Agriculture and Energy

Agriculture, conservation and energy are all issues that are extremely important to Iowans. The Fourth District is one of the leading agricultural production districts in America and will lead the nation in egg and pork production and will be near the top in corn and soybean production as well. It will also rank first among all 435 congressional districts in ethanol and total renewable energy production. Agriculture is a major part of our economy and our communities in Iowa, and federal agricultural policy has a significant impact on the day-to-day lives of Iowans. All new wealth comes from the land, and we need to add value to those resources as close to the corn stalk and bean stubble as we can.

In 2008, as a member of the House Agriculture Committee, I helped write the Food, Conservation, and Energy Act of 2008, more commonly known as the Farm Bill. The Farm Bill was set to be renewed in 2012, and as a senior Member of the House Agriculture Committee, I played an active role in the legislative process. An extension of the 2008 Farm Bill was passed on December 12, 2013 that was set to expire on January 31, 2014. On January 29, 2014 the Conference Report on H.R. 2642, the Federal Agriculture Reform and Risk Management Act of 2013 was passed in the House. I am pleased that we produced a 5-year Farm Bill for the people of Iowa and all Americans so they can have the agriculture policy predictability they deserve. This was a good, bi-partisan effort and I am grateful for the hard work and efforts of Chairman Frank Lucas and my fellow Agriculture Committee Members. The President signed the final Farm Bill into law on February 7, 2014. I was honored to be a voice at the table for Iowans throughout this process and I will continue my work to support sound agriculture policy moving forward.

I also believe it is important that the Fourth District remain a leader in wind energy, ethanol and biodiesel production. In order to become energy independent, we need to increase the size of the domestically produced energy pie by pursuing an all of the above domestic energy policy. Doing so will help to decrease our dependence on foreign sources of energy, and as the founding co-chair of the Ag Energy User's Caucus, I work hard to advance legislation to do just that.