Representatives from U.S. soybean-farmer-led organizations will soon join their counterparts from several other countries in China to meet with stakeholders including industry and government representatives to discuss the biotech-approval process there. A white paper on the global implications of delays for biotech soybean traits will be released at the meeting.

Farmer-leaders from the United Soybean Board (USB), the American Soybean Association (ASA) and the U.S. Soybean Export Council (USSEC) will team up with their fellow soybean farmers from Argentina, Brazil, Uruguay, Paraguay and Canada, representing the International Soy Growers Alliance (ISGA).

The delegation will meet with Chinese industry and government officials to discuss biotechnology and its role in supplying a safe, reliable and abundant food supply to a global market.

Please join Bob Haselwood, Wade Cowan and Laura Foell via teleconference to discuss this hot topic.

Numerous scientific studies show that developing friendships is an essential ingredient to a healthy life.

But few people are intentionally trying to avoid heart disease or improve their blood pressure when they seek out, or stumble into, new friendships. Instead, they just want someone to hang out with, confide in or trust in times of trouble, says Darlene Quinn, an author whose latest novel, "Conflicting Webs" (www.darlenequinn.net), uses friendship as an underlying theme.

"Friends can start out from a variety of places, but still share the same incredible bond," Quinn says "Sometimes that bond can span a lifetime. Other times, the bond is just for a short period. Either way, friendships are a vital part of life."

As she researched her novel, Quinn became fascinated by the motivations behind friendships. Not all friendships are equal and, over the long haul, not all turn out the way people might like.

"Having a mutually beneficial relationship is crucial," Quinn says. "If only one person is willing to put in time and effort, that friendship won't work.

"We tend to intuitively know who real friends are and which friendships are worth our time and energy."

Quinn said she found at least six factors that can lead to great friendships - three that bring people together and three that keep them together:

•  Similarity. The phrase "birds of a feather flock together" has been around at least since the 16th century, and it's no wonder it became such a well-worn cliché, Quinn says. It happens to be true. "We surround ourselves with people whose style, attitudes, personalities, likes, dislikes and mannerisms are similar to ours," she says. "Those similarities help to build an instant bond. We feel comfortable around those people and easily slide into conversations about topics that interest both of us or schedule activities we both enjoy."

•  Intrigue. Sometimes people are so fascinating that we can't help but be drawn to them, Quinn says. "We can build a great bond of friendship with someone when we are genuinely curious about their stories, their lifestyle or their backgrounds," she says.

•  History. Growing up together, or going through the same or similar experiences, can lead to a lasting connection between two people. "Other people may not be able to have a good understanding of, or empathy for, a situation you went through," Quinn says. "But this person understands you because they went through it, too. Sharing a past with someone definitely can create a special bond."

•  Positive influence. A great friend will be someone who is a good influence and will support you and your goals, Quinn says. "They should inspire you to live up to your highest potential so you can be your best self." The world has enough negativity, she says. You don't need that in a friend.

•  Your happiness. True friends want to see you happy. "The best kinds of friends are the ones who have your best interests at heart, even to a fault," Quinn says. "They may tell you something you don't want to hear at the risk of fracturing the friendship, just because they know it is in your best interest. At the same time, a true friend will never ask you to compromise or jeopardize any part of yourself in order to be their friend."

•  Loyalty. A loyal friend will have your back no matter what, Quinn says. "They will stand up for you and with you when the need arises," she says. "They won't speak ill of you to others and they don't let others speak bad about you either." Loyalty is not an easy trait to find, but it's essential to any really good relationship, Quinn says.

"As years go by, I think most of us start to realize that it is no longer the quantity of friends that matter, but the quality," Quinn says. "You just build a great bond with some people and you can call on each other in times of trouble. Good friends are hard to find, but impossible to forget."

About Darlene Quinn

Darlene Quinn (www.darlenequinn.net) is an author and journalist from Long Beach, Calif., whose novels about deceit, intrigue and glamour in the retail fashion industry were inspired by her years working in management with Bullocks Wilshire Specialty department stores. Her latest is "Conflicting Webs," the fifth book in her epic Web series. Previous titles in the series have been "Webs of Fate," "Webs of Power," "Twisted Webs" and "Unpredictable Webs."

Monday April 20 at the Redstone Room, Davenport, 7:00 p.m.

Tuesday April 21 at the Moline Public Library, noon

The Mississippi Valley Blues Society welcomes Dave Moore?singer-songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, and educator from Iowa City?for its April Blues in the Schools Artist-in-Residence program.  During the week of April 20 to 24, Moore will visit area schools and present two FREE open-to-the-public performances:

• Monday 20 April at 7:00 p.m.?The Redstone Room in the River Music Experience, 2^nd and Main Streets, Davenport, Iowa.
• Tuesday 21 April at noon?Moline Public Library, 3210 41^st Street, Moline, Illinois.

