16 Nov 2012

Workshop will focus on Business and Farm Succession Conversations & Planning

By Amanda Heitz
Iowa State University Extension is offering business and farm succession workshops to help business and farm families begin those conversations and start putting transition plans on paper. Gene Mohling, ISU Extension Regional Director, says the Business and Farm Succession Workshops are a result of needs expressed by residents in SE Iowa.

"I hear people express concerns about the future, about whether a spouse will be OK with their goals and about parents or children not knowing what the other plans to do - or when," said Mohling. "As I listen, I hear that the situations involve the whole family - men and women and more than one generation. That is why we are bringing Iowa State University transitioning experts to SE Iowa."

The workshops are planned as a multi-generational event for exiting owners and spouse, and succeeding owners and spouse. The two session workshops will be held on consecutive days to allow for the initiation of conversations and written plans. David Baker and John R. Baker, Beginning Farmer Center Administrator and Attorney at Law, will present the workshops. Workshops are scheduled for Dec. 14-15 at the Washington County Extension Office

Over the two days, participants will review the retirement plan concept and receive information on transfer plans, estate plans and a process for creating a family statement of intention. Family groups will be given time to write a statement of intent and vision of the future. "Families will go home with a blueprint to the future - knowing what they need to do, who they need to talk to, and understanding that the plan may need to be adjusted along the way."

Pre-registration can be made by contacting the Washington County Extension Office at 319-653-4811 or email Nancy Adrian at nadrian@iastate.edu. This program is sponsored in part by Farm Credit Services.

For more information about the workshop contact the hosting county offices. Additional information about the Beginning Farmer Center is available online at www.extension.iastate.edu/bfc/ , by e-mailing bfc@iastate.edu, or calling 877-BFC-1999. The Beginning Farmer Center is backed by 20 years of research and experience helping farmers with transition plans.

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16 Nov 2012

Maggie Brown Blues in the Schools Nov. 26-30--Updated

By MVBS

Maggie Brown Returns to the Quad Cities for Blues in the Schools November 26-30

Chicago singer and educator Maggie Brown will be the MVBS Blues in the Schools artist-in residence in Quad City area schools during the week of November 26-30. She will also appear at four open-to-the-public performances:

  • Monday Nov. 26, 6:30 p.m.–Davenport Public Library Eastern Ave. Branch, 6000 Eastern Ave., Davenport
  • Wednesday Nov. 28, 10:00-11:00 a.m.–CASI, 1035 W. Kimberly, Davenport
  • Thursday Nov. 29, 7:00-9:00 p.m.–River Music Experience Café , 2nd and Main, Davenport
  • Friday Nov. 30, 6:00-7:00 p.m.–Bucktown Center for the Arts, Studio 56 at suite 201-B, 225 E. 2nd Street, Davenport

The MVBS Education Committee was introduced to Maggie Brown originally when Nate Lawrence brought her to Davenport for the Polyrhythms Third Sunday Jazz program at the River Music Experience.  We were so impressed with her performance that we asked Maggie to come back to conduct three days of workshops for kids the week of the 2012 BluesFest, and then to bring those kids and her talent to BlueSKool at the festival.

Maggie Brown is a tremendously talented singer and performer using her gift to not only entertain, but educate as well. Maggie is the daughter of the late Oscar Brown, Jr. a world renowned composer, social activist, and legendary giant of the jazz music scene. Mr. Brown passed on his artistic integrity to his daughter, who now uses her own voice to create images that excite and inspire. For 20 years, Maggie has nationally toured her one-woman show, "LEGACY: Our Wealth of Music," which follows the history and evolution of African American music and covers a wide range of musical forms.

Mother of three young boys, Maggie sees the need to work through the arts to make an impact on young lives. Her message fosters care and respect for words, music, history and life. Maggie describes what she does as "edutainment."  She calls on all of her talents to demonstrate how black people courageously and virtuously responded to the horrors of slavery, segregation and disenfranchisement by creating inspiring and thriving art forms which have become part of our American cultural heritage.

Maggie is called upon by various arts organizations and schools to serve as artist-in-residence.  Maggie enjoys using those classroom opportunities to engage young minds with poetry and songs that help them recognize and hopefully value their place in the world. Tracing the history of African-American creativity, Maggie examines the roots of black musical culture and its greatest flowerings, from African chant to early ragtime, from blues to jazz.

Major funding for Maggie Brown`s Blues in the Schools residency comes from the Riverboat Development Authority.  Thanks also to our sponsors The Iowa Arts Council, The Moline Foundation, Alcoa, The Lodge, River Music Experience, and KALA radio.

