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Kvidera advocate for Iowa agriculture in Washington, D.C.

Pictured left to right, back row, Doug Rice of Mount Vernon; Joe Kvidera of Traer and Matt McGuire of DeWitt; front row, Sara Mohr of Ladora and Sam Jamison of Columbus Junction. PHOTO COURTESY OF IOWA FARM BUREAU FEDERATION

Farm Bureau members from across the state departed their Iowa farms for Washington, D.C., Sept. 10-12, to meet with their elected officials and agency representatives. Members shared personal stories and examples of how important ag issues impact their farms, including the critical need for the farm bill. Other important topics and issues raised by members included protecting interstate commerce, expanding biofuel markets and growing opportunities for trade.

Nineteen members from the graduating class of Iowa Farm Bureau Federation’s (IFBF) Ag Leaders Institute, which trains members on how to represent their farms, their county Farm Bureaus and the ag industry, joined the trip. Included in the trip, pictured left to right, back row, Doug Rice of Mount Vernon; Joe Kvidera of Traer and Matt McGuire of DeWitt; front row, Sara Mohr of Ladora and Sam Jamison of Columbus Junction.

The graduating Ag Leaders class visited with Iowa Sens. Charles Grassley and Joni Ernst, as well as the offices of Reps. Ashley Hinson, Mariannette Miller-Meeks, Zach Nunn and Randy Feenstra.

Members stressed the urgency of passing an updated farm bill and shared challenges related to a one-year extension and waiting another year for congressional action. Since the last farm bill was passed in 2018, farmers have faced volatile markets related to the COVID-19 pandemic and record-high inflation and costs to raise a crop. The farmer delegation urged lawmakers to make critical updates to the farm safety net which are needed to help farmers manage risk of today’s prices and provide certainty for long-term planning.

The Washington, D.C. trip serves as the culmination of the year-long Ag Leaders Institute program designed to help participants gain an extensive background on agricultural issues, develop advocacy skills and build a network of leaders across Iowa. Graduates will be recognized at the Iowa Farm Bureau annual meeting, Dec. 10-11 in Des Moines.