‘America First’ policy starts with agriculture

If America First means anything, it has to start with American agriculture. For families who’ve worked this land for generations, that’s not a slogan. It’s their livelihood and legacy.

When I visit farms across Indiana’s 2nd Congressional District, from Wabash County to Marshall County, I hear the same thing: This is one of the most challenging financial stretches in recent memory, and farmers need certainty as they plan for the next crop year.

Soybean farmers face some of their lowest prices in decades. Most row crops are under pressure. Input costs remain high, interest rates are squeezing family operations, and farmers are competing on an uneven playing field after years of failed trade policy.

Rural America doesn’t ask for much, just a fair shot and a government that has their back. But too often, they’re left at the mercy of decisions made by people who’ve never set foot on a farm.

That’s backwards — farmers should guide the policy that governs their livelihoods, not the other way around.

That’s exactly how House Republicans approached the bipartisan 2026 farm bill. It wasn’t written for Washington; it was written for farmers, and I was proud to vote yes when it passed the House in April.

This bill strengthens crop insurance, conservation programs and the research funding farmers depend on. It expands access to credit, supports precision agriculture and prioritizes American commodities on the global stage.

I also recently voted to allow year-round sales of E15. The Trump administration’s move to allow summer E15 sales was a meaningful step for corn growers. But farmers need more than a seasonal fix, because agriculture doesn’t run on short timelines.

A year-round E15 fix from Congress could create demand for more than 200 million additional bushels of Indiana corn, save Hoosiers up to 30 cents per gallon at the pump and cut emissions equivalent to taking 99,000 vehicles off Indiana roads every year.

As a member of the House Ways and Means Committee, I’m tracking trade policy very closely. I am supportive of the Trump administration’s efforts to open new markets to American corn and soybean exports.

The U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement has also been important for corn and soybean exports, and its dispute mechanism process has defended market access for GMO corn in Mexico.

This year is the first time all three parties are reviewing the agreement. I support the USMCA’s extension — but only after the U.S. secures market access that was promised but not delivered and addresses new irritants and barriers from Canada and Mexico.

I’ll always be fighting for Hoosier farmers in Washington and for common-sense policy. Through the farm bill, E15 and robust trade policy, we are putting farmers first in the America First policy.

Rudy Yakym, a Republican, is the U.S. representative in northern Indiana for the state’s 2nd Congressional District.