A new report released by Iowa State University (ISU), the Iowa Farm Bureau Federation and the Iowa Bankers Association found that low commodity prices, elevated production costs and continuing uncertainty are weighing heavily on Iowa agriculture. So it is a multi-year event that is dragging on," Chad Hart, one of the report's authors and an agricultural economics professor at Iowa State University, told Newsweek. Why Iowa's Farm Economy Matters PoliticallyAgriculture remains central to Iowa's economy and identity. “Iowa farmers shouldn’t have to work twice as hard just to fall further behind. It’s time for leadership that will put Iowa farmers first, give family farms a fair shot to succeed, and build a stronger future for rural Iowa.