A report by a task force of agriculture professors says it’s important thatthe many varieties of plants in the world not be allowed to die off. IowaState University Professor Donald Duvick (due’-vick) helped write the reporton what’s known as biodiversity. He says plant breeders need a diverseselection of plants.Duvick says the world needs a mixture of all types of plants and animalsjust to operate. He compares it to an automobile.Duvick says as countries move to more and more large scale crop productionthey tend to narrow in on one variety of plant. Duvick says there needs to be more study into the advantages of mixingcrops. He says many farmers do this on the very basic scale by rotatingsoybeans and corn from year-to-year.
Red Cross seeks hurricane aid
September 23, 1999 By
The American Red Cross has launched a 25-million dollar campaign to helpcover relief costs for Hurricane Floyd. Sara Cross is a spokesperson for the Grant Wood Chapter of the American RedCross in eastern Iowa. She says Iowans know what it’s like to endureflooding and the importance of relief from the Red Cross.Cross says you can donate by calling 1-800-HELP-NOW (1-800-435-7669) or bysending a check to your local Red Cross Chapter.Cross says you can also make a donation by credit card via the American RedCross web site at w-w-w-dot-redcross-dot-org. (www.redcross.org)
State and private associations join in training effort
September 23, 1999 By
Several state agencies and retail associations are joining forces toteach retailers how to prevent the illegal sale of tobacco, alcohol andlottery tickets to minors. Iowa Lottery spokesman Joe Hrdlicka(herd-lick-uh) says it’s the largest ever government and private industryeffort in Iowa. Hrdlicka says the effort started with a dicussion abouttraining between the heads of the lottery and alcoholic beverages division. The training called the “Underage Retail Orientation Campaign” (UROC), willhit 17 Iowa cities. Hrdlicka admits it can get confusing when dealing withthe different regulations for each product.Hrdlicka says retailers embraced the idea.He says training retailers to do things the right way is better than havingto charge them for violations.Here are the cities and the dates for the UROC training: Creston, Sept. 28th;Council Bluffs, Sept. 29th; Carroll, Sept. 30th; Sioux City, Oct. 5,Spencer, Oct 6; Fort Dodge, Oct. 7; Mason City, Oct. 12; Decorah, Oct. 13;Waterloo, Oct. 14; Dubuque, Oct. 19; Davenport, Oct. 20th; Cedar Rapids,Oct.21; Iowa City, Oct. 26; Fort Madison, Oct. 27th; Ottumwa, Oct. 28th;Ames, Nov. 3rd.
ISU hopes top game sells tickets
September 23, 1999 By
Iowa State officials are still hoping for a crowd of 40-thousand or betterat Saturday’s Iowa State-Kansas State game. I-S-U ticket manager David Crumsays as of this afternoon about 35-thousand 500 tickets had been sold forthe contest.Crum feels a crowd of 40-thousand is a good possibility and that would comeclose to filling up all the seats.
Survey shows Americans are unafraid of genetic food
September 23, 1999 By
While genetically modified food has raised safety concerns in Europe,Americans apparently aren’t worried.Lisa Davis Cook is a dietician with the International Food InformationCouncil. She spoke today in Des Moines at at science expo.Cook says Americans have faith in those charged with making the food supplysafe. Cook says the industry needs to continue to educate the public aboutchanges to keep from generating fear about gentically modified foods.
Boswell blasts republican budget moves
September 23, 1999 By
Iowa’s only democrat congressman today lashed out at Republican-craftedbudget planning. In a prepared statement read over the phone this morning,Congressman Leonard Boswell said the new federal fiscal year begins October1st — next Friday — and few spending decisions have been made.Boswell says republicans wasted time putting together a reckless tax cut.President Clinton vetoed the Republican’s tax cut today. Boswell is ademocrat from Davis City.
Group seeks pledge on social security and medicare
September 23, 1999 By
The Iowa Citizen Action Network or I-CAN is leading a petition drive seekingpresidential candidates’ pledges to “save” Social Security and Medicare. I-CAN members Deb Stehr of Lake View organized the drive.Stehr says Iowa’s Congressional delegation is being invited to sign thepledge, too.The group also supports expanding Medicare to cover prescription drugs. Stehr says other organizations are taking part in the effort.The American Association of Retired Persons is conducting it’s own drive toget pledge signatures from the presidential candidates, and three havesigned the promise to make long-term care and prescription drug coverageunder Medicare priorities, if elected.
