AMES, Iowa – Beginning on Aug. 28, 2012, the 38th session of Iowa's highly successful Master Woodland Managers Program will begin at the Johnson County Extension office near Iowa City, Iowa. This educational program involves 32 hours of intensive field- and classroom-oriented forestry instruction designed specifically for woodland owners or managers, public land managers, and natural resource consultants.

Course instruction focuses on various aspects of woodland management, including tree and shrub identification, basic tree biology, land and tree measurements, protection from insects and diseases, tree planting and pruning, wildlife management, timber marketing, and wood utilization. Both indoor classroom instruction and outdoor laboratory sessions will be used in this program.

Professionals from various agencies and organizations including Iowa State University, Iowa DNR, tree farmers and county conservation boards will provide instruction. A textbook and a reference notebook, plus various other technical handout materials will be provides as supporting materials.

This educational program will consist of a total of 32 hours (6 to 10 p.m. Aug. 28, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sept. 4, 6 to 10 p.m. Sept. 11, and 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sept. 18 and 25). A $50 ($65 for couples) registration fee to help cover costs of materials is required and graduates are expected to contribute at least 30 hours of public service after completing the course. Service projects could include a variety of activities designed to improve and expand tree resources in Iowa (assisting with 4-H projects, community tree plantings, forestry field days, etc.).

The Master Woodland Managers Program is sponsored by Iowa State University Extension and Outreach, ISU Forestry Extension, Iowa Department of Natural Resources Bureau of Forestry, the Iowa Tree Farm Committee and county conservation boards. To  date, 934 individuals have graduated from this program since it was initiated in 1988, and more than 22,000 public service hours have been contributed.

Anyone interested in receiving more program information and an application form should  contact Jesse Randall, ISU Extension forester, 339 Science II, Iowa State University, Ames, Iowa, 50011-1021 (phone: 515-294-1168, or e-mail: randallj@iastate.edu). Or find more information on the web at www.extension.iastate.edu/forestry.

Application deadline is July 20, 2012. A maximum of 30 people will be admitted to this educational program.

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Lyons, NE - Today, the Center for Rural Affairs joined more than 185 leaders and rural organizations from across the nation in signing and sending a letter sent to every U.S. Senator expressing support for Federal investment in rural development in the Farm Bill currently being debated on the floor of the Senate.

The letter states that one of the proven job-creating titles of the farm bill is the Rural Development title, which authorizes essential grants and loan programs targeted at leveraging local initiatives to spur growth and opportunity in small towns and rural areas.

"If passed as it now stands, this will be the first farm bill in decades to provide no funding for small town and rural development..." Chuck Hassebrook, Center for Rural Affairs

"If passed as it now stands, this will be the first farm bill in decades to provide no funding for small town and rural development. Rural development has already been cut by one-third since 2003, mostly by the annual appropriations process through which Congress divides up the budget," said Chuck Hassebrook of the Center for Rural Affairs. "But passing a farm bill with no funding for job creating and community building rural development programs deepens that cut."

The Center for Rural Affairs and other signatories on the letter urged Senators to correct this deficiency by providing robust funding for the following successful Rural Development programs: Value-Added Producer Grants, Rural Microentrepreneur Assistance Program, Rural Energy Savings Program, and Rural Water and Wastewater Treatment Backlog.

"This letter demonstrates strong support for programs that create jobs and assist beginning farmers, small businesses and small towns across rural America," added Hassebrook.

The signatories also urged investment in the future of American agriculture. Specifically, the letter noted that, "The average age of an American agricultural producer today is 57, and if we let current trends go unchecked, that number will only increase.  Providing training and technical assistance to the next generation of farmers can help buck the trend and ensure future food security."

However, according to the letter, the Farm Bill passed by the Senate Agriculture Committee falls far short of maintaining current investment in the training tools that new and diverse farmers need to succeed.

"And that is why we are urging Senators to provide robust mandatory funding for the Beginning Farmer and Rancher Development Program and Outreach for Socially Disadvantaged and Minority Producers (Section 2501 program)," Hassebrook explained.

The complete letter, including signatories is available here: http://files.cfra.org/pdf/Support-Letter-Brown-Amendment.pdf

A research engineer, a restaurant owner and a political science professor discussed their life in China before immigrating to this country and their life here since then, describing the people of the Quad Cities as "warm and friendly".

The three were featured speakers at a recent discussion of the Quad Cities Chapter of the U.S. China Peoples Friendship Association (USCPFA) in the Bettendorf Library on June 2.

All three agreed they are happy to be in the United States, even though they are concerned about members of their families and friends who are still in China.

Deere & Co., research engineer, Dr. Michael Zhang, said that even though salaries were very low in China, the cost of living was also low in 1990. He said he enjoyed the freedom of expanding his knowledge and use of his talents without government restrictions.

