1. E-mail Senator Harkin, Senator Grassley and Representative King – click on each and cut and paste your comment
2. E-mail (there is not time for regular mail) comment to Email comments:  DraftValidationGuideComments@fsis.usda.gov
3. Sample Comment Letter HERE from which you can cut and paste
4. Specific Concerns with the Draft Guidance-HACCP System Validation (food safety) HERE
5. More discussion about this issue will take place at the SWICO member meeting Thursday, April 15th

Thank you to all members who took the time to contact legisltors on behalf of the Clarinda Mental Health Institute. CMHI it seems has escaped the legislative budget ax for this session. However, the Department of Health has been charged with researching how the delivery of mental health services can be moved to becoming community based. What does that look like? How can the state's established institutions that are doing such a good job and become economic engines where they are located be a part of a transition? These are questions yet to be answered. Including representatives from the MHI's in the deliberations with with department heads and policy makers would seem a prudent way to ensure quality is maintained, resources are best used and negative economic impacts to local economies are minimized.

Stay tuned!

PowerPoint Here Facts about the CMHI and its value. You can also view this in Acrobat Reader Here

A letter to the task force charged with reviewing the state's mental health institutions from SWICO cited the facility's strengths in serving its patients and as a diversified economic engine for the region. You may Read SWICO Support Letter Here

State Government Reorganization Subcommittee members assigned to HSB 565,
Division 34 (which includes the MHI legislation) are:
Rep. Mary Mascher mary.mascher@legis.state.ia.us
Rep. John Beard john.beard@legis.state.ia.us
Rep. Renee Schulte renee.schulte@legis.state.ia.us

Other State Government Reorganization Committee members assigned to HSB 565 are:
Rep. Mary Gaskill mary.gaskill@legis.state.ia.us
Rep. Todd Taylor todd.taylor@legis.state.ia.us
Rep. Doug Struyk doug.struyk@legis.state.ia.us
Rep. Jeff Kaufmann jeff.kaufmann@legis.state.ia.us
Health and Human Services Appropriations Subcommittee members are:
Senator Jack Hatch jack.hatch@legis.state.ia.us
Senator Amanda Ragan amanda.ragan@legis.state.ia.us
Senator David Johnson david.johnson@legis.state.ia.us
Senator David Hartsuch david.hartsuch@legis.state.ia.us
Senator Becky Schmitz becky.schmitz@legis.state.ia.us
Rep. Lisa Heddens lisa.heddens@legis.state.ia.us
Rep. Phyllis Thede phyllis.thede@legis.state.ia.us
Rep. David Heaton david.heaton@legis.state.ia.us
Rep. Linda Miller linda.miller@legis.state.ia.us
Rep. Henry Rahons henry.rahons@legis.state.ia.us
Rep. Renee Schulte renee.schulte@legis.state.ia.us 
Rep. Paul Shomshor paul.shomshor@legis.state.ia.us
Rep. Mark Smith mark.smith@legis.state.ia.us
Rep. Beth Wessel-Kroeschell beth.wessel-kroeschell@legis.state.ia.us

Governor Culver’s e-mail is: chet.culver@iowa.gov

2010 Legislative Agenda of Priorities

The agenda is in its final draft stage and being sent via e-mail to the members for vote. Non members can submit suggestions to the board prior to November 16th for consideration. Dowload a copy by clicking on the link to the right of this column.

State and Federal candidates running for house and senate seats within the 16-county SWICO membership area were invited to the annual legislative forum. SWICO hosts a regional legislative forum each year for its members and the general public.

Thank you to all the candidates and incumbents who were able to attend on September 30th. Most all were able to come early and enjoy a casual meal prior to the forum. The forum is informal with legislators able to openly address attendees and then a moderated question and answer session follows. There was a wonderful showing of both legislators and attendees this year.

Thank you to Union County for hosting the site and members, Bill Henderson and Adam Snodgrass, for assisting with coordination and publicity.

