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.
Following a ruling last month by the state Environmental Protection Commision to weaken rules governing the spread of manure on frozen ground, Iowa Citizens for Community Improvement plan to rally at the Department of Natural Resources offices Thursday to call for its new director to make water quality a priority.
At its last meeting, the EPC voted 5-0 to grant a five-year extension for farmers to claim inadequate manure storage as an emergency exemption that would permit the application of liquid manure on frozen and snow-covered ground during the winter months. The legislature had passed a ban of the practice during the 2009 session in order to prevent nitrogen, phosphorus and bacteria from washing into waterways when snow melted. Activists cried foul, saying the move violates the spirit of the law and the intent of the legislature, as well as putting Iowa’s waterways at risk.
DNR Director Richard Leopold resigned earlier this week to take a job with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service in Fort Snelling, Minn. Gov. Chet Culver appointed Pat Boddy as interim director.
“The DNR has been weak on factory farm issues under the leadership of Director Rich Leopold — Iowa has some of the dirtiest water in the nation, with 434 waterways on the impaired waters list and more than 700 manure spills in the past 15 years,” CCI said in a statement. “More than 50 of those happened since Leopold has been director. And, nearly 200 factory farm construction permits have been approved under Leopold’s watch.”
CCI plans to protest outside DNR’s office Thursday at 11 a.m., calling for Boddy to better crack down on factory farm polluters to protect Iowa’s waters.
Follow Jason Hancock on Twitter
Do you know where to vote on Election Day? Do you know what to bring with you? Get comprehensive voter information for your state here.
Sign up for our email newsletter