In this week's roundup: Kicking off my Agriculture Tour, stops along the way, and my op-ed with Governor Reynolds. Dear Friend, In this week's roundup: Kicking off my Agriculture Tour, stops along the way, and my op-ed with Governor Reynolds. That and more -- remember to follow my Facebook page by clicking here to stay up-to-date throughout the week! KICKING OFF MY FEENSTRA AGRICULTURE TOUR The future of farming in Iowa relies on strong agriculture education. To start my Feenstra Agriculture Tour, I enjoyed touring Morningside University's new greenhouse and meeting with bright students who are the next generation of Iowa farmers. We discussed the upcoming Farm Bill, our trade deficit, and the future of agriculture in Iowa. You can read more about my visit below. At Sioux City Morningside stop, U.S. Rep. Randy Feenstra ... SIOUX CITY - More than halfway into an hour-long visit with students and faculty at Morningside University's Rosen Ag Center, U.S. Rep. Randy Feenstra tried to drive home the connection between the stop and the work he's presently focused on in... Read more siouxcityjournal.com MY OP-ED WITH GOVERNOR REYNOLDS American farmland belongs to American farmers -- period. That’s why we must ban foreign countries like China from buying our farmland to protect our farmers, our families, and rural America. If President Biden truly cares about rural America, he will sign the FARM Act into law and allow us to protect our land and our national security. You can read the full op-ed below. Biden must sign FARM Act if he is serious about standing ... In today's volatile world, the best offense is a strong defense. Between war, disease and financial uncertainty, America's enduring status as the world's economic and military superpower is critical to our sovereignty, economic prosperity and... Read more www.washingtontimes.com VISITING SORENSEN EQUIPMENT On Wednesday, I visited Sorensen Equipment in Harlan as part of my Feenstra Agriculture Tour to speak to employees — who also farm — about the Farm Bill, our trade laws, and 179 depreciation. Sitting on the House Ways and Means Committee and House Agriculture Committee, I’m focused on supporting our producers and strengthening our rural economies. MY TOWN HALL WITH CATTLEMEN IN MOORHEAD Thursday night, I hosted a town hall with local cattlemen in Moorhead to talk about the Farm Bill and my Cattle Price Discovery and Transparency Act. Iowa cattle producers deserve a level playing field to sell their high-quality product, and I will continue to work until they do. MEETING WITH SMALL BUSINESS OWNERS AND LOCAL OFFICIALS IN MANNING I enjoyed meeting with local residents and small business owners in Manning during my Agriculture Tour. We touched on priorities vital to our rural main streets in the Farm Bill and the need to make E-15 available year-round to lower fuel costs. ONE MORE THING: PASSPORT ISSUES One of the services that my office provides is working with constituents to help receive their passports when there is a delay. There has been an uptick in cases regarding this issue since the start of the new year, so I wanted to provide information for this process. Currently, the wait time for expedited cases is 5-7 weeks, and the normal wait time is 8-11 weeks. Processing times start when the passport agency receives the application, not the date the application was sent. If you or someone you know needs assistance with a passport case, my office will need to know if it is a new passport or a renewal, the date of travel, as well as the passport application number when you fill out a privacy release form on my official website. The situations listed below would require an emergency appointment. If it is life-or-death emergency travel within 3 business days If you will be traveling within 14 calendar days If a foreign visa is needed and you are traveling within 28 calendar days (To get a foreign visa, you must submit your passport to the embassy or consulate of the country you are visiting.) If you have any questions or need help, you can start here. If you would like to go directly to the privacy release form, you can click here. MY WEEKLY COLUMN: KICKING OFF MY AGRICULTURE TOUR Agriculture is the economic engine of our state and the backbone of our thriving main streets. That’s why, last week, I officially launched my Feenstra Agriculture Tour to hear directly from our farmers, producers, and agricultural community about their suggestions to protect the productivity of Iowa agriculture and their priorities for the upcoming Farm Bill reauthorization. Read more about my Agriculture Tour below! Agriculture is the Economic Engine of Iowa Agriculture is the economic engine of our state and the backbone of our thriving main streets. It generates billions in economic activity and supports thousands of jobs. Read more feenstra.house.gov CLOSING POLL FOR THE DAY Where do you get your news? Mostly online Select Mostly from TV programs Select Mostly from local newspapers Select LAST WEEK'S POLL RESULTS: Do you support implementing the sale of E-15 year round? Yes - 65% No - 17% Indifferent/Unsure - 18% If you have more thoughts on this week's question, feel free to leave your comments on my official website HERE. We are government together, and I am here to serve you. Your thoughts, concerns, and comments are very important to me. Always feel free to call (202) 225-4426 or visit my website at feenstra.house.gov. Sincerely, Rep. Randy Feenstra Member of Congress ‌ ‌ ‌ Rep Feenstra | 1440 Longworth House Office Building, Washington, DC 20515 Unsubscribe [email protected] Update Profile | Constant Contact Data Notice Sent by [email protected]