Funding comes in addition to the more than $84 million in funding announced in August

WASHINGTON, D.C. - Senator Tom Harkin (D-IA) announced today that the State of Iowa will receive an additional  $8,040,652 in 2008 Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) disaster dollars from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD).  The funding can be used to assist Iowans still struggling to rebuild their homes and businesses, as well as for general economic recovery purposes in the wake of 2008's natural disasters. Today's funding comes in addition to the $84,126,989 that was announced in August, bringing the total CDBG dollars for Iowa to $92,167,641.  Nationwide a total of $311 million was allocated - close to 30 percent of which went to Iowa - based on mitigation efforts using CDBG disaster resources in various 2008 disaster impacted states.  As a senior member of the Appropriations Committee, Harkin led the fight to have these funds appropriated in the months after the 2008 floods and tornados and he successfully worked to avoid having the whole $311 million pot of funds rescinded in mid 2010.  

"In the time since the floods of 2008, Iowans have shown their perseverance and have made great strides to rebuild our state. There is, however, still more to do," said Harkin.  "I am pleased that what seems like a technical recalculation at the federal level means real, tangible funding for Iowa's rebuilding efforts. With this kind of federal support and the 'can do' attitude of our state, we will rebuild an even brighter future for Iowa."

This additional funding became available because of a recalculation of the amount of CDBG resources allocated to mitigation, resulting in Iowa's proportion of the total mitigation effort increasing.  Of the $6.1 billion in CDBG disaster funding appropriated in September 2008 for 2008 disasters, $311 million was put aside by HUD for this mitigation allocation.

WEST DES MOINES, IOWA - Jan. 28, 2011 - Iowa Farm Bureau members support many aspects of Governor Branstad's $6.1 billion budget, starting with the $160 million in direct property tax relief to Iowans, an issue that Farm Bureau members have sought from previous administrations and legislatures.

"The Governor, just like farmers, has made several tough decisions in order to correct our budget shortfalls.  We all need to live within our means and our government is no exception," said Iowa Farm Bureau Federation (IFBF) President Craig Lang.  "Our members across the state agree that small businesses are a key to Iowa's vital economic growth.   Supporting them will help make us more attractive for new employers and their jobs."

Branstad, who was designated as a Farm Bureau Friend of Agriculture in the fall campaign, also noted that strong growth in agriculture provides Iowa with a unique opportunity to fix its budget.  Property tax reform has long been the cornerstone of budget reform heralded by IFBF, because in the past decade, Iowa property taxes have soared by $1.59 billion, or 60 percent.

Branstad said that while tax policy reforms can help Iowa compete for new jobs, a bureaucracy that  "fails to understand the critical relationship between burdensome regulation and job creation" can undo Iowa's economic progress.  IFBF agrees and has long called for measures to strengthen the legislative oversight of Iowa's rule-making process.  "Placing unnecessary regulatory and financial hurdles in front of responsible Iowa farmers impacts the success and diversity of Iowa's important ag sector," said Lang.

Iowa's largest grassroots farm organization has long supported the state's academic and athletic programs.  "Education has always been a top priority for Farm Bureau.  The funding of education is shared between the State of Iowa and property taxpayers, and we stress the importance of the state funding their commitment to education," said Lang.  Branstad's 2012 budget calls for fully funding the school budget, which last year was underfunded by $156 million, leaving local school districts to levy additional property taxes to fill the void.

IFBF members look forward to working with lawmakers and the Governor during this legislative session to give Iowans what they want: a fiscally-responsible budget and a real chance for Iowa's statewide economic growth.

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The Multi-National Force Soldiers Are Located in Sinai, Egypt

SPRINGFIELD, IL (01/28/2011)(readMedia)-- The Illinois Army National Guard's (ILARNG) 2nd Battalion, 123rd Field Artillery Regiment deployed to Sinai, Egypt is not being affected by the riots in Cairo except for the interruption of commercial communication.

