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Harvest Public Media is a reporting collaboration focused on issues of food, fuel and field. Based at KCUR in Kansas City, Harvest covers these agriculture-related topics through an expanding network of reporters and partner stations throughout the Midwest.Most Harvest Public Media stories begin with radio- regular reports are aired on member stations in the Midwest. But Harvest also explores issues through online analyses, television documentaries and features, podcasts, photography, video, blogs and social networking. They are committed to the highest journalistic standards. Click here to read their ethics standards.Harvest Public Media was launched in 2010 with the support of a grant from the Corporation for Public Broadcasting. Today, the collaboration is supported by CPB, the partner stations, and contributions from underwriters and individuals.Tri States Public Radio is an associate partner of Harvest Public Media. You can play an important role in helping Harvest Public Media and Tri States Public Radio improve our coverage of food, field and fuel issues by joining the Harvest Network.

Iowa Ag Summit Attracts Republican Presidential Hopefuls

There’s a new stop on the Iowa campaign trail. This weekend, many presidential hopefuls will be in Des Moines for the first Iowa Ag Summit. Republican donor Bruce Rastetter, who is the CEO of Summit Farms and president of the Iowa Board of Regents, is hosting the event.

Though both Democrats and Republicans were invited, the website shows that confirmed speakers are all Republicans. They include: Sens. Marco Rubio (Florida), Rick Santorum (Pennsylvania) and Ted Cruz (Texas) as well as current and former Govs. Jeb Bush (Florida), Scott Walker (Wisconsin), Rick Perry (Texas) and Chris Christie (New Jersey).

Rastetter is a leading Republican financial contributor in Iowa, donating more than $1 million over the last decade.

The program will allow each speaker 20 minutes on stage and Rastetter will conduct a conversation with the group that will cover topics such as “modern agriculture, renewable fuels, biosciences, GMO’s, grain and livestock markets, land conservation, and federal subsidies," according to the event’s website.

Republicans in Iowa’s Congressional delegation, as well as the state’s governor and lieutenant governor, also plan to attend.

Credit Amy Mayer/Harvest Public Media
Bruce Rastetter, shown during an Iowa Board of Regents meeting, has organized the first Iowa Ag Summit.

“I’m going to be doing the same thing that I think Bruce Rastetter’s trying to do,” said Iowa Republican Sen. Chuck Grassley, “by raising up in the candidates’ minds the importance of agriculture and agricultural issues.”

Grassley said agriculture often doesn’t get the attention it ought to and this event could change that.

“So hopefully it has a high visibility through the caucuses and into the general election,” Grassley said. “Because when only two percent of the people in this country are producing the food, we need all the help we can get.”

Grassley, who is a farmer, said two politicians planning to attend the Ag Summit have asked him to brief them on agriculture. He said that’s another indicator that farming concerns haven’t yet taken a strong place on the national political agenda.

Amy Mayer is a reporter based in Ames. She covers agriculture and is part of the Harvest Public Media collaboration. Amy worked as an independent producer for many years and also previously had stints as weekend news host and reporter at WFCR in Amherst, Massachusetts and as a reporter and host/producer of a weekly call-in health show at KUAC in Fairbanks, Alaska. Amy’s work has earned awards from SPJ, the Alaska Press Club and the Massachusetts/Rhode Island AP. Her stories have aired on NPR news programs such as Morning Edition, All Things Considered and Weekend Edition and on Only A Game, Marketplace and Living on Earth. She produced the 2011 documentary Peace Corps Voices, which aired in over 160 communities across the country and has written for The New York Times, Boston Globe, Real Simple and other print outlets. Amy served on the board of directors of the Association of Independents in Radio from 2008-2015.