It’s time to open markets for farmers

Farmers don’t have the luxury of waiting on Washington, D.C., gridlock and endless policy debates. In Iowa, agriculture is not just an industry, it is the backbone of our economy.

That’s why, as a member of the House Agriculture Committee, I was proud to pass the Farm Bill out of committee, to deliver a strong, five-year commitment to put farmers, ranchers and rural communities first.

Last year, I was proud to lead the fight to pass the Working Families Tax Cuts. As the only Member of Congress serving on the House Ways and Means Committee and the House Agriculture Committee, I was uniquely positioned to advance farmers’ priorities.

We delivered real results, including provisions to strengthen crop insurance, protect family farms from the death tax, and making the largest generational investment in the farm safety net in decades. This bill provided real relief and long-term certainty for producers who have faced high input costs, inflation and volatile markets for too long.

Despite these critical steps forward, it’s clear that farmers need markets to export their products to feed families across the world. The Farm Bill addresses these needs by supporting programs that will open new markets and removing barriers unfairly keeping American agriculture from competing on a level playing field

I was honored to help lead this effort by advancing key bills shaped directly by my conversations with Iowa farmers.

First, strong markets depend on strong infrastructure to allow food to move from the farm to consumers. The Farm Bill includes several pieces of my legislation that would provide resources to reach these new markets.

For example, the FRIDGE Act will improve refrigeration and cold storage capacity at our ports, so Iowa-raised beef, pork, turkey and chicken reach global markets without spoilage.

Additionally, the Middle Mile for Rural America Act will continue critical broadband infrastructure programs, so farms, businesses and families have access to fast, reliable internet. Expanding connectivity fuels economic growth, supports precision agriculture, and ensures access to the online marketplace.

Second, an animal disease outbreak can significantly harm trade with foreign countries and can be a basis to close important agricultural export markets. I introduced the SAFE Act to protect our international markets in the event of a foreign animal disease outbreak that is being managed in one part of the country, so that it doesn’t harm Iowa’s $14.3 billion agricultural export economy.

The Farm Bill will allow the U.S. Department of Agriculture to negotiate regionalization agreements with other countries to allow producers to safely ship our agricultural commodities around the globe, prevent massive trade disruptions, and mitigate the negative impacts of animal disease on our farmers, producers and rural communities.

Lastly, the Farm Bill doubles funding for the Market Access Program (MAP) and the Foreign Market Development Program (FMD). These two programs drive market demand for American products against foreign competition giving producers a seat at the table.

The Farm bill is essential to address the needs of farmers, who have been enduring challenging market conditions. These policies reflect conversations I’ve had at kitchen tables, co-ops, livestock barns and community meetings across Iowa’s 4th District.

Farmers care about results. They want certainty, stability and the opportunity to pass their farms on to the next generation.

I look forward to having this Farm Bill pass on the House Floor on its way to the president’s desk and allowing Iowa farmers to continue to feed and fuel the world.

It’s time to finish the job.