Feestra hosts first ag advisory board meeting

Hamburg Reporter (IA)

U.S. Rep. Randy Feenstra (R-Hull) held his first Agriculture Advisory Board meeting March 22 to preview the 2023 Farm Bill and answer questions from his 60-member board. Feenstra and the board discussed the Biden Administration's harmful WOTUS rule, crop insurance, work requirements for SNAP recipients, international trade, greater investment in agricultural research and development, and foreign purchases of American farmland.

Honorary Chairman of the Board, Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Mike Naig, also attended the meeting.

"Iowa farmers, producers and our agricultural community deserve a strong Farm Bill that benefits our state and our agriculture sector. Between international trade and conservation to crop insurance and livestock programs, all 12 titles of the Farm Bill support the success of Iowa agriculture and the vitality of our rural main streets," said Rep. Feenstra. "As the second largest agriculture-producing district in the nation, I am working to ensure that every farmer, producer, and agricultural stakeholder in Iowa has a seat at the table when the Farm Bill is negotiated and eventually signed into law."

"Iowa's voice will matter in this Farm Bill because every title of the Farm Bill matters to Iowans," said Secretary Naig. "With Congressman Feenstra's role on the House Agriculture Committee and the House Ways and Means Committee, we have a tremendous opportunity as Iowans to protect the productivity and competitiveness of Iowa agriculture. We need strong provisions to help farmers manage risk, promote voluntary conservation programs, build markets, expand trade, and invest in rural Iowa and communities of all sizes across our state. I look forward to the work we will achieve on this board together."

The board is comprised of 60 members of the greater agriculture community from all 36 counties in Iowa's 4th Congressional District, and represents a wide range of industries, including

corn, soybeans, pork, beef, turkey, dairy, eggs, cattle, goat, seed, fertilizer, veterinary medicine, equipment manufacturing, FFA, conservation, agricultural lending, and