Iowa Farmers Union

Iowa Farmers Union
Name	Iowa Farmers Union
Founded	1936
Type	Nonprofit; Advocacy
Headquarters	Des Moines, Iowa
Region served	Iowa
Leader title	President
Leader name	Mark Watne
Affiliations	National Farmers Union

Iowa Farmers Union is a nonprofit advocacy organization representing family farmers, ranchers, and rural communities in Iowa. It engages in policy development, grassroots organizing, cooperative development, and educational programming to influence state and federal agricultural policy. The organization connects local chapters with national networks to address commodity markets, conservation programs, and rural infrastructure.

History

The origins trace to the agricultural organizing movements of the 19th and 20th centuries, linking to the legacy of the Grange, the National Farmers Union, and the Farm Credit Administration reforms of the New Deal era. During the Dust Bowl and the Great Depression, activists influenced by figures such as Henry A. Wallace and institutions like the United States Department of Agriculture sought collective responses to farm distress, paralleling campaigns by the Farmer–Labor Party and the American Farm Bureau Federation. The association formalized in the 1930s amid statewide responses to price volatility tied to markets such as the Chicago Board of Trade and policy debates at the Iowa State Capitol and in Washington, D.C. Over subsequent decades the organization engaged with federal programs including the Agricultural Adjustment Act debates, the Soil Conservation Service initiatives, and responses to the farm crises of the 1980s that prompted interactions with the Farm Credit System and Farm Service Agency. The union has periodically coordinated with regional movements like the Midwest Farmers Coalition and national coalitions including the National Farmers Union.

Organization and Membership

The statewide structure resembles other membership-based associations such as the Iowa Cattlemen's Association and the Iowa Soybean Association, with local chapters modeled on cooperative federations like the Cooperative Development Foundation. Leadership roles mirror nonprofit governance seen in organizations such as the Pheasants Forever board and the Iowa Farm Bureau Federation county affiliates. Membership includes family farmers, ranchers, rural small business owners, and students from institutions like Iowa State University and University of Iowa. The organization operates through elected officers, county chapters, and regional coordinators who liaise with commodity groups including National Corn Growers Association, American Soybean Association, and the United Fresh Produce Association. Committees often include delegates with experience in programs administered by the Natural Resources Conservation Service and the Food and Drug Administration where relevant to food safety and processing.

Programs and Advocacy

Programs emphasize cooperative enterprise, market development, conservation, and rural infrastructure similar to initiatives run by the National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition and the Land Stewardship Project. Outreach includes workshops like those sponsored by the Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education program, technical assistance that parallels Rural Business-Cooperative Service offerings, and participation in commodity promotion efforts akin to state-level programs from the Iowa Corn Promotion Board. The union engages in advocacy around renewable energy projects such as biodiesel and ethanol production involving stakeholders like the Iowa Renewable Fuels Association and energy institutions including the Department of Energy bioenergy research centers.

Policy Positions and Legislative Activity

The organization develops policy platforms that engage with state legislation at the Iowa General Assembly and federal measures debated in the United States Congress. Positions often intersect with debates involving the Farm Bill, Conservation Reserve Program, and regulatory matters tied to the Environmental Protection Agency. The union has lobbied on issues affecting price supports, crop insurance delivered through the Risk Management Agency, and antitrust matters involving agribusinesses such as multinational grain traders that relate to cases seen in the United States Department of Justice antitrust enforcement. Its legislative activity includes testimony before committees, coalition letters coordinated with groups like the National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition and partnerships with state legislators from both major parties in the Iowa Senate and Iowa House of Representatives.

Education and Cooperative Enterprises

Educational efforts draw on curricula similar to programs at Iowa State University Extension and Outreach and cooperative development practices informed by the Rural Cooperative Development Grant program. The union supports cooperative enterprises modeled on successful cases like Land O'Lakes member cooperatives and regional food hubs linked to the National Good Food Network. Training covers topics such as value-added processing in facilities regulated by the Food Safety and Inspection Service, soil health practices promoted by the Natural Resources Conservation Service, and renewable energy co-ops analogous to projects supported by the Rural Utilities Service.

Partnerships and Affiliations

The statewide group is affiliated with national organizations including the National Farmers Union and maintains working relationships with state commodity groups like the Iowa Pork Producers Association, conservation NGOs such as the The Nature Conservancy, and academic partners including Iowa State University and Drake University. Coalitions extend to labor and consumer organizations that have collaborated historically with groups like the United Food and Commercial Workers and consumer advocates linked to the Center for Science in the Public Interest. The union also interfaces with federal agencies including the United States Department of Agriculture and regional development entities like the Midwest Alliance for Food and Agriculture.

Category:Agricultural organizations based in the United States Category:Non-profit organizations based in Iowa