Farm, rural and labor organizations join forces to conduct community forums on the Affordable Care Act's impact in rural America

Lyons, NE - The Center for Rural Affairs, Iowa Farmers Union and Iowa Citizen Action Network are co-hosting several health care forums to answer questions on what the Affordable Care Act means for Iowa families, students, farmers and small business owners. 

"This forum is a great opportunity for Iowans to learn about the Affordable Care Act and get their questions answered," said Virginia Wolking, Rural Policy Organizer at the Center for Rural Affairs.  "We held meetings in Grinnell and Cedar Falls in the summer of 2009 where we discussed what people in those areas wanted to see included in the Affordable Care Act and I'm excited to return to the area for another discussion."  

"Whether you are wondering about what the health care law means for your family's insurance, for the insurance you provide to your employees, if your child's pre-existing condition is covered under your insurance, or about the timeline of when different parts of the Affordable Care Act will go into effect, we have answers to your questions," said Wolking.

Individuals interested in attending the forum can contact Virginia Wolking at the Center for Rural Affairs (402.687.2103 ext 1017 or virginiaw@cfra.org)  to RSVP or for additional information.

What: A community forum to answer your questions about health care and the Affordable Care Act.

When and Where:

Monday, June 20
6:30-8:30pm
Council Chambers
220 Clay Street
Cedar Falls, Iowa

Thursday, June 23
6:30-8:30pm
First Presbyterian Church
1025 5th Avenue
Grinnell, Iowa

See www.cfra.org for more information about the Center for Rural Affairs.

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Center for Rural Affairs applauds introduction of crucial farm program reform 

"This legislation represents the most important step congress can take to strengthen family farms - limit the subsidies that mega farms use to drive smaller operations out of business," said Chuck Hassebrook, Executive Director at the Center for Rural Affairs. "The Act includes measures to close the loopholes in farm payment limitations that others in Washington know how to close but won't, because of the political clout of mega farms."

"There's no problem with a farmer growing his operation, but the taxpayer should not have to subsidize it. There comes a point where some farms reach levels that allow them to weather the tough financial times on their own.  Smaller farms do not have the same luxury, but they play a pivotal role in producing this nation's food," said Senator Grassley in his statement on the Senate floor.

Senator Johnson concurred in his statement, saying, "Farm payments need to be targeted to those who need it, the small and mid-size family farmers in South Dakota and across the nation."

"The original intent of the federal farm programs was not to help the big get bigger.  But, the safety net has veered sharply off course," added Grassley.

According to Hassebrook, the legislation would set a limit of $250,000 for married couples for farm payments in an attempt to better target farm program payments to family farmers.  Specifically, the bill caps direct payments at $40,000; counter-cyclical payments at $60,000; and marketing loan gains - including forfeitures, loan deficiency payments, and commodity certificates - at $150,000.  It also closes loopholes that people are using to maximize their take from the federal government. The bill improves the standard which the Department of Agriculture would use to determine that program recipients are actually farmers who are actively engaged in their operations.

"The bill would tighten rules that are supposed to limit payments to active farmers who work the land and their landlords. Current law is weak. Investors who participate in one or two conference calls are considered active farmers, allowing mega-farms to get around payment limitations by claiming uninvolved investors as partners," explained Hassebrook.

The legislation would save the federal treasury more than $1 billion over 10 years, according to the Congressional Budget Office.

According to the National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition, current law requires a contribution of 1,000 hours of labor on the farm or involvement in its management to receive payments.  However, the vague, unenforceable regulatory standard for "actively managing" farm operations has foiled lawmakers' attempts to target payments to working farmers.  This bill would clarify the definition of management to require ongoing and direct involvement in farm activities to stop the current evasion of payment limits.  Closing the current management loophole is widely viewed by experts as the linchpin to any attempt to stop abusive practices that allow mega farms to receive millions of dollars in taxpayer subsidies.

Senator Grassley has previously championed similar legislation, co-sponsored for many years by former Senator Byron Dorgan (D-ND) and in the last Congress by former Senator Russ Feingold (D-WI).  The bill received strong bipartisan support in the Senate, winning the votes of a majority of Senators in 2002 and again in 2007.  It did not, however, become law...

The bill text can be found here:

http://grassley.senate.gov/iowa/upload/Agriculture-06-09-11-Payment-Limits-Bill-Text.pdf

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The evening will feature the hometown premiere of Falling Up, a science-fiction drama about a young man struggling with a technology which can record a person's every thought and feeling, and its implications on identity, memory, and humanity.  It will also include a special bonus presentation of the award-winning short film, The Responsibilities of Men, also made in the Quad Cities.  Both films will include an introduction by the filmmakers, and be followed by a discussion and Q&A with the audience.  There will also be original artworks on display and for sale by local artist Louis Young, which were used as props in the film.

