The U.S. Senate Agriculture Committee tomorrow will begin marking up a five-year, $480 billion Farm Bill that introduces a destructive new "shallow loss" insurance program and falls far short of even the modest budget-cutting goals set out by the White House.

While the Senate bill does eliminate some wasteful subsidies, including $5 billion a year in direct payment subsidies that are sent to agricultural producers regardless of need, it projects to save only $26.4 billion over the next decade. That's less than both the $30 billion target set out by House Budget Committee Chairman Paul Ryan (R-Wisconsin) and the $33 billion in cuts anticipated by President Barack Obama's budget proposal.

The bill actually increases by $3.2 billion over the next decade federal spending on the already $9 billion-a-year federal crop insurance program, which sees taxpayers pick up the tab for more than 60 percent of farmers' premiums. A recent report by the U.S. Government Accountability Office suggested that simply limiting the subsidy to $40,000 per producer would save $1 billion a year.

Rather than scale back the crop program, the Senate bill diverts most of the savings from eliminating direct payments into a new "shallow loss" insurance program that would compensate farmers if their income drops by as little as 5 percent. According to the Congressional Budget Office, repealing direct payments would save $44.6 billion over the next decade, but the new "agricultural risk coverage" adds $28.9 billion to the budget. The losses the program would compensate for need not be from floods, droughts, frosts, or other weather-related catastrophes, but would instead largely be driven by market fluctuations in the prices of commodities.

The following statement from The Heartland Institute - a free-market think tank - may be used for attribution. For more comments, refer to the contact information below. To book a Heartland guest on your program, please contact Tammy Nash at tnash@heartland.org and 312/377-4000. After regular business hours, contact Jim Lakely at jlakely@heartland.org and 312/731-9364.

---

"As currently structured, the federal crop insurance program is a boondoggle that costs taxpayers billions, offers lush corporate welfare both to big agribusiness and to insurers and insurance agents, and harms the environment by encouraging converting previously wild lands for agricultural development.

"Rather than introduce a costly new shallow loss subsidy, Congress should be encouraging risk-based pricing by the Risk Management Agency and phasing out crop insurance subsidies for all but the smallest and neediest of farmers."

R.J. Lehmann
Deputy Director, Center on Finance, Insurance, and Real Estate
The Heartland Institute
rlehmann@heartland.org
202/525-5726

PRESS RELEASE

1314 Mulberry Avenue, Muscatine, IA 52761
www.muscatineartcenter.org

CONTACT: KATY DOHERTY, PROGRAM COORDINATOR

MUSCATINE ART CENTER

FOR RELEASE: APRIL 23, 2012

The public is invited to join the Muscatine Art Center in welcoming Muscatine native John Duggleby, writer and musician, as he presents a program based on his book, Artist in Overalls: The Life of Grant Wood. This event will take place Sunday, May 6 at 2:00 p.m. in the Muscatine Art Center's Music Room and is free and open to the public. There will be copies of John Duggleby's book to purchase at this event.

John has written several books for young people, including biographies on musicians John Lennon, Ray Charles, and artist Jacob Lawrence. Artist in Overalls, one of Duggleby's eight children's books, has received several distinctions including the National  Association of Christian Schools' Children's Crown Award and the Parents Council Seal of Approval. His book, Story Painter: The Life of Jacob Lawrence, was honored by the National Council for Social Studies as the Elementary Book of the Year.

Artist in Overalls reveals Grant Wood's story to audiences of all ages in a fun and interactive way. Dressed like the famous farmer in Wood's American Gothic painting, Duggleby shows how Wood's Iowa childhood observations and resolve to follow his instincts resulted in fame that has endured through this American cultural icon.

EVENT DETAILS:
What: "Artist in Overalls: The Life of Grant Wood"
Who: John Duggleby
When: Sunday, May 6
Time: 2:00 PM
Where: The Muscatine Art Center's Music Room
Admission to these programs is FREE.

Please contact Katy Doherty, Program Coordinator, with any
questions or concerns at 563-263-8282 or by email at
kdoherty@muscatineiowa.gov.

The Muscatine Art Center is open to the public Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday from 10 AM to 5 PM, Thursday from 10 AM to 7 PM and Saturday and Sunday from 1 to 5 PM. Admission is FREE.

Washington, D.C. - Congressman Dave Loebsack today urged the House Republican leadership to swiftly bring up and pass legislation that will prevent student loan interest rates from doubling, from 3.4 percent to 6.8 percent, on July 1st.  Loebsack is a cosponsor of H.R. 3826, which would ensure the increase does not occur.  If the increase were to go into effect, the average student borrower would have to pay an additional $1000.  Loebsack is a member of the Education and the Workforce Committee, which has jurisdiction over this legislation.

"With tuition rising rapidly and far too many Iowans struggling to make ends meet, middle-class families are finding it more and more difficult to pay for college. I strongly believe that every student deserves the opportunity to attend college if they wish to pursue higher education," wrote Loebsack.  "I grew up in poverty, and I would not have had the opportunity to attend college without financial assistance. It is extremely important that we work to address student loan interest rates because without Congressional action, 7 million low- and middle-income families will be subject to a $6 billion interest rate hike."

