ELKHART — Nearly 100 Iowa Farmers Union members from across the state came out Saturday to learn how several Iowa Democratic candidates plan on leading change — especially for the ag industry and the struggling farm economy.
The event at Big Oak Barn in Elkhart kicked off with Sarah Trone Garriott, a Democrat who is running for U.S. House District 3 against incumbent Republican Rep. Zach Nunn. She focused on how the farm bill is a viable way to address declining farm income.
“In the farm bill, we have tremendous opportunity to really incentivize the practices that we know make a difference, cover crops, no till. But in order to do those things, farmers have to invest in some new technology and they have to be prepared for a decrease in their productivity for a period of time,” Trone Garriott said.
“We have to help them through it,” she continued. “We’re (farmers) under a lot of pressure right now and it’s really hard to make changes when you’re so stressed.”
She explained that during the Nixon administration, there was a huge investment in water quality and that priority cleaned up the country’s water.
“We can do that again,” Trone Garriott said. “I believe that we have the resources, we have the answers. We just need to direct that support and make it the priority. And we can make a huge positive impact for our state.”
Muhlbauer cites farm bankruptices, high input costs
Dave Muhlbauer, a fifth-generation farmer from Manila, Iowa, running for lieutenant governor on Democrat Rob Sand’s ticket, said he has prioritized agriculture and rural communities as part of his campaign.
“If it’s a good idea, it doesn’t matter where it comes from,” Muhlbauer said. “It’s not right versus left but right versus wrong and we’re going in the wrong direction. I gotta say, people are very frustrated and upset with the direction of our state.”
Muhlbauer said many farmers are facing a fourth consecutive year of losses and last April farm bankruptcies hit a six-year high. He cited a recent report that found farm incomes have dropped 53% in the last three years. He said causes include the tariffs and high input prices like fuel and fertilizer as a result of the ongoing Iran conflict.
“This isn’t sustainable to our family farms and it’s further driving our state economy into the ditch,” Muhlbauer said. “You know, I’m a farmer. I’m a real farmer. That’s my livelihood and what I’ve done all my life, so I think it’s fitting for me to say it’s time to rotate crops.”
Jones calls for diversifying crops
Chris Jones, Democratic candidate for secretary of agriculture, who spent his career monitoring water quality and high nitrate levels, agrees. He noted that Iowa is a two-crop state (corn and soybeans) and it’s time to diversify crops with a focus on crops that would thrive in Iowa. Diversifying crops, he said, would help reduce nitrate levels in Iowa’s water.
“It’s time to stop making incremental change and focus on structural change. It came to me that if we want to improve agriculture, if we want to create a resilient and a humane and a sustainable system that delivers good environmental outcomes, we need structural change,” Jones said.
To do this, Iowa needs diverse farming systems where farmers are growing oats, forage crops, vegetables and fruits, Jones said. He is advocating for locally grown food to be served in local schools and his campaign is releasing a local food policy that will position Iowa to be the number one state in the country for access to local food.
“We can’t be saying we feed the world when we can’t feed Polk County,” Jones said.
He is running against incumbent Republican Mike Naig.
Turek emphasizes need for change
Josh Turek, Democratic candidate for U.S. Senate, said Iowa needs candidates who are going to fight for Iowa and Iowans. “Fighting for social and economic justice, not just fighting for the billionaires and the large corporations. That’s the opportunity all of us have this year – working together.”
Turek, a state representative from Council Bluffs who is running against Republican U.S. Rep. Ashley Hinson, stressed that Iowa should not be leading the country in farm foreclosures. He made the promise if he is elected, he will fight to pass policies that support farmers, including enabling farmers to repair their equipment. He also promised to pass a farm bill that works for farmers. “I will not let Congress leave D.C. with a passive farm bill.”
He ended the evening highlighting what Iowans have been saying to him as he travels across the state speaking with Iowans: “This is not the state I know. This is not the state I love. We need change. I voted for Ernst. I voted for Trump. Enough is enough.”
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