(DES MOINES) - Gov. Terry Branstad and Lt. Gov. Kim Reynolds, in conjunction with Sen. Tom Harkin, today announced that they will co-host a forum on "Empowering Individuals with Disabilities through Employment" on October 17, 2013.

"This forum will provide a great opportunity to bring together business leaders, individuals with disabilities and various stakeholders to share best practices and highlight individuals with disabilities who have excelled in the workforce or successfully started their own business," said Gov. Branstad.

"This event will explore avenues to enable all Iowans an opportunity to contribute in the workplace and to help create jobs and grow family incomes throughout our state," said Lt. Gov. Reynolds. "We look forward to learning from business leaders who have established best practices for training, hiring, and retaining individuals with disabilities as an important part of their strategy to improve their business's bottom line."

Branstad added: "Senator Harkin has been a long-time advocate for individuals with disabilities and we look forward to co-hosting this discussion on empowering individuals with disabilities through employment."

"Individuals with disabilities throughout Iowa are an untapped resource," said Senator Tom Harkin (D-IA), Chairman of the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee.  "We should work together to ensure their abilities, skills, and knowledge are put to work for the betterment of all Iowans.  I commend the Governor and Lt. Governor for bringing this conversation to our state. "

Further details on the event follow:

Thursday, Oct. 17, 2013

11 a.m. - 1 p.m. Gov. Branstad, Lt. Gov. Reynolds, and Sen. Harkin host forum on "Empowering Individuals with Disabilities through Employment."

FFA Enrichment Center

1055 SW Prairie Trail Parkway

Ankeny, IA

*Note: There will be resource information on display an hour before (10 a.m. - 11 a.m.) and one hour after (1 p.m. - 2 p.m.) the official discussions.

RSVP: There is no cost to attend, but for planning purposes, interested individuals are asked to RSVP to Megan.OMalley@iowa.gov or via phone at 515.725.3533 by Monday, October 14, 2013.

Background: Join business leaders, individuals with disabilities and various stakeholders for two panels as we explore best practices for employing persons with disabilities and improving the bottom line of Iowa businesses.  The panel discussions will provide an opportunity to hear directly from employers, individuals with disabilities who have excelled in the workforce, and individuals with disabilities who have successfully started their own businesses.  Learn about best practices, resources, and strategies for recruitment, accommodations, retention and advancement, as well as the benefits of employing individuals with disabilities.  By empowering individuals with disabilities through employment we can all take steps to create jobs and grow family incomes.  David Mitchell, the Administrator of Iowa Vocational Rehabilitation, will moderate two panel discussions with various stakeholders, including additional state leaders.  In addition, businesses and support organizations will share information on best practices and available resources.  Specific objectives of the forum will be to renew a discussion to:

• Encourage and Inspire Individuals with Disabilities to Help Get More Iowans Working
• Engage Business Community to Take Next Steps to Empower Individuals with Disabilities
• Show How Businesses Can Strengthen Their Bottom Line by Hiring Individuals with Disabilities
• Motivate Relevant Stakeholders to Redouble Efforts
• Highlight Success Stories of Individuals in the Workplace
• Highlight Individuals Who Have Started Their Own Business
• Highlight Businesses Who Have Provided Leadership and Developed Best Practices
• Clarify Existing Resources for Businesses to Leverage
• Discuss Challenges and Solicit Recommendations to Overcome Challenges

Accommodations: If you are a person with a disability and need a reasonable accommodation to participate, please contact Heidi Smith, Heidi.Smith@iowa.gov, 515-725-2816 by 4:30 p.m. Thursday, October 10, 2013.

Policymakers, agriculture lenders, agriculture suppliers and producers all grow nervous when commodity prices, land values and input cost become volatile. Add in prevented and late planting this spring with drought conditions for good measure and you have plenty of excitement to manage for the 2014 farming year. Managing increased cost and decreasing margins is an area where today's producer turns to their lender, input supplier, Extension, neighbor, and other agricultural business professionals for advice.