16 Nov 2012

Grassley has cast 11,000 votes in U.S. Senate

By Grassley Press

Working for Iowa puts Grassley on list with 23 others in Senate history

WASHINGTON - Senator Chuck Grassley has cast his 11,000 Senate vote.  Only 23 senators in history have cast more votes than Grassley.

In addition, no senator serving today has gone as long as Grassley has without missing a vote.  Grassley has cast 6,473 consecutive votes.

"Not missing votes is a way to demonstrate respect for the public trust I hold in representing Iowans and to do the job I'm elected to do," Grassley said.  "When the Senate's in session, I'm in Washington voting, and when the Senate is out of session, I'm in Iowa holding meetings with constituents."

Click here for comments made this afternoon by Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, Republican Leader Mitch McConnell, and Senator Tom Harkin of Iowa.  Grassley's 11,000th vote was last evening.

Since Grassley was elected to the U.S. Senate in 1980, he has held at least one official meeting in every one of Iowa's 99 counties every year.  He calls the process of representative government a two-way street.  "I have a responsibility to go to Iowans to ask for their views and answer their questions, and they have a responsibility to let me know what they think.  I want to foster that process, and going to every county every year is a way to do so."

In the Senate, Grassley is the Ranking Member of the Senate Committee on the Judiciary.  He is a senior member and former Chairman and Ranking Member of the Committee on Finance.  He serves on the Agriculture and Budget committees and co-chairs the Caucus on International Narcotics Control.

Grassley is committed to congressional oversight of the executive branch of government.  His efforts have been recognized by whistleblower advocacy and government reform groups and journalist organizations for protecting press freedom and the First Amendment.  He fights for transparency in government and wherever tax dollars flow.

Grassley's legislative record of achievement includes expansive tax relief and reform, approval of international trade agreements, renewable energy and conservation incentives, farm program reforms, rural health care fairness, Medicare modernization, adoption and foster care incentives, access to health care for children with disabilities, updates to patent and trademark laws, expanded consumer access to generic drugs, measures to fight fraud against taxpayers, whistleblower protections, pension program reforms, bankruptcy reform, and making certain that members of Congress live under civil rights, labor and health care laws passed for the rest of the country.

Grassley is the eighth most senior member of the U.S. Senate and the fourth most senior Republican senator.

Other senators currently serving who have cast more than 11,000 votes are Senators Max Baucus of Montana, Thad Cochran of Mississippi, Orrin Hatch of Utah, Daniel Inouye of Hawaii, Patrick Leahy of Vermont, Carl Levin of Michigan, and Richard Lugar of Indiana.

Since 1789, there have been nearly 2,000 members of the U.S. Senate.  The last vote Grassley missed was in July 1993, when he accompanied President Bill Clinton to Iowa to inspect flood damage.

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16 Nov 2012

Federal Jury Convicts Former President of Iowa Association of Mortgage Brokers of 18 Mortgage Fraud Charges

By Randy Stalsberg
Paul Kramer Placed Innocent Homeowners, Including an Iraqi Refugee, at Risk of Foreclosure by Failing to Pay Off Prior Mortgages When the Homeowners Bought or Refinanced Their Properties Through His Brokerage and Closing Companies.

DES MOINES, IA - Paul Kramer, age 42, of Granger, Iowa, was found guilty today by a federal jury of 18 counts of wire fraud and bank fraud in connection with multi-million dollar mortgage fraud schemes that resulted in innocent homeowners, including a refugee from Iraq and his family, nearly losing their homes to foreclosure. Kramer is the former President of the Iowa Association of Mortgage Brokers and owned a mortgage brokerage, Kramer Mortgage Company, and closing company, Iowa Closing & Escrow, at the time of the fraud. The jury did not acquit Kramer on any counts.

The same jury convicted Lane Anderson, age 38, of Altoona, Iowa, of two counts of conspiring with Kramer to commit bank and wire fraud. The wire fraud conspiracy involved Kramer and Anderson working together to obtain nearly $1.5 million in mortgage loans using the name and credit score of a contractor who did not actually qualify for the loans and who, in fact, had earned only about $2,000 per month the year prior to the loans. Anderson was not acquitted on any counts.

