Washington, DC - Today, Congressman Bruce Braley (IA-01) released the following statement after the Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction found serious problems with oversight of U.S. aid efforts and funds in Afghanistan in a new report:

"This report is very troubling and it underscores the need for us to get out of Afghanistan now. We're blindly spending billions in Afghanistan while our own economy is teetering between an anemic recovery and the brink of a default. I've called for a true accounting of the cost of the war in Afghanistan since I came to Congress. Now, after almost a decade in Afghanistan, thousands of lives lost and billions of dollars misspent, it's clear that the cost is too high. We need to end this quagmire immediately."

The report released today found that American funds in Afghanistan are likely to be misspent, embezzled and funneled to insurgents unless a far-reaching policy change is implemented.

"U.S. agencies...still have limited visibility over the circulation of these funds, leaving them vulnerable to fraud or diversion to insurgents. We found that agencies have not instituted sufficient controls over U.S. funds, limiting their oversight," the staff of acting Special Inspector General for Afghan Reconstruction Herbert Richardson wrote in the report released on Wednesday. The U.S. has spent more than $70billion on security assistance and development projects in Afghanistan since 2002.

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With school starting soon, families with school-aged children are paying registration fees and starting to buy supplies.  Save those receipts!  The State of Iowa offers an income tax credit equal to 25% of your costs for qualified K-12 education expenses.

Examples of qualifying expenses include school registration fees, required school supplies, and fees for extra-curricular activities.   The expenses must be related to coursework and activities at an accredited school.  Driver's education fees qualify if they are paid to the school.  Expenses that do not qualify include school lunches, transportation, and clothing for everyday wear.

The tax credit is limited to $250 for each school-aged child, so qualifying expenses up to $1,000 per child can be included.  The typical elementary-aged child in public school is more likely to have expenses of around $100 but if a family has two children, each with school-related expenses of $100, then the family will be eligible for a $50 tax credit.  The simple task of keeping track of school expenses will add $50 to their tax refund.  Most families will find that it's worth the small effort involved. As students move into high school, many will have larger school-related expenses, making the tax credit even more valuable to their families.

There are some fine distinctions between expenses that qualify for the tax credit and those that do not.  For example, required clothing for extra-curricular activities can be included if it is not suitable for wearing elsewhere.  With that in mind, football shoes qualify for the credit because the cleats make them inappropriate for anything other than football.  However, basketball shoes can be worn elsewhere, so they do not qualify.

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AMES, Iowa - Youth and adults "aimed for adventure" and found it at the 2011 Iowa 4-H Youth Conference. This year 849 people participated in the June 28-30 conference on the Iowa State University campus.

The broad theme, "Aiming for Adventure," emphasized the purpose of the conference, said Brenda Allen, a 4-H youth development specialist with Iowa State University Extension. "This is a leadership development conference for high school students. We hope they build many skills while they're here, and experience the four components of 4-H: fun, friends, voice and choice."

The Iowa 4-H Youth Conference is one of the largest youth-led 4-H conferences in the nation, drawing nearly 1,000 4-H'ers and non 4-H'ers every year for workshops, motivational speakers, service projects, games and dances. Although the conference format often stays the same from year to year, the theme, speakers and content of the workshops change to give the event new flavor. Workshop directors are given the theme, and then create workshops that tie in.

"Whether you're in 4-H or not, it's good to explore what you might want to study in the future and learn leadership and teamwork skills and skills to help you become more assertive and able to contribute to your community," Allen said.

Conference Provides Opportunities
"One of the biggest aspects of the conference is that students see what opportunities are out there, that the world is greater than their local community," Allen said. "We want them to see that if they push themselves, they can take advantage of those opportunities."

The workshops and community service projects help youth develop those skills. Workshop topics range from food and art to money and robotics and everything in between.

"We hope that the students build a variety of skills with the workshops we provide," Allen said. "We partner with academic departments on campus, so this is a chance for young people to explore potential careers or majors in college and to develop a relationship with faculty.

The workshops take place all over the Iowa State campus.

A new workshop that focuses on evaluating the impact of conference attendance in the lives of youth participants from the students' perspective was offered this year. The workshop, called "Uncovering the Adventure's Treasures," placed 12 conference youth in the role of evaluators. They developed questions for a survey to distribute to 200 randomly selected students on the last day of the conference.

"Students' collective voice makes a difference, as do their thoughts and perspectives. The 4-H Youth Conference is theirs and they have a voice in how it is run, how it is evaluated and how the conference changes based on the skills and needs of young people," said Uncovering the Adventure's Treasures workshop co-director Keli Tallman, an ISU Extension 4-H youth development state specialist. "The students who attended the workshop developed the questions, determined the most effective evaluation tool to obtain responses and strategized how to effectively distribute the questions to conference participants. They led their own workshop."