Pin Wah, owner of Ming Wah restaurant in Moline, explained she had come here from China at a young age, but still has difficulty in learning the language. However, that was not a barrier in learning the business from her relatives and finally becoming owner of her restaurant. She said she knows many customers by name and enjoys having conversations with them. Members praised her for her many donations and volunteering at community affairs.

Dr. Xiaowen Zhang of Augustana College, a professor of political science, said she immigrated because she wanted to expand her horizons, even though it disappointed her parents. She has traveled extensively, and finds her students and faculty friendly.

However, Dr. Zhang is concerned that the process of integrating into the community is not easily achieved for newcomers. She said local residents need to know that despite cultural differences, the ordinary citizens of China and this country have very much in common.

Picking up on this comment, Dr. Michael Zhang said that people in China and the U.S. should be concerned that "politicians" in both countries seem to keep the ordinary people of both countries apart for their own benefit.

He pointed out that many Chinese still understand and appreciate the role the U.S. played in befriending China during World War II. He urged those present to make every effort to inform their legislators that the two countries should continue to remain friends and not to be dissuaded by those who "beat the drums of war."

Yan Li, president of the local Quad Cities Chapter USCPFA, said all the members of the group should consider themselves "ambassadors" of China. That is, even though they are now settled in this country, they should help in bringing a better understanding between the two countries.

Persons interested in attending future panel discussions are urged to be in contact with the association and e-mail Helen Chen: chenhelen96@yahoo.com.

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Report language in Defense Authorization bill directs Defense Secretary to create a strategic workload plan for arsenals including Rock Island

[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Senators Tom Harkin (D-IA), Chuck Grassley (R-IA), Dick Durbin (D-IL), and Mark Kirk (R-IL)  announced that major portions of their bill to help increase the workload and help ensure the long-term health of Rock Island Arsenal were included in report language that is part of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2013.

Similar to the Army Arsenal Strategic Workload Enhancement Act of 2012 introduced by the four Senators last month, the Senate Armed Services Committee's report builds on last year's bipartisan effort to authorize arsenal Centers of Industrial and Technical Excellence by directing the Secretary of Defense to create a strategic workload plan for arsenals - including Rock Island Arsenal - and report back to Congress no later than February 28, 2013.

"As U.S. military operations overseas wind down, it is imperative that the military maintain its capability to manufacture equipment at facilities like Rock Island Arsenal," said Harkin. "These facilities are essential to our national security and with the number of Americans they employ, important to our national economy as well. With this report language, we will ensure that the Rock Island Arsenal continues to do what it does best: manufacture the best equipment possible for our military."

"The Rock Island Arsenal has proven effective in meeting urgent wartime needs," Grassley said. "Our effort here is to get a plan put in place to make sure this sort of capability is maintained during peacetime so that it can be tapped when needed."

"The provisions included in today's report language ensure that the Rock Island Arsenal's dedicated and highly-skilled workforce is able to continue to serve this country's economic and national security interests by developing and manufacturing critical weapons, parts and materiel." Durbin said. "Not only is the Rock Island Arsenal a major employer for the Quad Cities region, it is a recognized source of some of the most sophisticated engineering and manufacturing in the entire country. I am committed to seeing that this measure is fully implemented, and I commend my colleagues for their work in this bipartisan effort to help secure the Arsenal's future."

"This measure compliments the efforts of Representatives Bobby Schilling and David Loebsack to protect the Arsenal in Rock Island," said a spokesperson for Senator Kirk. "It is essential that the Arsenal remains both a local asset to Quad Cities and a strategic defense asset to the nation. The language reflects the importance of maintaining Rock Island's critical manufacturing capability while at the same time ensures critical public-private partnerships move forward to keep the Arsenal healthy long-term."

On May 9, the Senators introduced the Army Arsenal Strategic Workload Enhancement Act of 2012 which would require the Army to create a strategic plan to ensure arsenals, including Rock Island, receive the workload they need to keep workers' skills sharp. The Army does this type of systematic planning for some of its components but not for arsenals. The bipartisan bill would also promote the use of arsenals defense-wide.

The bill builds upon a bipartisan effort last year by the Illinois and Iowa Congressional Delegations to expand the Arsenal's ability to enter into public-private partnerships which are necessary for Rock Island to maintain and improve its workload. Specifically, they secured - as part of the National Defense Authorization Act of Fiscal Year 2012 - an unlimited number of public-private partnerships for the Arsenal and the opportunity for the Arsenal to be designated as a Center of Industrial and Technical Excellence, which will permit the Army to automatically assign work to Rock Island based on its expertise.

The Army Arsenal Strategic Workload Enhancement Act of 2012 is cosponsored by Senators John Boozman (R-AR), Kirsten E. Gillibrand (D-NY), Senator Mark L. Pryor (D-AR) and Senator Charles E. Schumer.

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