WASHINGTON - Senator Chuck Grassley of Iowa today released a Government Accountability Office report showing that additional changes are needed to the eligibility requirements for being "actively involved" in farming.  The GAO also wrote in the report that the legislative language in the Senate passed farm bill would be an appropriate fix to the agency's findings.  The report can be found on Grassley's website, grassley.senate.gov.

"The report shows that there is still far too much subterfuge of the actively engaged law.  For instance, taxpayers are footing the bill for farm payments to 11 active managers of one farm, who supposedly provide significant management experience, yet perform no labor," Grassley said.  "The loophole has been allowed to stand for too long.  It's time to close it once and for all and put the issue to rest so we can maintain a safety net for the farmers who really need it."

Grassley said that the conferees to the farm bill should take notice of the report and take a hands off approach to the provisions in both the House and Senate bills

"This is just one more reason that my payment limits provisions included in the Senate and House bills -- placing a hard cap on farm payments and closing loopholes that allow non-farmers to game the system -- should stay untouched," Grassley said.

The report reviewed the Farm Service Agency's compliance reviews of farming operation members' claimed contributions of active personal management and personal labor.  The GAO report also examines the Farm Service Agency's state offices' timeliness in completing and reporting compliance reviews and the results.

Specifically, GAO recommended, "Congress should consider modifying the definition of significant contributions of management activities, either as it did in recent deliberations on reauthorizing the farm bill or in other ways designed to make contributions more clear and objective."

The legislative language in the farm bill mirrors Grassley's Farm Program Integrity Act of 2013. The bill would define clearly the scope of people who are able to qualify as actively engaged by only providing management for the farming operation.  The allows only one off-farm manager, which will help the Department of Agriculture crack down on the general partnerships that have multiple non-farmers trying to qualify for farm payments by exploiting the management loophole.

Here are several highlights of the report.  The report can also be found here.

• Farm Service Agency officials consistently said current 'actively engaged' regulations are too vague to enforce in a meaningful way.

• Farms organized as general partnerships receive the most in payments and have the highest percentage of members receiving payments based on 'active personal management only.'  General partnerships with 11 or more individual members received 84 percent of their farm payments based on members contributing 'active personal management only.'

• Operations that have members determined out of compliance at the local level for not being able to demonstrate adequate knowledge to contribute 'active personal management' have appealed the decisions to the state and federal levels and won because they have time to prepare the individual in question.  In one instance, an individual was still allowed to receive farm payments after failing two interviews with state and local USDA officials.  The individual finally persuaded a national official in the third attempt that they had adequate knowledge of the farming operation.

• A farm in the Midwest which received roughly $400,000 in payments for 2012 was organized as a general partnership with six corporations and 11 individual members of the same family who ranged in age from 18-88.  Publicly available data indicated two of the individuals, including the 88 year-old, lived in South Florida and claimed 'active personal management only' for eligibility purposes.

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Children are invited to Brucemore for a festive and memorable evening of holiday tradition?Santa, Snacks, and Stories on Sunday, December 1 and Tuesday, December 3 from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. The Mansion's holiday décor and the estate's seasonal spirit add to the evening's activities. In the Visitor Center, children will be delighted by caroling and a snack making station. In the Mansion, children will participate in a craft, listen to holiday stories, and give Santa their wish-lists. In between activities, children and parents are invited to view the first and second floors of the Mansion and to ask any questions to the available stationary guides.

Admission is $7 per child and $5 per child of a Brucemore member. One adult is free per child admission; each additional adult is $5.  Space is limited; purchase tickets online at www.brucemore.org or by calling (319) 362-7375. Santa, Snacks, and Stories is sponsored by US Bank.

Experience Brucemore, an unparalleled blend of tradition and culture, located at 2160 Linden Drive SE, Cedar Rapids, Iowa. At the heart of the historic 26-acre estate stands a nineteenth-century mansion filled with the stories of three Cedar Rapids families.  Concerts, theater, programs, and tours enliven the site and celebrate the heritage of a community.  For more information, call (319) 362-7375 or visit www.brucemore.org.

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Rock Island, IL: The Rock Island Public Library Foundation will offer book-loving guests a tasty way to enjoy "A Night of Roaring Reads" with Food for Thought, a fundraising event from 5:00 pm. to 7:30 pm on Thursday, November 14 at the Rock Island Main Library, 401 19th Street, Rock Island.

A Night of Roaring Reads transforms the historic library into a jazz-age night spot for dining, socializing and bidding on books signed by best-selling authors. Admission includes food stations from guest chefs, complimentary beverages, and jazz music by Edgar Crockett & friends.

Guests also enjoy a private night at the library, with dining at six food stations, including selections from Martha Cleaveland of Blue Cat Brew Pub, Eudell Watts, III, of Eudell's Specialty Foods,Chef Craig Joos of Rock Island Hy-Vee and Chef Kyle, of Doc's Inn in Silvis. Complimentary beverages include wine tasting selections personally selected by Thad Miller, craft brew samples from Dan Cleaveland of the Blue Cat Brew Pub, soft drinks and coffee. A silent auction includes bidding on more than 30 signed books, as well as unique gift items and packages from local businesses.

The 9th annual fundraiser helps the Rock Island Public Library Foundation fulfill requests for special programs and projects that are outside the Rock Island Library's normal operating budget. Foundation dollars support special purchases of materials and equipment as well as programs and beautification projects.

