🌾 Protecting Iowa’s Farms

Iowa is on the frontlines of a new threat: agroterrorism . It started in 2011, when a CCP-linked agent was caught digging corn seed up from an Iowa field. Now, the threat has escalated: In just the past few weeks, three Chinese nationals were caught smuggling deadly pathogens into U.S. labs, lying to officials, and wiping their phones to cover their tracks. The problem : Today’s law requires prosecutors to prove “intent to harm” before bringing charges. That’s nearly impossible when suspects lie, destroy evidence, and refuse to cooperate. Last week, I asked Agriculture Secretary Rollins why that standard fails—and how Congress can work with the administration to keep Iowa farmland secure from foreign threats. Watch: Secretary Rollins agreed: current law leaves our agriculture sector and entire food supply vulnerable. The solution : I’m leading the bipartisan PLANT Act to create a new federal offense for “knowingly and recklessly” bringing high-risk biological agents into the U.S. without authorization. This bill would close the legal loophole and equip federal law enforcement to act before it’s too late. Bottom Line: Iowa is at the center of this fight. I’ll keep working with both parties and the administration to combat agroterrorism and protect the heartland from foreign threats.