Wednesday was a difficult day for The American Independent News Network, which is the larger entity that operates The Iowa Independent. Our chief executive and founder announced two of our sister sites would close and their content would be moved to The American Independent.
A recently introduced bill could have far-reaching impact on the U.S. sugar industry, including American Crystal Sugar, a farmer-owned cooperative that locked out 1,300 Midwest workers on Aug. 1.
The chairman for Herman Cain’s Iowa effort says the campaign “relied more on the word of farmers than Washington regulators” in deciding to run an ad containing claims the Environmental Protection Agency says are false.
The Iowa Senate will remain under the control of a slim 26-25 Democratic majority when it reconvenes in January 2012.
A farm-state senator lashed out at the Washington news media on the Senate floor Monday during debate on the 2007 Farm Bill.
Sen. Kent Conrad, D-N.D., complained about a "very hostile media environment" that has been eroding public support for federal farm programs.
Conrad singled out the Washington Post, which he said "hasn't seen a single initiative for farm and ranch families in this country that they like. They haven't been positive about one single thing."
Conrad stood in front of a display chart on which Washington Post headlines were pasted. "Agriwelfare" and "No Drought Required for Federal Aid" were among the headlines he pointed to in his remarks.
"Let me just say there are elements of truth in every one of these stories. But the thing they have completely missed is the much larger story. What has the food policy in this country led to?" Conrad asked. He answered his own question by saying federal farm programs have led to the lowest cost for food in the history of the world.
Conrad went on to say that federal initiatives have provided Americans with "the most plentiful, the safest supplies and the most ambitious nutrition program of any country in the free world."
But he asked, "Do you see one word of that printed in the Washington Post? One word on the positive things that are here? Not one."
Conrad said that the Washington Post "ought to be ashamed of themselves." He said the Post "takes stories from people who have dedicated their careers to dismantling the farm programs of the United States, farm programs that are the envy of the world."
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