PHOTO VIA THE IOWA FARM BUREAU FEDERATION — Dee Pickard of Melbourne and James Hawcott of Pilot Mound are pictured during the recent Iowa Farm Bureau policy trip to Washington, D.C.

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Two dozen Iowa Farm Bureau members from across the state met with Iowa’s congressional delegation last week in Washington, D.C. to discuss policy issues important to Iowa agriculture and their family farms. Dee Pickard of Melbourne was one of them.

The group of Iowa farmers met with Iowa Sens. Chuck Grassley and Joni Ernst along with Reps. Ashley Hinson, Randy Feenstra, Mariannette Miller-Meeks and Zach Nunn. They also met with U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) officials and attended presentations on biofuels, interstate commerce and trade.

While the One Big Beautiful Bill, signed into law on July 4, modernized farm safety net programs through 2031 and made many key tax provisions permanent, the member leaders urged lawmakers to continue to address other important policy issues, including addressing laws like California’s Prop 12 that disrupt interstate commerce and authorizing nationwide year-round E15.

Members shared how regulations like California’s Prop 12 are already having negative impacts for farmers and consumers, and challenges continue. The group urged their members of Congress to stop regulatory overreach, like California’s Prop 12, which dictates production methods that farmers in other states must follow to sell their products in California. The farmers voiced concerns that if similar arbitrary laws are passed by other states, it could affect virtually every product raised by farmers, creating nationwide challenges and rising costs for both farmers and consumers.

Farm Bureau members also asked lawmakers to continue their support for biofuels, including making E15 available year-round nationwide. A rule allowing year-round sales of E15 took effect in several Midwest states, including Iowa, starting with the summer 2025 driving season, but availability in the rest of the country continues to rely on annual waivers from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). Iowa leads the nation in ethanol production, and members shared how Iowa biofuels producers are ready to meet growing consumer demand.

The group also noted concerns about the impact of trade disruptions caused by tariff negotiations aimed at reducing U.S. trade deficits. The members shared that farmers often feel the pain from tariffs and tariff retaliation that limit ag exports and drive up input prices and shared Farm Bureau’s position of ensuring free trade.