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.
The four people appointed to the state’s Environmental Protection Commission all have ties to the factory farm industry and will likely “put the interests of corporate agriculture over the interests of every day Iowans,” said Adam Mason, state policy organizing director for Iowa Citizens for Community Improvement.
Wednesday, Gov. Terry Branstad named Dolores Mertz, Brent Rastetter, Mary Boote and re-appointed Eugene Ver Steeg to the EPC, a board that provides policy oversight over Iowa’s environmental protection efforts. Members are appointed by the governor and confirmed by vote of the Senate for four year terms.
In announcing his choices for the EPC, along with hundreds of other appointments made Wednesday, Branstad said the individuals chosen “share our administration’s vision of laying a solid foundation for Iowa’s future.”
Mason said because the board makes key decisions related to factory farm construction permits, fines and penalties for factory farm polluters, and also writes rules and regulations protecting our air and water from factory farm manure pollution, these appointments are actually part of “Branstad’s plan to roll-back environmental protections and strip the power of the Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Protection Commission.”
“We are calling on the outgoing commissioners to leave a lasting legacy of strong water protections. With 572 polluted waterways and over 700 manure spills in the last 15 years, it is a proven fact that factory farms can pollute, and obvious that they should have Clean Water Act Operating permits.” Mason said.
Mertz, a former Democratic lawmaker, built a reputation in the General Assembly as a defender of corporate agriculture interests. Her sons own a 4,000-head hog factory in southern Kossuth County that has been for cited for multiple violations of state environmental rules in recent years. Rastetter, who along with his brother Bruce was a major campaign contributor to Branstad in 2010, is the owner and CEO of Quality Ag Inc., a company that builds hog confinement facilities. Boote is executive director of Truth About Trade and Technology, a group whose stated mission is to “support free trade and agricultural biotechnology.” Ver Steeg owns a hog farm and is a past president of the Iowa Pork Producers Association.
Branstad has also garnered some criticism for his appointment of Des Moines lobbyist Eric Goranson to the State Board of Education. Goranson has lobbied on behalf of the Iowa Association of Christian Schools, Network of Iowa Christian Home Educators, the American Principles in Action and the Iowa Right to Life Committee. Iowa Code prohibits citizens from sitting on the State Board of Education if they “derive a major portion of income from any business or activity connected with education.”
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