Rastetter's Ag Summit celebrates corporate control of land and politics at expense of everyday people.

On March 7, Iowa’s self appointed political kingmaker, multi-millionaire Bruce Rastetter, will be hosting GOP presidential hopefuls like Jeb Bush, Scott Walker, and Chris Christie in Des Moines for the “2015 Iowa Ag Summit”. In reality, it will be a Corporate Ag Summit, given Rastetter’s vision of “modern agriculture” and his record of putting profits before people.
 
Not only did Bruce Ratsetter found Heartland Pork Enterprises, which was later acquired by Christensen Farms to create the fourth largest factory farm pork producer in the United States, but he led a failed attempt to export that agricultural model to Tanzania that would have displaced 160,000 Burundian refugee farmers. Rastetter even attempted to use his position on the Board of Regents to get Iowa State University behind this corporate land grab, in large part to advance the profits of his international energy company, Agrisol Energy. We have a history of mobilizing to confront Rastetter’s profit-driven motives while elevating an agenda the puts people before profit, politics, and polluters.
 
At his Corporate Ag Summit, Rastetter will use the national stage to tout the wonders of industrial farming and the need for political leaders to embrace the flawed ideology of “feeding the world”. We know that this agricultural model doesn’t benefit everyday people- “feeding the world” is actually about feeding the wallets of corporate agriculture.
 
To us, real food security is about local control of agriculture using methods that sustain the health of soil, water, communities, and rural economies for future generations. This model of agriculture works for all people, and recognizes the dignity of farmers at home and across the globe. We will use Rastetter’s Ag Summit to elevate our vision and give voice to the concerns of farmers and everyday Iowans. At the same time, we want to make it clear to all 2016 presidential candidates that Iowans don’t support Rastetter’s agenda that puts big money corporations in the driver’s seat.
 
National media outlets will descend upon Iowa for Rastetter’s event- we will be there in force to counter his corporatized and industrialized prescription for farming and the environment with our People and Planet First agenda that puts people, our land, our way of life, and the environment before corporate greed.
 
To elevate this agenda, we will bring in speakers from across the country to talk about a food and agriculture system that works for people, and about democratic control over how our food is produced. Anuradha Mittal of the Oakland Institute and Patty Lovera of Food and Water Watch are already committed to joining us, and we are working on getting other big names from Iowa and beyond. And not only are we bringing in big name speakers, but we want to bring in folks from across the state to talk about their experiences growing food and sustaining our land here in Iowa.

Please join us for a powerful day of elevating the issues that actually matter to Iowa communities, our land, our soil, and a democracy that runs for people, not corporations.

Join us: Food and Ag Justice Summit

Let’s elevate a food & ag system that puts people and planet first.

On March 7, Iowa’s self appointed political kingmaker, multi-millionaire Bruce Rastetter, will be hosting GOP presidential hopefuls like Jeb Bush, Scott Walker, and Chris Christie in Des Moines for the “2015 Iowa Ag Summit”. It will be a Corporate Ag Summit, given Rastetter’s vision of “modern agriculture” and his record of putting profits before people.

National media outlets will descend on Iowa for Rastetter’s event- we will be there in force to counter  his corporatized and industrialized prescription for farming and the environment.

We are bringing in speakers from across the country to talk about a food and ag system that works for people and the planet. Anuradha Mittal of the Oakland Institute and Patty Lovera of Food and Water Watch are already committed to  joining us, and we are working on getting other big names from Iowa and beyond. Please join us for a powerful day of elevating a People and Planet First Agenda that puts everyday Iowans before corporate greed.

