Khrushchev Committee 50th Anniversary Event.

The Khrushchev Committee (2008-2009) was a statewide committee involving thirty organizations, formed to plan for the 50th anniversary of Soviet Premier Nikita Khrushchev's visit to the Garst farm in Coon Rapids, Iowa on September 23, 1959. Khrushchev, his wife Nina, and a Soviet delegation came to Iowa in 1959 for two days, also visiting California and the United Nations. Khrushchev's purpose in coming to Iowa was to learn about American agriculture, corn production and livestock feeding in order to help increase food production in his country. After Khrushchev's visit, Roswell Garst made subsequent trips.

"Khrushchev in Iowa" was a four day (August 27-30, 2009) celebration of Khrushchev's historic Cold War visit to Iowa. Celebrations took place in both Des Moines and Coon Rapids at the sites Khrushchev had visited. Individuals from both the United States and Russia participated in the events, including Khrushchev's son Sergei Khrushchev and Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack. The celebrations included a banquet at Hotel Fort Des Moines which recreated the banquet there in 1959, an "Agricultural Progress Day" in Coon Rapids and several agricultural tours.