Trial evidence established that Anderson opened a development company in 2006 that planned to purchase, renovate, and re-sell homes. Kramer provided short-term loans to Anderson's company to purchase the homes and pay for the renovation work. However, by late 2006, Anderson's company was unable to find buyers for the homes and thus unable to repay the loans from Kramer. Anderson and Kramer therefore had one of Anderson's business partners, a contractor, take out 13 long-term mortgage loans in his name from 8 different lenders totaling nearly $1.5 million. The loan applications for the 13 homes contained false statements regarding the contractor's income, assets, liabilities, source of down payment, source of income, and other matters. Anderson and Kramer obtained the loans in rapid succession and used many different lenders so that no single lender would be aware of all the other loans being taken out at the same time. Kramer then had his closing company close the loans despite false notarizations and false closing documents.

Trial evidence further established that in April 2007 Anderson and Kramer began a check-kiting conspiracy in which they would trade checks of up to $75,000 from accounts that had less than $10,000 in real funds. One of the accounts had only $20.17 in it at the time a $75,000 check was written. However, by circling checks among numerous different accounts, Anderson and Kramer were able to falsely inflate the balances of the accounts, thus allowing checks from Kramer to third-parties to clear. In May 2007, a West Bank security officer noticed the check activity and closed Anderson's account.

Following the closing of Anderson's bank account, Kramer began to take funds from the Trust Account of the closing company he owned, Iowa Closing & Escrow, to use for business expenses of his mortgage brokerage, Kramer Mortgage Company. The funds in the Trust Account belonged to lenders and homeowners and should have been used to pay off mortgages in connection with real estate transactions. However, on numerous occasions from 2007 to 2009, Kramer transferred money to his brokerage from the Trust Account, sometimes in amounts of more than $250,000 in a single month.

At first, Kramer repaid the amounts he took out of the Trust Account relatively quickly.

Over time, however, the repayments became less frequent and thus a large deficit developed in the Trust Account. This put unwitting homeowners who used Kramer's closing company at risk of having old mortgages on their properties not paid off.

Kramer tried to fill the deficit in the Trust Account with mortgage payoff money he was supposed to give to US Bank in connection with a line of credit. Those actions created a new set of problems, however, as the mortgage payoffs related to homes on which US Bank held liens.

By putting money into the Trust Account instead of paying off US Bank, Kramer put the families who owned those homes at risk of foreclosure from US Bank.

Kramer's scheme culminated in September 2009 when Mohamed Rheem used Kramer's closing company for the closing of his purchase of a home in West Des Moines. Rheem and his family lived in Baghdad, Iraq, until 2008 but left the country because of violence and threats from insurgents who were angry that Rheem had assisted the United States Army. The family arrived in Iowa in March 2008 as refugees, and Rheem quickly found employment with a dry cleaning company. Over the next year-and-a-half, he saved enough money to make a down payment on the purchase of the home - the first and only house he has ever purchased in the United States.

Kramer's closing company was used to close Rheem's purchase of the house. Due to the shortfall in the Trust Account, however, Kramer used the proceeds of Rheem's new mortgage loan to pay off other mortgages that should have been paid off earlier in connection with other closings. The old mortgage on Rheem's home was ultimately never paid off, resulting in Rheem spending approximately two years in foreclosure proceedings.

Kramer paid himself large sums of money from his brokerage throughout the year 2009,  including a $50,000 payment to himself the day before the Rheem closing. In total, Kramer misapplied millions of dollars in mortgage payoffs over the course of the scheme and his actions resulted in at least five families not having clean title to their homes.

Kramer and Anderson will be sentenced in March 2013. Each count of wire fraud, conspiracy to commit wire fraud, bank fraud, and conspiracy to commit bank fraud is punishable by a term of imprisonment of up to 30 years and a fine of up to $1 million. In addition, Kramer and Anderson will have to make restitution to the victims of their crimes.

This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and prosecuted by the United States Attorney's Office for the Southern District of Iowa.

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16 Nov 2012

Simon to promote anti-texting pledge

By Kara Beach

PALATINE - Lt. Governor Sheila Simon will challenge Harper College students on Thursday to sign an online pledge not to text and drive. Simon, the governor's point person on education reform, is visiting community colleges across the state this fall to urge commuter students to practice safe texting.

AT&T's "It Can Wait" campaign aims to educate drivers on the dangers of texting while driving. Nationwide, drivers are 23 times more likely to get in an accident if they text while driving. In the first half of 2011 in Illinois, cell phone distractions were the cause of more than 500 crashes. Simon took the "It Can Wait" pledge in September.

"Texting is one of the leading causes of distracted driving, an epidemic that causes far too many accidents and deaths on our roadways," Simon said. "There is no text message important enough to risk your life - it can wait."


