Governor Volunteers at Greater Chicago Food Depository to Prepare Holiday Meals

CHICAGO - Governor Pat Quinn today visited the Greater Chicago Food Depository to help volunteers prepare holiday meals and emphasize the importance of supporting Illinois' food banks this holiday season and throughout the year. The state's eight food banks help provide nutritious meals and food to families in need. According to Feeding Illinois, there are currently more than 1.9 million people across the state who do not have access to nutritious food.

"No family should ever go hungry in Illinois," Governor Quinn said. "As we spend time with our families this week to give thanks for what we have, I encourage people across Illinois to make a difference by volunteering or donating to their local food bank throughout the year."

The Greater Chicago Food Depository is a not-for-profit food distribution and training center providing food for hungry people while striving to end hunger in local communities. Last year, the Food Depository distributed 66 million pounds of shelf-stable food, fresh produce, and meat, the equivalent of 150,000 meals every day. For more information about how to volunteer or donate food to the Greater Chicago Food Depository, visit ChicagoFoodBank.org.

Feeding Illinois, the state food bank association, has provided meals to more than 1.4 million people in need. In 2011, the association's network of 2,000 pantries, soup kitchens and shelters distributed 120 million pounds of food to residents throughout the state. To find out more about hunger in your community or how to help food banks across the state, visit FeedingIllinois.org.

In 2012, Governor Quinn helped launch the "No Kid Hungry" campaign to help end childhood hunger across Illinois by using proven strategies. In 2011, Governor Quinn appointed the first members to the Illinois Commission to End Hunger with the goal of exploring how Illinois can overcome barriers and develop sustainable policies and programs to effectively end hunger in the state. Since 2011, the No Kid Hungry network has helped bring more than 34 million additional meals to kids who need them and created ways to replicate that success throughout the country.

In addition, the Governor today announced a holiday food drive in the James R. Thompson Center (100 W. Randolph St.) in Chicago. Beginning on Nov. 27, there will be a food donation box in the Thompson Center next to the Christmas tree and menorah. All donations at the Thompson Center will go directly to the Greater Chicago Food Depository.

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Welcome to The Iowa Dish!
With the holiday season fast approaching, and the Thanksgiving dinner with all the trimmings just a few days way, we're excited to share our latest e-newsletter, The Iowa Dish.

When entering our recent "Iowa Farmers Feed Us" grocery giveaway, you told us that you were interested in learning more about food and farming in the state.

Our goal with "The Iowa Dish" is to spark a conversation about how our food is grown and raised, and to introduce the Iowa farmers who work to feed families here at home and abroad. Plus, we'll serve up quick bites on food safety, nutrition and meal trends. And of course, we'll share some of our favorite in-season recipes.

We've got a lot more recipes and information to share as well as future contests, so please look for our semi-monthly e-newsletter in your email inbox. We look forward to dishin' with you about Iowa food and farming.

Teresa Bjork, sr. features writer, Iowa Farm Bureau

Let's Talk Turkey
While Thanksgiving turkeys get all the attention this time of year, Americans actually eat more turkey year-round nowadays compared to our grandparent's generation.

Here in Iowa, our farmers are on the leading edge of the deli turkey trend. Read more.

USDA Organic

What do the labels mean?
If you're into bargain shopping, then you are probably checking out the grocery store ads right now, trying to find the best deal on a Thanksgiving turkey. Is it worth paying more for a "gourmet" bird with all the labels? Read more.

Sizzlin' Trend: Turkey on the Grill

With the growing popularity of year-round outdoor cooking, more Americans are planning to grill, smoke or deep-fry their turkeys this year to free up oven space for their favorite Thanksgiving sides. Read more.

HOT TOPIC
Antibiotics: Is Meat Safe? Find out more here.

ASK TERESA
Do you have a question or topic that you would like me to cover in a future issue of The Iowa Dish? Drop me a note here.

DES MOINES, IA (11/26/2013)(readMedia)-- State Treasurer Michael L. Fitzgerald wants to encourage online shoppers to give the gift of college savings this Cyber Monday. "In as little as 10 minutes you can give one of the most meaningful gifts a child may receive this holiday season, a College Savings Iowa account," Fitzgerald said. "In addition to making a great gift, College Savings Iowa offers tax benefits to the participant as well."

Iowa taxpayers can deduct contributions up to $3,045 per beneficiary from their 2013 adjusted gross income, and there are no income or residency restrictions.* To take advantage of this great tax-savings opportunity, investors can contribute online at collegesavingsiowa.com by December 31, 2013. If the contribution is being mailed, checks must be postmarked by December 31, 2013.

