I grew up helping out on my family’s century farm — raising sheep and working row crops. Those early mornings taught me something simple: farmers don’t ask for much. They plan years ahead, borrow against crops that aren’t even planted yet, and trust that Washington will hold up its end of the deal.
For too long, Washington hasn’t.
The problem: Producers have been forced to operate on stopgap extensions while Congress delayed the hard work of passing a real Farm Bill.
That’s why, more than three years ago, when I started my Farm Bill listening tour across Iowa, I made a simple commitment: the priorities Iowa farmers shared with me would be reflected in the legislation we wrote.
And this week, we delivered on that promise.
The House Agriculture Committee passed a bipartisan Farm Bill, securing 21 of our priorities raised directly by Iowa farmers. ⬇️
Here’s what we included for Iowa:
🌱 Opening doors for the next generation by lowering barriers to farm ownership loans for young and beginning farmers
🏡 Strengthening rural communities by expanding investment access for family farms, which make up 97% of the farms in Iowa
🌐 Expanding rural broadband by investing in high-speed internet for precision ag and everyday connectivity
🌊 Improving disaster response by including stronger watershed recovery and flood prevention tools
🐾 Protecting Man’s Best Friend by cracking down on puppy mills and greyhound racing
Why it matters: Food security is national security. Iowa’s nearly 87,000 family farms support nearly 800,000 jobs and generate $222 billion in economic output. Our farmers deserve certainty of a real farm bill — and kicking the can down the road won’t cut it.
Bottom Line: Iowa farmers told us what this bill needed to deliver. We secured 21 of their priorities in committee — and I’m working to get this legislation to the House floor so we can finish the job.