WEST DES MOINES, IOWA - February 28, 2012 - Iowa Farm Bureau Federation (IFBF) members are pleased to see Iowa lawmakers show support for Iowa's family farmers and securing our food supply by passing the Agricultural Production Facility Fraud bill.  The bipartisan Senate version of House File 589 would make it a crime for individuals to fraudulently gain access to a farm with the intent to cause harm.

"It's about misrepresentation of character," said IFBF President and Milo livestock farmer Craig Hill. "In a post 9/11 world, transparency is important for farmers and consumers alike. Responsible farmers take good care of their land and livestock and want to employ honest, hardworking people that have the welfare of their livestock as their top priority," said Hill.

The revised HF 589 creates new penalties for those who make false statements to gain access to a farm, or misrepresent themselves on an employment application to hide their intended misconduct or purpose.  The person who commits an offense would be charged with a serious misdemeanor on the first conviction and an aggravated misdemeanor on the second. It also penalizes organizations or persons who aid or abet someone who misrepresented facts to gain access to a crop or livestock farm.

"In order to raise and grow the healthiest animals and crops possible for the safest food possible, we need to be assured that hired workers and others entering our farms act ethically and responsibly," Hill said. "With that transparency comes trust that everyone working with our livestock also believes in the compassionate care of our animals; responsible Iowa livestock farmers don't tolerate bad actors who turn a blind eye on generations of established veterinary animal care standards; in fact, we think they should be removed immediately from animal care, if they really have the animal's best interests in mind," said Hill.

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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 Newsroom page at www.iowafarmbureau.com.

WASHINGTON, D.C., February 28, 2012 ?  The U.S. Grains Council, which develops export markets for U.S. barley, corn, sorghum and related products, has launched a significantly enhanced website at grains.org.

The website, a component of the Council's branding and communications initiative, presents the latest news and data relating to the U.S. and global grain trade. The site includes charts that present current FOB reference prices and market spreads for several commodities at port, as well as top U.S. export customers and additional information that is helpful for foreign buyers and those monitoring grain markets and exports.

"The U.S. Grains Council gathers a significant amount of information every week, and this new website helps us present that information to members and interested parties in a more timely and more organized fashion," said Don Fast, USGC vice chairman and barley farmer from Glasgow, Mont. "We also highlight key issues and policy positions taken by the Council to make it clear what the Council and its members believe ?  that open, liberalized trade of all goods and services is vital to the prosperity of the world economy."

Included on the site are details from each of the Council's 10 foreign offices, as well as a market overview, supply and demand information and market growth potential for more than 25 countries.

"News and information is integrated throughout the site and our new Word from the Ground post offers a place for our professional staff and consultants to provide additional insight on pressing issues on a daily basis," said Fast.

A new members-only area will debut later this year. The My USGC member center, formally known as The GRAIN Center, will allow members to renew membership, update information, register for events and download members-only documents from the Council's extensive resource library.

For more information, contact Marri Carrow, USGC manager of communications, at mcarrow@grains.org or 202-789-0789.

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The U.S. Grains Council is a private, non-profit partnership of farmers and agribusinesses committed to building and expanding international markets for U.S. barley, corn, grain sorghum and their products. The Council is headquartered in Washington, D.C., and has 10 international offices that oversee programs in more than 50 countries. Financial support from our private industry members, including state checkoffs, agribusinesses, state entities and others, triggers federal matching funds from the USDA resulting in a combined program value of more than $28.3 million.

by U.S. Senator Chuck Grassley 

Against a staggering national debt that's surged by $5 trillion in just the last three years, voters will decide in November who will take the reins of Washington's runaway spending.  In the meantime, the fragile economic recovery is struggling to gain traction.  Job creators in the private sector are vulnerable to rising gas prices, expiring pro-growth tax laws and swelling health care costs that influence hiring, investing and spending decisions.

Consumer confidence is a primary factor that affects the U.S. economic outlook.  Paying $4 (or more) for a gallon of gas will arguably cause more households to pull back on spending money at their local restaurants, hair salons, retailers and charities.  Higher shipping costs also eat into the profit margins for Main Street businesses, leaving less money for hiring workers.

While rising gas prices capture the spotlight in an election year, there's another burden on the American economy.  The costs of frivolous lawsuits are invisible price tags that add up to higher prices for consumers and another burden for businesses struggling to stay above water.

In an era when America is looking for economic growth to take root, billions of dollars are wasted on frivolous lawsuits that siphon money away from job creation.  Frivolous claims also clog an already burdened legal system and delay the resolution of lawsuits that have merit.

Attorneys who file frivolous lawsuits today can do so without much fear of any consequence.  These claims force innocent individuals and businesses to choose between years of litigation, court costs and attorneys' fees, or paying a settlement.  It's a waste of time, money and resources.

A culture of suing at the drop of a hat is an albatross for start-ups and small businesses operating on tight margins.  Small businesses rank the cost and availability of liability insurance as second only to the cost of health care as their top concerns.  While it's no secret that small businesses are the number one job creators in America, it's not so well known how frivolous lawsuits block their road to prosperity and their ability to create jobs.

The U.S. legal system relies on Rule 11 of the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure to curb frivolous filings.  Unfortunately, Rule 11 was watered down in 1993.

As the Ranking Member of the U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee, I've introduced legislation that would help put the brakes on frivolous lawsuits by restoring the strength behind Rule 11.  My bill, the Lawsuit Abuse Reduction Act, would install three reforms to bring more accountability to the U.S. tort system.

First, my bill would reinstate mandatory sanctions to deter the offending party from filing a frivolous claim.  Currently, when a judge finds that a lawsuit is frivolous, it's in the judge's discretion whether to impose sanctions.

Second, my bill would require judges to impose financial sanctions against lawyers who file frivolous lawsuits, including attorneys' fees and costs incurred by the defendant.

Third, my bill would reverse a rule that allows attorneys to avoid sanctions for making a frivolous claim by withdrawing them within 21 days after a motion for sanctions has been served.

Law-abiding Americans with a legitimate legal grievance are entitled to their day in court.  But unscrupulous attorneys who litigate for jackpot justice stand in the way of that.  Frivolous lawsuits need to be weeded out of the system.  Putting the brakes on frivolous lawsuits that damage the economy and clog the legal system will go a long ways towards balancing the scales of justice, upholding the rule of law, and improving the public good.