15 Aug 2012

Drought Relief

By USDA Office of Communications

The drought of 2012 is the most serious to impact U.S. agriculture since 1988. As of August 15, 2012, Secretary Vilsack has designated 1,670 U.S. counties as natural disaster areas due to severe drought.

While these severe conditions affect all farms in these counties, organic ruminant livestock operations--unless their pasture has access to irrigation--may not be able to meet the organic pasture requirements in the USDA organic regulations.

In addition to USDA's other drought relief efforts, AMS Administrator David Shipman is granting a temporary variance in affected counties to support Secretary Vilsack's efforts to provide relief to affected farmers during this challenging time.

Drought Relief: Organic Ruminant Farmers

Organic ruminant livestock--such as cattle, sheep, and goats--must consume at least 30 percent of their dry matter intake (on average) from certified organic pasture. The rest of their diet must also be certified organic, including hay, grain, and other agricultural products.

 

Due to the severe drought, USDA is granting a temporary variance from these requirements (Sections 205.237(c) and 205.240 of the USDA organic regulations) with the following restrictions:

  • This temporary variance applies only to organic ruminant livestock producers located in counties declared as primary natural disaster areas by Secretary Vilsack.
  • This temporary variance applies to non-irrigated pasture only.
  • Producers must supply at least 15 percent of their dry matter intake (on average) from certified organic pasture.
  • This temporary variance applies to the 2012 calendar year only.

List of Affected Counties

Letter Granting Temporary Variance

USDA Drought Relief Efforts
About Temporary Variances
Temporary variances from the production and handling requirements of the USDA organic regulations may be granted by the Agricultural Marketing Service Administrator for the following reasons:
  • Natural disasters declared by the Secretary
  • Damage caused by severe weather or other business interruption,
  • Practices used for the purpose of conducting research in organic production or handling.
Procedures for requesting temporary variances are described in NOP 2606: Processing Requests for Temporary Variances.  
About the National Organic Program (NOP)

The NOP facilitates trade and ensures integrity of organic agricultural products by consistently implementing organic standards and enforcing compliance with the regulations throughout the world. Learn more.
About the NOP Organic Insider

The NOP Organic Insider is intended to inform the organic community on a wide range of NOP functions, including organic standards, accreditation and international activities, compliance and enforcement, the National Organic Standards Board, training events, and the Cost Share program.

 

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15 Aug 2012

KING'S HARVEST GOLF TOURNAMENT WILL FEATURE TIM DWIGHT AS THE CELEBRITY GUEST GOLFER.

By Rick Martin
King's Harvest Golf Tournament Fundraiser is being held on September 14th at Palmer Hills Golf Course at 2999 Middle Road in Bettendorf, IA. Players will tee off at 8:00 a.m. This tournament will feature former University of Iowa Football great and NFL player Tim Dwight as a celebrity guest golfer. Tim was a wide receiver and return specialist in the NFL for 10 seasons. He played college football for the U of I, and was a two-time All-American. He played professionally for the Falcons, San Diego Chargers, New England Patriots, New York Jets and Oakland Raiders of the NFL. Players in the tournament will be given an opportunity to enter a drawing to play with Tim.

King's Harvest is a non-profit 501c(3) organization that serves the poor and homeless in the Quad Cities and is located in Downtown Davenport. All funds raised will help King's Harvest with their mission of feeding, clothing and sheltering many who have absolutely nothing including our Shelter for Homeless Mothers with Children.

The event includes 18 holes of golf with a cart. It will be a two person best ball format. The event will be followed by a lunch. It is $75.00 a person or $140.00 for a two person team. Entries are due no later than August 30th. Please call Grant Curtis for more information at 563-528-0835 or golf-tournament@mediacombb.net. Help the poor and homeless with a fun day of golf!

If you would like more information about this topic, or to schedule an interview with Anne McVey, Fundraising Coordinator for King's Harvest Ministries, please call 563-508-4170.

