Central Iowa farmer Ryan Marquardt and Director of Drake’s Agricultural Law Center Jennifer Zwagerman discuss the proposed farm bills. Both the U.S. House and Senate have shared their 900+ page proposals as Iowa farmers battle high fertilizer and input costs and low commodity prices.
Proposed Farm Bills
The Senate’s version largely extends existing programs, while the House’s proposal addresses more controversial issues, including Proposition 12 — a California law requiring Iowa farmers to meet minimum space requirements for livestock to sell in the state.
Zwagerman says Proposition 12 is a hot-button issue among lawmakers that could make it harder for that version of the bill to reach the president’s desk. Debate on the farm bill is unlikely to begin until after Independence Day, leaving farmers to wait and see which proposals will move forward.
Original reporting: KCCI Des Moines — read the source article.
