Iowa Farm Bureau Endorses Lange in His Campaign Against Congressman Braley

The Iowa Farm Bureau Federation has endorsed U.S. congressional candidate Ben Lange as a 'Friend of Agriculture' for the 2012 general election.

Lange, a Republican, is running against incumbent Democrat Bruce Braley for Iowa's 1st District seat in the House of Representatives.

In the 2008 campaign, the Farm Bureau had endorsed Braley over Lange.

"Actions matter," said the Iowa Farm Bureau's PAC Chair Rod Collins in a press release from the Lange campaign. "Our PAC carefully evaluates the candidates' track records to determine who has demonstrated support for our farmers and issues that directly impact their families, businesses and communities. It's a process that emphasizes Farm Bureau policies over partisan politics."  

The Iowa Farm Bureau consists of 153,000 individual families across all 99 counties

According to the press release, Lange, who grew up in rural Northeast Iowa, has participated in 20 county-level Iowa Farm Bureau events across Iowa's 1st congressional district since announcing his candidacy.

"I'm proud to stand with the Iowa Farm Bureau and its members to preserve Iowa's unique culture and values, to grow our economy, to open new markets, and to reward the hard work and investments of our farmers and other stakeholders," he said in the press release.

Incumbents Tom Latham and Steve King, running for re-election in the 3rd and 4th congressional districts, also received Farm Bureau endorsements.