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Schulte running for 5th Congressional District seat in Iowa Tuesday, October 24, 2006
Democratic Candidate for the 5th Congressional District
Joyce Schulte was born and raised on a farm in Missouri. She was widowed at age 31 and left to raise two young sons while pursuing an education. She completed pastoral studies, a bachelor's degree in general studies and a masters in education.
Her work and volunteer history has included the mental health field, education and family farming. She is currently director of the student support services program at Southwestern Community College in Creston.
She is a member of the Iowa Agriculture Development Authority Board.
Her sons, Dennis, a corporate communications consultant, and Carl, a Major in the U.S. Air Force, are now grown and enjoying their own families.
Q: Give us your ideas on how the new farm bill should be crafted. Should the current farm bill be extended: Should there be provisions to tighten payment limits in the next farm bill?
A: One of the benefits to the farm bill reauthorization process is that we get to strengthen effective portions of the bill, modify portions of the bill that are not working effectively and add some new programs to the new bill. A lot of farm organizations are exploring both the old and looking forward to some modifications or additional pieces. There are a variety of views out there. I'd say be very cautious in simply moving the current bill forward. I would want to reexamine every paragraph, every suggested modification. This touches the real economic heart of Iowa. I hear a lot farmers talk about how they want payment caps. If we're really going to strengthen farming, we'll have to have payment caps.
Q: What can we do to assist beginning farmers?
A: I've talked with several farm organizations about a proposal that I have. I'm not quite ready to let it out for fear that my opponent would take hold of it and call it his. I am a member of the board of the Iowa Agricultural Development Authority, which does a good job of bringing low interest loans to beginning farmers. I want to continue that program, and I'll work vigorously to keep it funded.
Q: What changes should be made to federal conservation programs and do you support increased funding?
A: In some areas land is too steep for corn and bean production. I would encourage enrolling more of that land in a CRP, grassland or hay program. I Like grass buffer strips and grassed water ways. We've got to worry about conservation of air on some of these large, large operations. We can't control the wild animals that pollute water. We can't put all blame on farmers. Farmers I know want to be good stewards. They're living on the land themselves. We need to find ways to help them.
Q: What can be done to ensure market competition for livestock producers? Should packer ownership of livestock be banned?
A: I would restrict packer ownership, and I would support a phased in program that gives independent family farmer more market access. Right now so many small independent family farmers are getting second shrift on competition.
Q: How do we continue to promote renewable energy development and also make sure that rural Iowans get to share in this boom?
A: I want Iowans to own the gold in Iowa. I don't want Wall Street owning our ethanol plants. I want Iowans to own resources and share them with the world in nice ways. We have lots of states where ethanol has not incorporated into gas tanks. We can do better on that and open up markets. We need biodiesel across nation. I love seeing these big wind generators. I'd like to see a federal program like the REA to electrify rural Iowa with wind. I want to see generators formatted and machined in Iowa, not imported from Denmark. Solar can be taken to another level. We've got to take ethanol production to the next level to look at cellulose.
Q: What distinguishes you from your challenger?
A: My opponent has brought no respect to Iowa. My values are simple farm values -- get up early, work hard, be a good neighbor, talk nice about the neighbors, be helpful. Those are the values I grew up with, not this disrespectful language, this sense of bigotry that comes in. I'm very different from that. I have differences with people, but we' sit down in nice respectful ways and see how to work together instead of banging each other on the head. My opponent chases off to some other country to bring their ethanol in. I want Iowa ethanol. He chases to ANWR for petrochemical. I say let Iowa ethanol and biodiesel power the world.
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