For printable photos of the evening, click on the photo of your choice - others are available through the office.

Photo Gallery: Taste of Southwest Iowa
Printable images can be opened by clicking the link below and then printed or saved.

AdairCounty	AdamsCounty	Cass County
FremontCounty	PageCounty	PageCounty
ShelbyCounty	SWIFE	TaylorCounty
Taste010	Taste009	Taste001
Taste0014	Taste008	Taste07

On Thursday, March 20th, the member counties of the Southwest Iowa Coalition hosted capitol guests, visitors and legislators by dishing out tasty samples of agricultural products from the region and introducing them through festive displays to local community assets and attractions at A Taste of Southwest Iowa. The annual event since 2000 delightfully surprises unsuspecting visitors and has established quite a reputation among Capitol regulars and staff as a ‘don't miss event' in the rotunda area.

More than 350 guests were served samples at many of the locally-manned county tables, and many more wandered and browsed materials and displays on opportunities for tourism, living and working in southwest Iowa . Weary legislators from a long night and early morning of debating bills came down from the chambers to visit Coalition members as they have now for 8 years. And, all the while, Fremont County 's own, Marty Mincer, filled the air with rag-time tunes on his electronic piano.

The Taste of Southwest Iowa event was started by Coalition members as a way for local agricultural producers to market their products to a broader market and to focus policy-makers on the critical role agriculture plays in our rural economies. SWICO board members meet throughout the day with the house and senate leadership and key policy-makers to discuss its annual Legislative Agenda of Priorities developed by the membership.

Member counties represented this year through local leadership included: Adair, Adams, Cass, Fremont , Montgomery , Page, Shelby and Taylor Counties. Bon's Bake House, Greenfield , Iowa , was serving up its delicious homemade peach cobbler across from Naturally Iowa's organic Falk's Ice Cream made in Clarinda. You could chose catsup or mustard on your Maidrites brought in from Atlantic, which originated in Iowa, or sample the world prize chili winner's recipe from the Farmers Kitchen. Moving around the rotunda, one could sample Zeb's Smokehouse venison from Bedford, smother a brat grilled by the Adams County Cattlemen with sour kraut, taste the popular Windy Hills Orchard jams and jelly collection or meet Miss Shenandoah. And for a little innovation, the Southwest Iowa Farm to Food Initiative hosted a table featuring edibles from aronia berries that included meatballs in aronia berry barbeque sauce and aronia berry salsa.

The event is generally held in March and any local organization or group is invited to host a table for a county that is a SWICO member. If your county would like to participate in the Taste of Southwest Iowa in 2009, you can contact the office by phone or e-mail.

click here to download Taste participation details.

Reserve the August date for 2008
August 26th at the Red Oak Country Club

The member golf outing, which has become a custom, will become an annual tournament event. Thank you to member, Jason Reynolds in Taylor County, for making the 2006 1st official Annual Golf Tournament such a success!

It has become a custom through the last few years for members to enjoy golf prior to the regular board and member meetings in August at the Atlantic Golf and Country Club. The goal for next August will be 15 teams of 4 for golf, so be planning your county teams now.

The candidates forum has been blended with the golf and cookout and has worked well. The board has decided to host a legislative forum in August each year following the golf tournament. During the election cycles, SWICO will invite candidates for a moderated forum, and on non-election years, legislators representing the membership area will be invited for an informal panel discussion. The Coalition will use this opportunity to submit a platform from the membership on issues targeted for impact during the upcoming legislative session.

Farm Bill Forums

Senator Tom Harkin met with SWICO representatives in an effort to gather grassroots input for development needs that might be addressed within the new Farm Bill legislation.
Focus groups throughout the state were scheduled. The Coalition thanks Senator Harkin for the special invitation to participate in the process. Members from SWICO traveled to Harlan to share their challenges and resource needs in all areas of rural development with special emphasis on rural agricultural initiatives that can build sustainable economies. Special appreciation goes to the Senator's representative, Ellen Huntoon for making the arrangements.