The Main Library will be open to Food for Thought guests only that night, with admission payable at the door by cash, check or credit. Guests who RSVP in advance receive preferred admission prices of $30 for one or $55 for two. Without an RSVP, admission is $35 at the door per person. RSVPS are requested by Nov. 6.

To RSVP, please call Foundation secretary Amy Penry at 309-732-7302 or email penry.amy@rigov.org. Donations to the 501c3 Rock Island Library Foundation are tax-deductible to the extent allowed by law.

To accommodate the event, the Main Library will close at noon to the public on Nov. 14. The Rock Island 30/31 and Southwest Branches will be open until normal hours.

More information also available on the Support Your Library page at the library website, www.rockislandlibrary.org

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MOLINE, Ill., Oct. 7, 2013 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- QCR Holdings, Inc. (Nasdaq:QCRH) today announced the completion of its previously announced sale of the two Mason City branches of Community National Bank to Clear Lake Bank & Trust Company (Clear Lake Bank & Trust). In the transaction which closed on October 4, 2013, Clear Lake Bank & Trust acquired certain assets and liabilities of the two Mason City branches, including deposits of approximately $62 million and $26 million of loans.

"Clear Lake Bank & Trust has been a downstream correspondent banking partner of QCR Holdings for years, and was looking into expanding its presence into Mason City. We believe this is a great transaction as the mission statements of both organizations focus on recruiting the best people, delivering exceptional customer service, and supporting and building the local communities that they serve," stated Douglas M. Hultquist, President and Chief Executive Officer of QCR Holdings, Inc.

"We are thrilled to be adding a downtown Mason City location to better serve our new and existing Clear Lake Bank & Trust customers," said Mark C. Hewitt, President and Chief Executive Officer, Clear Lake Bank & Trust. "We have been working very hard for several months to ensure a smooth transition for our new customers."


About QCR Holdings, Inc.

QCR Holdings, Inc., headquartered in Moline, Illinois, is a relationship-driven, multi-bank holding company, which serves the Quad City, Cedar Rapids, Rockford, Waterloo, Cedar Falls, and Austin, MN communities through its wholly owned subsidiary banks. Quad City Bank & Trust Company, based in Bettendorf, Iowa commenced operations in 1994, Cedar Rapids Bank & Trust Company, based in Cedar Rapids, Iowa commenced operations in 2001, Rockford Bank & Trust Company, based in Rockford, Illinois commenced operations in 2005, and Community National Bank, based in Waterloo, Iowa commenced operations in 1997, provide full-service commercial and consumer banking and trust and asset management services. Quad City Bank & Trust Company also engages in commercial leasing through its wholly owned subsidiary, m2 Lease Funds, LLC, based in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.


About Community National Bank

Community National Bank, headquartered in Waterloo, Iowa, serves the Waterloo and Cedar Falls, Iowa and Austin, Minnesota markets. Community National Bank commenced operations in 1997 with one location in Waterloo and one in Cedar Falls. Community National Bank will now have four Iowa locations -- two in  Waterloo and two in Cedar Falls. Community Bank, Austin joined in 2004 serving the southern Minnesota region with two locations. In 2012, Community Bank, Austin merged with Community National Bank.  Community National Bancorporation and Community National Bank became a wholly owned subsidiary of QCR Holdings, Inc. on May 13, 2013.


About Clear Lake Bank & Trust

Clear Lake Bank & Trust is a locally owned, financial services institution with offices in Clear Lake, Garner and Mason City, Iowa. Founded in 1934 in Clear Lake, Iowa, Clear Lake Bank & Trust extended its reach into Hancock County with the addition of a Garner office in 1992. In 2007, Clear Lake Bank & Trust opened its third office, located on Mason City's west side.

Special Note Concerning Forward-Looking Statements. This document contains, and future oral and written statements of the companies and their management may contain, forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 with respect to the financial condition, results of operations, plans, objectives, future performance and business of the companies. Forward-looking statements, which may be based upon beliefs, expectations and assumptions of the companies'  management and on information currently available to management, are generally identifiable by the use of words such as "believe," "expect," "anticipate," "predict," "suggest," "appear," "plan," "intend," "estimate," "annualize," "may," "will," "would," "could," "should" or other similar expressions. Additionally, all statements in this document, including forward-looking statements, speak only as of the date they are made, and the companies undertake no obligation to update any statement in light of new information or future events.

A number of factors, many of which are beyond the ability of the companies to control or predict, could cause actual results to differ materially from those in its forward-looking statements. These factors include, among others, the following: (i) the strength of the local and national economy; (ii) changes in state and federal laws, regulations and governmental policies concerning the companies' general business, including the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act and the regulations to be issued thereunder; (iii) changes in interest rates and prepayment rates of the companies' assets; (iv) increased competition in the financial services sector and the inability to attract new customers; (v) changes in technology and the ability to
develop and maintain secure and reliable electronic systems; (vi) the loss of key executives or employees; (vii) changes in consumer spending; (viii) unexpected outcomes of existing or new litigation involving the companies; (ix) the economic impact of any future terrorist threats and attacks, and the response of the United States to any such threats and attacks; and (x) changes in accounting policies and practices. These risks and uncertainties should be considered in evaluating forward-looking statements and undue reliance should not be placed on such statements.