Education and service projects are not the only aspects that make the conference an adventure to remember. Fun activities and meeting new people are key components as well. Each year, a banquet is held for conference participants and youth and adult conference planners. This allows the planners and participants to kick back and relax and get to know one another.

"I came because I knew it would be fun," said Morgan Sladek, a Johnson County senior. "I not only had an amazing time, but met many awesome people as well."

Non 4-H'ers Can Get Involved Too
The adventure isn't just for 4-H'ers. This year 45 non 4-H members attended the conference with their friends.

"4-H isn't just for students interested in agriculture or who live on farms, it hasn't been for decades," said Uncovering the Adventure's Treasures workshop co-director Sorrel Brown, a program evaluator with Iowa State University Extension to Agriculture and Natural Resources. "The leaders are trying to overcome this view by creating more activities and interests geared toward urban students."

Anyone can find an adventure at the Iowa 4-H Youth Conference. For more information, contact Brenda Allen at bsallen@iastate.edu.

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Tomatoes are the most popular vegetable crop in Iowa. Many diseases and disorders can affect tomatoes during the growing season. Iowa State University Extension specialists describe the symptoms and management of common problems. To have additional questions answered, contact the experts at hortline@iastate.edu or call 515-294-3108.

Why are my tomatoes cracking?
Fruit cracking is a common problem on tomatoes. Cracks usually appear at the top or stem end of the fruit. Cracks radiate out from the stem (radial cracks) or circle the fruit in concentric rings (concentric cracks). Fruit cracking is associated with wide fluctuations in soil moisture levels. A heavy rain or deep watering after a long, dry period results in rapid water uptake by the plant. The sudden uptake of water results in cracking of ripening fruit. Generally, fruit cracking is most common on the large, beefsteak-type tomatoes.

Fruit cracking can be prevented by supplying the tomato plants with a consistent supply of moisture during the summer months. During dry periods, a thorough soaking once every seven days should be adequate for most tomato plants. Conserve soil moisture by mulching the area around tomato plants with dried grass clippings, straw, shredded leaves or other materials. Also, plant tomato varieties that possess good crack resistance. Tomato varieties that possess good to excellent crack resistance include Jetstar, Mountain Spring and Mountain Fresh.

Several of my tomatoes are misshapen. Why?
Misshapen (catfaced) fruit may be due to cool weather during fruit set. Exposure to 2,4-D or similar broadleaf herbicides is another possibility. Catfacing is most common on large-fruited tomato varieties. Affected fruit show leathery scars, bulges, or holes at the blossom end of the fruit. The incidence of catfacing is typically highest on the early maturing fruit and declines during the remainder of the growing season.

A blackish spot develops on the bottom of my tomato fruit. What is the problem and how can it be prevented?
Blossom end rot is probably responsible for the blackish spots on the tomato fruit. Blossom end rot is a common problem on tomatoes. It appears as a brownish black spot on the blossom end (bottom) of the fruit. Secondary organisms invade the brownish black spot and cause the fruit to rot. Blossom end rot is most common on the earliest maturing fruit that ripen in July and early August.

Blossom end rot is caused by a calcium deficiency in the developing fruit. Wide fluctuations in soil moisture levels impair calcium uptake by the root system of the tomato plant. Excessive nitrogen fertilization may also contribute to blossom end rot.

To reduce blossom end rot, water tomato plants on a weekly basis during dry weather to provide a consistent supply of moisture to the plants (tomato plants require about 1 to 1½ inches of water per week during the growing season). Mulch the area around the tomato plants to conserve soil moisture. Avoid over-fertilization. There is no need to apply calcium to the soil as most Iowa soils contain more than adequate levels of calcium.

Pick and discard fruit affected with blossom end rot. The removal of the affected fruit will allow the tomato plant to channel all of its resources into the growth and development of the remaining fruit.

Blossom end rot can also occur on pepper, eggplant, summer squash and watermelon.

My tomatoes are developing white or yellow areas on the sides of the fruit exposed to the sun. Why?The white or yellow areas on your tomatoes are due to sunscald. Sunscald occurs on fruit exposed to the sun during periods of extreme heat. Initial symptoms of sunscald are the development of shiny white or yellow areas on the fruit. Later, the affected tissue dries out and collapses, forming slightly sunken, wrinkled areas. Secondary organisms invade the affected areas causing the fruit to rot.

Losses due to sunscald can be reduced by growing tomatoes in wire cages. Cage-grown tomato plants provide good foliage protection for the fruit. Also, control Septoria leaf spot and other foliar diseases which defoliate the plants and expose the fruit to direct sunlight.

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