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Iowa farmers outline ag policy concerns

Some farmers in Iowa say they have several ag policy concerns.

Duane Aistrope in Fremont County tells Brownfield he’s been focused on the year-round E15 issue. “We’re still hoping for that E15 waiver for the whole U.S. and not just the Midwestern states that the governors’ have done.”

Benton County corn farmer Lance Lillibridge says a federal E15 solution needs to be passed before the end of the year. “It was close in the last congressional sessions, but that big 1,200 and some page bill the E15 got cut out of it. I think it should have been left in it because it was a simple legislation and doesn’t cost the taxpayer a dime.”

Adams County grower Ray Gaesser says he wants to see where the tariff dispute with China is heading. “Maybe it’s not all bad and maybe there’s a bright side to all this. Exports for beans have actually picked up. That’s a good sign.”

Aistrope added he hopes farm bill discussions don’t get lost in the shuffle. He says farm bill programs give producers certainty.