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In this week's roundup: Our national debt tops $35 trillion and my Feenstra Agriculture Tour. That and more – remember to follow my Facebook page by clicking here and my Twitter page by clicking here to stay up-to-date throughout the week!

OUR NATIONAL DEBT HAS OFFICIALLY TOPPED $35 TRILLION

Just over seven months since our national debt hit $34 trillion, our nation is now officially $35 trillion in debt. This rapidly accelerating trend is unsustainable and dangerous.

Like I’ve repeatedly said before, we must end reckless government spending, balance our federal budget, and restore fiscal responsibility to the core function of government.

As a strong, fiscal conservative, I will continue to oppose wasteful spending and unchecked expansions of bureaucracy that will only accelerate our arrival to $36 trillion in debt.

US national debt hits a new record: $35 trillion

The national debt surpassed $35 trillion for the first time just months after topping $34 trillion, as the federal government faces widening budget deficits and fiscal deadlines loom.

A MIDYEAR UPDATE ON MY FEENSTRA AGRICULTURE TOUR

At the beginning of this year, I launched the second iteration of my Feenstra Agriculture Tour to meet with farmers, understand their concerns and take their suggestions and priorities to our nation’s capital.

Since January, I’ve had many positive and important conversations with every aspect of our agricultural community to ensure that I’m doing the best job that I can do to advocate for agriculture and protect our producers.

Whether it be the Farm Bill, trade, crop insurance, or serious concerns about China buying our farmland, I’ve transformed my discussions with producers, equipment manufacturers and commodity groups into sound and meaningful policy that benefits Iowa agriculture.

Read more about the last seven months of my agriculture tour below!

Feenstra: Midyear update offered on agriculture tour of 4th District

Agriculture is the backbone of our economy in Iowa. This vital industry supports more than 810,000 jobs, creates more than $50 billion in total wages and generates more than $250

Q&A SESSION WITH EMPLOYEES AT PHARMACISTS MUTUAL IN ALGONA

This morning, I kicked off another day of my 36 County Tour with an employee Q&A at Pharmacists Mutual in Algona.

I’m glad CEO of Pharmacists Mutual Aaron Pearce, Rep. Henry Stone, and Senator Dave Rowley could join us.

We all need to work together to keep our communities strong.

SPEAKING WITH THE HUMBOLDT COUNTY CATTLEMEN'S ASSOCIATION

On my second stop of today’s 36 County Tour and Feenstra Agriculture Tour, I met with the Humboldt County Cattlemen’s Association.

We talked about the Farm Bill, my legislation to improve the Livestock Indemnity Program, animal disease prevention efforts, and my work to permanently repeal the death tax.

IMPROVING THE LIVESTOCK INDEMNITY PROGRAM FOR OUR CATTLE PRODUCERS

When severe storms strike or deadly animal disease spreads, cattle producers in Iowa and nationwide need a safety net that they can depend on.

Through local Farm Service Agency offices, farmers often enroll in the Livestock Indemnity Program – an important tool that helps deliver economic relief to producers and their families who have been impacted by adverse and unpredictable events that cause cattle deaths and financial losses.

However, under current law, LIP payment rates – which cover 75% of the average fair market value of livestock – are only updated once a year, which is a lengthy timeframe that does not accurately reflect volatile market conditions in the livestock industry.

That’s why I introduced the Livestock Indemnity Program Improvement Act – which is part of the Farm Bill – to cut the annual timeframe down to every three months, so that our producers and their families receive a fair and accurate price for their livestock.

Opinion: Livestock Indemnity Program needs improvements a new farm bill could provide

In this opinion piece, Rep. Randy Feenstra discusses his Livestock Indemnity Program Improvement Act, which was included in the House Farm Bill that passed out of committee in May.

MEETING WITH EMPLOYEES AT ASMUS FARM SUPPLY IN RAKE

I kept my 36 County Tour and my Feenstra Agriculture Tour going at Asmus Farm Supply in Rake.

I had a great conversation with employees about the Farm Bill, the overturning of the Chevron Doctrine, and unfair student-loan cancelation schemes by the Biden-Harris administration.

