Joe Biden's hostility toward farmers is a glaring weakness in Iowa

President Joe Biden has an Iowa problem. While the incumbent has the Democratic nomination on lock, the general election presents a much heavier lift. Why? Not only does the state historically flip-flop between parties, but the White House’s hostility towards heartland farmers is glaring. And Hawkeye State voters are taking notice.

As Congressman Randy Feenstra of Iowa noted last year, “President Biden has absolutely turned his back against the American farmer.”

The rocky landscape for Biden will provide the eventual Republican nominee a big opportunity in Iowa and across the Midwest. A common-sense policy agenda that strengthens family farming, rather than strangling it with government red tape and opening the door to novel threats, is what will boost political support.

A big part of Biden’s electoral ball and chain is action taken by the Environmental Protection Agency last year. The federal agency finalized a rule that repealed a Trump-era standard governing how natural water sources are regulated. The change meant farmers would face elevated scrutiny over how they use creeks, drainage ditches, and other water on their own property.

Fortunately, the Biden administration was stopped by the judiciary. Following a unanimous Supreme Court decision, the EPA was forced to weaken the regulation — restoring farmer autonomy over their own land. But given this White House’s track record of using backdoor approaches to sidestep court rulings (see student loan forgiveness), property owners shouldn’t get too comfortable.

Meanwhile, the Biden administration has also opened the door to an experimental food product that could devastate animal agriculture. In 2023, the federal government greenlit lab-grown meat for consumer sale. It’s made by putting animal cells into a bioreactor where they are left to multiply via chemical stimulation. The cells — which grow and divide indefinitely — mimic the behavior of a tumor.

A shift in food production away from traditional animal agriculture will upend rural communities across the country. Rather than grocery stores and restaurants being stocked with animal protein raised on Iowa or Nebraska farms, the food could be sourced from a sterile, stainless-steel factory. Family-owned farms that have provided the country food security for generations would be kneecapped — destroying a proud American tradition.

The Biden administration’s decision is even more puzzling given lab-grown meat’s unknown health effects and estimated large environmental footprint. The University of California, for example, finds that scaling up production of lab-grown meat would be “highly energy intensive.” The authors conclude the global warming potential of the process could be up to 25 times greater than traditionally raised beef.

And then there’s the White House’s lackluster effort to shield farmers from policies pushed by fringe animal liberation groups.

Exhibit A is California’s Proposition 12, which forbids the sale of conventionally raised and veterinarian approved pork in the state. While California raises little pork within its borders, its massive consumer base means farmers in states like Iowa are financially forced to follow the standards. And that compliance is expensive, driving many out of business and further inflating food prices for low-income Iowans.

While the Biden administration initially opposed Proposition 12 during an unsuccessful legal maneuver, the White House has since been radio silent. With legislation proposed in Congress to protect the country's food supply chain and family farmers, the West Wing has failed to apply sufficient political pressure to deliver an adequate legislative fix. The lack of presidential leadership on the issue suggests the administration prioritizes blue-haired activists over farmers and low-income families.

As we approach the 2024 general election, Biden is facing an uphill climb with voters in Iowa and other more rural areas of the country. The current White House often gives them lip service, but when push comes to shove, proposes policies that compromise the very industry they depend upon to keep food on their — as well as everyone else’s — table.

The Biden administration should rethink its policy agenda around agriculture for the sake of farmers and its own electoral future. Otherwise, the Republican opponent will swoop in for the win.

Jack Hubbard is the executive director of the Center for the Environment and Welfare.

This article originally appeared on Des Moines Register: Joe Biden has a problem in Iowa: His treatment of farmers