A survey of 400 organic farmers in Iowa finds they support maintaining high standards for production and processing to ensure consumer confidence. The Massachusetts-based Organic Trade Association which worked with Iowa State University on the survey. Givens explains the basic goals of the research. Holly Givens, a spokeswoman for the Organic Trade Association, says they were trying to figure out how organic farmers have been effected by federal regulations and if there are areas where they’d like to see changes to make a better business climate. Nearly 40-percent of respondants plan to increase their organic acres, most by up to 25-percent. She says the survey made it clear that organic farmers in Iowa do not feel hindered by regulation, in fact, they want to produce products organically that meet high standards. Givens says the farmers are looking for more support of small farms and fewer subsides for the large corporate farms, while building consumer awareness about organic products. Asked what their biggest challenges were to getting their organic products to market, 37-percent checked “finding a market which will pay value-added costs of organic products” while 32-percent chose “growing enough product to meet demand for organic products.” Givens says the full results of the study should be complete by the end of September and it’ll be available through the Organic Trade Association website at “www.ota.com”.
46-year-old dies in Friday accident on US 71
A woman has died after a Friday accident in Carroll County. Around 6:15 Friday a two-vehicle accident north of Carroll claimed the life of 46-year-old Laurie Antofer of Breda. Investigators say Antofer was southbound on US-71 when her 2004 Ford Mustang went onto the shoulder. While trying to correct, Antofer crossed the center line and collided head-on with a pickup driven by 48-year-old Vickie Nelson of Fort Dodge. Nelson was taken to a local hospital, then flown to Des Moines.
Bush visits Iowa day after big speech; Heinz-Kerry campaigns here, too
President George Bush was back in Iowa Friday, fresh off his nomination speech at the Republican National Convention. Iowa is one of the so-called “Battleground” states, and the President indicated he was not letting up in the fight for its seven electoral votes. Bush says he has a real soft spot in his heart for Iowa, and he told the crowd with their help “we’re gonna carry Iowa this November.” Bush got some of his biggest applause when he urged Iowans to vote to “make Laura Bush your first lady for another four years.” And he also praised Vice President Dick Cheney. Bush also said we have a “moral responsibility to honor America’s seniors with good health care,” touting his administration ‘s Medicare discount-card prescription-drug benefit. Bush says it made no sense for government healthcare programs to pay for heart surgery but not pay for drugs to prevent the need for that surgery. Teresa Heinz Kerry, the wife of democratic challenger John Kerry was also in Iowa. She held a closed door roundtable on healthcare.
Eskimo Pie created 85 years ago
Fall won’t officially arrive until September 22nd, but this Labor Day weekend is considered the last unofficial weekend of summer. This is also the last weekend of the season for the Monona County Historical Museum in Onawa, the home of the Eskimo Pie. Virginia Johnson, co-president of the musuem, says local candy shop owner Christian Nelson created the popular snack about 85 years ago.Johnson says the story goes that a boy came into the shop and was trying to decide whether to spend his nickel on chocolate candy or on ice cream. While waiting for the boy’s order, Nelson accidentally dropped a scoop of ice cream into the chocolate syrup he used for hot fudge — and that was the inspiration for the I-Scream Bar, which he later called the Eskimo Pie. Nelson teamed up with another man who’s name is now legendary in chocolates — Russell Stover — to market the ice cream concoction. Johnson says it took a little work to merge the frozen ice cream with the warm chocolate, using cocoa butter as an adhesive. Nelson eventually built a machine to crank out more of the chocolate-coated vanilla ice cream squares.In the early 1920s, production of Eskimo Pies reached four-million — every day. The museum is open today (Saturday) and Sunday from 1 PM to 4:30 PM. It’s usually open Memorial Day weekend through Labor Day weekend. For more information, call (712) 423-1801 or surf to “www.onawa.com”.
Obedient Dogs to Descend on Des Moines
Des Moines isn’t going to the dogs, but the dogs are going to Des Moines. Some 1500 canines from around the world are taking part in this weekend’s dog show. Patrice Peterson-Keys is spokeswoman for the Des Moines Obedience Training Club which is putting on the event. She says there are two sorts of shows that’ll be underway — one that’s basically a beauty pageant for dogs, the other that’s more of an obedience demonstration where the dogs are put through a series of drills. Peterson-Keys says dogs and their owners are coming from far and wide to compete. Entries are coming in from 45 states and several foreign countries, while many of these animals competed in the big Westminster Show in New York. Peterson-Keys says there will be about 150 different breeds of dogs at this show, many of which will be brand new to most folks. The show opens at 8 A-M today and Sunday at the Varied Industries Building of the Iowa State Fairgrounds. There is no admission charge.
300 more soldiers come home
Three hundred soldiers of the Iowa Army National Guard will be welcomed home this holiday weekend with ceremonies in several towns. The soldiers were mobilized in September of 2003 and the First Squadron 113th Cavalry and Second Air Assault Brigade 34th Infantry Division served in Kosovo as part of “Joint Task Force Guardian.” The soldiers provided security for peacekeeping operations, helped with rebuilding projects including a school renovation and a water-purification plant, and augmented forces already on duty in the European nation. Homecoming ceremonies today are at 10 a.m. in Waterloo, at 11 a.m. at Camp Dodge north of Des Moines, and 2 p.m. at the American Legion Hall in Sergeant Bluff. One more is scheduled for Labor Day, at 1 p.m. Monday at the high school in Boone.
New GOP group to work grassroots
Democrats are getting help this election from independent groups like ACT – America Coming Together – in mobilizing voters. Now, a start-up G-O-P group seeks to imitate their success. A former Iowa G-O-P insider who moved onto the national scene has returned to the state to launch a new republican project. Brian Kennedy has moved to Bettendorf, where he’s running “Campaign of One” which he describes as an effort to “bring the personal democracy movement to the republican party.”
He says this new project to bring “grassroots” politics back to the G-O-P is in response to “what’s been working for democrats lately.” Kennedy says his group has a lower budget than the newly-formed special interest groups on the democratic side.
The Campaign of One is a traditional political action committee which means there are limits on the level of contributions it can accept from individuals. Kennedy says he wouldn’t want the massive cash for commercials anyway. Kennedy says campaign commercials are flooding t-v and radio stations, and becoming less effective as people use their mute buttons, turn the channel or simply tune-out the message altogether. Kennedy grew up in Iowa City.
His older brother works on the other side of the aisle — for John Kerry’s campaign. Kennedy ran Terry Branstad’s 1994 campaign for Governor, he was Iowa G-O-P chairman in 1995 and 1996 and he worked on Lamar Alexander’s presidential campaign before moving on to work for John McCain.
