4 Days, 4 Ways GOP Gov Candidates Are Wrong for Iowa: Hurting Farmers and Ag Economy
DES MOINES – In the final days leading up to Iowa’s June gubernatorial primary, the IDP is reminding Iowans of all the ways that Randy Feenstra, Adam Steen, Zach Lahn, Brad Sherman, and Eddie Andrews are wrong for Iowa. Today, we’re looking at how the field supports policies hurting Iowa farmers, like chaotic tariffs, the war in Iran that’s sent fertilizer and fuel prices skyrocketing, and selling Iowa farmland to China.
Tariffs have pushed Iowa’s agriculture industry to the brink of another farm crisis, as farmers are already struggling under the weight of a four-year downturn and filing for bankruptcy at the highest rate in the nation.
The field supports policies that are hurting Iowa’s agriculture industry:
- Randy Feenstra voted three times to rubber-stamp tariffs that are raising prices on Iowa farmers, cheered on chaotic tariffs, and said “I applaud” Washington’s reckless trade wars.
- Feenstra is bankrolled by Smithfield and Syngenta, two massive Chinese state-owned agriculture giants buying up Iowa farmland — which he publicly pretends to oppose.
- Feenstra has repeatedly voted to continue the war in Iran that’s sent fuel and fertilizer prices skyrocketing for Iowa farmers and added “about $2,000 to farmers’” production costs. Feenstra even admitted his vote caused a “massive” increase in fertilizer and fuel prices, which he said will “be catastrophic for our farmers.”
- Adam Steen defended Washington’s disastrous trade policy and even lectured struggling Iowa farmers, telling them “to be patient” and “to expand their infrastructure, expand their business” to make up for plummeting profits from tariffs.
- Zach Lahn has cheered on cost-raising tariffs and downplayed farmers struggling with high input costs, saying “the tariffs are not the issue.”
- Brad Sherman dismissed and downplayed the harmful impacts of tariffs on Iowa farmers, saying “we all knew that the tariffs would have some ups and downs to it. I’m not too worried about it.”
- Eddie Andrews refused to speak out against the tariffs that are raising prices on hardworking Iowans and undercutting farmers.
From Iowa Democratic Party spokesperson Terra Hernandez:
“Randy Feenstra, Adam Steen, Zach Lahn, Brad Sherman, and Eddie Andrews are in full support of D.C.’s reckless tariffs that are hurting Iowa farmers and making everything more expensive. Feenstra voted to protect tariffs that are crushing Iowa’s agriculture industry and voted to continue the war in Iran that’s sent fuel and fertilizer prices skyrocketing for Iowa farmers. He’s also shamelessly pocketing thousands of dollars from Chinese state-owned companies buying up Iowa farmland, including 270 acres in his own backyard. Iowa farmers know they can’t trust any of the Republicans running for governor to put them first in November.”
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