Iowa Farm Bureau kicks off 98th annual meeting in Des Moines

by | Dec 6, 2016 | 5 Ag Stories, News

by Ben Nuelle

Iowa Farm Bureau Federation kicks off their annual meeting in Des Moines today.

Their annual meeting is taking place at the Community Choice Credit Union Convention Center.

Craig Hill is President of the Iowa Farm Bureau Federation.

Hill says delegates have been discussing a host of items.

?Our legislative goals and ambitions would be one. We would like to see some mental health funding equity but we would like to see a dedicated long term sustainable way of funding water quality innitiatives both in soil retention and nutrient retention on our farms.?

Hill mentioned another issue he would like to see in 2017 is for President-Elect Donald Trump to scale back the Affordable Care Act.

?Remember farm families are self-employed families. It is a unique class of people that have had enormous rate increases and we?re looking at 40 to 50 percent rate increases for several families. There premium levels are going from 20, 30, to 40 thousand dollars a couple so this is an enormous cost.?

Hill adds it was an ill-conceived design and has failed.

He also spoke at the Missouri Farm Bureau Convention Monday.

Kyle Hill (no relation to Craig Hill) of KRES Moberly, Missouri contributed audio for this report.