WASHINGTON, July 23, 2014 -- Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack today announced the creation of the Foundation for Food and Agricultural Research (FFAR) and the appointment of a 15-member board of directors. The new foundation will leverage public and private resources to increase the scientific and technological research, innovation, and partnerships critical to boosting America's agricultural economy.

Authorized by Congress as part of the 2014 Farm Bill, the foundation will operate as a non-profit corporation seeking and accepting private donations in order to fund research activities that focus on problems of national and international significance. Congress also provided $200 million for the foundation which must be matched by non-federal funds as the Foundation identifies and approves projects.

"Studies have shown that every dollar invested in agricultural research creates $20 in economic activity," said Vilsack. "Investments in innovation made over the past several decades have developed new products and new procedures that have been critical to the continued growth of American agriculture. We must continue to make strategic investments in research and technology if we are to remain leaders in the global economy."

The research funded by the Foundation for Food and Agricultural Research will address issues including plant and animal health; food safety, nutrition and health; renewable energy, natural resources, and environment; agricultural and food security; and agriculture systems and technology.

The foundation's board of directors was chosen to represent the diverse sectors of agriculture. Seven of these board members were selected by the unanimous vote of the board's five ex-officio members from lists of candidates provided by industry, while eight representatives were unanimously elected from a list of candidates provided by the National Academy of Sciences. Congress mandated that the ex-officio members choose the initial 15 board members from among the lists provided by these two groups. However, new board members now have the option of adding additional members if they so choose. Secretary Vilsack said today he hoped the board would exercise its prerogative to add more members to expand the board's diversity.

In announcing the 15-member FFAR board today, Vilsack remarked, "Public-private partnerships are vital to the agricultural research community, and this is reflected in the membership of the foundation's board of directors."

The 15 voting members are:

• Dr. Kathryn Boor - the Ronald P. Lynch Dean of the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, Cornell University
• Dr. Douglas Buhler - Director of AgBioResearch and Senior Associate Dean for Research for the College of Agriculture and Natural Resources, Michigan State University
• Dr. Nancy Creamer - Distinguished Professor of Sustainable Agriculture and Community Based Food Systems, North Carolina State University
• Dr. Deborah Delmer - Professor Emeritus of Biology, University of California-Davis
• The Honorable Dan Glickman - former U.S. Secretary of Agriculture, current Executive Director of the Aspen Institute's Congressional Program
• Dr. Robert Horsch - Deputy Director, Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation
• Pamela Johnson - Chairwoman, National Corn Growers Association
• Dr. Mark E. Keenum - President, Mississippi State University
• Dr. Michael Ladisch - Director of the Laboratory of Renewable Resources Engineering and Distinguished Professor of Agricultural and Biological Engineering, Purdue University
• Dr. Christopher Mallett - Vice President of Research & Development, Cargill, Inc.
• Dr. Pamela Matson - Chester Naramore Dean of the School of Earth Sciences, the Richard and Rhoda Goldman Professor of Environmental Studies and Senior Fellow at the Woods Institute for the Environment, Stanford University
• Dr. Terry McElwain - Associate Director and Professor, Paul G. Allen School for Global Animal Health, and Executive Director, Washington Animal Disease Diagnostic Laboratory, Washington State University
• Dr. Stanley Prusiner - Director of the Institute for Neurodegenerative Diseases and Professor of Neurology, University of California-San Francisco and 1997 Nobel laureate in physiology or medicine
• Dr. Yehia "Mo" Saif - Professor Emeritus, The Ohio State University
• Dr. Barbara Schaal - Dean of the Faculty of Arts & Sciences and Mary-Dell Chilton Distinguished Professor at Washington University in St. Louis.

More detailed biographical information for the FFAR Board of Directors can be found here.

The five ex-officio board members, all of whom were designated by Congress, are Vilsack; Dr. Catherine Woteki, USDA's Under Secretary for Research, Education, and Economics and Chief Scientist; Dr. Chavonda Jacobs-Young, Administrator of the USDA's Agricultural Research Service; Dr. Sonny Ramaswamy, Director of the USDA's National Institute of Food and Agriculture; and Dr. France A. Córdova, Director of the National Science Foundation.