PLAINFIELD, IL (06/10/2011)(readMedia)-- Military flying is in the blood of the Kephart family. Illinois Army National Guard Capt. Peter Kephart of Plainfield is a fourth generation military aviator. His father retired from the Army in 1998 as a chief warrant officer (4). His grandfather retired from the Air Force as a lieutenant colonel. His great-grandfather also retired from the military. Kephart also has an uncle who is a retired colonel from the Air Force and another uncle who retired as a chief warrant officer (3) from the Army. All of the Kephart servicemembers spent their careers as aviators.

Peter, the commander of Company B, 106th Aviation in Chicago, said the family ties to the military made the decision for him to join the Illinois Army National Guard easy.

"Being raised by a chief warrant officer (4), it was a foregone conclusion," Peter said. "I respected his passion and mastery of the aviation craft and actively pursued the military in order to emulate his success and tradition."

Peter's father, Marcus Kephart of Thayer, Kan., who also served with the Illinois Army National Guard's Company B, 106th Aviation in Chicago, was a UH-1 Huey pilot in Vietnam. He recently concluded a 40-year career as an aviator retiring from the Army in 1998 and retiring from United Airlines as a Boeing 767 captain in 2008. Marcus said it was his dad who gave him advice that made him so successful.

"I clawed my way up from the bottom, taking my dad's advice," Marcus said. "He told me to take the jobs nobody else wants and eventually you will have the job everybody else wants. I was happy to retire as a captain flying Boeing 767s."

Marcus said he made up his mind that he would join the military before he was in kindergarten. He said it was family tradition and a heritage of aviators who influenced his interest in the military.

"I wanted to serve my country like my father did," Marcus said. "My father flew B-17s in World War II and his father flew balloons in World War I. My great uncle also fought in the Civil War."

While an aviation career was in the air, Marcus and Peter both said no one pushed them to join the military or fly an aircraft. Their biggest motivator to be successful was themselves.

"There is only self-induced pressure," Marcus said. "Every flight you try to make your best. After 40 years and 27,000 plus hours, I'm still looking for the perfect flight."

Peter admits he is very competitive and works hard to be the best.

"Self preservation is one hell of a motivating factor," Peter said. "Army aviators are generally type-A personalities. Inherent to that, they possess the self motivation and discipline required to be successful aviators."

Peter and Marcus have both deployed overseas during their military careers. During his 15-year career, Peter has deployed once, serving in Kosovo in 2008. During a career that spanned four decades, Marcus deployed to Southeast Asia in 1971 and served various duties in Germany, Honduras and Panama. He was also activated to support the relief effort during the 1993 floods.

The most influential person in many peoples' lives is their parents. Peter and Marcus both admit their fathers helped mold them into the person they are today.

"The best career advice I received from my father, is the same advice he received from his father: Live to retirement," Peter recalled. "As your career as an aviator progresses, that phrase commands greater meaning. Living to retirement means that you have successfully accomplished all of your missions. It means that you did your job right."

Photo 1: Photo submitted by Capt. Peter Kephart/ Capt. Peter Kephart of Plainfield (right), commander Company B, 106th Aviation in Chicago and his father Marcus Kephart of Thayer, Kan., a retired UH-1 Huey pilot in Vietnam stand next to a UH-60 Blackhawk helicopter. Peter is a fourth generation Army aviator who has been with the Illinois Army National Guard since 1996. Peter's father retired from the Army in 1998 as a chief warrant officer (4). Both follow in the footsteps of family members that flew aircraft as part of their military career.

Photo 2: Photo submitted by Capt. Peter Kephart/ Retired Chief Warrant Officer (4) Marcus Kephart of Thayer, Kan., served in Vietnam in 1971. Kephart was a member of the Illinois Army National Guard's Company B, 106th Aviation in Chicago. He was a UH-1 Huey pilot who followed in his father and grandfather's wings as an Army aviator.

Photo 3: Photo submitted by Capt. Peter Kephart/ Capt. Peter Kephart of Plainfield, commander of Company B, 106th Aviation in Chicago, is a fourth generator Army aviator. His father served in Vietnam and his grandfather and great-grandfather were also members of the military aviation community.

Story by Mike Chrisman, Illinois National Guard Public Affairs Office