Sen. Mark Costello (Rep – Mills County) reads a statement from Melvyn Houser, Pottawattamie County Supervisor and president of the Iowa State Association of Counties, regarding his support of farmland preservation, especially to improve access to returning veterans.

Democratic Sen. Joe Bolkcom and Republican Rep. Bobby Kaufmann called for Iowa to “begin the conversation” about farmland preservation at a capitol press briefing Tuesday, Feb. 3.

Leaders of the Sustainable Iowa Land Trust and the Iowa Farmers Union, as well as other legislators attended the briefing which was covered by Radio Iowa, Associated Press and others and picked up across the state.

“I’m a Republican and a farmer. This is not in any way, shape or form, an anti-agriculture effort,” said Kaufmann. “In fact I think for a lot of farmers, this is a good thing. It puts money into their pockets.”

“I’m an Iowan and I like to eat good, healthy food,” said Bolkcom. “It’s important because we have a growing local food movement.”

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Various radio stations including on Iowa Public Radio and in western Iowa.