When you have an issue, you go straight to the source. This is what I did recently by taking a trip to Washington D.C. I went to receive advocacy training and advocate for family farms at the expense of the Iowa Farmers Union (IFU). Done through their national organization, this was the first ...
It is pure poppycock when people ascribe that the way things are is the way things must be and will always be. There was a time in the mid-20th century when society did not let few companies gain too much control at the expense of others. Unfortunately, public schools are hollowing out, food ...
When I was a child, I wandered the small pharmacy near the end of Second Street, formerly known as Wright Pharmacy. Now known as NuCara Pharmacy, most memories are of being with my grandma, Mildred, at the pharmacy after or before she picked me up from daycare. While this was over 25 years ago, ...
It is like a secret language, but when I am out in the wild – meaning, urban or suburban places – sometimes I come across those who grew up in rural Iowa. They might still live in rural areas, or they might not. This is always fascinating. As we start talking, we size each other up to ...
While prohibitive costs and low commodity prices are due in part to the consolidation of the input providers and grain processors, the agricultural system is not the only consolidated industry negatively affecting citizens. Unfortunately, soaring prices throughout the economy are a symptom of ...
These Trump tariffs are something. People say this is how we fix the economy. Others say everything’s price will go up. If they happen, it will be somewhere in between. When one wants to encourage domestic production, tariffs make sense. One also must have the right policies in place to ...
What I love about rural America is how it is a microcosm of society. Everything is done on a smaller scale, and it shows how society works. When these small towns dot the landscape, they are each unique and self-reliant communities. While they lack chain stores, restaurants, and other ...
Senate Study Bill 1051 has entered the state legislature. Proponents for this bill say it prevents litigators from bringing frivolous lawsuits which have racked up millions of dollars to cancer patient lawsuits. Opponents say the bill makes it harder to bring these lawsuits, thus helping shield ...
The United States was built on the back of small businesses, be it farmers or small merchants. When financial and political power is spread between many, this makes a healthier democracy. As Supreme Court Justice Louis D. Brandeis said, “We must make our choice. We may have democracy, or we ...
It is genuinely concerning when egg prices are this high. These prices are hitting levels never touched before, and this is for a critical food item a lot of people rely on. From restaurants to home cooking, eggs are used in many dishes. Their higher price means a higher cost for many people. ...