Rural Revival Plan

TAYLOR WETTACH’S RURAL REVIVAL PLAN

Taylor Wettach’s plan for a rural revival is meant to rebuild the bedrock of America’s economy – small and medium sized businesses run by the community – from the local family farm to the shops that dot main street. Rural communities have too often been treated like a place you take from, not invest in. The plan focuses on building a robust rural food economy, supporting farmers as climate leaders, investing in rural health care and foundational community infrastructure.

Vision: A Modern Rural Economy That Works for Communities, Not Corporations If we want rural communities to thrive, we need to invest in the bedrock of America’s economy – small and medium sized businesses run by the community – from the local family farm to the shops that dot main street. Need to create opportunity and value in all communities for the many, not just the few. This means restoring real market competition, protecting farmers, driving innovation, and ensuring the value created here stays here, so that every community has a path to prosperity. We need to restore faith in the the promise that if you work hard and play by the rules, you can get ahead.

Why This Matters to IA-01: Iowa’s First District is at a crossroads Small and mid-sized farms are under intense financial pressure, manufacturing plants, hospitals and schools are closing, and young people are leaving because opportunity is limited. At the same time, communities face growing climate challenges that demand real solutions—not political talking points. The choices we make now will determine whether our rural towns continue to crumble or rebuild for the next generation.

Create Competitive, Stable Markets – Not Corporate Greed or Tariff Chaos For decades, a handful of corporations have controlled markets from seed to slaughter. Farmers have been squeezed by dominant seed, fertilizer, feed, and equipment suppliers on one side and monopoly buyers on the other. As a result, farmers’ share of the value they produce has plummeted, and many producers – from poultry growers to cattle ranchers – struggle to stay afloat.

On top of that, because of Trump’s chaotic tariffs, prices are getting jacked up across the board – farmers are seeing input costs skyrocket and losing entire export markets to foreign competition.

When farmers get squeezed and go out of business, rural towns collapse with them.

We must:

End these chaotic tariffs that have jacked up across the board with farmers seeing input costs skyrocket and losing entire export markets to foreign competition
Bring predictability and stability back to trade markets for farmers
Enforce antitrust laws to end the reign of corporations that have controlled markets from seed to slaughter
Restore price transparency and fair markets
Level the playing field by investing in local and regional poultry and meat processing, which gives farmers a fairer price (cheaper transport costs, easier logistics), increases access to fresh food to their local community and makes the food system more secure
Increase investment in domestic fertilizer manufacturing, which will help create jobs, lower prices, and make the industry more resilient to shocks like a global pandemic or disasters (man-made or natural) that interrupt supply

The result: Small and mid-sized farmers can survive and succeed without having to “get big or get out.” So every farmer can make a good living – not just the biggest operations.

Build a Strong, Value-Added, and Resilient Rural Food Economy A thriving rural economy depends on keeping more economic value in local communities and ensuring that our food system can withstand disruptions. For too long, Iowa has relied on exporting raw commodities through highly consolidated supply chains that send profits elsewhere and leave communities vulnerable when markets shift or global crises hit. Iowa must lead in building a value-added, locally rooted food economy that creates value and profit here, generates good jobs, and strengthens resilience.

We must:

Bolster value-added industries such as local and regional meat and poultry processing, bio-based manufacturing, biofuels, and sustainable aviation fuel
Expand farm-to-institution markets that connect local farms with schools, hospitals, and community institutions
Invest in regional food hubs and cooperatives to strengthen local supply chains and support small and mid-sized farms
Build diversified and redundant food systems with local processing capacity and more resilient supply chains
Provide grants, loans, and technical assistance to farms, co-ops, small businesses, rural entrepreneurs, and school districts to grow local markets and stabilize food access

The result: These efforts not only create more economic opportunity in rural Iowa – they make our food system more secure and increase access to fresh food to their local community. COVID-19 showed the danger of relying on monopoly-dominated supply chains. Resilience isn’t a talking point – Local capacity and diversified supply chains ensure that communities are never again left without the food, markets, or infrastructure they need. A resilient food system starts in our rural communities.

