Ag Leaders discuss farm bill, crop insurance with lawmakers

Farm Bureau members talk about ethanol, SAF and inheritance tax in visit to D.C.

Crop prices and maintaining farm safety net programs like crop insurance were top of mind for participants in the Iowa Farm Bureau Federation (IFBF) Ag Leaders Program last week as they traveled to Washington to meet with Iowa's congressional delegation.

In total, 20 Ag Leaders were in D.C. from Sept. 9-12, meeting with Iowa Sens. Chuck Grassley and Joni Ernst and representatives of Iowa's four congressional districts.

Farm Bill focus

The congressional visits started Sept. 11 at Grassley's office, where crop insurance was a central concern.

"If it wasn't for crop insurance, this would probably be my last year farming," said Jordan Davison, a Cerro Gordo County Farm Bureau member who grows corn and soybeans and does custom application. "Flooding this spring really hit us hard."

Davison also asked Grassley to work to increase reference prices by 10% to 20% in the...