In the current economy, it?s more difficult than ever for ag producers to operate. They have to deal with unfair market competition, rising input costs, and an administration that doesn?t seem to want to prioritize their needs. However, Iowa 4th District Congressman Randy Feenstra is listening to the concerns of the farmers and is making sure that their voices make it to the federal government. One of Rep. Feenstra?s recent efforts to aid farmers is the Cattle Price Discovery and Transparency Act, which he said is making good progress through the Senate.
With the current economy- and especially the current talks of recession- efforts like this bill are incredibly important for producers. Rep. Feenstra talked about how input costs are affecting Iowa producers, especially when it comes to cattle farmers.
When it comes to issues in agriculture, there shouldn?t be any specific partisanship. In fact, feeding the nation is a very bipartisan issue. Rep. Feenstra said it?s crucial right now for Congress to pick the producers over the packers.
Not every ag issue is just for producers, though. Consumers also feel the effects of those issues, and right now, the most noticeable one is gas prices. However, agriculture also provides a solution for that issue in biofuels. Rep. Feenstra talked about the progress they?ve made towards increasing access to biofuels.
There are a lot of misconceptions about the efficacy of biofuels right now. Even our current president has doubts about the industry. Rep. Feenstra said it?s incredibly important for the ag industry to educate others about just how useful and effective biofuels are for the economy and the environment.
During tense global situations, it?s not great to have to rely on other countries for our energy. Rep. Feenstra said that biofuels also allow the U.S. to become much more energy independent.
Rep. Feenstra also discussed some other important issues, like the upcoming Farm Bill and the worsening crop conditions in northwest Iowa.
If you want to find more information or get a hold of Rep. Feenstra, visit his website at https://feenstra.house.gov/.
