DES MOINES, Iowa - Democrats are putting attention on rural Iowa and farmers with Republican Vice President Mike Pence's visit to Waukee this week.
In a statement released by the Iowa Democratic Party, Pam Johnson, Global Farm Network member, past President of the National Corn Growers Association and sixth generation Iowa farmer says rural communities here are hurting.
"President Trump made promises to rural voters that he simply has failed to keep. Farmers and rural Americans cannot keep taking the hits that he places on our economic engines.
“It has taken years to convince the President to make good on his ethanol promises, and we are still waiting to see if he truly fulfills those promises." Johnson says.
"In addition, we continue to see his trade policies, hashed out in reactive tweets, destroy the demand for the agricultural products we grow for markets around the world. Tweets that trash the market development and trade relationships that Iowans have spent years building. It’s time we see a plan for rural America that will grow our markets and improve farm income.”
Former Iowa Secretary of Agriculture, former Iowa Lieutenant Governor, and farmer Patty Judge echoes Johnson's concerns.
"Trump promised that he would invest in rural communities and help farmers, but instead he has appeased oil and gas, killing demand for 4 billion gallons of biofuels, 1.4 billion bushels of corn and 825 million bushels of soybeans. He’s promised once again that he'll fix his biofuel debacle, but we’re waiting to see." Judge says.