WASHINGTON, D.C. — Everything from crop insurance to regulatory reform depends on Congressional support, and two legislators were recognized as agriculture champions during the American Agri-Women’s (AAW) legislative fly-in last week.

 

Sen. Joni Ernst (R-Iowa) and Rep. Rodney Davis (R-Ill.) each received the annual Champion of Agriculture award for their work to protect ag interests in both chambers of Congress. Doris Mold, president of AAW, said raising awareness for agriculture takes many voices. Every year, the organization tries to recognize the work of one member of the House and one in the Senate.

During the ceremony, she touched on some of the topics Ernst and Davis had focused upon, from EPA regulations to building consensus to solve problems. “The list goes on and on,” Mold said. “I don’t know when (Davis) sleeps. Maybe he doesn’t.”

Davis said when he found out he was getting the award, he was humbled by the names of the previous winners. He said the relationships he built in Illinois helped him stay focused on agriculture issues for his constituents, the state and the nation. He has come to rely on the people in his state and district to help him learn and educate others in Congress. The upcoming farm bill is the focus of Davis’ agriculture policies now. Some areas of the 2014 bill need to be revised, and crop insurance needs to be maintained to protect farmers’ fields and taxpayer dollars. Research and development, an area the farm bill finances, needs to continue to improve as more people need to be feed from production on less land.

President Trump’s proposed budget would cut the USDA budget by more than 20 percent, but Congress gets the final say on the budget and it’s important for everyone to call their local representatives to tell them what is important to voters, he said.

In the end, Congress needs to approve the farm bill and budget instead of having individual leaders of the House and Senate and President approve what they think is best, Davis said.

Ernst said she has been focused on rules and regulations and their impact on farmers. She has worked to unravel some regulations, including Waters of the U.S. and its expanded definition.

She said Iowa exports many commodities, and supporting international trade is important not just to farmers but the entire economy of the state, from farm equipment to livestock and crops. “However we can, we need to make sure trade says strong,” she said. She has worked with the USDA, trade representatives and other countries to build trade relationships.

Immigration reform is a complicated issue and Ernst said she would do what she could to be helpful. Farmers rely on foreign workers for both seasonal work and year-round employees.

“We are trying to find smart ways to move forward in immigration. We need those workers ... It may have to be addressed in small pieces” rather than as one large reform bill, she said.

She said Trump’s proposed cuts of more than 20 percent of the USDA budget would have an impact on agriculture if the cuts are fully implemented, but that she would work to protect the necessary funding for farmers, from the farm bill to crop insurance. USDA Secretary Sonny Perdue is a strong partner and she thinks he will work with her to educate members of Congress on what is needed for farmers and rural America, to create a sound and reasonable budget for agriculture.

Ernst grew up on a farm. She lives about four miles from that farm today, while many members of her family still farm nearby. Farming is part of her identity and when she found out she was being awarded for her work supporting agriculture, she was surprised.

“It’s part of my job, and it’s part of who I am. I didn’t know you could get an award for being who you are. It’s pretty fantastic,” she said.