Candidates are Hillary Clinton, Bernie Sanders and Martin O’Malley
By Diego Flammini
Assistant Editor, North American Content
Farms.com
The three frontrunners for the Democratic nomination in the upcoming American presidential election participated in a town hall debate in Iowa Monday night – their last time to speak to Iowa voters before the caucuses take place.
While foreign policy, taxes and climate change are important issues facing the American people, where do the candidates stand when it comes to agricultural issues?
During the town hall, only one candidate was asked a question about agriculture.
Jana Linderman, President of the Iowa Farmers Union, asked former Governor of Maryland Martin O’Malley how he would invest in new farmers and the next generations of family farms across the country.
“I plan to work with congress, to do more in the Farm Bill to reduce the barriers of entry to new farmers as they start up (because there are) huge capital costs that go into buying the land and buying the equipment,” he said. “We need to do more as a nation to encourage young farmers to go into farming and reduce those barriers and those capital costs, even at the same time that we push back against the concentration monopoly power over the agricultural sector.”
According to her official website, Hillary Clinton’s plans to support farmers and ranchers include:
- Doubling funding for the Beginning Farmer and Rancher Development program and fight to enact the New College Compact to help with student debt
- Doubling funding for the Farmers Market Promotion Program and the Local Food Promotion Program
- Continuing to target federal resources in commodity payment, crop insurance and disaster assistance programs
Bernie Sanders’ website lists some of the initiatives he’s supported when it comes to farmers and agriculture in America, including:
- Supporting GMO labeling in his home state of Vermont and would work towards national legislation
- Supported the Farm Bill and Beginning Farmer and Rancher Opportunity Act
- Supported the Local Farms, Food and Jobs Act of 2013
- Supported the Growing Safe Food Act of 2009, which educates farmers about safe and efficient farming practices
You can watch the full town hall debate from Iowa below.