In a time of federal budgetary restraints, the new foundation is another innovative way to continue and expand investment in agricultural research. FFAR will complement existing Federal and Federally-funded agricultural science research endeavors and accelerate solutions to the challenges American agriculture.

Today's announcement was made possible by the 2014 Farm Bill. The Farm Bill builds on historic economic gains in rural America over the past five years, while achieving meaningful reform and billions of dollars in savings for taxpayers. Since enactment, USDA has made significant progress to implement each provision of this critical legislation, including providing disaster relief to farmers and ranchers; strengthening risk management tools; expanding access to rural credit; funding critical research; establishing innovative public-private conservation partnerships; developing new markets for rural-made products; and investing in infrastructure, housing and community facilities to help improve quality of life in rural America. For more information, visit www.usda.gov/farmbill.

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Report from Congressman's survey shows 70 percent of Iowans opposed to cuts that begin August 1

Washington, D.C. - Rep. Bruce Braley's (IA-01) office today issued a report that included the results of a survey of over 2000 Iowans who shared their opinions about upcoming cuts to Social Security field offices in Iowa. Sixty three percent of respondents had used their local Social Security field office, and 70 percent of respondents were opposed to upcoming cuts in services.

Beginning in October 2014, the Social Security Administration (SSA) planned to stop providing benefit verification letters in local field offices?however, after significant opposition from Braley?SSA announced that those cuts would be indefinitely delayed. Many seniors rely on these verification letters for a variety of services. Last year alone, millions of Americans used SSA offices to request benefit letters.

However, SSA also stated their intention to move forward implementing their plan to eliminate the issuance of Social Security number printouts face-to-face in its field offices beginning August 1?a cut Braley continues to oppose.

"The overwhelming majority of Iowans don't support these cuts?and they shouldn't?there's no indication they save taxpayers money or that those that need them won't be greatly inconvenienced," Braley said. "We were successful in eliminating one of these senseless cuts, and I'll be providing this survey information to the Social Security Administration so they can better understand how Iowans feel about these cuts."

These survey results stem from a call Braley made for Iowans to share their opinions on these cuts and their experiences with their local SSA field offices.

Iowa's 19 SSA field offices are located in Cedar Rapids, Decorah, Dubuque, Marshalltown, Waterloo, Burlington, Coralville, Davenport, Ottumwa, Council Bluffs, Creston, Des Moines, Ames, Carroll, Ft. Dodge, Mason City, Sioux City, Spencer, and Storm Lake.

Over 450,000 Iowa seniors received Social Security benefits in 2013.

Earlier this year, Braley introduced the Seniors' Access to Social Security Act, which would prevent cuts for one year, during which time Braley would seek verification that the proposed service cuts will not adversely affect Iowa's seniors and will save taxpayers money. This bipartisan legislation quickly gathered the support of nearly two dozen lawmakers.

Colvin's response came after Braley wrote the SSA Commissioner asking her to provide a series of answers about the proposed cuts, including whether an analysis of cost savings has been done and if public input was solicited prior to the proposed cuts. Braley also sought information from Colvin on how Iowans seeking these services would be informed of cuts.

In June, Braley joined a Congressional push to prevent the elimination of the SSA services in a letter to the head of the SSA, noting that it's vital that seniors be able to receive these services in person especially given that telephone wait times for SSA services have risen drastically in the last year, and that many seniors lack internet access.

The report can be found online HERE:

In honor of the 40th anniversary of the Quad City Times Bix 7, Modern Woodmen of America will light the word "Bix" in the windows of its downtown Rock Island headquarters. The building will be lit from 8:30 p.m. to 11 p.m. on Friday, July 25 through Sunday, July 27.

The tradition began in 1988, but is no simple task. Modern Woodmen's administrative services team will set the lights based on a hand-drawn schematic. The preparations take approximately one day for two people to accomplish; blinds must be closed and lighting must be adjusted on the five-story home office. Approximately 100 of the 252 windows on the north side of the building will be lit to spell out "Bix."