16 Nov 2012

Nash Gallery Exhibit Opens on December 7th

By Paula Neuhaus
[DUBUQUE, IA] Nash Gallery will host an opening reception for artist Edward Obermueller's new collection entitled HORIZONS on Friday, December 7 from 7-9 p.m., 489 West Fourth Street in Cable Car Square. The exhibit features impressionist landscapes and cityscapes with many local scenes, as well as a brand new series of "horizons" or abstracted landscapes. "I am drawn to
the deep horizon," Obermueller says, "The looking outward toward possibilities, the play of light, depth, and color, and the spiritual meaning these can bring. I love placing architectural and figural forms into a landscape and exploring how the geometric lines and organic lines and shapes interact with each other."

Nash Gallery gives the Dubuque County Fine Arts Society a meaningful presence in downtown Dubuque's cultural district and serves as a creative hub for the organization and its affiliates. The gallery's programming supports the mission of DCFAS to encourage, promote, and present local and regional arts by providing an exhibition space and network for emerging and
pioneering artists.

The artist will offer a gallery talk at 8 p.m. during the opening reception. HORIZONS will be on exhibition through February 8, 2013 with weekend gallery hours on Saturdays 10 a.m.-3 p.m. and Sundays from 11-3 p.m. and by appointment. For more details visit www.dcfas.org.

This exhibit is made possible in part by funding from Art Gumbo Dubuque.
16 Nov 2012

Lights, Parade and Magic Will Liven Up Holiday Season in St. Louis

By Donna Andrews

ST. LOUIS - With several festive and fun events taking prominence on the holiday calendar, the upcoming weeks are going to be a whirlwind of activity in St. Louis.

Lights Will Delight

From 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. Friday, Nov. 16, the Macy's Festival of Lights officially kicks off the season at Kiener Plaza in downtown St. Louis. There will be festive performances, fun characters for the kids, the lighting of the huge Christmas tree, downtown lights, a fireworks show and a visit from Santa.

After the lighting of the tree, the fun continues at Macy's Holiday Open House. Located inside Macy's Downtown St. Louis, the open house will feature a holiday sing-along with Baker's Songs for Children, Christmas cookie decorating with Schnucks Bakery, face painters, jugglers, a magician, holiday crafts, giveaways, and, of course, Santa himself!

A Thanksgiving Day Tradition

Celebrating its 28th year, the 2012 Ameren Missouri Thanksgiving Day Parade will step off at 8:45 a.m. on Thursday, November 22 from the corner of Washington Avenue and Fourth Street in downtown St. Louis. The parade will be broadcast live on KMOV-TV Channel 4's "Great Day St. Louis."

The annual Ameren Missouri Thanksgiving Day Parade is hosted by Christmas in St. Louis along with presenting sponsor Ameren Missouri. The parade charitable recipients are the Joshua Chamberlain Society www.chamberlainsociety.org and the National Children's

Cancer Society http://www.thenccs.org/. Honorary grand marshals are Jackie Joyner-Kersee (Olympic champion), Jeffrey P. Bonner (President and CEO of the Saint Louis Zoo) and Adrian E. Bracy (Chief Executive Officer for the YWCA Metro St. Louis).

Magic Time in St. Louis

St. Louis Holiday Magic is a holiday tradition coming to the America's Center on November 23-25. McDonalds is the presenting sponsor.

Once again, the show will be a popular destination for families in search of shopping and entertainment options such as: hands-on arts and crafts projects; trackless train rides; live music and dance performances; full-scale carnival rides; and photo opportunities with Santa and Snowflake.

Produced by the St. Louis Convention & Visitors Commission, Holiday Magic is a unique shopping and entertainment destination for families throughout the region. For more information, visit www.stlouisholidaymagic.com.

Historic Holiday Kick Off

It will be an historic holiday season as the National Park Service presents a series of festive events starting with two November 23 concerts by the St. Louis Brass Quintet and The Caroling Party.  Other events include The St. Louis Holiday Historic House Tour on November 29, Historic Holiday Noon Concert (every Wednesday, November 28-December 19), the 772 St. Louis Holiday Program December 8, the 1812 St. Louis Holiday Program December 15, the 1862 St. Louis Holiday Program December 22, and the 150th Anniversary of the Emancipation Proclamation December 31. All events, except the St. Louis Holiday Historic House Tour, are free. For more information, visit http://www.nps.gov/jeff/planyourvisit/events.htm.

