The Iowa Farmers Union (IFU) is urging Congress and the White House to negotiate in good faith on a bipartisan spending deal to keep the federal government open and working for the American people, especially farmers and rural communities.
“Shutdowns seldom produce any benefits that outweigh the costs. For rural Iowans, especially farmers, a federal government shutdown will create additional burdens at a time when the economic headwinds are growing,” says Aaron Lehman, Polk City farmer and President of the Iowa Farmers Union.
“Both a ‘bad deal’ and a ‘no-deal’ situation are terrible outcomes for farmers and rural Iowans. We need the White House to work with both Democrats and Republicans to find compromise solutions for rural America.”
“We expect the White House and Republicans in Congress to work with Democrats to find a way to keep the government open. Many Congressional Republicans are insisting on either passing a spending package that continues the massive cuts to healthcare, or they will shut down the government. We can’t afford to pour more sand into the gas tank of our farm economy, which is already choking on President Trump’s domestic and trade agendas.”
Iowa Farmers Union is urging the inclusion of compromises that would serve Iowa farmers and rural communities:
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Extending the ACA premium tax credits
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If Congress doesn’t extend the Affordable Care Act (ACA) tax credits and postpone the cuts in the Big Ugly Bill, thousands of Iowans will see massive increases in their premiums starting in November 2025.
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Reversing cuts of $1 trillion from federal Medicaid spending over the next decade. Congress can:
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Prevent rural hospital and clinic closures,
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Ensure that thousands of vulnerable Iowans still have coverage.
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IFU also calls on Republicans and Democrats to work together to pass a comprehensive Farm Bill. The second extension of the 2018 Farm Bill also expires at midnight on September 30.
