Sen. Chuck Grassley and Rep. Randy Feenstra hold Farm Bill roundtable event to hear from agriculture organizations

LAKE CITY, Iowa (KTIV) - U.S. Senator Chuck Grassley and Congressman Randy Feenstra, of Iowa, want to know what farmers want in the next federal Farm Bill.

The lawmakers hosted a roundtable on Monday, in Lake City, Iowa, to continue the conversation.

The current U.S. Farm Bill, known as the Agriculture Improvement Act of 2018, is set to expire in 2023. Senator Grassley and Congressman Feenstra have traveled around Iowa to hear directly from farmers, and ag organizations, to know how to better advocate for them.

“In regard to the farm bill, protecting the crop insurance program, Conservation Reserve Program, CRP for short, and more money for research and agriculture research,” said Senator Chuck Grassley, (R) Iowa.

Those are some of the top concerns Grassley has heard, so far. Monday’s roundtable was also a chance for ag leaders to ask questions, as well as, express their biggest concerns and needs.

“It’s all about making sure we protect our producers and through crop protection is very important. Conservation programs are so key that they’re voluntary. And then obviously, Title Nine when it comes to energy. You know, in Iowa, biofuels, biodiesel, ethanol is so critical to what we do,” said Rep. Randy Feenstra, (R) Iowa.

The Farm Bill has a big impact on the livelihoods of farmers and producers which is why Senator Grassley and Representative Feenstra feel it’s so important to speak to those people before their conversations begin at our nation’s Capitol.

Feenstra says farming is such a strong part of the Iowa economy, which is an even bigger reason for him to help pass a strong Farm Bill when the time comes.

“Whether it be corn or soybeans, cattle, hogs, eggs, dairy. You name it, we have it all in Iowa, and that’s why it’s so important to hear from producers, to hear from organizations on how we can make the next farm bill even better to help our producers,” said Rep. Feenstra.

Leaders from several Iowa agriculture groups were invited to Monday’s roundtable including the Iowa Corn Growers Association, the Iowa Soybean Association, the Iowa Dairy Association, the Iowa Renewable Fuels Association, the Iowa Farm Bureau, the Iowa Turkey Federation, the Iowa Cattlemen’s Association, the Iowa Pork Producers Association, the Iowa Egg Council, and the Iowa Association of Electric Cooperatives.

Senator Grassley says the U.S. Senate members will have some hearings regarding the Farm Bill, but action will not be taken until March of 2023.

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