This week, we continued to see historic levels of drought grip much of our nation, impacting thousands of farm families. Although the hard work and innovation of our producers has fueled a strong farm economy in recent years, President Obama and I understand the major challenges this drought poses for American agriculture.

As of July 20, the U.S. Department of Agriculture has designated 1,055 counties across the country as disaster areas due to drought. Significant portions of many crops are impacted - for example, according to the most recent U.S. Drought Monitor report, 88 percent of our nation's corn and 87 percent of our soybeans are in drought-stricken areas. Rising grain prices are threatening livestock and dairy operators with high input costs.

Our farmers and ranchers are no strangers to uncertainty - but it's even harder to plan for the future when we don't know how much more severe the drought will be.

Over the years, American producers have constantly innovated to meet new demands and adapt to new conditions, embracing new methods and utilizing new technology. The same innovative spirit that has positioned American agriculture as a global leader has helped to reduce the impact of the drought.

Nevertheless, the uncertainty of drought means this is a very difficult time for many. At President Obama's direction, USDA is doing all it can within the Department's existing authority to help.

Last week, I announced a final rule to simplify the process for Secretarial disaster designations - both to speed the process for producers and to reduce the burden on State government officials, who are also hard at work to help producers around the country cope with this disaster.

I reduced the interest rate for Farm Service Agency Emergency Loans, effectively lowering the current rate from 3.75 percent to 2.25 percent to help ensure that credit is available for farm families who are hit by drought.

And finally, I announced that USDA has lowered payment reductions for Conservation Reserve Program lands that qualify for emergency haying and grazing in 2012, from 25 to 10 percent.

USDA officials are traveling to states around the country to see firsthand the impact of the drought, and we will continue to look for ways to help. But the fact is USDA's legal authority to provide assistance remains limited right now. That's because the 2008 Farm Bill disaster programs, which were implemented under President Obama, expired last year. Prior to the expiration, these programs helped hundreds of thousands of U.S. producers during disasters.

If Congress doesn't act, USDA will remain limited in our means to help drought-stricken producers. That's why President Obama and I continue to call on Congress to take steps to ensure that USDA has the tools it needs to help farm families during the drought. Disaster assistance for producers is also one of many reasons why we need swift action by Congress to pass a Food, Farm and Jobs Bill this year.

I know that many producers are struggling today with the impact of this historic drought. The President and I are committed to doing all we can to help farmers and ranchers in this difficult time.

As all of us across America hope for rainfall, and while USDA does all it can to assist America's farmers, ranchers and rural communities, I hope that Congress will do all it can to help us get the job done.

Washington, DC-With the addition of Representative Heath Shuler (D-NC-11) and Representative Nan Hayworth (R-NY-19), the Traditional Cigar Manufacturing and Small Business Jobs Preservation Act of 2011 (H.R. 1639) now boasts the strength of 210 Representatives behind it. The bill, along with its sister bill in the Senate (S. 1461), seeks to curtail proposed FDA regulation of premium cigars.

Representative Shuler, a former NFL quarterback, as well as Representative Hayworth, a doctor, ophthalmologist, and assistant clinical professor, both knows the effects of tobacco and why premium cigars, which are only made with whole tobacco leaf, are vastly different from cigarettes and other tobacco products.

With the FDA's proposed new jurisdiction, they would have the ability to completely alter the way premium cigars are blended, produced and sold, even going as far as having the ability to take the word "cigar" out of advertisements and ban walk-in humidors. This, in the opinion of the IPCPR, is the demonization of completely legal and non-addictive product and could seriously harm the industry.

"The FDA has the potential to take away a choice that is completely my own. The level of control that the FDA could dictate would have a devastating impact on the way brick and mortar cigar stores sell their celebratory products. Small business and the jobs we provide are the backbone of America and more regulations from FDA on the products we sell benefit no one," said Craig Cass, owner of Tinder Box and Tobacco Trader in Charlotte, North Carolina as well as the 2nd Vice President of the IPCPR.

Rob Roth, owner of Nice Ash Cigars & Lounge in New York and a member of the New York Tobacconist Association as well as an IPCPR board member had this to add "As we continue our outreach, more and more congressmen and women are realizing the effect that this legislation would have on small mom-and-pop tobacconists all throughout this country. These bills in the House and Senate are simply standing up for small businesses."

Deliberations in the House and Senate continue. To get involved, go to www.ipcpr.org.

This article was written by Kyle Whalen. Kyle is the Public Relations Manager for the International Premium Cigar & Pipe Retailers Association and can be reached at kyle@ipcpr.org. More information can be found online at www.ipcpr.org.

