Secretary Perdue Presents Agriculture and Rural Prosperity Task Force Report to President Trump
(Nashville, TN, January 8, 2018) – U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue will ceremonially present today the findings of the Interagency Task Force on Agriculture and Rural Prosperity to President Donald J. Trump at the 2018 American Farm Bureau Annual Convention in Nashville, Tennessee. On April 25, 2017, President Trump signed an Executive Order establishing the task force “to ensure the informed exercise of regulatory authority that impacts agriculture and rural communities.” As Secretary of Agriculture, Perdue served as the task force’s chairman and identified over 100 recommendations to help improve life in rural America. The recommendations centered around these five areas: E-Connectivity, Quality of Life, Rural Workforce, Technology, and Economic Development.
Secretary Perdue issued the following statement:
“Since his inauguration, President Trump has made agriculture and rural America a high priority. On the day he swore me in to office, he tasked me with chairing the Interagency Task Force on Agriculture and Rural Prosperity. With the voice of rural America leading the way, and in close collaboration with local, state, and tribal leaders, 22 federal agencies, offices, and executive departments accepted the challenge to make rural America great again. We traveled to 30 states, held two RV Tours covering over 2,200 miles, and most importantly, we listened to the people of rural America.
“While the task force worked tirelessly to identify solutions to the problems plaguing our rural communities, there is more work ahead. No doubt, rural America has struggled under burdensome regulations with no voice in Washington, but under President Trump’s leadership, and with the work of this task force, we can turn that around and restore rural prosperity once and for all.”
You may click HERE or on the video above to watch a recap of the creation and work of the Rural Prosperity Task Force
Background:
The Interagency Task Force on Agriculture and Rural Prosperity identified over 100 actions for the federal government to consider in order to achieve a vision of a better rural America. These actions include legislative, regulatory, and policy changes and were built around these key indicators:
You may click HERE to read the Rural Prosperity Task Force Report in its entirety on the newly unveiled Rural Prosperity website, which includes a link for farmers, ranchers, foresters, and producers to submit comments and ideas on regulatory reform.
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(Salt Lake City) The Utah Educational Savings Plan (UESP) announced today that assets under its management passed $12 billion,
20 percent higher from the start of 2017 when assets topped $10 billion.
The increase, along with steady growth in accounts, underscores the value families across the United States derive from saving with
UESP for their children’s future higher education. Utah’s plan administers almost 355,000 accounts, up 7 percent from a year earlier.
UESP is the fourth-largest direct-sold 529 plan in the nation.
“Assets under management are a key indicator of consumer confidence,” said Lynne Ward, UESP executive director. “Families in
every state of the country are drawn to UESP’s tax-advantaged 529 plan because of its flexible investment options and fees that
are among the lowest in the 529 marketplace.”
Investment research firm Morningstar Inc. awarded UESP its coveted Analyst RatingTM of Gold for 2017. UESP was one of only four
plans to earn a Gold rating for its catalog of fixed and customizable investment options, low fees, and plan management. It was the
seventh consecutive year UESP earned Morningstar’s top honor.
A UESP account provides valuable tax benefits that make saving for higher education easier:
· Earnings accumulate inside the account tax-free.
· Earnings used to pay for qualified higher education expenses are exempt from federal and Utah state income taxes.
· Utah taxpayers may qualify for a Utah state income tax credit or deduction for contributions to their accounts up to a certain
amount per beneficiary.
About UESP
UESP, Utah’s official nonprofit 529 college savings plan, is highly ranked by Morningstar Inc., and touted by Kiplinger’s Personal Finance magazine,
Money magazine, CBS MoneyWatch.com, and consumer expert Clark Howard for its low fees and industry innovations such as its customized
investment allocation options.
Accounts are free to open, and UESP requires no minimum deposit or account balance. UESP’s user-friendly website, uesp.org, makes it easy
to open, manage, and contribute to an account online.
To learn more about the Utah Educational Savings Plan, visit uesp.org, call UESP toll-free at 800.418.2551, or send an email to info@uesp.org.
Important Legal Notice
Investing is an important decision. Read the Program Description in its entirety for more information and consider all investment objectives,
risks, charges, and expenses before investing. Call 800.418.2551 for a copy of the Program Description or visit uesp.org.
Investments in UESP are not insured or guaranteed by UESP, the Utah State Board of Regents, the Utah Higher Education Assistance Authority
or any other state or federal agency. Your investment could lose value. However, Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) insurance is
provided for the FDIC-insured accounts. Please read the Program Description to learn about the FDIC-insured accounts.
The state in which you or your beneficiary pays taxes or lives may offer a 529 plan that provides state tax or other benefits, such as
financial aid, scholarship funds, and protection from creditors, not otherwise available to you by investing in UESP. You should consider
such benefits, if any, before investing in UESP.
UESP does not provide legal, financial, investment, or tax advice, and the information provided in this document does not contain legal,
financial, investment, or tax advice and cannot be construed as such or relied upon for those purposes. You should consult your own tax or
legal advisor to determine the effect of federal and state tax laws on your particular situation.
