My Weekly Column: Protecting American Farmland from Burdensome Regulations
American farmland is some of the most fertile and bountiful in the world. Despite derechos and droughts, nothing obstructs the resilience of our farmers. Our producers work long hours to grow the food and produce the fuel that our families and communities depend on. From cattle feed to homegrown ethanol and biodiesel, Iowa corn and soybeans lower prices at the pump, end our reliance on foreign oil, and support the vitality of the rural communities surrounded by these grains for months out of the year. These commodities also help grow our export markets and retain Iowa’s unwavering status as the breadbasket to the world.
However, over the course of his administration, President Biden has jeopardized our gold standard of agriculture production with mountains of rules and regulations. He and his unruly Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) have weaponized the power of the pen to impose burdensome mandates on our farmers and rural communities. From expanding the size and scope of WOTUS to proposing bans on pest control tools like rodenticide, the Biden administration has repeatedly demonstrated that it is out-of-touch with the needs and concerns of rural America.
Even worse, these unelected bureaucrats enact crippling regulations on our producers – and quite frankly the entire country – without ever consulting with Congress. That is unacceptable and needs to end.
On November 3rd, I voted for, and the U.S. House of Representatives passed, the Department of the Interior appropriations bill that would prevent taxpayer dollars from enforcing President Biden’s executive orders to destroy American energy production, require the EPA to unclog the backlog of pesticide registration requests, and prohibit appropriated funds from supporting new rules and regulations deemed inflationary or detrimental to the economy by the Office of Management and Budget.
This legislation also includes an amendment that I proudly introduced to hold the Biden administration accountable for its regulatory agenda. My amendment – which passed by voice – would require explicit congressional approval of any regulation that would impact over 50% of American farmland. This would rightfully prevent President Biden from enforcing his WOTUS rule that would subject 97% of Iowa farmland to more burdensome federal regulations. It could also curtail the EPA’s misguided attempts to restrict the use of rodenticide and other pest control tactics.
My amendment also builds on my work to protect our farmland from our foreign enemies. In March, the U.S. House of Representatives passed my Defend America’s Rural Energy Act, which would ban China from buying American farmland suitable for ethanol and biodiesel production. I am also working on other bills – including the FARMLAND Act – to authorize the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (CFIUS) to review all purchases or leases of American farmland by foreign entities and require the Secretary of Agriculture and the Secretary of Homeland Security to publish an annual report outlining any threats or national security risks of foreign investment in American farmland.
As a constitutional conservative, I believe that we must put an end to blatant overreach by unelected bureaucrats within federal agencies – especially the EPA – and keep our foreign adversaries – particularly China – away from our farmland. My amendment coupled with my legislative work reflect my commitment to protect our farmland and be a strong voice for American agriculture in Congress.
We are government together, and your thoughts and opinions matter to me. Please contact my office at Feenstra.House.Gov or by phone at 202-225-4426 if I can ever be of assistance. I am proud to represent our families, farmers, main street businesses, and rural communities in Congress.