If you would like to make a donation to the King's Harvest please visit www.kingsharvest.net and use paypal or mail checks to King's Harvest Ministries at 5837 Wisconsin Ave. Davenport, IA 52806.

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15 Aug 2012

USDA Announces Low-Interest Emergency Loans Now Available to Producers in 172 Additional Counties due to Drought

By USDA Office of Communications
Obama Administration Continues to Take Swift Action to Provide Assistance to Farmers, Ranchers and Businesses

WASHINGTON, Aug. 15, 2012–As part of continuing steps by the Obama Administration to get assistance to producers impacted by the drought, Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack today designated 172 additional counties in 15 states as primary natural disaster areas due to drought and heat, making all qualified farm operators in the areas eligible for low-interest emergency loans. To date, USDA has designated 1,792 counties as disaster areas–1,670 due to drought.

Earlier this week, President Obama and Secretary Vilsack traveled to Iowa to announce USDA's intent to purchase up to $170 million of pork, lamb, chicken, and catfish for federal food nutrition assistance programs, including food banks, which will help relieve pressure on American livestock producers and bring the nation's meat supply in line with demand.

"USDA is committed to using existing authorities wherever possible to help the farmers, ranchers, small businesses, and communities being impacted by the drought," said Vilsack. "In the past month, we have streamlined the disaster designation process, reduced interest rates on emergency loans, and provided flexibility within our conservation programs to support struggling producers. In the weeks ahead, the President and I will continue to take swift action to help America's farmers and ranchers through this difficult time."

Vilsack also announced today the availability of up to $5 million in grants to evaluate and demonstrate agricultural practices that help farmers and ranchers adapt to drought. USDA's Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) is taking applications for Conservation Innovation Grants (CIG) to help producers build additional resiliency into their production systems. NRCS is offering the grants to partnering entities to evaluate innovative, field-based conservation technologies and approaches. These technologies and/or approaches should lead to improvements such as enhancing the water-holding capacity in soils and installing drought-tolerant grazing systems, which will help farms and ranches become more resilient to drought. Visit www.nrcs.usda.gov for more information.

Additionally, in response to a request from five National Organic Program (NOP) certifying agents, USDA's Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) today announced that USDA will grant a temporary variance from NOP's pasture practice standards for organic ruminant livestock producers (Sections 205.237(c) and 205.240 of the USDA organic regulations) in 16 states in 2012. The following restrictions apply: this temporary variance applies to non-irrigated pasture only; producers must supply at least 15 percent of their dry matter intake (on average) from certified organic pasture; this temporary variance applies to the 2012 calendar year only; and this temporary variance covers only counties that have been declared as primary natural disaster areas by the Secretary of Agriculture in 2012. Granting a temporary variance for 2012 from the pasture practice standards is necessary in order to allow organic ruminant livestock producers to continue to be compliant with the program regulations after the severe drought ends and pasture forage becomes available. Temporary variance requests that are outside the scope of this variance will be considered on a case by case basis.

Last week, President Obama convened his White House Rural Council to review Executive Branch response actions and to develop additional policy initiatives to assist drought-stricken Americans. Following the meeting, the White House announced a number of new measures the Administration is taking. The President stressed the need for the entire Administration to continue to look at further steps it can take to ease the pain of this historic drought.

Within the last month, USDA has opened the Conservation Reserve Program to emergency haying and grazing, lowered the borrower interest rate for emergency loans, and worked with crop insurance companies to provide flexibility to farmers. USDA has also announced:

  • Authorized $16 million in existing funds from its Wildlife Habitat Incentive Program (WHIP) and Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP) to target states experiencing exceptional and extreme drought.
  • Initiated transfer of $14 million in unobligated program funds into the Emergency Conservation Program (ECP) to help farmers and ranchers rehabilitate farmland damaged by natural disasters and for carrying out emergency water conservation measures in periods of severe drought.
  • Authorized haying and grazing of Wetlands Reserve Program (WRP) easement areas in drought-affected areas where haying and grazing is consistent with conservation of wildlife habitat and wetlands.
  • Lowered the reduction in the annual rental payment to producers on CRP acres used for emergency haying or grazing from 25 percent to 10 percent in 2012.
  • Simplified the Secretarial disaster designation process and reduced the time it takes to designate counties affected by disasters by 40 percent.

