The Iowa caucuses are famous for their impacts on the race for each party’s presidential nomination, and, compared to the rest of the country, in rural Iowa, voters’ pocketbooks are disproportionately dependent on farm subsidies and the corn-based ethanol industry. In addition, current agricultural programs, including the recent Trump administration trade war compensation payments, have incentivized farmers to “farm the subsidies instead of the market,” making them increasingly dependent on Washington.

How necessary are those agricultural subsidies for the survival of the agricultural sector? Where do the candidates stand on the issue of subsidies and the role of markets in ensuring the country has a successful agricultural sector? Ahead of Iowa caucuses on February 3, AEI scholars discussed the various agriculture policy proposals from the major presidential candidates.

This audio first appeared at an AEI event held on January 29, 2020, at AEI’s headquarters in Washington, DC.

Watch the full event here.

Event Materials – The future of US agricultural and rural development