Washington, DC - Congressman Bruce Braley (D-Iowa) met with Cedar Falls High School sophomore Emily Schroeder yesterday to congratulate her on winning the First District Congressional Art Competition. Schroeder visited Washington, DC with her family to attend a recognition ceremony and view her artwork hanging in the Capitol building.

"Emily is an outstanding artist with a very bright future," Braley said. "I'm glad she was able to visit Washington and be recognized with winners from around the country. She and her family were also able to visit the Capitol and see her artwork prominently displayed. I want to congratulate Emily and all the other finalists for their outstanding work.

An Artistic Discovery, the annual Congressional Art Competition, is open to all high school students. One winner is selected from each participating district. Four finalists were selected and their artwork will be displayed in Braley's office in Washington D.C. The six semi-finalists' work will be displayed in Braley's Iowa district offices.

A photo of Congressman Braley and Emily standing next to drawing is attached.

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Senator Chuck Grassley made the following statement after the U.S. Department of Agriculture released proposed rules to increase competitiveness in the livestock and poultry industry.  Grassley fought to ensure competition was addressed in the 2008 farm bill, which required the proposed rules.  This includes rules for specific legislation that Grassley pushed which required any arbitration provision in a contract be voluntarily agreed upon by both parties to settle disputes at the time a dispute arises, not when the contract is signed.

Grassley has led the congressional effort to address unfair practices, monopsony and vertical integration in agriculture.  He is the author of comprehensive legislation that would help ensure a level playing field for all market participants in the agriculture industry, including the independent producer and family farmer.

"The Department of Agriculture has made a concerted effort to address some of the unprecedented levels of concentration in the agriculture industry.  There's still more work to be done, but these proposed rules are a step in the right direction.  Producers of all sizes will benefit by having more bargaining power and additional rights to negotiate.  It gives producers an opportunity to have some control over a process that has all-too-often skewed against family farmers and independent producers.

"It's also important that the proposed rules for arbitration will be available.   I've fought for several years to allow farmers the opportunity to choose the best form of dispute resolution so they didn't have to submit to packers.  This will help level the playing field for independent producers."  

Here is a copy of USDA's press release.

USDA Announces Proposed Rule to Increase Fairness

In the Marketing of Livestock and Poultry

WASHINGTON, June 18, 2010?Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack today announced that on June 22, 2010 USDA's Grain Inspection, Packers and Stockyards Administration (GIPSA) will publish a proposed rule, as required by the 2008 farm bill and through existing authority under the Packers and Stockyards Act, that would provide significant new protections for producers against unfair, fraudulent or retaliatory practices.

"Concerns about a lack of fairness and commonsense treatment for livestock and poultry producers have gone unaddressed far too long," said Vilsack. "This proposed rule will help ensure a level playing field for producers by providing additional protections against unfair practices and addressing new market conditions not covered by existing rules."

The proposed rules address concerns that have been discussed for many years and were developed at the direction of the 2008 farm bill, which requires USDA to carry out specific rulemaking to improve fairness in the marketing of livestock and poultry.  During farm bill discussions in 2007, over 200 organizations across the country urged Congress to include a livestock title to improve market fairness and competition for producers.  Additionally, USDA identified other areas where new rulemaking is needed to ensure the marketplace is fair and competitive for producers.  Many of the concerns addressed in the rule were raised during the dozens of Administration Rural Tour stops attended by Secretary Vilsack last year, and the joint USDA-Department of Justice Competition Workshops held this year.  Additionally, GIPSA held three public meetings in 2008 to gather comments, information, and recommendations from interested parties.

Many of the concerns were related to increasing consolidation and vertical integration in the livestock and poultry marketplace, and shrinking farm numbers.  For instance, there were over 666,000 hog farms in 1980, but only roughly 71,000 today.  In the cattle industry, there were over 1.6 million farms in 1980, but only roughly 950,000 today.  In the hog industry, producers received 50% of the retail value of a hog in 1980, but only 24.5 percent in 2009.  For cattle, producers received 62 percent of the retail value of a steer in 1980, but only 42.5 percent in 2009.  In the poultry industry today, a grower makes 34 cents per bird, while the processing company however on average makes $3.23 a bird.