Modern Woodmen's location along the Mississippi River provides a perfect opportunity to display "Bix" for  Quad-City residents to enjoy. Modern Woodmen's mission is to improve the quality of life for its members and their communities. This is one way Modern Woodmen can support its mission and a family-friendly event.

Founded in 1883, Modern Woodmen of America touches lives and secures futures. The fraternal financial services organization offers financial products and fraternal member benefits to individuals and families throughout the United States.

Celebrities Gary and Cassie Chapman Discuss Their Journey

For many married couples, there comes a time when having children becomes the first priority. Often, the urge to create life and see it into the world becomes overwhelming.

But that urge can put many couples on an unpredictable journey, especially when they decide that their love, time and resources can be best put to use through adoption, says award-winning singer-songwriter Gary Chapman. He and his wife, former Nashville Wives star Cassie Piersol Chapman, say they were open to whatever God had in store for them.

"We knew it was time to give our hearts to a child," says Gary, 56, a five-time Grammy-nominated, seven-time Dove Award-winning artist who recently released his first album in a decade, The Truth, (www.garychapmanmusic.com).

But, while the decision to have a child was made, conceiving was taking awhile. Gary, who had reversed a vasectomy and is 23 years older than Cassie, has three grown children.

"During this period, I got a call from a friend telling me about a woman who was four months pregnant and looking for a suitable adoption family," says Cassie, who is proactive in multiple charity groups which facilitate a legal alternative to going through an agency. "It was as if God knew where this child needed to be after the birth. I immediately understood that this would be our path."

Through private, or independent, adoption, the Chapmans received their blessing, a baby girl they named Eva Rose. Gary and Cassie talk about the benefits involved in private, or independent, adoption:

• Parents can begin bonding with their child more quickly after birth:Private adoption allows for the newborn infant to bypass foster care, which is typically required by state-run agencies. Most babies adopted between private parties go home from the hospital with the adoptive parents.

"In our case, the birth mother had a 10-day grace period starting from time of Eva's birth," Cassie says. "While that was tough, I think it offers more peace of mind for birth mothers."

• It allows for more control, more collaboration and more choice:Independent adoption gives all parties greater autonomy in making important choices about the baby and each other. For many, the opportunity for the birth mother and adoptive parents to meet adds reassurance that decisions are being made in the best interest of the child. This dynamic doesn't exist in the more common state-run agencies.

"I think some folks actually prefer a more anonymous approach," Gary says. "Let's admit it - these can be some of the toughest decisions in a woman's life, and she may not want a relationship with adoptive parents."

• Better access to information: What's the child's background? Should you anticipate medical issues down the road? What if a child wants to know more about his biological mother and father, including their spiritual background? Private adoption allows for direct communication between the two parties.

"Birth mothers may not even know if they'll want contact with their child 20 years later," Cassie says. "If adoptive families go this route, they ought to collect as much relevant information about the child's birth parents as they can."

• Adequate safety measures: Like other types of adoption, private adoption is governed by state laws. In addition, if a child is brought from one state to another, then the provisions of the Interstate Compact on the Placement of Children apply.

"Folks should understand that private adoption isn't like the Wild West; it's just a less bureaucratic method of adoption," Gary says.

About Gary & Cassie Piersol Chapman

Gary Chapman is a veteran musician in the contemporary pop, country, Christian and southern gospel genres. His Dove Awards include Male Vocalist of the Year and Songwriter of the Year, and he's written hits including I Prefer the Moonlightfor Kenny Rogers and Finally for T.G. Sheppard along with songs for Alabama and Wynonna Judd. He was the host of TNN's hit show Prime Time Country for four years and founded the record label that launched current Disney music mainstays Everlife, among many top performers.

Cassie Piersol Chapman starred in TNT's 2014 docudrama Private Lives of Nashville Wives (from the Real Housewives creators). She grew up on her family's West Virginia farm and was active in 4H and other agricultural activities. She also sang in a choir, modeled and became a star cheerleader in high school. She won two national cheerleading titles at Morehead State University in Kentucky. She has appeared in music videos, commercials and printed work. She works with her husband, Gary, on A Hymn a Week, a popular online devotional.