As a member of the Education and the Workforce Committee, Loebsack has championed numerous pieces of legislation to increase access to higher education, including:

• College Cost Reduction and Access Act (CCRAA) Loebsack helped craft and pass this legislation, which makes college more affordable and accessible for all Iowans by increasing the maximum Pell Grant scholarship and expanding eligibility;
• Student Aid and Fiscal Responsibility Act, H.R. 3221 Loebsack was a cosponsor of this bill, which will save American taxpayers $61 billion by making the student loan process more efficient.  The bill further expanded the maximum Pell Grant available from $5,550 in 2010 to $5,975 in 2017, granting Iowa students more than $291 million for higher education. This bill was the largest single investment in student aid in America's history, and will make college more accessible, transform the way student loan programs operate and strengthens community colleges.

A copy of the letter Loebsack sent to the House Speaker and the Chairman of the Education and the Workforce Committee can be seen here.

###

AMBLER, PA - Springtime has arrived and it's time to dust off the "to do" list. But, how does a homeowner decide which projects should take priority? According to Mark Clement, host of MyFixItUpLife home improvement radio show, start by selecting those projects that are the most important for enhancing the functionality of the home.

"National Home Improvement Month in May is the ideal time to shine the spotlight on annual home projects that should never be overlooked," says Clement, a professional contractor in Pennsylvania. "Sure it's great to work outside in the garden this time of year, but that task should take second place behind evaluating and fixing major components of the house.

"A home's curb appeal is important, but working on the structural aspects of the home should always take priority. For example, every year homeowners should be evaluating the condition of their roof, siding, windows, gutters and other exterior products that they rely on daily to keep their family safe and secure."

Clement, who is currently renovating his own 100-year-old home, understands that all products in and on the house will eventually need to be replaced. "We just replaced the original wood door on our home with a fiberglass door," says Clement. "That old door should have been removed a decade ago because it lost its functionality and was an energy drain on our home. The new Therma-Tru fiberglass door is energy-efficient, stylish and helps secure our home."

According to Clement, there is a "must do" list of five items that homeowners should review every year during National Home Improvement Month. "May is the ideal time weatherwise to do these checkups and replacement work for the home," says Clement. "It makes sense economically to make any needed changes to the roof, windows or doors when such work will have the least impact on energy bills."

The list recommended by Clement includes:

Item #1 - Check the roof. Using either a ladder or binoculars from across the street, look for problem areas, such as missing or broken shingles, along with roofing tiles that may be "flapping" in the wind. These are all indications that a new roof may be in your future. If that's the case, research the newer products on the market, such as polymer shake and slate roofing tiles. These impact-resistant tiles are man-made in a wide variety of colors. Some roofing tiles, like those from DaVinci Roofscapes® that Clement chose for his home, are fire- and hail-resistant. They also have a 50-year limited warranty.

Item #2 - Clean and assess the home's siding. Pressure-washing works well for many homes to remove dirt and algae that can grow on siding, but remember never to pressure-wash windows or their screens. The extreme high pressure could crack or destroy the caulking around the units. While cleaning the siding, make sure to check for changes in the exterior from the previous year and be alert to buckling, warping or insect damage that may need to be fixed.

Item #3 - Evaluate the windows. If you find that windows in the home don't operate easily, there's air leaking in or out of the units, or there's condensation between the glass panes, then it may be time to seriously consider replacement windows.

Vinyl framed windows have the highest growth rate in the country due to their energy-efficiency, aesthetic appeal and durability. Some of the best have fusion-welded corners and multi-chambered construction. Plus, maintenance hassles are so low you'll forget the horrors of rotting frames, scraping and repainting that come with wood windows. For his renovation project, Clement selected Simonton vinyl windows. The award-winning company impressed him with its 65-year history, strong product warranty and return-on-investment with their quality ENERGY STAR^® qualified windows.

Item #4 - Check on the gutters. Don't underestimate the importance of the gutter system on the home. Each year homeowners should check to make sure their gutters are unclogged and remain sloped for proper drainage. Plus, make sure the water running off the roof doesn't cause damage to the building structure, landscaping or property below the roof.

The Gutter Installers Association (GIA) recommends using GIA-certified contractors to perform a physical inspection of your existing gutters to check for leaks, ensure proper slope for good drainage and offer advice on a variety of gutter protection systems.

Item #5 - Spend time with the main entry door. If homeowners can see light around the door from the inside, the door is hard to close or lock, or the door itself is warped, it's time to consider a new door. Even if you can't see light, air may be moving through gaps in the weather stripping at a surprising rate.

Think about the weather conditions that a home's door faces along with the energy bills. If either run to the extreme, consider replacing an entryway with a high-performance fiberglass door (which can have up to four times more insulation value than wood doors). Homeowners can also request features such as the Tru-Defense_® Door System* from Therma-Tru Doors that features enhanced weatherstripping, corner seal pad, door bottom sweep and profiled sill that all work together to provide strength and stability in the entry door.

For more home improvement tips, visit www.myfixituplife.com.

###

 

*See www.thermatru.com for complete details on the Tru-Defense_® Door Systems.

ENERGY STAR is a government program that helps consumers protect the environment through superior energy efficiency and is a registered trademark of the U.S. Department of Energy and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.

 

 

Web Site Resources:

·       www.davinciroofscapes.com

·       www.simonton.com

·       www.thermatru.com

·       www.myfixituplife.com