The proposed rule announced today would provide the following protections:

· Provide further definition to practices that are unfair, unjustly discriminatory or deceptive, including outlining actions that are retaliatory in nature, efforts that would limit a producer's legal rights, or representations that would be fraudulent or misleading.  Additionally, the proposed rule reiterates USDA's position that a producer need not overcome unnecessary obstacles and have to always prove a harm to competition when they have suffered a violation under the Act ;

· Define undue or unreasonable  preferences or advantages;

· Establish new protections for producers required to provide expensive capital upgrades to their growing facilities, including  protections to ensure producers  have the opportunity to recoup 80 percent of the cost of a required capital investment;

· Prohibit packers from purchasing, acquiring or receiving livestock from other packers, and communicate prices to competitors;

· Enable a fair and equitable process for producers that choose to use arbitration to remedy a dispute.  Additionally, clear and conspicuous print in the contract will be required to ensure producers are provided the option to decline the use of arbitration to settle a dispute.

· Require that companies paying growers under a tournament system provide the same base pay to growers that raise the same type and kind of poultry, including ensuring that  the growers pay cannot go below the base pay amount;

· Provide poultry growers with a written notice of a company's intent to suspend the delivery of birds under a poultry growing arrangement at least 90 days prior to the date it intends to suspend the delivery;

· Improve market transparency by making sample contracts (except for trade secrets or other confidential information) be made available on GIPSA's website for producers;

· Outline protections so that producers can remedy a breach of contract;

· Improve competition in markets by limiting exclusive arrangements between packers and dealers.

The proposed rule will be published in the June 22, 2010, Federal Register. GIPSA will consider comments received by August 23, 2010.  Comments may be sent via email to comments.gipsa@usda.gov or sent by mail to Tess Butler, GIPSA, USDA, 1400 Independence Avenue, SW, Room 1643-S, Washington, D.C. 20250-3604.  Copies of the proposed rule and additional information can be found at: http://www.gipsa.usda.gov by clicking on Federal Register.

ROCK ISLAND, IL (06/18/2010)(readMedia)-- Six hundred and twenty-seven students of the class of 2010 graduated from Augustana College with their Bachelor of Arts degree. Augustana's 150th commencement convocation was held on May 23, 2009 at the iwireless Center in Moline.  The following local students were among the graduates:

Faria Ahmed from Bettendorf, IA, who majored in psychology and biology and pre-medicine.

Kristin Albrecht from Moline, IL, who majored in communication studies.

Drew Allen from Bettendorf, IA, who majored in international business.

Samuel Alvarado from Davenport, IA, who majored in chemistry.

Britney Anderson from Reynolds, IL, who majored in religion.

Isaac Anderson from Moline, IL, who majored in biology.

Carrie Bestian from Taylor Ridge, IL, who majored in elementary education.

Katherine Bieber from Davenport, IA, who majored in history.

Nicholas Borchert from Rock Island, IL, who majored in English and philosophy.

Benjamin Borhart from Illinois City, IL, who majored in English.

David Brickner from Rock Island, IL, who majored in accounting and business finance.

Andrew Brown from Port Byron, IL, who majored in business management.

Katherine Caldwell from Moline, IL, who majored in theatre arts.

Nicholas Camlin from Rock Island, IL, who majored in political science.

Kevin Carton from Moline, IL, who majored in communication studies and French and Africana studies.

Brittany Dalton from Eldridge, IA, who majored in pre-medicine.

Darin Decker from Moline, IL, who majored in business marketing.

Jacquelyn Engel from Davenport, IA, who majored in biology.

Megan Ferris from Moline, IL, who majored in elementary education.

Melissa Fobert from Rock Island, IL, who majored in accounting and business finance.

Kai Frazier from Moline, IL, who majored in psychology.

Adam Friedrich from Port Byron, IL, who majored in philosophy and English writing emphasis.

Andrew Fritch from East Moline, IL, who majored in accounting and business finance.

Monica Glancey from Moline, IL, who majored in communication studies.

Melissa Goode from Davenport, IA, who majored in music.

Clayton Holst from Davenport, IA, who majored in biology.

Sara Howell from Milan, IL, who majored in biology.

Olivia Husman from East Moline, IL, who majored in communication studies.

