The Weekly Pick– Iowa Farmers Union

This Saturday in Des Moines, the Iowa Farmers Union is hosting the 2007 Food and Family Farm Presidential Summit. What an exciting event- I hope everyone in the area (and not in the area!) will try to get there. Sustainable Table will not be able to attend, but we are sending some informative and fun materials from our office. I’m hoping that our presidential hopefuls will stop by and pick up a few Meatrix postcards before they take the microphone to share their views on the state of agriculture in our country.

Chris Peterson, the president of the Iowa Farmers Union, and our personal friend, is the Co-Chair for the event. We were able to talk to Chris on our tour this summer at the Sass Family Farm. Iowa is a leader in the agricultural community and the perfect place to hold this important event. For more info on the Food and Family Farm Presidential Summit and how to get tickets, check out their press release:

Iowa Farmers Union to Host the 2007 Food and Family Farm Presidential Summit

DES MOINES – On Saturday, Nov. 10^th, Iowa Farmers Union will host the 2007 Food and Family Farm Presidential Summit, inviting all presidential candidates to stop by the Downtown Marriott in Des Moines for: “A Conversation on Food, Agriculture, the Environment, and Rural Economies in America.”

“This is a real opportunity for the candidates to engage with small family farmers, rural voters, and the growing number of Iowans who are concerned with the safety of our food supply and food issues,” said Chris Petersen, president of the Iowa Farmers Union.

Petersen believes that with the 2007 Farm Bill being finalized and the presidential caucus here in Iowa, this is a perfect opportunity for small family farmers, rural residents, and urban consumers to hear where each of the candidates stand on issues that pertain to all Iowans, including, clean water, food safety, localized economies, sustainable agricultural practices, ethanol, industrial livestock production, and land conservation.

“These are exciting times for rural Iowa, with a new Farm Bill and the growth of wind energy and biofuels, where Iowa has become a leader,” said Petersen. “We want to offer presidential candidates the chance to share their vision on agriculture, food, and the growth of the rural economies with our members and the many Iowans interested in these vital issues.”

The event will be held from 10:00 am to 5:00 pm; during this time presidential candidates have been invited to share their views on agricultural, environmental, food, and rural economic issues, followed by a question and answer period from the audience. Iowa elected officials and authorities on sustainable agriculture, the environment, and rural economies will also speak to members of the audience throughout the day.

A lunch will be served at noon, where a leading presidential candidate will speak and take questions from the audience. Tickets for the event will cost $20 before Nov. 3^rd, after that date they will be $30.

“We are honored to have the opportunity to showcase the nation’s leading presidential candidates,” said Petersen. “We were approached by several campaigns who wanted to do something with our members regarding agricultural issues and we thought this would be the best avenue to promote the interests of the small family farmer, rural Iowans, and the urban consumer vote by bringing them all together for one event.”

Date: Saturday, November 10^th, 2007

Time: 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Location: Downtown Marriott, 700 Grand Ave, Des Moines, IA

For ticket and event information, contact:

Dave Murphy: (515) 745-3140

dmurphy123@gmail.com