The U.S. Drought Monitor indicates that 63 percent of the nation's hay acreage is in an area experiencing drought, while approximately 73 percent of the nation's cattle acreage is in an area experiencing drought. Approximately 87 percent of the U.S. corn is within an area experiencing drought, down from a peak of 89 percent on July 24, and 85 percent of the U.S. soybeans are in a drought area, down from a high of 88 percent on July 24. On Aug. 10, USDA reduced the estimate for the 2012 U.S. corn crop to 123.4 bushels per acre, down 23.8 bushels from 2011. However, record corn plantings in 2012 have put the crop in position to be eighth largest in history. In 1988, when U.S. farmers were impacted by another serious drought, total production was 4.9 billion bushels. Today, total production is forecast at 10.8 billion bushels.

Visit www.usda.gov/drought for the latest information regarding USDA's drought response and assistance.

The Obama Administration, with Agriculture Secretary Vilsack's leadership, has worked tirelessly to strengthen rural America, maintain a strong farm safety net, and create opportunities for America's farmers and ranchers. U.S. agriculture is currently experiencing one of its most productive periods in American history thanks to the productivity, resiliency, and resourcefulness of our producers. A strong farm safety net is important to sustain the success of American agriculture. USDA's crop insurance program currently insures 264 million acres, 1.14 million policies, and $110 billion worth of liability on about 500,000 farms. In response to tighter financial markets, USDA has expanded the availability of farm credit, helping struggling farmers refinance loans. In the past 3 years, USDA provided 103,000 loans to family farmers totaling $14.6 billion. Over 50 percent of the loans went to beginning and socially disadvantaged farmers and ranchers.

Primary counties and corresponding states designated as disaster areas today for drought and other reasons:

Illinois [drought]

Bureau

Cook

De Kalb

Du Page

Grundy

Henry

Kane

Kankakee

Kendall

Knox

Mercer

Putnam

Stark

Will

Iowa [drought]

Adair

Adams

Audubon

Buena Vista

Calhoun

Carroll

Cass

Cerro

Cherokee

Clay

Crawford

Dallas

Floyd

Franklin

Fremont

Gordo

Greene

Guthrie

Hancock

Harrison

Humboldt

Ida

Louisa

Mills

Monona

Montgomery

O'Brien

Osceola

Page

Pocahontas

Pottawattamie Sac

Shelby

Washington

Webster

Wright
15 Aug 2012

The best of 3 billion Firefox Add-on downloads

By Mozilla Firefox

Three. Billion.
That's how many Firefox Add-ons you and users like you have now downloaded ? to find the best deals, check the weather, boost your productivity or get ready for back-to-school (and, of course, so much more). Thanks for letting us know just how much you love add-ons.

15 Aug 2012

Iowa Public Information Board Meeting Notice

By Office of Governor Terry Branstad

(DES MOINES) -  The Office of Gov. Terry E. Branstad and Lt. Gov. Kim Reynolds today announced a meeting of the Iowa Public Information Board on Tuesday, Aug. 21, 2012 at 1 p.m.

Members of the media are encouraged to visit the Iowa Public Information Board webpage: https://governor.iowa.gov/news/iowa-public-information-board/ for future information, agendas, meeting notices, and minutes of the board.

The meeting is open to the public and media.

Tuesday, Aug. 21, 2012

 

1 p.m. Iowa Public Information Board Meeting

Governor's Office - Large Conference Room

State Capitol

Des Moines, IA

 

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15 Aug 2012

Morthland, Sacia Send Letter Requesting Quinn Work to Give Thomson Correctional Center to Feds

By Rep. Rich Morthland

Moline, IL ... Rep. Rich Morthland (R-Cordova) and Rep. Jim Sacia (R-Freeport) delivered a letter yesterday to Governor Quinn and his staff requesting he work to give the Thomson Correctional Center from the state of Illinois to the Federal Bureau of Prisons in exchange for their commitment to pay off the remaining mortgage of $61 million and open the facility.