WEBSTER COUNTY FARM BUREAU ANNUAL DINNER IN FORT DODGE

The other night, my Regional Director — Jim — attended the Webster County Farm Bureau Annual Dinner in Fort Dodge.

I appreciate everything that our farmers and producers do to feed and fuel our nation and the world.

I’ll always be a strong voice for Iowa agriculture in Congress!

URGING SWIFT PASSAGE OF THE FARM BILL

In May, I voted to advance the Farm Bill out of the House Agriculture Committee because we need to deliver relief and certainty for our farmers and producers.

This legislation includes many priorities important to Iowa agriculture like increased reference prices and investments in new export markets as well as my bills to keep China away from our farmland, support agriculture education in Iowa, and lower the cost of crop insurance for the next generation of producers.

To strengthen American agriculture and win against China, I urge my colleagues in the Senate to work with Republicans to get the Farm Bill signed into law this year.

KEEPING CHINA AND OUR FOREIGN ENEMIES AWAY FROM OUR FARMLAND

One of the most frequent concerns I hear from our farming community on my 36 County Tour is China and other foreign adversaries buying up our farmland. I share these very same concerns, especially since our farmland in Iowa is some of the most fertile, valuable, and productive in the world. We do not want this land falling into the hands of the Chinese Communist Party, North Korea, Russia, Iran, or any other enemy of our country.

That’s why I introduced the Foreign Agricultural Restrictions to Maintain Local Agriculture and National Defense (FARMLAND) Act — which was included in the Farm Bill — to enhance oversight of foreign land ownership in the United States.

This legislation develops new oversight measures for foreign farmland purchases, requires the Secretary of Agriculture to report the threats of foreign acquisition of American farmland to Congress, and punishes foreign investors who fail to disclose farmland purchases.

The Farm Bill prevents American farmland from falling into the wrong hands

Before I voted for the Farm Bill - which passed out of the House Agriculture Committee in May - I held many town halls with farmers and producers as part of my 36 County Tour and Feenstra Agriculture Tour to ensure that the priorities of our agricultural community were included in this vital legislation.

ENJOYING THE SIDNEY RODEO!

The other day, my Regional Director based out of Council Bluffs — Abby — made it out to the Sidney Rodeo!

4TH DISTRICT FUN FACT: TOP EGG-PRODUCING DISTRICT IN THE NATION!

Did you know that Iowa's 4th Congressional District is the top egg-producing district in the country?

According to the USDA, Iowa egg farmers produce about 16.5 billion eggs every year.

ONE LAST THING: LATE PERRY HIGH SCHOOL PRINCIPAL NAMED IOWA HERO FOR IOWA-NEBRASKA HEROES GAME

The late Perry High School Principal Dan Marburger was named the 2024 Iowa Hero for the Iowa-Nebraska Heroes Game.

His bravery and sacrifice will never be forgotten.

Perry Principal Dan Marburger named Iowa Hero for Iowa-Nebraska Heroes Game

Perry Principal Dan Marburger was named this year's Iowa Hero for the Iowa-Nebraska Heroes Game.

MY WEEKLY COLUMN: OUR DEBT CRISIS KEEPS GETTING WORSE

Our accumulation of debt is a rapidly accelerating trend that is unsustainable, unacceptable, and dangerous – and the warning signs are flashing bright red. $35 trillion equates to nearly $105,000 per person, over $266,000 per household, and more than 483,000 per child in the United States. Additionally, in just a year’s time, the national debt has grown by $2.35 trillion, which breaks down to $196 billion in new debt every month, $6.4 billion every day, $268 million every hour, $4.5 million every minute, and $74,400 every second.

In addition to cutting wasteful spending that only fuels inflation and weakens our economic security, we must balance our federal budget every single year just like any American family or business must do. We cannot continue with business as usual and spend taxpayer dollars frivolously when one of the largest expenses for the federal government is now interest payments on our debt. That’s why I introduced the Balanced Budget and Accounting Act to require the President of the United States to submit a balanced budget to Congress each year.