Political Quotes

“I rise today not only because of St. Patrick's Day but because it is also National Agriculture Week. Iowa ranks number one in the Nation in corn, soybean, pork and egg production, and second in total agricultural exports. We have a fertile State with some of the richest and most productive soil in the world. And we use this resource to provide the safest food supply in the world. This week I am asking Iowans to celebrate our rich heritage of agricultural production; but I also want us to look with anticipation to the future of agriculture, value-added agriculture, and our youth. Iowa agriculture is no longer just about growing commodities that we ship away by truck, train, or barge. Farmers in western Iowa have realized that if we do all of our business this way our small towns and cities will lose its youth, a very precious resource. As I look at the youth of my district, I want them to have all the benefits of growing up in a farming community. And I want to see them in our communities making a difference, choosing to raise their families in western Iowa for years to come. There is no better place if we can continue to be innovative in agricultural development. Our farmers and community leaders have led the charge to develop this new generation of agriculture because we think differently in Iowa.”