Iowa Farmers Union

09/03/2026

09/03/2026

Today at 12:30 p.m. CT! Join Diane Rosenberg to talk about Iowa's water quality crisis and the agriculture-public health connection. IARA is organizing tonight's "Toxic Taps and Cancer" panel at 6:30 p.m. in Iowa City. This Lunch & Learn is your chance to explore the topic before the evening discussion.

Join the conversation:

This Thursday, September 3 at 12:30 p.m. CT, join Diane Rosenberg, Executive Director of Jefferson County Farmers and Neighbors and President of the Iowa Alliance for Responsible Agriculture (IARA), for a conversation about water quality in Iowa and why it's become a kitchen-table issue for every ho...

09/02/2026

This Thursday at 12:30 p.m. CT, join Diane Rosenberg, Executive Director of Jefferson County Farmers and Neighbors and President of the Iowa Alliance for Responsible Agriculture (IARA), for a conversation about water quality in Iowa and why it's become a kitchen-table issue for every household.

Iowa leads the nation in per-capita pesticide use. The state ranks second for cancer and is one of only three states where cancer incidence is growing. What's the connection between agriculture and public health?

Diane will preview that evening's "Toxic Taps and Cancer" panel (6:30 p.m., in Iowa City, also livestreamed).

Register here: https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_234s8tScQ1K1uu0mND0KSw

08/31/2026

Young Iowans worried about the future of farming and rural communities gathered for a roundtable last week in Orient, IA.

Community leaders ages 17-24, including farmers, healthcare workers, environmentalists, communicators, and volunteers with faith groups, discussed consolidation in agriculture and what needs to change.

“I don’t think the farming economy is very Iowa-based anymore,” said Josh Rossell, a farmer and small-business owner. “It’s not everywhere, but in some ways, a lot of farmers are just in competition with each other. It's sort of just this cutthroat race to the bottom that consolidation has created.”

“For over one hundred years, the Iowa Farmers Union has known that investing in the next generation of rural leaders is the smartest and most overlooked way to build a thriving future for our state,” Aaron Lehman, IFU president, said in an earlier statement.

To read the full story, visit

Young Iowans, speaking at a roundtable in Orient, Iowa, worry about the future of farming in their state.

08/28/2026

Iowa Farmers Union President Aaron Lehman and Vice President Ryan Marquardt were featured in The Times discussing the real impacts farmers are facing right now. Trade uncertainty, skyrocketing input costs, and chaotic policy have farmers struggling.

“We’ve got enough trouble with the weather,” Aaron told The Times. “But the trade and the war stuff … it’s extremely chaotic. No one knows what’s going on. And we are right at the front end of the damage.”

Read it here: https://www.thetimes.com/us/american-politics/article/trump-iowa-farmers-angry-midterms-r6mplhv8v

08/27/2026

08/27/2026

Today at 12:30 p.m. CT! Two Iowa cattle farmers talk about beef imports, market consolidation, and what fair markets should look like. Seth Watkins and Berleen Wobeter discuss the real impact on Iowa beef producers.

Join the conversation:

This Thursday, August 27, at 12:30 p.m. CT, join two Iowa cattle farmers, Seth Watkins from Clarinda and Berleen Wobeter from Toledo, as they discuss how trade policy and market consolidation directly impact their operations. The Trump administration recently announced plans to allow increased beef....

08/26/2026

Cami Koons talks about the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Monday announcement of efforts to increase the nutritional value of school lunches, including a push for more locally grown foods at school.

Aaron Lehman, IFU president, says the $25 million in farm-to-school grants and $50 million for kitchen equipment fall short of the $1 billion Local Food for Schools program cut in 2025.

"Our farmers choose to farm because they want to grow things to feed people. Connecting farmers with children and other consumers is vitally important now more than ever," Lehman said.

Read the Iowa Capital Dispatch article:

USDA announced efforts to increase the nutritional value of school lunches, including a push for more locally grown foods at school.

08/25/2026

This Thursday at 12:30 p.m. CT, join two Iowa cattle farmers to talk about what's really happening on their farms. Seth Watkins and Berleen Wobeter will discuss how trade policy, beef imports, and market consolidation directly impact livestock operations.

The Trump administration just announced plans to allow increased beef imports. Meanwhile, Iowa farmers face consolidation and price pressure from monopoly meatpackers. Hear what these farmers have to say.

Register: https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_kl0SQPbpRsKVgBtXs1BwJg

08/24/2026

The Trump administration is allowing 300,000 metric tons of beef to be imported with lower tariffs over the next 90 days. This move favors meatpackers and delivers another blow to family farmers. Without country-of-origin labeling, meatpackers can mix cheap imported beef with domestically grown beef with no transparency.

"Iowa beef farmers are already squeezed by consolidated packers controlling the market," says Aaron Lehman, IFU President. "Country-of-origin labeling is the solution. Consumers want to know where their meat comes from and farmers deserve a fair market."

Read the full statement: https://iowafarmersunion.org/farmers-union-statement-on-increased-beef-imports/