To gather the research based information you need to advise clients and make crucial agricultural decisions, register to attend Iowa State University Extension's 2013 Pro-Ag Outlook workshop at the Cedar County Extension Office on Thursday, November 7th. Registration begins at 3:45 PM. Dr. Chad Hart, ISU Extension Grain Marketing Specialist, will be discussing the supply and demand situation for grains. Another workshop speaker will be Lee Schultz, ISU Extension Livestock Marketing specialist. Lee will review the profit potential and survival techniques in the livestock sector. Ryan Drollette, Extension Farm Management Specialist will give an update of the Land Tenure Survey and other farm management topics. The new CSR2 land quality ratings will be discussed by Jim Jensen, Extension Farm Management Specialist.

This workshop will prepare participants to make those important production decisions this winter. Advance registration is recommended by calling the Johnson County Extension Office at 319-337-2145. Registration includes workshop materials, breaks and a meal. Registration starts at 3:45 PM, and the meeting concludes about 8:30 PM.

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44th Annual Celebration of Pioneer Bridge Builders

On October 12^th & 13^th, 2013 the 44^th Anniversary of the Madison County Covered Bridge Festival will be celebrated in Winterset, Iowa, with the theme "The Bridges are Calling".

"The Festival will take place in Winterset, Iowa, during the season when the wooded hills are ablaze with color! Designed to give visitors a glimpse of life in Madison County before the turn of the 20^th century, the setting of the Festival and the bridges throughout the county are an artist's paradise and a camera bug's heaven!" (Quoting from the first Covered Bridge Festival brochure in 1970)

What was true forty-four years ago, in 1970, is still true today! Our six 130+year-old covered bridges are one of the main attractions and centerpieces of the Covered Bridge Festival. Guided bus-tours sponsored by the Winterset Rotarians are offered throughout the weekend, with stops at a few of the bridges. Many Tour Directors bring groups to Madison County all year-long to experience a "Storybook Tour", which is packed full of history lessons about the making of the movie "Bridges of Madison County", filmed in 1994.

You will also find live demonstrations featuring the following sheep shearing; glass jewelry making, woodcarving, as well as a cannon demonstration, pony rides and competitions such as an "Old Fashioned Spelling Bee" at the Festival. Along with wonderful artisan booths, local storytellers embody famous persons who relate tales of early Iowa history -- like Susan B. Anthony and 'Uncle' Henry Wallace, two well-known men who each called Winterset 'home', Scavenger hunts and other old-fashioned games, Other activities not to be missed will include penny candy sales, a civil war battle, blacksmith shop demonstrations, old-fashioned one-room-school lessons, and horse-drawn wagon rides - all taking place at the Madison County Historical Complex.

Sunday events not to be missed include the 28^th Annual Madison County Car Show put on by the Central Iowa Car Club, as well as the historically anticipated Covered Bridge Festival Parade, organized by the Winterset Lions Club. Please note that this year's car show location has changed and will now take place at Washington Street and South 2^nd Avenue.

A collectable coin is struck each year commemorating a local historic structure. This year the Roseman Bridge - Madison County's most famous and beloved covered bridge - is featured in a commemorative fashion. Coins are available for purchase at the Chamber of Commerce office and at the Festival for $6 each.

The two-day festival hours are 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Saturday and Sunday, October 12^th & 13^th, 2013. There will be a festival grounds admission fee of $2 each day (children 11 & under being free). Parking is free with shuttle services to outlying lots and various other Festival venues.

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For more information or to schedule an interview, please call the Madison County Chamber of Commerce at 515-462-1185 or visit the website: www.madisoncounty.com to find maps and photos of the Festival. The mailing address is 73 Jefferson, Winterset, IA 50273.

The world-famous Madison County Covered Bridge Festival is held on October's second full weekend annually.