need.

"Education or training beyond high school is the new minimum in today's increasingly knowledge-based, global economy," said Branstad. "The Georgetown Center report gives us a strong baseline for setting an ambitious goal of 70 percent of Iowans in the workforce having two- and four-year college degrees, certificates, and other valuable credentials and experience by 2025."

"Employers across Iowa regularly tell us that they struggle to fill both middle-skill and high-skill job openings," said Reynolds. "We look forward to a public conversation about how to close the skills gap at a series of Future Ready Iowa Roundtables that we'll hold in October across the state."

Three Future Ready Iowa Roundtables will be held this month in Waukee, Cedar Falls and Sioux City about how to strengthen Iowa's talent pipeline. Roundtable participants include Branstad, Reynolds, business, labor, nonprofit and education leaders, and high school and college students. The public is invited to attend the hour-long conversations. For more details, please see the roundtable schedule below.

In support of the Branstad-Reynolds Administration's commitment to giving students a globally competitive education and as part of a National Governors Association grant to strengthen Iowa's talent pipeline, the report analyzes industry and occupational trends to determine the education and workforce requirements that will need to be met for Iowa to achieve its economic development goals.

"The leadership in Iowa has a demonstrated understanding of the growing strength of the relationship between postsecondary education and careers, said Anthony P. Carnevale, research professor and director of the Georgetown Center. "With the articulation of this new state goal, they are stepping up to the challenge of matching programs to career opportunities."

Education projections are critical for determining future government investments in education and informing the allocation of government resources. The state's education goals will inform postsecondary institutions and K-12 schools of the enrollment, completion and graduation objectives necessary to fill potential job positions, while taking into account individuals from other states who join Iowa's workforce.

In terms of both output? contribution to the state's gross domestic product?and employment, Iowa's largest industries are manufacturing, healthcare and social assistance, and finance and insurance. As the state's largest industry, manufacturing is projected to add nearly 19,000 jobs through 2025?an 11 percent increase.

When examining the projected job growth by education level, the findings revealed that 32 percent of jobs will require a high school diploma or less; 21 percent of jobs will require a bachelor's degree; and 8 percent will require a graduate degree. The educational requirements for the middle-skill jobs are more nuanced than the 39 percent figure suggests. The breakdown includes associate's degrees (12 percent), postsecondary vocational certificates (5 percent), occupational licenses and professional certifications (5 percent), apprenticeship programs (3 percent) and some college credits with labor market value (14 percent).

The occupation trends show that social science, education, community services and arts, and STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) are projected to have the largest shares of jobs that require postsecondary education and training, whereas blue-collar and food and personal services will offer higher salaries and be more readily available to workers with a high school diploma or less.

Since the 1980s, education or training beyond high school has become the new minimum threshold for Americans to earn a living wage and attain middle class status. In 1973, only 28 percent of U.S. jobs required education beyond a high school diploma; by 2025, almost two out of three jobs in the nation will require at least some postsecondary education or training. Iowa's economy reflects this national trend and demonstrates a steady increase in the demand for postsecondary education and training in the industries that form the mainstay of the economy.

To read the full report, visit cew.georgetown.edu/Iowa2025.

Below is the schedule for the October Future Ready Iowa Roundtables, which are open to the public:

• Tuesday, Oct. 6, 10 a.m. to 11 a.m., Waukee Community School District, Prairieview Theater Arts Center, 655 SE. University Ave., Waukee
• Monday, Oct. 12, 10:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m., University of Northern Iowa, Slife Ballroom, 23rd St. & Campus St., Cedar Falls
• Wednesday, Oct. 28, 1 p.m. to 2 p.m., Western Iowa Tech Community College, Room L416, 4647 Stone Ave, Sioux City

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The Central Performing Arts Center presents country singer/songwriter Keith Walker

DEWITT, IA (September 30, 2015) - The Central Performing Arts Center announces an upcoming performance featuring Keith Walker, an up-and-coming country singer/songwriter from Nashville, TN. The talented singer will perform on Saturday, October 24th at 7:00 P.M. at the Central Performing Arts Center in DeWitt, IA.

For the past 11 weeks Keith Walker's song, "Honky Tonk Shake" has been rising on the Music Row Country Breakout Charts where he currently sits at #44. His song is also beginning to get local air play on WLLR 103.7. Please take a moment and enjoy this new hit single at https://youtu.be/nZasN84Z2IU.

Tickets are $15 for Adults, $5 for Student and can be purchased at DeWitt City Hall, MidwesTix.com or at the door an hour before show.

LOCAL CONNECTION

Keith Walker has a Quad City area connection which has fed a strong following within the community. Keith is married to a Central Community High School (DeWitt) graduate and, as such, our local community is excited to support Keith in his ever-growing music career.

AVAILABLE FOR INTERVIEWS/PERFORMANCES

Keith Walker will be available on Friday, October 23, 2015 for promotional interviews and performances on local radio and television stations.  Our hope is to work with local stations to allow Keith to perform a snippet of his song "Honky Tonk Shake" and promote his appearance at the CPAC the next day.

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