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.
Kansas Sen. Sam Brownback today commended Iowa for its leadership in renewable fuels during a stump speech at the Iowa State Fair. He said renewable fuels are going to be an important part of the rural economy in the years to come.
Brownback pointed to a bale of straw at the Des Moines Register's Soapbox area and said that someday we'll even be making cellulosic ethanol fuels from straw. He said he likes to call it a "grass to gas" program, "and no, I'm not talking about marijuana," he said.
Brownback, one of many Republicans running for president, drew a much larger crowd than other GOP candidates who spoke at the State Fair earlier in the day. He hit on many of his main campaign themes during his speech, focusing on "returning to the basics" of family and cultural values. He also discussed agricultural policies during his speech.
More than once Brownback asked for the support of Iowans at the Ames Straw Poll on Saturday. He is hoping to make a big impression at the Republican fund-raiser.
After speaking and taking questions from the crowd and reporters, Brownback walked up the hill to the Iowa Pork Producers stand and waited in line to buy a pork-chop-on-a-stick. He made sure to allow photographers plenty of opportunities to snap photos of him taking a big bite.
Brownback continued to munch on the chop and sip a glass of lemonade as reporters and Iowans asked him questions.
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