Congresswoman Ashley Hinson and Secretary of Agriculture Mike Naig recently hosted a town hall in Dysart with area leaders and state legislators including Rep. Derek Wulf, Sen. Annette Sweeney, and Sen. Dan Zumbach to discuss the threat of foreign ownership of agricultural land. Board member Cordt Holub was in attendance representing the county Farm Bureau. Iowa’s law prohibiting foreign ownership of agricultural land stands as a strong model for other states and the Federal Government to follow suit. The message was clear that American farmland should stay in American hands. 

Discussions also led into intellectual property rights, especially seed technologies and issues we’ve faced right here in Tama County with foreign Nationals attempting to steal seed traits. Tama County Sheriff Kucera made remarks on foreign interference and made the comment to be vigilant in reporting suspicious activity.