David Loebsack: “My amendment is simple. It states that farmers and rural communities should receive equal consideration through lending…”

“My amendment is simple. It states that farmers and rural communities should receive equal consideration through lending activities for small businesses, particularly our Nation's small- and mid-sized farms and agriculture operations, which make up the majority of our agriculture community. It also states that we should give attention to ensuring that there is adequate credit and financing available in the agriculture and farming sectors. While the amendment itself is simple, the issue is not. Throughout this economic downtown, our rural communities and farmers have been struggling, just as our major metro areas have been. Many areas in my district in Iowa have unemployment rates above the national average. I have also seen examples of agriculture operations having a difficult time finding financing, and I have worked to try to assist such operations. Unfortunately, our farmers and rural communities are often not discussed in the broader debate on how to encourage economic recovery.”