Agriculture

On October 14^th, I kept my 36 County Tour going in Crawford County – honoring my promise to meet with Iowans in every county in the 4^th Congressional District at least twice a year. Since beginning my 36 County Tour, I have been to Crawford County eight times—with each visit as interesting and informative as the next.

While I’ve been out on the road traveling from town to town on my 36 County Tour, the sights and sounds of this year’s harvest are on full display. Combines, tractors, and grain carts dot the fields, farmers are hauling their crops to market, and our farm families are preparing for winter. Our annual harvest serves as an important reminder that agriculture powers our economy and supports our rural communities.

Over the last few years, the agriculture economy has taken a turn for the worse. Commodity prices have fallen below producers’ break-even points, our agricultural trade deficit has eclipsed $43 billion, farm debt stands at a record $540 billion, and inflation combined with high interest rates continue to squeeze profit margins. A recent report from Purdue University also found that three in every four farmers expect conditions in the farm economy to deteriorate in 2025.

Since I was first elected, I have traveled to every county in Iowa’s 4^th Congressional District at least twice a year. It’s a commitment that I made to my constituents that I would be transparent and accessible while taking their concerns, ideas, and suggestions back to Congress and offering meaningful solutions to the problems facing our communities, state, and nation.

On October 1^st, the new President of Mexico – Claudia Sheinbaum – was officially sworn into office. While politics in Mexico may seem inconsequential to domestic affairs here in the United States, this development is very significant for our country, and particularly for our agricultural community.