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10 ways that United Way is helping youth in our community

Local Columns

The quality of any community is often measured by the commitment citizens in that community make to support their youth. According to updated census data, one out of five children and adolescents in Fort Dodge live in poverty-stricken homes and are coping with the social ills of poverty. Too many lack the basic living needs to help them grow and develop in a healthy way. In total, two-thirds of our kids are in families that struggle to pay their basic living bills for rent or mortgage, food, clothing, insurance, transportation, child care and health care. Here are 10 ways that United ...

Corn syrup production is good for Webster County

Editorial

Webster County has developed a sterling reputation as a place for value-added agricultural production. Plants in the county, especially in the industrial park called Iowa’s Crossroads of Global Innovation, produce ethanol, dextrose, and amino acids, to name just a few products. But none of those plants have produced anything that would be an ingredient in foods that people would eat. Until now. The Cargill facility in Iowa’s Crossroads of Global Innovation now makes corn syrup, much of which will be used as a sweetener in candy. This corn syrup has been heralded as the first ...

Make America truthful again

Letters to the Editor

To the editor: The Republican presidential and vice presidential candidates continue to spew lies about immigrants, “after birth” abortions, FEMA, the economy, COVID -19, Jan. 6 and many others, including the big lie about the 2020 election. I encourage you to do your research on statements you hear. There is a difference between a false/misstatement and acknowledging the error compared to often repeated lies. It was very revealing during the vice presidential debate when J.D. Vance stated “Margaret, the rules were that you were not going to fact check…” Did he expect to lie ...

October is National Pork Month

Editorial

October has been designated National Pork Month. That makes it an especially good time to reflect on the importance of the pork industry to this state. It’s unlikely that anyone who lives in Iowa does not already know that pork production contributes mightily to the economic vitality of the Hawkeye State. It may come as a surprise, however, that hogs raised in Iowa account for more than 30 percent of U.S. hog production. Iowa ranks as the nation’s top hog-producing state. It’s also the top state for pork exports. According to the Iowa Pork Producers Association: • Exports ...

America needs farmers

Local Columns

We celebrate National Farmers Day on Oct. 12, during the height of harvest, to honor the men and women who feed and fuel the world. The dirt underneath my own fingernails, from our fourth generation corn and soybean farm in northeast Iowa, represents the real-world perspective I bring to Washington’s policymaking tables. A lot of times, that means countering Washington nonsense with Midwestern common sense. Too many Americans take our food supply for granted. Some are under the mistaken impression food grows in grocery stores, restaurants or take-out containers. When they prepare or ...

Protecting American corn growers from Mexico’s unfair trade practices

Local Columns

On Oct. 1, the new president of Mexico — Claudia Sheinbaum — was officially sworn into office. While politics in Mexico may seem inconsequential to domestic affairs here in the United States, this development is very significant for our country, and particularly for our agricultural community. In 2023, trade between the United States and Mexico nearly eclipsed $800 billion, and this year, we are expected to surpass that figure. Mexico also imported almost $30 billion in agricultural commodities — our second-largest market for agricultural exports — which included $5 billion in ...