Friday March 6th
6:00 pm – 8:30 pm
Food, Fun, & Fight Back
Iowa CCI Headquarters, 2001 Forest Ave, Des Moines
 
Saturday March 7th
7:00 am – 11:00 am
Food and Ag Justice Speak Out
Elwell Family Food Center, Iowa State Fairgrounds, 3000 E. Grand Ave, Des Moines
11:30 am – 2:00 pm
Food and Ag Justice Teach In
Simpson United Methodist Church
2600 Capitol Ave, Des Moines

March 6 & 7 Featured Speakers

Kathy Ozer is the executive director of the National Family Farm Coalition.  She has worked on farm, rural and fair trade policy for over twenty years. Kathy represents NFFC on the boards and coordinating committees of the Citizens Trade Campaign, Jobs with Justice, and the US Food Sovereignty Alliance.
 
Alicia Harvie directs the Advocacy & Issues work at Farm Aid and serves as Farm Aid’s key issues analyst and strategist. Farm Aid has worked with Iowa CCI and communities throughout the state [and nation] for decades in their struggle for a democratic and just food and agricultural system.
 
Anuradha Mittal is the executive director of the Oakland Institute, an independent policy think tank, bringing fresh ideas and bold action to the most pressing social, economic, and environmental issues of our time.  Anuradha is known nationally and internationally for her work on trade, development, human rights and agriculture issues.
 
George Naylor has raised non-GMO corn and soybeans on his family’s farm in Greene County, Iowa since 1976.  He is a board member of the Center for Food Safety, a past president of the National Family Farm Coalition and has been involved in farm activism for nearly 40 years.
 
Barb Kalbach is a 4th generation family farmer from Adair County, Iowa.  She first got involved in farm activism during the 1980s Farm Crisis.  Barb is a long-time member of Iowa CCI.
 
Francis Thicke, with his wife Susan, owns and operates an 80-cow, grass-based, organic dairy near Fairfield, Iowa.  They process their milk on the farm and market their dairy products through grocery stores and restaurants in Fairfield.  Francis has a Ph.D. in soil fertility and has served as National Program Leader for Soil Science for the USDA – Extension Service in Washington, D.C.
 
Frank James is the executive director of Dakota Rural Action, an affiliate of the Western Organization of Resource Councils.  Frank was raised on a diversified family farm in NE South Dakota, and has been a community organizer and farm activist for over twenty-five years.
 
Patty Lovera is the Assistant Director of Food & Water Watch, a national advocacy organization that works for healthy food and clean water for all. Before joining Food & Water Watch, Patty was the deputy director of the energy and environment program at Public Citizen and a researcher at the Center for Health, Environment and Justice.
 
Stacy Hartmann is co-owner/operator of Small Potatoes Farm, a CSA which has been delivering high-quality, certified organic produce to residents in the Ames/Des Moines corridor for the past ten years. She and her husband Rick actively support the efforts of individuals and organizations to address the ills of industrial agriculture and strengthen the local food system.
 
Mark Schultz is the Policy and Organizing director at the Land Stewardship Project.  Mark has led numerous successful campaigns in farm/rural policy and organizing, from stopping proposed factory farms and frac sand mines through local organizing, to the development, passage, implementation and usage of proactive federal policy like the Conservation Stewardship Program and the Beginning Farmer and Rancher Development Program.
 
Kathleen McQuillen is the Iowa Program Coordinator for the American Friends Service Committee, focusing on building resistance to war while highlighting the costs of  war to  our communities. A new initiative, Governing Under the Influence, shines a light on the degree to which corporations are driving US policy.
 
Sponsors
  1. Iowa CCI
  2. Food & Water Watch
  3. The Oakland Institute
  4. National Family Farm Coalition
  5. Farm Aid
  6. Land Stewardship Project
  7. Missouri Rural Crisis Center
  8. Dakota Rural Action
  9. Occupy the World Food Prize
  10. American Friends Service Committee
  11. Family Farm Defenders
  12. Socially Responsible Agriculture Project
  13. Women, Food and Agriculture Network
  14. Dallas County [Iowa] Farmers and Neighbors
  15. Jefferson County [Iowa] Farmers & Neighbors
  16. Iowa Ag Council of the Humane Society of the U.S.
  17. Women’s International League for Peace and Freedom