Ernst meets with East Union FFA

AFTON — With a variety of options and skill sets to be learned from, Iowa Sen. Joni Ernst encouraged East Union FFA students to consider a post-high school education or career in agriculture. She visited the school’s chapter Friday.

Originally from Montgomery County, Ernst, 53, is in her second term as Senator. The Republican graduated from Iowa State University and had a 20-year career in the National Guard and served in Iraq. In the Senate, she serves on the Armed Services; agriculture, nutrition and forestry and small business and entrepreneurship committees.

Her meeting with the students was more informal as the students showed and explained the FFA program to her and she responded by answering their questions about her education and involvement in government at the state and national levels.

She encouraged the students to not be afraid to ask others about their community, projects and how they can plan their adult lives.

“You need to be involved,” she said as to one reason why she has been in government. “You need to have a seat at the table.”

Ernst explained the trouble with the politics behind the Farm Bill. Scheduled to be reviewed and revised every five years, 2023 was to be a new Farm Bill. But a new version was never created as legislators agreed to extend the bill another year. A variety of ag-related issues are in the bill from conservation, research, rural development and crop insurance, among others, but Ernst said the biggest piece of the bill is the various food assistance programs.

“The Farm Bill is $1.5 trillion, but the actual farm part is only 14%,” she said. She fears the dominance of the food assistance programs will become so influential, the actual farm part of the Farm Bill will be ignored or maybe neglected.

“Food assistance just exploded,” she said.

Ernst said she is not confident the Farm Bill will be addressed this year either.