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Boswell meets with Iowa farmers, producersIowa Congressman Leonard Boswell held a series of listening posts with farmers, producers, and leaders in agriculture during the February congressional district work period to get feedback on the current farm bill and gather ideas for constructing the next round of farm legislation. "I am holding these listening posts in rural counties in my district to learn what has worked and what needs to change from the current farm bill because out here in rural Iowa is where the rubber meets the road," said Boswell, chairman of the Subcommittee on General Farm Commodities and Risk Management. "Iowa's farmers, producers, and agriculture leaders have their hands in the dirt every day and know best about what has helped them and what still needs to be done." Boswell will chair the national hearings this year for the subcommittee for the upcoming farm bill. He is hosting these discussions with Iowa farmers and producers now in order to prepare for that job. Agriculture listening posts were held in Grundy Center, Marengo, Montezuma and Pleasantville. The farmers, producers, and agriculture leaders who met with Boswell shared with him many of the same concerns, including the renewal of the biodiesel tax credit, regulation of antibiotic use in livestock, crop insurance programs in the current farm bill, and progress on international trade agreements. Boswell assured farmers and producers at all four hearings that he is fighting to renew the biodiesel tax credit that the Senate allowed to lapse on Dec. 31, 2009. "The renewal of the biodiesel tax credit is a priority for me this year to ensure that biodiesel remains competitive with conventional diesel fuel and continues to provide critical economic, security, and environmental benefits associated with its domestic production and use," Boswell said. "The biodiesel tax credit is important to keeping Iowans employed and expanding an industry that has bolstered so many local communities in the state." Additionally, Boswell discussed his role in ensuring that any legislation concerning the regulation of antibiotics in livestock is crafted carefully and is based upon "true science." "I understand that there are some in Congress who have concerns about how the use of antibiotics in livestock to produce safe, healthy food products can impact antibiotic resistance in humans," said Boswell, who recently traveled to Denmark to speak with farmers about how a ban on the use of therapeutic antibiotics has impacted their livestock industry. "However, I know farmers and trust that when they spend money to treat and grow their pigs and cattle they are doing so responsibly and with the interests of the consumers in mind." Boswell testified in front of the House Rules Committee against the Preservation of Antibiotics for Medical Treatment Act last year and in favor of slowing down to make sure that before Congress passes an outright ban on the use of non-therapeutic antibiotics that they do some research first. Those attending the listening posts also asked Boswell to speak with USDA about how they can further clarify the Average Crop Revenue Election program created in the 2008 farm bill to make it easier to understand for farmers. The next agriculture listening post will be from 2 p.m. to 3 p.m. on March 1 in Altoona at the Iowa State University Extension Office, 1625 Adventureland Drive, Suite A. This discussion will focus especially on the food and nutrition title in the current farm bill.
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