"There is great potential by putting this prison to use, and instead it sits idle." Morthland said. "Thomson Correctional Center has been unoccupied and unused for twelve years now and the sale has been on the table for more than 2 ½ years. This is unacceptable."

Estimates suggest that putting this prison facility to use will create an additional 1,100 direct and indirect new jobs, and will inject more than $200 million per year into the economy of Carroll County, Whiteside County, and surrounding counties.

"I appreciate the Governor and other legislators ongoing efforts to complete the sale and transfer of Thomson," said Morthland. "While this step is bold, Representative Sacia and I believe it is necessary."

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15 Aug 2012

New Smartphone App Allows Patients and First Responders to Send Critical Health Information to ER's

By Amy Ponzillo

Mishawaka, Ind. (August 15, 2012)?Now, during emergency situations, residents and First Responders of Northern Indiana and Southwestern Michigan will be able to send critical pre-arrival health information to local Emergency Rooms thanks to ICE Michiana?a free smartphone app with a unique "PUSH" functionality that was developed locally and launched this morning.

Through ICE Michiana, First Responder personnel will have the ability to obtain life-saving medical information in the field during emergency situations. Then, with a push of a button, they can send this information directly to participating Emergency Rooms. Or, for individuals who do not need First Responder assistance, the "PUSH" function also allows smartphone users to send their own information directly to participating Emergency Rooms prior to arrival. In both circumstances, this "PUSH" technology allows for hospital teams to prepare on the ground as needed?saving valuable time.

"The idea started with an internal discussion focused on how the local First Responder network and Emergency Room community could obtain and share critical field and pre-arrival information to begin specialized treatment sooner," said Albert L. Gutierrez, President and Chief Executive Officer of Saint Joseph Regional Medical Center. "Then, a select group of Saint Joseph Regional Medical Center ER physicians and clinical leaders, EMS representatives, and a local digital development company focused their efforts on leveraging technology to connect patients, First Responders and Emergency Rooms together."

ICE Michiana was developed through a grant received from The Foundation of Saint Joseph Regional Medical Center. At its cornerstone is a new smartphone app with a unique "PUSH" functionality that sends critical patient pre-arrival information directly to Emergency Rooms over a secure connection. This "PUSH" technology sets the ICE Michiana app apart from other ICE apps available in the marketplace, and provides critical information when time matters most.

For households without smartphones, the ICE Michiana initiative provides a paper alternative via a kit format. These kits will be available at more than 60 distribution points across Michiana, including fire stations and SJRMC clinical facilities and outreach service locations. First Responders will be able to utilize important medical information and directives included in the ICE Michiana kits as a component of care, and will bring the included information to the Emergency Room during transport.

"Saint Joseph Regional Medical Center continues to deliver on its promise to do what needs to be done to care for the community," said Gutierrez. "The newly developed ICE Michiana app and kit are evidence of this promise. Today Saint Joseph Regional Medical Center is giving this program to First Responders, and is inviting all hospitals in the region to join us on our journey as we work together as a community to transform the delivery of care across Michiana.

All residents of the greater Michiana community are encouraged to visit www.theICEapp.com to download a free copy of the ICE Michiana app (via Apple or Android formats). For questions on either program, or for a comprehensive list of distribution locations for the ICE Michiana kit, please call 1-800-914-9488 or visit www.theICEapp.com.


About Saint Joseph Regional Medical Center
Saint Joseph Regional Medical Center (SJRMC) is a not-for-profit, multi-hospital healthcare system located in North Central Indiana, offering a full range of services. SJRMC includes: a 254-bed acute care hospital at our Mishawaka Campus; a 58-bed acute care hospital at our Plymouth Campus; a 40-bed Rehabilitation Institute; Outpatient services of the Elm Road Medical Campus; and the Saint Joseph Physician Network that includes 20 practices with over 40 physicians. All inpatient rooms at all SJRMC facilities are private.

