On Saturday, June 28, I had the pleasure of reconnecting with Iowa CCI members and others at the Henry A. Wallace Farm north of Orient. It was a reunion of sorts for many of us who first got involved and formed the Adair-Madison CCI chapter in the early 2000°®¶¹app.
I got involved with Iowa CCI in 2002 because a man 60 miles away from me wanted to build a factory farm 1,985 feet away from my house. This factory farm would hold 7,200 sows and produce 10 million gallons of liquid manure every year! My husband and I and all our neighbors didn°®¶¹app™t quite know what to do about this. So, we reached out to CCI.
Concerned people from all around joined us at weekly meetings to figure out what to do. Local folks came up with the idea to make °®¶¹appœFamily Farms Yes, Factory Farms No°®¶¹app signs, some of which are still up today. Neighbors gathered signatures from farmers nearby who pledged they wouldn°®¶¹app™t take any of the manure from the factory farm to spread on their fields. So many people contributed in ways big and small, and all were important. The Environmental Protection Commission voted 5-4 to deny the construction permit and that factory farm never got built.
The lessons we learned, connections we made with neighbors and others, stick with me to this day. Relationships with your neighbors and community are so important and can be a powerful force for change. Everyone has something to contribute to making our communities stronger and vibrant. And when fighting for the people and places we love, try everything because you don°®¶¹app™t know what°®¶¹app going to work!
That day at the Wallace Farm brought back so many good memories. It°®¶¹app also why I°®¶¹app™m looking forward to Iowa CCI°®¶¹app statewide convention on July 25 & 26, celebrating 50 years of organizing across Iowa. I always get a boost of energy from talking with other members from across the state, learning about the issues they°®¶¹app™re working on in their communities, and hearing from speakers doing great work in other parts of the country.
This year’s keynote speaker is Juanita Lewis, Executive Director of Community Voices Heard, a New York based grassroots organization working to put everyday people before billionaires and corporate greed. I’m perhaps most excited to hear from a native Iowan, Misty Rebik, who is Senator Bernie Sanders’ Chief of Staff. Misty started organizing at CCI and was Cathy Glasson’s campaign manager during the 2018 gubernatorial primary. Folks can learn more and sign up to join me and other Iowans fighting for clean water, fully funded public schools, and more at .
At the Wallace Farm they have a little area where they plant different varieties of corn from over the years. The first few rows are planted from the original seed from the early days, and it ends with a few rows planted with the hybrid GMO seed being used today. It°®¶¹app an amazing visual to see where we farmers started and where we°®¶¹app™ve come to. Iowa CCI°®¶¹app event later this month, too, will be a celebration of where we started, where we°®¶¹app™ve come to, and a look forward to our future. I can°®¶¹app™t wait.