Information courtesy of Jackie King, ISU News Service.

• Associate scientist in economics Dave Swenson was interviewed by Jason Clayworth, a reporter from The Des Moines Register, who had questions about the scope and consequences to state government activity were there a shutdown if the current budget impasse holds through the fiscal year end. Swenson also referred him to the 2005 Minnesota experience under than Gov. Tim Pawlenty where there was a nine-day shutdown.
• Chad Hart, assistant professor of economics and grain markets specialist, spoke with Alan Bjerga of Bloomberg News about soybean prices and Chinese demand.
• Hart also had several other contacts. Kris Debins, Reuters, asked about crop markets, prevented planting, and crop insurance. John Pocock, Corn and Soybean Digest, wanted information on ethanol outlook and policy. And Tim Hoskins, Iowa Farmer Today, had questions about crop plantings, flooding, and crop marketing.
• Dermot Hayes, professor of economics and of finance, spoke with William Petroski of the Des Moines Register about the benefits of international trade missions such as the ongoing one state leaders are conducting in South Korea. 

Links to the following articles are available at:http://www.public.iastate.edu/~nscentral/mr/11/0603/0603.shtml

• Ethanol Saving Travelers Millions this Holiday Weekend,; Kansas Farmer, KS , 05-27-11 (Center for Agricultural and Rural Development, Iowa State University); Also ran: American Agriculturist, IA, California Farmer, CA, Dakota Farmer, SD, Indiana Prairie Farmer, IN, Michigan Farmer, MI, Mid-South Farmer, IA, Missouri Ruralist, MO, Ohio Farmer, OH, Prairie Farmer, IA, The Farmer, IA, The Farmer-Stockman, IA, Wallaces Farmer, IA, Western Farmer-Stockman, IA, Wisconsin Agriculturist, WI,
• Wisconsin Corn Growers Association says that without ethanol, gas would cost 15 percent more; PolitiFact Wisconsin, WI , 05-29-11 (Bruce Babcock, Professor of Economics, Center for Agricultural and Rural Development, Iowa State University)
• US will save $440M on Memorial Day weekend due to ethanol, says RFA; Biofuels Digest, FL , 05-30-11 (Center for Agricultural and Rural Development, Iowa State University)
• Retail Food Price Increases Expected To Continue; Vending Marketwatch.com, WI , 05-31-11 (Chad Hart, Assistant Professor of Economics, Iowa State University)