15 Aug 2012

College Bound Children Share Career Ambitions

By Karen Austin

DES MOINES, IA (08/15/2012)(readMedia)-- State Treasurer Michael Fitzgerald announced today that 95% of the children that participated in College Savings Iowa's annual State Fair survey show getting a college education is a necessary step to achieving their dreams and career aspirations. "Iowa children are already thinking about their futures," stated Fitzgerald. "This survey demonstrates how important it is for families to start planning and saving early to help make college a reality for their children."

"Every year we ask children visiting the fair what they want to be when they grow up and if they will need to go to college to achieve these goals," Fitzgerald said. "Needless to say, we are always amazed by the responses they offer." Fifteen percent are planning on becoming veterinarians, with another 13% hoping to become teachers. Doctor came in third this year with 7% of the responses, and police officer ranked fourth with 5%. "According to one child, it will cost him $5 to go to college to become Batman."

"Families that save and invest for their children's college education will be better prepared to meet the challenge of paying for it when the time arrives, and College Savings Iowa is here to help," added Fitzgerald. Anyone - parents, grandparents, friends and relatives - can invest in College Savings Iowa on behalf of a child. This year Iowa taxpayers can deduct up to $2,975 in contributions per beneficiary account from their adjusted gross income.* Investment returns are not guaranteed and you could lose money by investing in the plan. To learn more about College Savings Iowa, visit www.collegesavingsiowa.com or call 1-888-672-9116.

*Adjusted annually for inflation. If withdrawals are not qualified, the deductions must be added back to Iowa taxable income. The availability of tax or other benefits may be contingent on meeting other requirements.

 

 

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15 Aug 2012

UI Professor to lead talk about Iowa's space program

By Susan Horan

Figge To Offer Talk About UI Space Program

 

Davenport, IOWA (August 2012) The Figge Art Museum will present the talk "University of Iowa Space Pioneers: 54 Years of Exploration" at 7pm on Thursday, August 16.  The talk, presented by University of Iowa Professor Don Gurnett, will highlight the University's contributions to the space program and introduce the audience to the University of Iowa objects included in the NASA | ART companion exhibition, University of Iowa Space Pioneers: 54 Years of Exploration.  This talk is offered in conjunction with the current exhibition NASA | ART 50 Years of Exploration and is free with paid admission or museum membership. University of Iowa alumni who present their Alumni Association membership card will also receive free admission to this talk.

The University of Iowa is considered a pioneer of space research and has received international recognition for the development of spaceflight instruments flown on more than 63 successful missions. Professor Gurnett is the James A. Van Allen/Roy J. Carver Professor of Physics in the Department of Physics and Astronomy.


Prof. Gurnett specializes in the study of space plasma physics and has participated in over 30 spacecraft projects, most notably the Voyager 1 and 2 flights to the outer planets, the Galileo mission to Jupiter, and the Cassini mission to Saturn. He is the author or co-author of over 650 scientific publications and has received numerous awards for his research. Gurnett regularly teaches both undergraduate and graduate courses in physics and astronomy at the University of Iowa. In 1998 he was elected a member of the National Academy of Sciences, and in 2004 he was elected a Fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences.

NASA | ART: 50 Years of Exploration presents an unparalleled selection of works commissioned by the NASA Art Program. Ranging from the illustrative to the abstract, more than 70 diverse artworks highlight the accomplishments, setbacks, and sheer excitement of space exploration over the past five decades.

NASA | ART 50 Years of Exploration was organized by the Smithsonian Institution Traveling Exhibition Service and the National Aeronautics and Space Administration in cooperation with the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum.  The exhibition is sponsored locally by ALCOA, John Deere and Cobham, plc. The Smithsonian Community Grant program, funded by MetLife Foundation, is a proud sponsor of this public program.

