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House
Resolution
17
-
Introduced
HOUSE
RESOLUTION
NO.
17
BY
GERHOLD
A
Resolution
recognizing
the
contributions
of
Iowa
farm
1
families,
Iowa
farm
employees,
and
Iowa
agricultural
2
leaders
during
National
Agriculture
Week
and
Iowa
3
Agriculture
Week.
4
WHEREAS,
every
five
years
the
United
States
5
Department
of
Agriculture
conducts
an
agricultural
6
census,
which
provides
a
snapshot
into
the
7
demographics,
economics,
land
use,
and
activities
on
8
Iowa
and
United
States
farms
and
ranches;
and
9
WHEREAS,
on
February
13,
2024,
the
2022
Census
on
10
Agriculture
was
released;
and
11
WHEREAS,
during
the
census
from
2017
to
2022,
the
12
United
States
lost
more
than
141,000
farms
representing
13
a
7
percent
decline
and
a
loss
of
more
than
20
million
14
acres
of
farmland;
and
15
WHEREAS,
Iowa
has
86,911
farms
accounting
for
30
16
million
acres
of
land
dedicated
to
farming
with
more
17
than
95
percent
of
Iowa
farms
owned
by
families;
and
18
WHEREAS,
Iowa
consistently
ranks
first
nationally
19
in
the
production
of
corn,
hogs,
and
eggs;
first
or
20
second
nationally
in
the
production
of
soybeans;
fourth
21
nationally
in
the
number
of
cattle
and
calves
fed;
22
seventh
nationally
in
turkey
production;
and
eleventh
23
nationally
in
milk
production;
and
24
WHEREAS,
Iowa
consistently
ranks
first
in
the
25
production
of
ethanol
and
biodiesel
fuel;
and
26
WHEREAS,
in
2022,
Iowa
generated
$46.6
billion
in
27
agricultural
cash
receipts;
and
28
-1-
LSB
2919YH
(4)
91
da/ns
1/
4
H.R.
17
WHEREAS,
the
change
in
the
number
of
farms
in
Iowa
1
contrasts
with
the
national
trend,
rising
for
the
first
2
time
in
15
years,
with
an
increase
of
1
percent
since
3
2020;
and
4
WHEREAS,
the
number
of
producers
in
Iowa
has
5
increased
to
157,531,
an
increase
of
more
than
12,000
6
producers
compared
to
5
years
earlier
and
30,000
7
producers
more
than
20
years
ago;
and
8
WHEREAS,
the
average
farm
size
in
Iowa
is
345
acres,
9
compared
to
355
acres
in
2017;
and
10
WHEREAS,
in
2022,
there
were
50,263
female
producers
11
in
Iowa
accounting
for
33
percent
of
the
state’s
12
producers,
with
53
percent
of
Iowa
farms
having
at
13
least
one
female
decision
maker;
and
14
WHEREAS,
according
to
Iowa
State
University
of
15
Science
and
Technology,
Iowa’s
agricultural
economy
16
relies
upon
its
family
farms,
with
82
percent
owned
17
by
individuals
or
families,
15
percent
owned
by
18
partnerships
or
family
corporate
entities,
and
only
4
19
percent
owned
by
nonfamily
business
entities
or
other
20
persons;
and
21
WHEREAS,
March
16
through
March
22
is
National
22
Agriculture
Week,
dedicated
to
increasing
the
public
23
awareness
of
agriculture’s
vital
role
in
our
society
24
and
recognizing
this
nation’s
unique
role
in
producing
25
food,
fiber,
and
fuel
for
the
world;
and
26
WHEREAS,
this
year’s
theme
for
National
Agriculture
27
Week
is
“Agriculture:
Together
We
Grow”
recognizing
28
the
importance
of
agriculture
in
the
United
States
and
29
worldwide;
and
30
-2-
LSB
2919YH
(4)
91
da/ns
2/
4
H.R.
17
WHEREAS,
this
year’s
National
Agriculture
Week
is
1
an
opportunity
to
encourage
persons
to
understand
how
2
food,
fuel,
fiber,
and
pharmaceuticals
are
produced,
3
to
appreciate
the
function
of
farmers
and
ranchers
in
4
producing
abundant
and
affordable
supplies
of
food,
5
fuel,
fiber,
and
pharmaceuticals,
to
acknowledge
the
6
essential
role
of
agriculture
in
maintaining
a
vibrant
7
economy,
and
to
allow
the
next
generation
to
consider
8
career
opportunities
in
agriculture;
and
9
WHEREAS,
Governor
Kim
Reynolds
has
proclaimed
10
March
24
through
31,
2025,
as
Iowa
Agriculture
11
Week,
celebrating
agriculture’s
many
significant
12
contributions
to
this
state’s
economy
and
way
of
13
life;
and
14
WHEREAS,
on
Monday,
March
31,
2025,
Iowa
Secretary
15
of
Agriculture
Mike
Naig
and
the
Department
of
16
Agriculture
and
Land
Stewardship
will
host
the
13th
17
annual
Iowa
Ag
Leaders
Dinner;
NOW
THEREFORE,
18
BE
IT
RESOLVED
BY
THE
HOUSE
OF
REPRESENTATIVES,
19
That
the
House
of
Representatives
recognizes
March
20
16
through
March
22
as
National
Agriculture
Week,
21
and
encourages
all
Iowans
as
residents
of
one
of
22
the
leading
agricultural
states
in
the
nation
to
23
commemorate
and
celebrate
the
invaluable
contributions
24
made
by
this
nation’s
farmers
and
ranchers
and
25
especially
Iowa
farmers;
and
26
BE
IT
FURTHER
RESOLVED,
That
the
House
of
27
Representatives
recognizes
Iowa
agricultural
leaders
28
who
will
be
honored
and
celebrated
at
the
Iowa
Ag
29
Leaders
Dinner
for
their
contributions
to
this
state’s
30
-3-
LSB
2919YH
(4)
91
da/ns
3/
4
H.R.
17
agricultural
economy
and
way
of
life;
and
1
BE
IT
FURTHER
RESOLVED,
That
a
copy
of
this
2
resolution
be
sent
to
the
Agriculture
Council
of
3
America.
4
-4-
LSB
2919YH
(4)
91
da/ns
4/
4