Issue Position: Growing Iowa's Agriculture

Issue Position

Rita has lived in rural Iowa her whole life. She grew up on a dairy farm, taught in rural schools, and owns and operates a corn and soybean farm south of Wheatland, Iowa with her husband Paul. They started on their farm during the depths of the farm crisis while living in a mobile home. Rita describes their farm investment as the best decision she and Paul ever made. Iowa agriculture has continued to face crisis after crises exacerbated by ill-conceived policies out of Washington. Farm incomes have been declining for a half decade and Washington politicians are making it worse. That doesn't just hurt farmers. It harms the entire rural economy. Then, the coronavirus pandemic hit our famers especially hard, while Washington left them behind, initially excluding them from small business relief. Rita recognizes that because of climate change and changes in the ag industry, now is the time to lay the groundwork for the future of the ag economy.

In Congress, Rita will work to:

Encourage the ingenuity of the great American farmer to find practical solutions and help farmers lead in the fight against climate change by paying for environmental services like sequestering carbon. Make it more economically viable to engage in regenerative practices like planting cover crops, installing edge of field practices, and using research-driven technologies that include precision agriculture.

Make sure Iowa farmers hurt by the coronavirus crisis have the relief they deserve and Iowa workers have the protective equipment necessary to keep our supply chain moving.

Keep Iowa a leader in green energy by fighting for a strong Renewable Fuel Standard and ending the EPA's waivers to Big Oil companies like Exxon Mobile and Chevron that are depressing prices.
Encourage and incentivize research, development and promotion of alternative fuels.

Open new markets to our exports while guaranteeing a level-playing field for American workers.

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