On the recordJune 28, 2018
I rise today on behalf of Iowa's farmers and ranchers in support of the Agriculture Improvement Act of 2018 or what we refer to as the farm bill. I thank Chairman Roberts and Ranking Member Stabenow for bringing this critical piece of bipartisan legislation to the floor for consideration. Farmers, ranchers, and rural communities are resilient--some of the toughest in the face of adversity. But low commodity prices, trade tensions, and unpredictable weather have taken a toll on many of our folks back home. These are the people Americans rely on day in and day out to put food on our tables, clothes on our backs, and fuel in our cars. In trying times, it is essential that we provide farmers and ranchers with the certainty and the predictability they need and they deserve. These folks helped guide my priorities for this bipartisan farm bill, which maintains a robust crop insurance, makes improvements to commodity programs, and promotes soil health and water quality. I am thankful that several of my provisions and amendments can be found within this bill. Long overdue reforms to the Conservation Reserve Program will refocus the program's intent on highly erodible and environmentally sensitive land and provide opportunities for the next generation of American farmers to access land to build economically viable farm operations.…