Dave Moore's residency is made possible by major funding from the Riverboat Development Authority.  Thanks to our sponsors The Lodge, KALA Radio, Alcoa, and the River Music Experience.

Dave Moore is listed on both the Teaching Artists Roster and Performing Artists Roster of the Iowa Arts Council.   He has been a frequent guest of A Prairie Home Companion and appeared on NPR's All Things Considered, World Café and Live from the Mountain Stage. In 2002, Moore was presented the annual Literacy Award from the Iowa Council of Teachers of English, in recognition of his contributions to literacy with the children of Iowa. His recordings include Juke Joints and Cantinas, Over My Shoulder and Breaking Down to Three.

Dave Moore is known for his elegant songwriting and instrumental prowess on blues guitar, button accordion and harmonica.  Coming of age in the late '60s and early '70s, Dave enrolled in college only to drop out to follow a girlfriend down to Guadalajara, Mexico.  Though the journey lasted only a few months, it was to be the first of many travels in Latin America and totally altered his world view.  Returning to the States for the holidays in 1971, his mother serendipitously left a harmonica in his Christmas stocking and he soon found that he could not quit playing it.  He spent the next few years traveling the Southwest and Northwest, working an assortment of jobs (lumberyard worker, fruit picker, plumber's assistant), all the time getting deeper into music.

After his western travels and another lengthy sojourn in Latin America (Colombia, Ecuador, Peru) he found that the college town of Iowa City had turned into quite the music scene.  Folk, blues, and rock were spilling into the streets as music hangouts began to pop up all over the city. Around this time, he began to experiment with guitar and decided that he wanted to learn the instrument.  He headed back to Mexico?this time to a town that has since become a home-away-from-home, San Cristobal de las Casas.  With only a little plywood-topped Harmony 6-string, he holed up with a box of blues tapes and took occasional lessons from a Chiapas guitarist with a passion for American ragtime.

In 1980 Dave returned to Iowa City and teamed up with local songwriter Greg Brown, who was just beginning to develop a national reputation.  For the next few years Dave backed up Brown on recording projects, extensive tours and several appearances on A Prairie Home Companion on NPR.

It was at this time that Dave stumbled onto his other great musical passion, the accordion.  Awestruck by an accordion album featuring Fred Zimmerle's Trio San Antonio, he traveled to Texas where he sought out the great masters of Conjunto music: Zimmerle, Johnny Degallado, and Santiago Jimenez, Sr. (the legendary father of Flaco and Santiago, Jr.).  All three men would give him lessons and encouragement on the 3-row button box.

In 1984 at a little folk festival, Dave won a contest whose prize was free recording time in a studio.  He took the opportunity to record Jukejoints and Cantinas, an album that pulled together all of the American roots influences that had been stewing in him for years.  He passed its 14 sizzling blues and Conjunto tracks on to Bob Feldman of Red House Records. Its release led to a National Endowment for the Arts grant that underwrote three intensive months in Texas studying with accordion master Fred Zimmerle.  Occasionally sitting in with Fred's band in the dance halls, Dave found himself completely immersed in a major American regional music tradition.   Fred quickly became one of Dave's closest friends and until his death, the closest thing he had to a mentor.

In 1986 Garrison Keillor invited Dave to perform on A Prairie Home Companion, and after frequent appearances he became the show's bandleader on tours to Alaska and Hawaii.  A year or two earlier he had quietly started writing his own songs, and in 1990 he released Over My Shoulder, an 11-song collection.

Moore was in preproduction of his third disc in 1994 when his wife lost a daughter in infancy.  He stopped playing for a while, and when he did return, preferred to stay closer to home and family.  Five years went by, songs accumulated and, in time, a desire to return to recording and touring.  He had written an enormous number of chilling-to-the-bone songs based on his own experiences.

In mid-1998, he announced that he was ready to record again.  Seeking a co-producer for the project, he looked to Iowa City roots-rocker Bo Ramsey, who had produced several discs for Greg Brown and had just finished touring in Lucinda Williams' band.  Dave had long admired Bo's work and instinctively felt he was the best man to guide the recording session.

The result was Breaking Down to 3, an album that is considered his best ever.  Recorded with an all-Iowa band, the songs are as breathtaking as they are stunning with vivid imagery drawn from the depth of his life experiences painting a picture of the quintessential American journey.