Many of these programs were helping Iowa farmers grow new markets and supported rural economies, but they have been decimated under the Trump administration with backing from Miller-Meeks. We should be strengthening these programs, not cutting them.

Support Farmers as Climate Leaders and Make Sure They Profit Farmers should be rewarded – not punished – for leading on conservation and climate-smart practices.

We must:

Pay farmers for climate-smart practices that save and protect water, keep our soil healthy, sequester carbon, and help regenerate our land like cover cropping
Invest in precision agriculture which can lower input costs and increase profits
Encourage renewable clean energy on farms like solar, wind, and methane capture, which can reduce bills and generate revenue

The result: Farmers can earn extra income by taking on innovative climate-smart practices, capitalizing on the bio economy while creating jobs, which helps them remain environmentally sustainable while generating economic opportunity in their community.

Federal government voluntary and market-based programs investing in these practices were incredibly popular with farmers, but Trump decided to cancel contracts and cut funding – and Miller-Meeks did nothing to stop it. Farmers aren’t the problem, they’re central to the solution.

Protect and Strengthen Rural Health Care

Rural communities can’t grow if families don’t have access to quality, affordable health care. This is an economic issue. But across Iowa, hospitals and rural health clinics are closing their doors because politicians in Washington refuse to fund the programs that keep them alive.

We must:

Fully fund Medicaid: It is the financial backbone of rural health care – it keeps rural hospitals open, supports local clinics, pays for emergency services, and ensures that seniors, children, and working families can see a doctor close to home
Protect and strengthen the Affordable Care Act: Thanks to the ACA, tens of thousands of Iowans can afford coverage and families save hundreds, even thousands of dollars a month on premiums and prescription drugs. The ACA also provides funding that expands access to reproductive health care, maternal care, mental health care, and addiction treatment.
Protect access to reproductive and maternal health care: Access to reproductive health care is an economic issue. Access empowers women to pursue education, work, and stability — strengthening families and communities across Iowa. I will fight to restore reproductive rights, protect doctors and patients who travel for care, and expand women’s health services in rural Iowa — where hospital closures have already left many families without basic reproductive or basic maternal care.

The result: Rural health systems stay open and families can get quality care – including reproductive and maternal services – without traveling hours or going without treatment. These protections ensure that rural communities have the stable health infrastructure and more affordable care they need to grow and thrive.

But Trump and far-right Republicans like Miller-Meeks have pushed policies that do the opposite. They voted for the largest Medicaid cuts in history and eliminated ACA tax credits, driving up costs and forcing rural hospitals and clinics to the brink of closure. They have also relentlessly attacked reproductive rights, leaving women with fewer options and worse outcomes. When women lose access to reproductive care, medical complications rise, maternal health worsens, and families face even greater economic insecurity. Rural Iowa simply cannot afford leaders who undermine the very health systems our communities depend on.

Invest in Rural Infrastructure

Strong community infrastructure equals strong rural economies. No modern economy can function without basic systems – and rural Iowans deserve strong infrastructure.

We must:

Make sure high-speed broadband is in every home, just like electricity in the 1930s
Repair roads and bridges that local farmers and businesses rely on to move product
Modernize water systems that protect quality and reduce nutrient runoff
Invest in energy storage, transmission lines, and clean-energy jobs rooted in local communities
Expand access to affordable housing, so families, young workers, and seniors can stay in the communities they love
Guarantee rural schools and health-care systems are fully funded – not left to wither
Support the creation and expansion of child care facilities, ensuring parents can work, local businesses can hire, and rural towns can attract and retain young families

The result: Rural Iowans get the basics every community needs to thrive – from broadband and clean water to safe roads, modern energy, housing, schools, and child care. These investments strengthen local economies, support working families, and make it possible for towns to grow rather than shrink. When the essentials are in place, communities can build a future where families can stay, businesses can succeed, and every generation has a reason to call rural Iowa home.