An Iowa non-profit organization dedicated to promoting agricultural education and farmland preservation has lost most of its federal funding due to partisan gridlock in Washington, Iowa farm officials have reported.

The group, known as the Silos and Smokestacks National Heritage Area, has long served the farm community in the northeastern quarter of Iowa. The group has helped fund Iowa farms, museums, and natural conservation areas. In addition, it has spearheaded farm education programs and agricultural internships for young people. This role has been particularly important given the nationwide lack of young farmers and the gradual aging of the agricultural population.

The loss of funding, officials say, is the result of budget battles in Washington. With Democrats and Republicans unable to agree on a long-term budget, they hastily passed a temporary stopgap measure. This budget bill, however, overlooked National Parks Service funding, which supplies nearly 80 percent of Silo and Smokestack’s budget.

The group has promised to soldier through and hopes that a temporary spending bill will be passed when Congress reconvenes in November. “It’s going to change the way we do business a little bit. But we are still going to be in business,” said president Don Short.

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Written by: Justin Ellison / Farm Plus Staff Writer