Grant Gerlock

In third week of the legislative session, House Higher Education committee members honed in on establishing general education requirements, banning schools from requiring DEI courses and preventing accreditors from penalizing colleges for following state law.

Republican lawmakers continue to target DEI at Iowa universities through House Higher Ed Committee

Isabella Luu

The House Higher Education Committee has honed in on standardizing general education requirements, banning schools from requiring DEI courses and preventing accreditors from penalizing colleges for following state law.

Hiawatha City Council member Aime Wichtendahl speaks at a hearing against HF 2082, a proposal in the 2024 legislative session that would have reduced legal protections for transgender Iowans. Lawmakers ultimately declined to advance the bill.

News From Iowa

Meet Aime Wichtendahl, Iowa’s first transgender state representative

Grant Gerlock

After Tuesday's election, the Iowa Senate and House are likely to end with supermajorities for Republicans. At the same time, the state elected its first transgender representative to serve in the Statehouse as a Democrat.

Gov. Kim Reynolds signs the Students First Act in the Capitol rotunda.

Government

Reynolds signs law creating tax-funded accounts, expanding school choice in Iowa

Grant Gerlock

Gov. Kim Reynolds signed the bill into law Tuesday. Once fully implemented, 42,000 private school students could receive state funding at a cost of $345 million per year.

Schools across the country offer teachers more money to staff their classrooms

Grant Gerlock

Iowa's largest school district is offering a big incentive to address teacher shortages. Experienced teachers who put off retirement for one more year can make an extra $50,000 or more.

If The U.S. And China Don't Reach A Trade Deal, Consumers Will Soon Feel The Impact

Grant Gerlock

So far, the U.S. trade war with China hasn't affected consumers much. But without a deal soon, tariffs on thousands of products will more than double.

Bison rims factor into this lunch-hour game of pickup basketball at a Lincoln, Nebraska YMCA.

March Madness: If Trade War Continues, The Cost Will Likely Reach Consumers

Grant Gerlock

The U.S. trade war with China has created a financial burden for farmers and companies that import Chinese goods. Consumers, on the other hand, have...

Meat Inspections Continue During Shutdown, But Fewer Food Safety Checks Happening Overall

Grant Gerlock

The partial government shutdown is playing out differently for the nation’s top food safety regulators. At the Food and Drug Administration, fewer than...

Food banks stand to benefit from the USDA's trade relief program.

Feds To Bulk Up Food Bank Inventories As Part Of The Ag Bailout

Grant Gerlock

On top of a second round of payments to farmers as part of the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s trade relief program, the agency is trying to ease the...

Final Farm Bill Shows Hemp's In, Food-Aid Work Requirements Are Out

Grant Gerlock

Updated at 3 p.m. Dec. 20 with Trump signing legislation — The long-awaited final version of the farm bill was unveiled Monday night, and it hews...

After being stalled in negotiations for months, mostly around disputes over SNAP, the farm bill the conference report has been released.

Farm Bill Compromise Reached With SNAP Changes Out, Industrial Hemp In

Brakkton Booker

While much of the farm bill draft mirrors current law, there is a major change coming for farmers: Industrial hemp will be legalized. Forestry and food stamps became sticking points.