FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Thursday, October 8, 2020
CONTACT: press@iowademocrats.org
Iowa Democrats and Farmers Speak Out Against Perdue’s Visit, Election Year Politics
During harvest, farmers called out Trump’s broken agriculture agenda and plummeting farm economy
DES MOINES — This morning, ahead of Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue’s events in Mason City and Ankeny, Iowa Democrats and farmers hosted a virtual press conference to hold the Trump administration accountable for election year politics and highlight the clear contrast of leadership with Joe Biden and Kamala Harris on the ballot.
IDP Chair Mark Smith, Lt. Governor Patty Judge, Iowa Farmers Union President Aaron Lehman, and State Senator Kevin Kinney spoke about how the Trump administration’s agriculture agenda has hurt farmers and the farm economy.
“From handouts to Big Oil and the never-ending trade war, to half-measures for derecho relief and climate change denial, to the uncertain markets from COVID mishandling — the compounding effects of the Trump administration’s broken farm policies are only getting heavier with time. They have reduced exports, destroyed demand for biofuels, lowered farm incomes, and increased farm bankruptcies. Secretary Perdue and EPA Secretary Wheeler don’t have answers for farmers and ethanol producers.” — IDP Chair Mark Smith
“They had four years to craft and implement a plan for rural America and instead of doing that, they have handed out as many oil and gas waivers as they could get away with — and in fact, they couldn’t get away with it. Now, at the last moment, they have figured out that they need to do some damage control with farmers and biofuel producers. It’s too little too late. The damage is done.” — Former Lt. Governor Patty Judge
“It must be nice for Donald Trump and Joni Ernst to wait an entire year to start taking action on just one of the things they agreed to do. Farmers don’t have the luxury to wait until the election is near to get to work.” — State Senator and farmer Kevin Kinney
“Trump’s policies have caused all sorts of uncertainty. His EPA quadrupled the amount of waivers granted to refineries. […] I’m a little bit disturbed that Secretary Perdue and our senators are taking time to pat themselves on the back for things that should have been happening two years ago. And I’m annoyed that President Trump gave up on efforts for another stimulus package that would help rural Iowa.” — Iowa Farmers Union President Aaron Lehman