U.S. Capitol Christmas Tree at Dome

In conjunction with the St. Louis Rams vs. New York Jets game, the U.S. Capitol Christmas Tree, en route to Washington, D.C., will be on display outside the Edward Jones Dome from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. on November 18. For more information, please visit explorestlouis.com.

Alternative Transportation

With extended hours of operation and additional trains to accommodate holiday events, MetroLink metrostlouis.org is a convenient alternative to driving and allows guests to,avoid the cost of parking and traffic. Metro will continue MetroLink service until the downtown stations are cleared after events.

Media Partners

In addition to KMOV-TV, Christmas in St. Louis events are sponsored by Fresh 102.5, Y98, and KMOX.

About Christmas in St. Louis

Christmas in St. Louis christmasinstlouis.org is a non-profit, all-volunteer organization dedicated to promoting activities that inspire people to show their unique holiday spirit while enhancing the texture and heritage of the St. Louis community.  For more information, follow us on facebook.com/ChristmasInStLouis.

16 Nov 2012

Reynolds, Allen hold five additional STEM community conversations

By Office of the Governor of Iowa

(DES MOINES) - Lt. Gov. Kim Reynolds and University of Northern Iowa President Ben Allen today announced a series of community conversations featuring science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) education and economic development that will take place across the state in November and December.

 

This series of community conversations is the second installment. The pair held 14 town hall meetings in September and October seeking feedback on the Governor's STEM Advisory Council priorities as the STEM initiative continues to build across Iowa.

 

The following STEM Community Conversation events are open to the public:

 

Friday, Nov. 16, 2012

 

1 p.m. Lt. Gov. Reynolds and President Allen hold Story County STEM Community Conversation

Reiman Gardens

1407 University Blvd.

Ames, IA

Friday,  Dec. 7, 2012

10 a.m. Lt. Gov. Reynolds and President Allen hold Scott County STEM Community Conversation

Eastern Iowa Community College's Advanced Technology Environmental and Energy Center (EICC ATTEC) - 1st Floor/Mississippi Plaza Building

201 N Harrison

Davenport, IA

1:30 p.m. Lt. Gov. Reynolds and President Allen hold Dubuque County STEM Community Conversation

Best Western Plus Dubuque Hotel - Symposium Room

3100 Dodge St.

Dubuque, IA

Tuesday, Dec. 11, 2012

11 a.m. Lt. Gov. Reynolds and President Allen hold Cass County STEM Community Conversation

Rock Island Depot

102 Chestnut St.

Atlantic, IA

2:30 p.m. Lt. Gov. Reynolds and President Allen hold Pottawattamie County STEM Community Conversation

Iowa Western Community College - Looft Hall - Auditorium

2700 College Road

Council Bluffs, IA

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16 Nov 2012

Treasury nominee on hold over interest rate scandal

By Grassley Press

WASHINGTON -- Sen. Chuck Grassley of Iowa and Sen. Mark Kirk of Illinois today announced they will object to Senate consideration of a Treasury Department nominee over the Treasury Department's lack of a response to the senators' letter seeking an explanation of apparent inaction to stem the dominance and inform the public of a rigged interest rate that affects mortgages, student loans, credit cards and other loans.

"Taxpayers need to know there's a cop on the beat at the Treasury Department, making sure the interest rates they pay on everything from home loans to retirement investments aren't rigged," Grassley said.  "If the attitude of the Treasury Secretary is that it isn't his responsibility to take action or to tell the public, that's going to harm confidence in our financial system and create a lack of certainty."

Grassley placed a statement in the Senate floor record, stating that he and Kirk will object to Senate consideration of Richard Berner to head the Office of Financial Research within the Department of the Treasury.  That office came about through the Dodd-Frank law and is designed to conduct studies and accumulate financial data.  The text of Grassley's statement follows here:

"Mr. President.  I, Senator CHUCK GRASSLEY along with Senator Mark Kirk, intend to object to proceeding to the nomination of Richard Berner to head the Office of Financial Research within the Department of the Treasury.

"We will object to proceeding to the nomination because the Department of the Treasury has refused to respond to a letter Senator Kirk and I sent on October 2, over six weeks ago, regarding the Treasury Secretary's actions when he became aware of the manipulation of the London Interbank Overnight Rate - or LIBOR.  The Department has also refused to provide the documents we requested.

"In addition, my staff has, on several occasions, attempted to schedule briefing times that are convenient for the Department.  The Treasury Department has cancelled each of these briefings and failed to cooperate in rescheduling at a mutually agreeable time.