. Also Like College Savings Iowa on Facebook and Follow the Plan on Twitter (@Iowa529Plan) to stay up to date on all current news and giveaways.

* Adjusted annually for inflation. If withdrawals are not qualified, the deductions must be added back to Iowa taxable income.

**Earnings on non-qualified withdrawals may be subject to federal income tax and a 10% federal penalty tax, as well as state income taxes. The availability of tax or other benefits may be contingent on meeting other requirements.

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Investment returns are not guaranteed and you could lose money by investing in the plan. Participants assume all investment risks as well as the responsibility for any federal and state tax consequences. If you are not an Iowa taxpayer, consider before investing whether your or the designated beneficiary's home state offers any state tax or other benefits that are only available for investments in such state's qualified tuition program.

For more information about the College Savings Iowa 529 Plan, call 1-888-672-9116, or visit www.collegesavingsiowa.com to obtain a Program Description. Investment objectives, risks, charges, expenses, and other important information are included in the Program Description; read and consider it carefully before investing. Vanguard Marketing Corporation, Distributor.

College Savings Iowa is an Iowa trust sponsored by the Iowa State Treasurer's Office. The Treasurer of the State of Iowa sponsors and is responsible for overseeing the administration of the College Savings Iowa 529 Plan. The Vanguard Group, Inc., serves as Investment Manager and Vanguard Marketing Corporation, an affiliate of The Vanguard Group, Inc., assists the Treasurer with marketing and distributing the Plan. Upromise Investment Advisors, LLC, provides records administration services. The Plan's portfolios, although they invest in Vanguard mutual funds, are not mutual funds.

Important for soybean farmers to support their No. 1 customer, major economic driverST. LOUIS (Nov. 26, 2013) - U.S. animal agriculture's consumption of U.S. soybean meal increased by 1 million tons, or the meal from 42 million bushels of soybeans, in the 2011/12 marketing year, according to a soy-checkoff-funded report. This is good news for soybean farmers since domestic animal agriculture uses about 97 percent of the U.S. soybean meal consumed in the United States.

Despite this welcomed increase, the report concluded that U.S. soybean farmers shouldn't let their support for the animal ag industry weaken. Animal ag farmers face pressures like rising feed costs and dwindling U.S.- consumer demand. Because animal ag continues to be U.S. soybean farmers' No. 1 customer, these pressures also threaten the profitability of all soybean farmers, the report said.

"The success of the U.S. soybean industry relies on the strength of the U.S. animal agriculture industry," says Mike Beard, a checkoff farmer-leader who grows soybeans and raises hogs on his farm in Frankfort, Ind. "The best way we can support our customers and ensure they remain competitive is with better-quality soybeans."

The report, titled the National Animal Agriculture Economic Analysis, also outlined the economic benefits the poultry and livestock sectors provide at the state and national levels. In 2012, animal ag provided the following benefits to the national economy:

• Support for 1.8 million jobs
• $346 billion in total economic output
• A $60 billion impact on household incomes
• $21 billion in income and property taxes paid

Read about animal ag's economic benefits for each state in the full report.

According to the study, U.S. poultry, livestock and fish farmers used more than 30 million tons of soybean meal in the time period measured, or the meal from more than 1.26 billion bushels of U.S. soybeans. Broilers and swine continue to be by far the two biggest soybean-meal consumers. The meal consumption per species breaks down as follows:

• Broiler chickens: the meal from about 476 million bushels of U.S. soybeans
• Hogs: the meal from about 410 million bushels
• Laying hens: the meal from 84 million bushels
• Turkeys: the meal from more than 75 million bushels
• Other: the meal from about 217 million bushels

The 69 farmer-directors of USB oversee the investments of the soy checkoff to maximize profit opportunities for all U.S. soybean farmers. These volunteers invest and leverage checkoff funds to increase the value of U.S. soy meal and oil, to ensure U.S. soybean farmers and their customers have the freedom and infrastructure to operate, and to meet the needs of U.S. soy's customers. As stipulated in the federal Soybean Promotion, Research and Consumer Information Act, the USDA Agricultural Marketing Service has oversight responsibilities for USB and the soy checkoff.

For more information on the United Soybean Board, visit www.unitedsoybean.org
Visit us on Facebook: www.facebook.com/UnitedSoybeanBoard
Follow us on Twitter: www.twitter.com/unitedsoy
View our YouTube channel: www.youtube.com/user/UnitedSoybeanBoard

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