Iowa Third District Congresswoman Cindy Axne says she?s grateful to once again serve as a voice for Iowa?s farmers on the House Agriculture Committee.
Last month, the West Des Moines Democrat was reappointed to serve on the House Ag Committee for the 117th Congress. Axne, who also serves on the House Financial Services Committee, says it?s important for Iowa to have a voice on the agriculture committee.
?My priority has also been on agriculture,? Axne said in a recent interview with KMA Radio. ?It?s going to be really important as we move forward with starting to define a farm bill, not this year, but next year. That is incredibly beneficial to Iowa if we can craft it in a way that serves the needs we have, help us open up new markets, protect our farmers, and give us the opportunity for greater revenue. It?s really important for me to be on that.?
In her tenure on the House Agriculture Committee last Congress, Axne says she used her role as the sole Iowan on the committee to raise Iowan?s voices, pass critical legislation, and fight back against policies that would harm Iowa?s agriculture community. Representative David Scott of Georgia is the new chair of the committee.
?I helped him become our chair,? Axne said. ?He was our subcommittee chair on agriculture previously. We are dedicated to making sure those Iowa farmers, small and mid-sized farmers, that we keep those farms. Those farms my grandparents had. One thousand or a few thousand acres. These combined farms of our families, we need to make sure we have opportunity there.?
?First and foremost,? she continued, ?we have to turn the clock back on these crazy waivers ? which I hope I never have to talk about again ? that have been given to large fossil fuel companies at the expense of our hardworking farmers.?
Axne says she has consistently used her voice on the Committee and with the House Biofuels Caucus to fight back against damaging Small Refinery Exemptions and other undermining of the Renewable Fuel Standard.