"Because everything from home mortgages to credit cards was pegged to LIBOR, its manipulation affects almost every American.  Given the widespread effects of this manipulation, it is disturbing to see that the Treasury Department has thus far refused to answer basic questions and provide essential documents.

"It is critical for Congress to be able to ask questions and to have access to administration documents in order to conduct vigorous and independent oversight.  It is unfortunate that this administration, which has pledged to be the most transparent in history, consistently falls short of that goal."

In congressional testimony earlier this year, Geithner said that when as president of the Federal Reserve Bank of New York, he became aware of concerns that the LIBOR rate was being rigged, he deferred to the British central bankers to fix the problem.  Despite those concerns, Geithner appears not to have taken action "to diminish use of this flawed index in U.S. financial markets; to the contrary, Treasury's use of LIBOR has increased," Grassley and Kirk wrote in their Oct. 2 letter to Geithner.

Grassley and Kirk asked Geithner to answer questions including whether the Treasury Department considered the risk to U.S. borrowers, including state, municipal, and local governments facing higher debt burdens as a result of the LIBOR scandal; whether U.S. officials considered the litigation risks to U.S. borrowers in deciding to raise the LIBOR scandal only to the attention of British central banks rather than U.S. lenders and borrowers; and whether the Treasury Department's continued reliance on LIBOR is affecting borrower access to Small Business Administration loans.

Grassley and Kirk concluded, "In the wake of this scandal, we believe that it is essential to undertake steps to consider the creation of an American-based interest rate index. If U.S. investors and borrowers have suffered financial harm from our dependence on an index set in London, they have the right to expect the country's leaders to support better alternatives. Complacency in the wake of losses and lawsuits will diminish both investor and borrower confidence regarding debt securities issued in U.S. financial markets."

The text of the Grassley-Kirk Oct. 2 letter to Geithner is available here.

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16 Nov 2012

Internationally-known animal welfare expert Temple Grandin to speak at IFBF annual meeting

By Heather Lilienthal

WEST DES MOINES, IOWA - Nov. 14, 2012 - Story County Farm Bureau member Bill Couser may be a long-time cattleman and Iowa Farm Bureau member who's been recognized for the innovative methods he uses on his farm and feedlot, but he's quick to point out the mentors in his life.

Temple Grandin, an internationally-known animal welfare expert, is at the top of his list.

Grandin is recognized for her role in many aspects of today's culture; ranging from her work with animal handling systems and livestock welfare to being featured in the HBO Emmy Award-winning movie about her life and experience with autism. TIME Magazine even named her as one of the "100 Most Influential People in the World" in 2010.

Couser can't wait to hear her speak on Wednesday, Dec. 5, at the Iowa Farm Bureau Federation's (IFBF) 94th annual meeting at the Community Choice Credit Union Convention Center (formerly known as Veteran's Auditorium). Grandin will talk about the need for greater transparency in the livestock industry and how to reach out to a growing non-farming audience.

"When I first met her 25 years ago, I was absolutely connected to her messages about low-stress handling of livestock and I took that information to my farm," said Couser. "On my farm, we incorporated her approaches such as quiet areas, avoiding corners when moving animals and not using pain-inducing tools such as shock-inducing sticks called hot shots. It's all about embracing methods that secure the health, comfort and safety of our livestock."

Grandin disagrees with animal rights activists who want to abolish the use of animals for food. Today, her low-stress animal welfare guidelines and systems, which include curved chutes and strict protocol regarding animal stunning and slaughter, are standard among many U.S. meat-packing plants. She works with a number of international retailers including McDonald's, Wendy's, Burger King and is active with the Center for Food Integrity's Animal Care Review Panel.

"All of us cattlemen and livestock farmers are her students. I'm excited to have someone who's had such a profound impact on our industry come and share her knowledge with us and appreciate Farm Bureau bringing her here," said Couser. "When you hear her speak for the first time, you take a step back. She is very frank in her opinions. She tells it like it is. Her delivery is unconventional, refreshing and her message is important for all farmers to hear."

To see the agenda for the IFBF two-day annual meeting, visit www.iowafarmbureau.com and click on the rotating link regarding the event. Farm Bureau members can register through their local county Farm Bureau offices.

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About Iowa Farm Bureau

The Iowa Farm Bureau Federation is a grassroots, statewide organization dedicated to enhancing the People, Progress and Pride of Iowa.  More than 153,000 families in Iowa are Farm Bureau members, working together to achieve farm and rural prosperity.  For more information about Farm Bureau and agriculture, visit the online media center at www.iowafarmbureau.com.

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