Corn Growers Are Concerned about MAHA Policies.
The president of the National Corn Growers Association (NCGA) and farmer leaders from 19 state-based corn grower groups are asking President Donald Trump to intervene as the Make America Healthy Again Commission prepares to release policy recommendations. Those recommendations, corn growers say question the safety of pesticides that have been approved by the Environmental Protection Agency.
The administration is expected to release the strategy document in August. The letter is the latest in a series of actions by the nation’s corn growers to express their concerns about MAHA’s efforts.
The CGA says the initial assessment, released in May raised pesticide safety questions that have already been answered repeatedly over the decades by research and regulatory agencies. The association says if such language is included in the policy recommendations, it could significantly hamper the work of America’s farmers and raise prices on consumers.
The corn grower leaders said they were glad that administration members met with them, but said more needs to be done.
Sen Ernst’s Dem Rivals Raise Report Campaign Funds
Nathan Sage, Democratic candidate for U.S. Senate in Iowa, significantly outraised both of his primary opponents in the race to take on Senator Joni Ernst, according to the first Federal Election Committee (FRC) quarterly filings of the race.
Sage raised $709,396.38, Other Democratic challengers for the senate seat also raised significant sums of money for the campaign.
State Senator Zach Wahls raised $656,637.90, and State Representative J. D. Scholten raised $175,622.45.
As a first-time candidate, a mechanic and Marine, born and raised in a Mason City trailer park, Sage entered the race without a significant personal fundraising base. His campaign credited his massive success among small-dollar grassroots givers, noting that supporters responded in particular to Sage’s working-class background.
Ernst dismisses ‘chitter chatter’ about her 2026 intentions
FRC reports show Senator Ernst raised about 723-thousand dollars in the last three months and has about three-point-four MILLION dollars in her campaign account.
Ernst is dismissing a report in a Washington, D.C. publication that cites unnamed Republicans as being concerned she will not seek reelection in 2026. Ernst says it’s the kind of chitter chatter that’s everywhere in D-C. Ernst, who is 55, says she has a lot left to do in the United States Senate and will not be slowing down any time soon. Ernst hired a campaign manager in June.
Ernst Supports Bill to Help Farmers Access Mental Health Services
U.S. Senators Ernst and Tammy Baldwin of Wisconsin introduced the bipartisan Farmers First Act to support access to critical mental health resources for Iowa farmers.
Farmers are 3.5 times more likely to die by suicide than the general population. The legislation would build upon Ernst and Baldwin’s Farm and Ranch Stress Assistance Network (FRSAN) work that connects farmers, ranchers, and agriculture workers to stress assistance programs and resources.
Ernst noted that Iowa farmers work tirelessly from sunrise to sundown to feed and fuel the world. Ernst added that farmers’ work isn’t easy, and mental health issues, including suicide, are too common in our agriculture community,
Farmer Veteran Coalition says the bill would provide critical support for agricultural producers facing stress, isolation, and mental health challenges.
ISU Extension to Hold Webminars on Heat for Farmers and Growers
Iowa State University Extension and Outreach’s Farm, Food and Enterprise Development team is holding two webinars in August that will explore the role of intense heat on farmers and growers, as well as their crops.
Heat exposure is an increasing problem for agricultural workers, and can negatively impact their health and mental state, according to Alex Van Alstyne, food business extension specialist with Iowa State. By addressing these issues, she says, “our goal is to protect the health of workers who bring food to our tables and offer guidance for small-scale growers on how to protect their crops.”
Heat-Smart: Protecting People from Field Heat Stress
This one-hour webinar will discuss the impact of field heat stress on agricultural workers’ physical and mental health and offer actionable strategies to protect them from its dangers.
The virtual webinar, which will be presented by Brandi Janssen, clinical professor in occupational and environmental health at the University of Iowa, is set for Aug. 5 from noon to 1 p.m.
Four key topics will be discussed, including:
- Heat Burden: Trends Over Time, Increasing Night Heat, and Humidity
- Effects on Human Health: Death Rates, Heat Illness, and Chronic and Acute Effects
- Effects on Mental Health: Emerging Evidence and Workplace Consequences
- Interventions and Strategies for Agriculture
To attend this webinar, please register online. https://registration.extension.iastate.edu/
