Delegates recommend beginning farmer policies

Farm Bureau members also adopt state policies for disease transmission research, drones and shared fence maintenance costs with government-owned land.

An update to the Young and Beginning Farmer Loan Program that requires timely preapproval letters and support for loan repayment terms for the Young and Beginning Farmer Direct Ownership Down Payment Loan Program to include 20- to 40-year options gathered strong support from voting delegates at the Iowa Farm Bureau Federation's (IFBF) 2024 Summer Policy Conference in West Des Moines last week.

Additionally, delegates debated several policies related to biofuels and Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) and how to best represent Farm Bureau members. Policies adopted include ensuring that only domestic feedstocks be eligible for biofuel and SAF production tax credits, as well as opposing mandates requiring specific conservation practices or bundling of practices for biofuel or SAF credits.

Delegates endorsed the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) as the agency to determine Carbon Intensity Scores (CIS) for crop and...