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FRANKFORT - July 20, 2012. Governor Pat Quinn today signed four new laws to improve road safety across Illinois by reducing speeding and distracted driving. The governor was joined by legislators, community leaders and families of crash victims to enact Julie's Law, named after a Chicago-area crash victim, and several additional laws that restrict cell phone usage in school and construction zones. Today's action is the latest by Governor Quinn to increase safety on Illinois roads and highways.

"By working together, we can deter reckless driving behavior and create safer roads across our state," Governor Quinn said. "These new laws will protect children and families, and prevent dangerous trends such as speeding and distracted driving."

Senate Bill 2888, also known as Julie's Law, is sponsored by Sen. Maggie Crotty (D-Oak Forest) and Rep. Sidney Mathias (R-Arlington Heights). The law prohibits courts from granting supervision to any defendant charged with operating a vehicle on a highway at a speed greater than 30 mph over the posted speed limit, or in excess of 25 mph in an urban district.

Julie's Law is named after Orland Park teen Julie Gorczysnski, who lost her life in 2011 after being struck by a speeding driver going 76 mph in a 40 mph zone. The driver who collided with Gorczysnski's car had previously been placed on court supervision seven times for excessive speeding. The law is effective Jul. 1, 2013.

"A young woman in my district was killed in an accident caused by someone who should have never been behind the wheel at all," Sen. Crotty said. "This law will help make sure that no family will have to endure the loss of a loved one in the way that has befallen the Gorczysnski family."

"This legislation addresses motorists who are pulled over for driving more than 25 miles over the speed limit in urban areas and more than 30 miles an hour over on highways," Rep. Mathias said. "It is my hope that the more stringent penalties will serve as a deterrent for motorists who put their lives and the lives of others at risk by driving too fast."

Governor Quinn also signed additional laws to improve traffic safety today. Senate Bill 2488, sponsored by Sen. Susan Garrett (D-Highwood) and Rep. Karen May (D-Highwood), expands the definition of construction and maintenance work zones to include areas where Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT) or a local agency has posted signage advising motorists of an approaching speed zone. This expansion prohibits the use of cell phones in all roadway work zones, which will prevent distracted driving and increase protection for work crews. Previously, the use of cell phones was only prohibited in work zones with speed limit reductions. The law is effective Jan. 1, 2013.

House Bill 5099, sponsored by Rep. Jerry Costello, II (D-Sparta) and Sen. William Haine (D-Alton), prohibits motorists from using mobile phones when driving within 500 feet of an emergency scene, and expands the definition of "electronic message." The legislation will reduce distracted driving by banning talking and taking photos on a mobile device near an emergency scene. The law is effective immediately.

House Bill 5101, sponsored by Rep. John D'Amico (D-Chicago) and Sen. Martin Sandoval (D-Cicero), brings the Illinois Vehicle Code (IVC) into compliance with federal regulations, and prohibits a commercial motor vehicle operator from using a hand-held mobile phone or engaging in texting while driving. The legislation also amends the code to include texting or using a hand-held mobile device as a "serious traffic violation." The law is effective Jan. 1, 2013.

"Our goal is to drive zero fatalities to reality, and these new measures take us another step in the right direction," said Illinois Transportation Secretary Ann L. Schneider.

For more information about traffic safety, visit www.dot.state.il.us.

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CARBONDALE - Lt. Governor Sheila Simon will host a media call-in Tuesday afternoon with Audrey Rowe, Administrator of the United States Department of Agriculture's Food and Nutrition Service, to announce that up to 50 farmers' markets across Illinois will receive free wireless machines that accept Link, debit and credit cards as part of the Illinois Electronic Benefits Transfer (EBT) Wireless Project. With these markets coming aboard, one in three farmers' markets statewide will accept food stamp benefits for the first time.

Simon and Rowe will be joined on the call by Connie Spreen, the executive director of the Chicago non-profit Experimental Station, and vegetable farmers Cheryl and Josh Dotson of Dotson Farms in Beecher, a mother-son team that sells produce at several farmers' markets in Chicago. Simon and Rowe will explain the wireless grant program and discuss USDA efforts to boost access to local foods and the impact that can have on the health of citizens and the economy.

DATE: Tuesday, July 24

TIME: 1 - 2 p.m.

DIAL-IN: 888-455-0739

PASSCODE: FNS (Given Verbally)

Trouble number: 202-720-8560

All callers using the above pass code will be placed in listen only mode. To join the Q&A portion of the meeting, these callers are instructed to press *1 on their touch tone phone.