Democratic candidates running for Congress and the U.S. Senate from Iowa laid out a shared rural platform during the Iowa Farmers Union annual forum on December 5 in Ames. They emphasized the urgent need for a new Farm Bill, an end to harmful foreign trade tariffs, and increased support for small and mid-sized farms. Their message was unified: Iowa's rural values-work ethic, integrity, fairness, and community-must guide future agricultural policy.

In District 1, Christina Bohannan shared how her family, like many others, couldn't sustain farming despite wanting to. She pledged to fight corporate consolidation and protect farmer markets. Fellow candidate Taylor Wettach denounced how corporate greed and political neglect have weakened rural Iowa and called for antitrust enforcement, local processing, and economic fairness.

In District 2, State Rep. Lindsay James called the current economic reality for farmers a "moral failure." She emphasized the need for policies that allow growers to thrive, and highlighted rural needs like access to schools, hospitals, and post offices. Clint Twedt-Ball, Kathy Dolter, and Guy Morgan echoed similar concerns, pushing for investment in water quality, clean energy, and right-to-repair laws.

In District 3, State Sen. Sarah Trone Garriott criticized tariffs and centralized systems that limit farm diversification. Jennifer Konfrst stressed the importance of inclusive economic development for all Iowa counties, not just urban growth centers.

Candidates in District 4, including Stephanie Steiner and Ashley WolfTornabane, advocated for fair prices, price floors for grain, stronger antitrust laws, and conservation measures designed for Midwestern family farms. "Fair markets aren't radical," Steiner said. "They're the foundation of rural communities."

At the Senate level, Josh Turek, a state representative and Paralympian, positioned himself as a "prairie populist," calling for protection of soil, water, and small farms. He criticized Trump-era trade policy and argued rural Iowa has been ignored and betrayed. Fellow Senate candidates Nathan Sage and Bob Krause emphasized the importance of broadband, health care, and reinvestment in midsize farms that fuel local economies.

The forum showed a strong consensus among Iowa Democrats: it's time to deliver on a fair, sustainable, and competitive agriculture policy. As Farm Bill negotiations loom, these positions could shape federal action on input costs, commodity markets, rural development, and the future of the U.S. food system.