The nearly 440 Illinois Soldiers are part of the Multinational Force and Observers, an international peacekeeping force overseeing the terms of the 1979 peace treaty between Israel and Egypt. The MFO's bases are hundreds of miles away from Cairo, Egypt where the rioting is taking place.

The interruption of commercial communication is affecting ILARNG Soldiers' ability to quickly communicate via email and telephone with their loved ones here in Illinois. Military communication channels between the MFO and the Illinois National Guard are still open and are being used to keep families abreast of the situation.

The rioting is not directed toward the MFO or the ILARNG Soldiers. The Illinois National Guard Soldiers stationed in Sinai are professional, highly trained and able to respond to a variety of incidents. If the situation in Egypt changes the MFO and ILARNG is capable of taking appropriate measures to safeguard American troops.

The 123rd Field Artillery deployed to Sinai in May 2010 and will return home May 2011.

For more information please contact the Public Affairs Office at 217-761-3569 or ngilstaffpao@ng.army.mil.

Announcement at Pheasant Fest Marks 25th Anniversary of CRP, Opens New Conservation Opportunities to Landowners 

OMAHA, Jan. 28, 2011 – Speaking today at National Pheasant Fest 2011, Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack announced that the next general signup for the Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) will begin on March 14, 2011, and continue through April 15, 2011. This is the second consecutive year that USDA has offered a general CRP signup.

"Over the past 25 years, support for CRP has grown thanks to strong backing from farmers, ranchers, conservationists, hunters, fishermen and other outdoor sports enthusiasts," said Vilsack. "Not only has CRP contributed to the national effort to improve water and air quality, it has preserved habitat for wildlife, and prevented soil erosion by protecting the most sensitive areas including those prone to flash flooding and runoff. Today's announcement continues the Obama Administration's effort to conserve sensitive areas and improve wildlife habitat."

Through CRP, eligible landowners receive annual rental payments and cost-share assistance to establish long-term, resource conserving covers on eligible farmland. Land can be enrolled for a period of up to 15 years. During the general signup period, farmers and ranchers may offer eligible land at their county Farm Service Agency (FSA) office. Land currently not enrolled in CRP may be offered in this signup provided all eligibility requirements are met. Additionally, current CRP participants with contracts expiring this fall may make new contract offers. Contracts awarded under this signup are scheduled to become effective Oct. 1, 2011. The general sign-up for CRP will not affect cropped acres for this growing season. Acres will be enrolled in the program in the fall.

To help ensure that interested farmers and ranchers are aware of the signup period, USDA has signed partnership agreements with several conservation and wildlife organizations that will play an active role in USDA's 2011 CRP outreach efforts. They include; Pheasants Forever, Ducks Unlimited, National Association of State Foresters, Playa Lakes Joint Venture (Lesser Prairie Chicken/Sage Grouse), and the Longleaf Incorporated Bobwhite Conservation Initiative.

The FSA implements CRP on behalf of Commodity Credit Corporation. FSA will evaluate and rank eligible CRP offers using an Environmental Benefits Index (EBI) that shows the environmental benefits to be gained from enrolling the land in CRP. The EBI consists of five environmental factors (wildlife, water, soil, air and enduring benefits) and cost. Decisions on the EBI cutoff will be made after the sign-up ends and after analyzing the EBI data of all the offers.

In addition to the general sign-up, CRP's continuous sign-up program will be ongoing. Continuous acres represent the most environmentally desirable and sensitive land. For more information, visit http://www.fsa.usda.gov/crp.

CRP protects millions of acres of American topsoil from erosion and is designed to safeguard the Nation's natural resources. By reducing water runoff and sedimentation, CRP protects groundwater and helps improve the condition of lakes, rivers, ponds, and streams. Acreage enrolled in the CRP is planted to resource-conserving vegetative covers, making the program a major contributor to increased wildlife populations in many parts of the country. Through the 2008 Farm Bill, CRP is authorized for a maximum enrollment of 32 million acres. USDA estimates that contracts on 3.3 million to 6.5 million acres are scheduled to expire annually between now and 2014.