A Morningstar Analyst Rating for a 529 college savings plan is not a credit or risk rating. Analyst ratings are subjective in nature and should
not be used as the sole basis for investment decisions. Morningstar does not represent its analyst ratings to be guarantees. Please visit
Morningstar.com for more information about the analyst ratings, as well as other Morningstar ratings and fund rankings.
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Red Cross blood shortage prompts urgent call for blood and platelet donations during National Blood Donor Month
Severe weather forces blood drive cancellations causing thousands of donations to go uncollected
SALT LAKE CITY (Jan. 8, 2018) — This January, National Blood Donor Month, the American Red Cross has an urgent need for blood and platelet donors of all blood types to make an appointment to give now and help address a winter blood donation shortage.
Severe winter weather has had a tremendous impact on blood donations already this year, with more than 150 blood drives forced to cancel causing over 5,500 blood and platelet donations to go uncollected. This is in addition to seasonal illnesses, such as the flu, and hectic holiday schedules collectively contributing to more than 28,000 fewer donations than what was needed in November and December.
“Even temporary disruptions to blood and platelet donations can diminish the availability for hospital patients,” said Carmen Madsen, Donor Recruitment director of the Lewis and Clark Blood Services Region. “It’s the blood on the shelves that helps save lives in an emergency, and that’s why we’re asking eligible individuals to make an appointment to give blood or platelets today.”
While serving local hospitals is the first priority, the Red Cross can move blood products to where they’re needed most. This allows generous donors throughout the country to contribute to the national blood supply and potentially help patients locally and in storm-affected areas.
While all blood types are urgently needed, there is a more critical need for the following blood and donation types right now:
· Platelets: The clotting portion of blood primarily given to cancer patients during treatment and always in great demand.
· Type O negative: The blood type that can be transfused to almost everyone and is what doctors reach for in trauma situations.
· Type B negative: The blood type that can be transfused to type B Rh-positive and negative patients.
How to help
Eligible donors can find a blood or platelet donation opportunity and schedule an appointment to donate by using the free Blood Donor App, visiting redcrossblood.org or calling 1-800-RED CROSS (1-800-733-2767). Donation appointments and completion of a RapidPass are encouraged to help speed up the donation process. RapidPass lets donors complete the pre-donation reading and answer the health history questionnaire online, on the day of their donation, by visiting redcrossblood.org/rapidpass from the convenience of a mobile device or computer, or through the Blood Donor App.
Who blood donations help
Every two seconds, someone in the U.S. needs blood – a need that is all too real for Heather Hrouda and her family. Hrouda was 25 weeks pregnant with her fourth child when she began bleeding. An emergency cesarean section was performed, but Hrouda hemorrhaged during surgery. She received 14 units of blood and seven units of plasma before she and her newborn son, Rusher, were flown to a nearby hospital. There, she received additional transfusions, and Rusher was moved to the neonatal intensive care unit, where he also received a blood transfusion to increase his red blood cell count.
“My family and I are so thankful for all the blood donors,” said Hrouda. “It is safe to say that without their time and donations, Rusher and I would not be here today. Because of donors, I get to watch my kids grow up and become the adults they dream of being.”
The Hroudas are just two examples of the many patients who depend on blood and platelet donors. Accident and burn victims, heart surgery and organ transplant patients, and patients receiving treatment for leukemia, cancer or sickle cell disease may all require blood to save their lives. The Red Cross must collect more than 13,000 blood donations every day for patients at approximately 2,600 hospitals across the country.
Upcoming blood donation opportunities Jan. 8-31:
Farr West
1/25/2018: 2:45 p.m. - 8 p.m., Farr West Utah Poplar Stake, 1800 North 1800 West
Ogden
1/9/2018: 10 a.m. - 2 p.m., Staker and Parsons Companies, 2350 South 1900 West
1/10/2018: 10 a.m. - 3 p.m., Ogden City, 2549 Washington Blvd.
1/17/2018: 9 a.m. - 3 p.m., Weber County Employees, 2380 Washington Blvd.
1/19/2018: 12 p.m. - 6 p.m., St. Paul Lutheran Church, 3329 Harrison Blvd.
1/24/2018: 2:30 p.m. - 8 p.m., Ogden Mound Fort Stake, 373 15th Street
1/26/2018: 9 a.m. - 2 p.m., Ogden Regional Hospital, 5475 South 500 East
1/29/2018: 9 a.m. - 2 p.m., Weber County Sheriff's Office, 721 West 12th St.
Roy
1/12/2018: 3 p.m. - 8 p.m., Roy North Stake, 4250 South 2175 West
1/23/2018: 9 a.m. - 3 p.m., Roy High School, 2150 West 4800 South
1/23/2018: 10 a.m. - 3 p.m., Citi, 4059 South 1900 West, Suite 200
West Haven
1/31/2018: 3 p.m. - 8 p.m., West Haven Utah Stake, 4700 West 3300 South
About the American Red Cross:
The American Red Cross shelters, feeds and provides emotional support to victims of disasters; supplies about 40 percent of the nation's blood; teaches skills that save lives; provides international humanitarian aid; and supports military members and their families. The Red Cross is a not-for-profit organization that depends on volunteers and the generosity of the American public to perform its mission. For more information, please visit redcross.org or cruzrojaamericana.org, or visit us on Twitter at @RedCross.
