Washington’s inaction on a new farm bill is creating uncertainty and is having clear detrimental effects on Iowa agriculture, and further delays will only add to the problems, the 2013 Iowa Farm Bureau Federation (IFBF) Ag Leaders class told lawmakers last week in Washington, D.C.

The uncertainty caused by the farm bill delay is especially tough on younger farmers, who are trying to establish their operations in a very volatile economic climate for agriculture, they said.

"We really tried to impress upon them that we need to get this done," said Brian Jones of Adair County after meeting with Rep. Tom Latham, who represents his area of Iowa. "We understand that there will be compromises along the way, but we need to have a farm bill."

Chris Prizler of Iowa County told Iowa Sen. Charles Grassley that he experienced the effects of the farm...