-END-
15 Aug 2012

American Lung Association Report Aims to Reduce Tobacco Use in Rural Communities

By Dona Wininsky

Des Moines, IA, (August, 15, 2012) –The American Lung Association's latest health disparity report, "Cutting Tobacco's Rural Roots:  Tobacco Use in Rural Communities," examines tobacco addiction and exposure to secondhand smoke in rural America, particularly among rural youth.

Tobacco use is higher in rural communities than in suburban and urban communities, and smokeless tobacco use is shockingly twice as common.  Rural youth are more likely to use tobacco and to start earlier than urban youth, perpetuating the cycle of tobacco addiction and death and disease.

"Tobacco use is often more socially acceptable in rural areas, especially chewing tobacco, making it more likely that kids living in these communities will also start to use tobacco," said Janice Jensen, Executive Director with Dallas County Public Health. "Dallas County and other rural community leaders and residents need to take a stand against the culture of tobacco use as part of life and empower our future generations to have healthy, tobacco-free lives."

There are a number of environmental and social factors that contribute to this generational cycle of tobacco use among youth and adults in rural America.

Increased tobacco use is associated with lower education levels and lower income, which are both common in rural areas where there may be fewer opportunities for educational and economic advancement.  Exposure to secondhand smoke is also higher as rural communities are less likely to have smokefree air laws in place and residents are less likely to refuse to allow smoking in their homes or other indoor places.

For decades, the tobacco industry has used rural imagery, such as the Marlboro Man, to promote its products and appeal to rural audiences.  Over the past several years, the tobacco industry's marketing of smokeless tobacco products has skyrocketed. Sadly as the tobacco industry spends millions of dollars targeting rural youth, these youth are less likely to be exposed to tobacco counter-marketing campaigns.  Rural tobacco users are also less likely to have access to tobacco cessation programs and services to get the help they need to quit.

Many rural states have low tobacco taxes.  Raising tobacco prices is a proven strategy to reduce tobacco use.  In Iowa, the tobacco tax is $1.36 which is lower than the current average state cigarette tax of $1.46 per pack.  Promotion of the availability of state quit-smoking counseling services by phone and online resources also lags.

The American Lung Association in Iowa is calling on government agencies, the research and funding community, health systems and insurers, community leaders, schools and families to take steps now to cut tobacco's rural roots.  "The rural community clearly requires special attention if we hope to end the epidemic of tobacco use in this country.  We must all work together as neighbors to overcome this health disparity," said Kimberly Horn, Ed. D., Associate Dean of Research, The George Washington University School of Public Health and Health Services.

The American Lung Association offers smoking cessation resources to help people quit smoking for good.

  • Freedom From Smoking® is a program that teaches the skills and techniques that have been proven to help hundreds of thousands of adults quit smoking. Freedom From Smoking is available as a group clinic, an online program and a self-help book.
  • Not-On-Tobacco® (N-O-T) is a group program designed to help 14 to 19 year old smokers end their addiction to nicotine. The curriculum consists of ten 50-minute sessions that typically occur once a week for 10 weeks.
  • The Lung HelpLine, 1-800-LUNG-USA, offers one-on-one support from registered nurses and respiratory therapists.  Individuals have the opportunity to seek guidance on lung health and find out how to participate in and join the Lung Association smoking cessation programs.

In addition to expanding the Lung Association's capability to provide its programs and services to the rural community, there are also several other action steps to reduce rural tobacco use.  These steps are detailed in the full report, and include that state and federal tobacco control programs must make a concerted effort and dedicate funding to reach rural communities; the research community should focus attention and resources on identifying effective cessation treatments for smokeless tobacco use; and school, health and employment systems in rural areas must all implement effective tobacco control strategies including smokefree air policies and access to cessation services.

Micki Sandquist, Micki.Sandquist@LungIA.org. To download a copy of the report, visit:

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About the American Lung Association: Now in its second century, the American Lung Association is the leading organization working to save lives by improving lung health and preventing lung disease. With your generous support, the American Lung Association is "Fighting for Air" through research, education and advocacy. For more information about the American Lung Association or to support the work it does, call 1-800-LUNG-USA (1-800-586-4872) or visit www.lungia.org. 

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