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.
Presidential candidate Sen. John Edwards, D-N.C., is beginning a four-day tour of Iowa today that will complete his goal of visiting all 99 of Iowa's counties.
When the tour is finished, Edwards will be the first Democratic presidential candidate to visit every county in Iowa.
In an impromptu telephone press conference this morning, Edwards said it's part of his effort to "ensure that people who live in rural areas and small towns" know that he has a commitment to "strengthening their way of life and their economies."
Edwards used the event to announce a new set of policy proposals focused on hunting, fishing and the great outdoors. He explained that his "Hunting and Fishing Bill of Rights and Responsibilities" is an agenda to protect and strengthen hunting and fishing traditions.
The first of five key components in Edwards' proposal involves increasing public access to land for hunting and fishing. He would promote federal programs that provide incentives to private land owners who allow public hunting and fishing on their land.He would also create "regional public access councils," to increase local input on land management decisions.
Edwards discussed gun rights, saying "Iowa is much like North Carolina, where owning a gun is a way of life, particularly in rural areas. I respect that way of life and I respect the Second Amendment." He said he believes "we can do two things at once, protect gun rights and promote gun safety."
Another component of the proposal involves protecting and improving healthy waters for fishing. He said President Bush has "allowed power plants to poison our fish with mercury." He would strictly enforce the Clean Water Act and immediately start cutting mercury pollution "according to what scientists tell us is safe and not the industry lobbyists say is safe."
Edwards said he would "get the Bureau of Land Management back in the business of protecting public land instead of working for oil and gas companies." He said he would continue to support the Conservation Reserve Program, and noted that he hears about that program constantly as he travels the state.
Edwards announced the creation of the "Iowa Sportsmen and Sportswomen for Edwards" group consisting of 350 Iowans supporting his candidacy.
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