ACTION ALERT: Call to request hearing on Leopold Center funding

We need your help making phone calls today and tomorrow!

Current efforts to defund and dismantle the Leopold Center for Sustainable Agriculture are taking place via the end-of-year appropriations process, with almost no notice or opportunity for members of the public to weigh in. As all of our farmer members know, this is a particularly busy time of year on the farm, and a convenient opportunity to slip through a last-minute controversial measure that will hurt family farms across Iowa.

Iowa House rules allow for legislators to request a public hearing on any pending legislation; if a request for a public hearing is made, House leadership has to schedule and hold a public hearing within 4 days.

We urgently need your phone calls to the following legislators, asking them to request a public hearing on continuing funding and support for the Leopold Center for Sustainable Agriculture:

All members can be reached via the House switchboard at (515) 281-3221. Minority Leader Mark Smith can also be reached via his office phone at (515) 281-3054.

  • Rep. Mark Smith (Marshalltown) – House Minority Leader; Office Phone: (515) 281-3054
  • Rep. Todd Prichard (Charles City) – Ranking Member, House Agriculture Committee
  • Rep. Scott Ourth (Ackworth) – Ranking Member, House Ag & Natural Resources Appropriations Subcommittee
  • Rep. Chris Hall (Sioux City) – Ranking Member, House Appropriations Committee
  • Rep. Wes Breckenridge (Newton) – Co-Chair, House Rural Caucus
  • Rep. Amy Nielson (North Liberty) – Co-Chair, House Rural Caucus

When you call, tell them why the Leopold Center matters to you, and ask them request a public hearing on the proposal to defund and dismantle the Center.

WE NEED YOUR CALLS TODAY AND TOMORROW MORNING BEFORE 11:00AM.

Here is a link to the action alert that we shared yesterday. Please contact us at [email protected] if you have any questions or would like more information.

Thank you!

Iowa Farmers Union
PO Box 1883 Ames, IA 50010-1883
[email protected]