Ernst, Iowa Agricultural Leaders Discuss Farm Bill Programs

WASHINGTON, D.C. – At today’s Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry hearing on the upcoming 2018 Farm Bill, U.S. Senator Joni Ernst (R-IA) introduced Mr. Bruce Rohwer of Paullina, Iowa to the committee and questioned agricultural community leaders.

Mr. Rohwer is a corn and soybean farmer, small business owner, and a Board Member of the National Corn Growers Association. He provided testimony on the committee’s first panel of farmer witnesses. Click here or on the image below to watch her introduction.

The committee also heard from Mr. Ron Rutledge of West Des Moines, Iowa, who is the President and Chief Operating Officer of Farmers Mutual Hail Insurance Company of Iowa.

During questioning, Senator Ernst continued to push for increased trade opportunities and to maintain our leadership role in agriculture. Additionally, the Iowa Senator asked the witnesses for their opinion on how the federal government can better support the agricultural community and how to prepare future generations of farmers for the responsibility of feeding and fueling the world. Click here or on the image below to watch Senator Ernst’s questions. 

Senator Ernst also raised questions over the impact of increased use of land retirement programs such as the Conservation Reserve Program (CRP), rather than targeted conservation. The Senator pointed to unemployment and stagnant population growth in rural areas in connection with the availability of farmland, noting that “many of the counties in Iowa with the highest poverty rates are also the counties with the most land enrolled in CRP.” Click here or on the image below to watch Senator Ernst’s final set of questions.