Scott Buer

With the drastic push to cut government spending still going full speed in Washington, D.C., many are concerned that budget cuts will damage public safety. Nebraska Rep. Mike Flood is worried that already strapped agencies like the National Weather Service will be cut even more, degrading essential services even further. READ MORE: Nebraska Rep.

Family-owned farms are the economic and cultural backbone of Iowa — and have been since the first settlers arrived. The state has several public-private programs designed to keep those farms alive. One is the Good Farm Neighbor Award, awarded to farmers that are good neighbors, and who produce their products sustainably and humanely. It's Friday lunchtime in Pisgah, Iowa, and it is standing room only in the Methodist Church Social Hall.