Monica Johnson from Davenport, IA, who majored in business marketing and Spanish.

Michael Kendall from Silvis, IL, who majored in biology.

Paul Lambrecht from Moline, IL, who majored in history education.

Thomas Larrison from Davenport, IA, who majored in religion.

Thomas Lemon from Moline, IL, who majored in history and business management.

Megan Lonergan from Davenport, IA, who majored in elementary education and mathematics.

Emilie Malone from Davenport, IA, who majored in sociology and art history.

Benjamin Marine from Coal Valley, IL, who majored in biology and pre-medicine and business.

Peter Marogil from Moline, IL, who majored in biology and pre-medicine.

Tiffany Massey from Rock Island, IL, who majored in communication sciences and disorders.

George Mathew from East Moline, IL, who majored in philosophy.

Daniel Meden from Davenport, IA, who majored in biology.

Olivia Menage from Moline, IL, who majored in history.

Sara Michaletti from Rock Island, IL, who majored in classics with Latin emphasis.

Emma Moran from Rock Island, IL, who majored in biology and pre-medicine.

Allison Mulherin from Moline, IL, who majored in biology.

Seneca Munos from Moline, IL, who majored in biology.

Cara Neary from East Moline, IL, who majored in psychology.

Zachary Newcomb from Rock Island, IL, who majored in philosophy.

Anthony Nobiling from Moline, IL, who majored in sociology.

Luke Osborne from Moline, IL, who majored in classics with Latin emphasis.

John Patton from Rock Island, IL, who majored in English.

Srividya Prabhu from Moline, IL, who majored in biology and pre-medicine.

Andrew Randone from Davenport, IA, who majored in political science.

Bridget Reich from Bettendorf, IA, who majored in psychology.

Cristal Rios from Moline, IL, who majored in Spanish.

Sydney Royal from Rock Island, IL, who majored in accounting and German.

Kelli Schledewitz from Davenport, IA, who majored in elementary education.

Geoffrey Schoon from Rock Island, IL, who majored in accounting and business finance.

Alyssa Schroeder from Coal Valley, IL, who majored in business finance and accounting.

Bryan Schuldt from Rock Island, IL, who majored in physics.

Alex Sieg from Bettendorf, IA, who majored in biochemistry.

Darla Smith from Port Byron, IL, who majored in elementary education.

Nicholas Stader from Bettendorf, IA, who majored in communication studies.

Amber Staes from Moline, IL, who majored in business.

Henry Stauffenberg, from Bettendorf, IA, who majored in Geology.

Sarah Taylor from Moline, IL, who majored in accounting and business finance.

Amanda Thomas from Rock Island, IL, who majored in political science.

Kevin Tracey from Moline, IL, who majored in political science.

Angel Traman from Moline, IL, who majored in business management.

Alison Tunnicliff from Rock Island, IL, who majored in political science.

Katherine Vander Vennet from Rock Island, IL, who majored in business marketing and communication studies.

Bret VanDeWoestyne from Silvis, IL, who majored in biology.

Lucie VanHecke from Moline, IL, who majored in political science.

Maria Vital from Moline, IL, who majored in Spanish.

Emily Weller from Rock Island, IL, who majored in art education.

Jacob Wells from Moline, IL, who majored in biology.

Emily Welser from Moline, IL, who majored in biology.

Brandon West from Moline, IL, who majored in history.

Eric Wigand from Moline, IL, who majored in business finance.

Nicholas Wilczynski from Moline, IL, who majored in pre-medicine and biology.

Joshua Woodham from Bettendorf, IA, who majored in biology.

Catherine Ziegler from Bettendorf, IA, who majored in English.

For more information, contact Kamy Beattie at kamybeattie@augustana.edu or 309-794-7721.

About Augustana: Founded in 1860 and situated on a 115-acre campus near the Mississippi River, Augustana College is a private liberal arts institution affiliated with the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA). The college enrolls 2,500 students from diverse geographic, social, ethnic and religious backgrounds and offers more than 60 majors and areas of study. Augustana employs 226 faculty and has a student-faculty ratio of 11:1. Augustana continues to do what it always has done: challenge and prepare students for lives of leadership and service in our complex, ever-changing world.