Agriculture

The Problem

Consolidation in the farm economy is squeezing family farmers on all sides. Increasingly fewer suppliers control the input markets, fewer buyers set the market price for farm goods, and small and mid-sized farms must contend with ever-larger corporate operations for land and market share. At the same time rural communities struggle to attract new residents and retain the ones they have. Consolidation of schools, a lack of access to health care providers, and diminishing job prospects are leaving some rural communities behind. The rampant consolidation of the hog industry and the explosion of confined animal feeding operations (CAFOs) sit squarely at the center of these issues, impacting both family farming and also rural community viability.

My Background

As a member of the Iowa House Agriculture Committee for six years, I helped lead the charge against HF 519 in 1995. The bill changed Iowa law to enable a drastic shift in hog production from family farms to corporate giants such as Iowa Select, DeCoster, Murphy, and Premium Standard. As it happens, the President of the Iowa Senate at that time was Leonard Boswell, my opponent in this race. While I worked with fellow House Democrats to block passage of HF 519, Leonard Boswell helped get it passed in the Senate.

Solutions: Ensuring Economic Opportunity For Family Farmers

Farm Program Payment Limits: I will fight for farm programs that support family farms. Chief among my goals will be passing legislation that places a payment limit on farm program payments of $250,000. Farm payments should help family farmers, not corporate agribusiness. I will support legislation to close the loopholes that allow the largest farms to get around limits.

Strengthen Conservation Programs: I support investing more of our farm program dollars in conservation programs that benefit farmers and landowners using practices that protect our water, air and soil. Conservation programs that strengthen family farmers and rural communities should be prioritized.

Restore Competition to Livestock Markets: I support passage of a ban on packer ownership of livestock. When meatpackers own livestock they can manipulate prices and discriminate against independent farmers. I will fight to put teeth into anti-monopoly laws and strengthen protections for producers to ensure independent farmers have fair access to markets.

Regulate CAFOs: Since the Democratic Legislature in Iowa and our Democratic governor have done nothing on this issue, I support doing what John Edwards recommended at the federal level: moratorium.

Establish Country of Origin Labeling: I support immediate implementation of the Country of Origin Labeling law passed in the 2002 farm bill.

Organic and Local Agriculture: I support policies that encourage development of organic and local agricultural markets so that small and mid-

sized family farmers have more options to diversify their production.

Create a New Generation of Farmers: The average age of farmers is over 65. Identifying a new generation of farmers and creating ways for them to enter the profession is critical to the future of Iowa. I support legislation to identify, train, and provide incentives to new innovative farmers.

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HF 519 changed Iowa law to enable a drastic shift in hog production from family farms to corporate giants such as Iowa Select, DeCoster, Murphy, and Premium Standard.  While I worked with fellow House Democrats to block passage of HF 519, Leonard Boswell helped get it passed in the Senate.­­­­­­­­­­______________________

Solutions: Support Rural Economic & Community Development

Small Business Development: Rural communities have a high percentage of self-employment. To encourage rural small business development I support legislation that provides technical assistance and low-interest loan money for rural micro-enterprise.

Connect Rural America: Broadband Internet access is a crucial component of rural development. I support modernizing the FCC program that enables rural phone service to promote affordable broadband coverage for rural communities.   

Renewable Energy: Renewable energy initiatives have the potential to restore vitality to our rural communities. I support legislation that increases local ownership of wind and biofuel energy production, thus capturing the economic benefit of renewable energy in our communities.

Rural Health Care: Rural health care infrastructure is declining. I support legislation that makes a substantial investment in rural hospitals and clinics and encourages doctors to practice in underserved areas. I see this as an important element of universal health care, which I support. Please see my policy paper on health care reform for more details.

Education: Public schools are a bedrock of rural communities. I support legislation that invests in teachers who are willing to spend at least five years in any underserved community, and seek to increase all teacher pay.