The U.S. Senate is set to go over their version of the Farm Bill today and Iowa Congresswoman Ashley Hinson says he is anxious to see the Senate get that done.
The Republican from Marion says the next step would be reconciling any differences between the two bills. “We’re kind of up against some deadlines with September 30 and the end of the fiscal year, and I serve on the House Appropriations Committee, so our big focus is getting those funding bills across the finish line, but I think we can walk and chew gum at the same time,” she says.
Hinson has some priorities she wants to see in the final product. “Precision agriculture, the Save Our Bacon Act, which I’ve been a big supporter of and trying to make sure we’re standing up for Iowa’s pork producers,” Hinson says, “and then my bills to help with fertilizer supply chain issues and what’s going on there. Those are all things that I want to see included in the final product.”
Hinson says she got to talk with farmers at the Plymouth County Fair in Le Mars this past weekend. “They’re frustrated that the farm bill isn’t done yet. So we’ve obviously gotten it through the House. And they care about E15 too, because that helps them. A lot of them are both in animal agriculture and in row crops. And so making sure that we get those important policies across the line for our ag community,” Hinson says.
Hinson is running for the U.S. Senate seat left open after Joni Ernst decided not to run again. She faces Democrat Josh Turek in the November election in three months.
(By Woody Gottburg, KSCJ, Sioux City)