Extension Communications
3614 Administrative Services Building
Ames, Iowa 50011-3614
(515) 294-9915
11/4/02
Contacts:
Steve Padgitt, Extension to Communities, (515) 294-8397, scpadgit@iastate.edu
Mark Edelman, Economics, (515) 294-6144, medelman@iastate.edu
Beth Danowsky, Iowa Rural Development Council, (515) 242-4875, beth.danowsky@ided.state.ia.us
Del Marks, Continuing Education and Communication Services, (515) 294-9807,
delmarks@iastate.edu
Nov. 12 Program To Discuss Rural Development Opportunities
A discussion of new rural development opportunities for Iowa communities will be conducted Tuesday, Nov. 12, as part of the fall meeting of the Iowa Rural Development Council.
A three-hour program will be offered at 13 locations on the Iowa Communications Network. The information presented will be of special interest to community leaders, local elected officials, staff members of economic development groups, chambers of commerce, utilities, and non-profit organizations, and for entrepreneurs who may qualify for support from rural development programs in the 2002 farm bill.
The program is jointly sponsored by the Iowa Rural Development Council, the Iowa Community Vitality Center, Iowa State University Extension to Communities and the Rural Development Agency of the U.S. Department of Agriculture. It will originate at the Iowa Public Television studios in Johnston.
The first part of the program will be an introduction to the newly created
Iowa Nonprofit Resource Center at the University of Iowa. Sandy Boyd,
acting president of the University of Iowa, will discuss the Nonprofit
Resource Center's information and training services to charitable and
nonprofit organizations.
The second part of the program is about new opportunities for rural development
that were created in the 2002 Farm Bill. These programs will be reviewed
by a panel moderated by Mark Edelman, interim director of the Iowa Community
Vitality Center, and extension public policy economist at Iowa State University.
Topics will include the Rural Business Investment Program, Rural Economic Development Loan and Grant Program, Value-added Agricultural Product and Market Development Program, Broadband and Telecommunications Program, Rural Strategic Investment Program - Planning Grants and Innovation Grants, and the Renewable Energy Program.
Speakers on the panel include Ellen Huntoon, coordinator for rural community initiative and legislation for U.S. Sen. Tom Harkin; Jim Thorpe of the AAVIN venture capital company; Bruce Nuzum of the Iowa Area Development Group; Jeff Jobe and Roberta Purcell of the U.S.D.A. Rural Development Agency; J.R. Brumley of South Slope Telephone Co-op; Jeff Carson of Manning Telecommunications; Steve Adams of ISU Extension to Communities; Randy Pilkington of the University of Northern Iowa; Jim Cooper of the Prairie Rivers Resource Conservation and Development council, and Dan Brown, state director for USDA Rural Development in Iowa.
Steve Padgitt, director of Iowa State University Extension to Communities, one of the program sponsors, said the discussion will focus on the rural development provisions of the 2002 Farm Bill, rather than the natural resources and commodities programs that have received much of the attention until now.
There is no charge to participate in the program which is scheduled from 12 noon to 3 p.m. on Nov. 12. A pre-registration site is available online at www.extension.iastate.edu/communities/ICNRegister.html.
The originating location is in the McElroy Room at Iowa Public Television, 6450 Corporate Drive, Johnston, where identification is required for entry into the building. Other ICN locations are as follows:
Calmar, Dairy Education Center, Room 114, 1527 Highway 150
Cedar Falls, University of Northern Iowa, Schindler Hall, Room130A,
corner of Hudson Road and 23rd Street
Cedar Rapids, Kirkwood Community College, 104 Washington Hall,
6301 Kirkwood Boulevard SW
Carroll, Kuemper High School, Room 175, 109 S. Clark
Fort Dodge, Public Library - ICN Room, 424 Central Avenue
Lewis, Wallace Research Farm, 53020 Hitchcock Ave., ICN Room,
Marshalltown, Iowa Valley Community College, R.M. Wolfe Education
Center Room 2102, 3405 S. Center Street
Mason City, North Iowa Community College, 128 Careers Building
Mount Pleasant, Iowa Wesleyan College, 601 Broadway, Hershey Hall,
Room 201
Osceola, Community College, Highway 34 West, Room 102
Sioux City, East High School, Room 215, 5011 Mayhew Avenue
Spencer, High School, 800 East 3rd Street, ICN Room
Additional information is available from Steve Padgitt, director, Iowa State University Extension to Communities, (515) 294-8397, scpadgitt@iastate.edu; Beth Danowsky, director, Iowa Rural Development Council, (515) 242-4875 beth.danowsky@ided.state.ia.us; and Mark Edelman, interim director, Iowa Community Vitality Center, (515) 294-6144, medelman@iastate.edu.
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Extension programs are available to all without regard to race, color, national origin, religion, sex, age, or disability.