Farmer Opinion: Dysfunctional leadership does incredible disservice to farmers

December 20, 2024

By Brent Swart, farmer from northwest Iowa and ISA president

While congressional leadership wastes time in Washington, D.C., farm families and rural communities suffer.

For some farmers, the growing year that just ended may be their last. It’s not by choice, but a symptom of the lack of sound farm, food and fuel policy coming from our nation’s capital.

After months of inaction on practical policy decisions, the looming holiday break and government funding deadlines have once again jolted congressional leadership to release a barrage of year-end funding recommendations. This time, they are contained within a 1,500-page monstrosity of a bill full of frivolous spending.

This approach has become all too predictable. It substitutes deliberate, transparent, and consequential discussion with a rushed patchwork of assorted programs and funding provisions. The result: an escalation of dysfunction, political posturing, and hard work left undone.

Meanwhile, farmers continue to feel the impact of inaction financially and emotionally as cash flows dwindle and uncertainty grows while soybean plantings and production projections continue to set records in Brazil and Argentina.

We need accountability in Washington, D.C. And we need congressional leadership to oppose any continuing resolution which does not extend the farm bill and provide meaningful disaster and economic relief for farmers.

Farmers have patiently waited for Congress to do its work. Time is running out, as are the excuses. Action is needed on important legislation. Now.

Swart farms near Spencer, Iowa. He also manages a farm and land management company and serves as president of the Iowa Soybean Association.

Not funded by the soybean checkoff.

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