Tuesday, October 23, 2007

Rural summit Saturday in Iowa attracts candidates

At least four presidential candidates are scheduled to address the 2007 National Summit on Agriculture and Rural Life at Iowa State University in Ames this Saturday. Democrats John Edwards and Barack Obama are scheduled to attend, along with Republican John Cox. Democrat Hillary Clinton is scheduled to join via an interactive video link. The candidates will appear separately, with questions from the audience following their speeches.

Generation Engage, a leader in innovative youth civic engagement strategies, will bring remote audiences from Raleigh, N.C. and San Jose, Calif., directly into the forum with a video link. The forum is co-sponsored by Iowa Public Radio; the moderators will be IPR's Jeanene Beck and Al Cross of the Institute for Rural Journalism and Community Issues. An additional media sponsor is the Center for Rural Strategies.

The summit will begin at 9 a.m. at ISU's Scheman Education Center with opening remarks from Iowa Agriculture Secretary Bill Northey. Panel discussions among national rural policy experts and leaders will range from energy, food, and rural development policy to immigration and globalization. The presidential forum will begin at 1:15. Only registered attendees will be admitted to the forum. For a registration form, click here. The registration fee is $30 in advance, $40 on site.

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