Grassroots Newsletter: Iowa Farmers Union History, Content and Staff
Profile updated November 2026
The Grassroots newsletter is the official quarterly publication of Iowa Farmers Union, the family farm organization that has worked in the state since 1915. Members receive it free in print, and the union posts recent editions online. It covers current agriculture issues, education opportunities and Farmers Union programs for Iowa producers and consumers alike.
| Publisher | Iowa Farmers Union |
|---|---|
| Frequency | Quarterly |
| Organization founded | 1915 |
| Mailing address | P.O. Box 1883, Ames, Iowa |
| Distribution | Free print subscription for members; PDFs online |
| President | Aaron Heley Lehman, Polk City farmer |
| Official website | IowaFarmersUnion.org |
History of Grassroots Newsletter (Iowa Farmers Union)
Iowa Farmers Union has worked since 1915 to strengthen the self-owned family farm through education, legislation and cooperation, the three pillars shared by the national Farmers Union federation. It describes itself as a grassroots membership organization of family farmers, ranchers, advocates and consumers, and its members write and approve its policy positions each year, which is where the newsletter's name comes from.
The union's annual state convention in Ames sets that policy. At the 109th convention, delegates adopted special orders on the farm bill, opposition to eminent domain for CO2 pipelines, farmers' legal rights in pesticide cases, agriculture and cancer rates, local food incentives, fair trade and support for farmers in Ukraine, and reelected President Aaron Lehman and Vice President Ryan Marquardt.
The 110th Annual State Convention, held December 5-6, 2025, took the theme of empowering farmers to weather the chaos. Former U.S. Senator Tom Harkin gave a special address, and former IFU president Chris Petersen, a Clear Lake farmer, received the Lifetime Achievement Award.
Grassroots Newsletter (Iowa Farmers Union) Today
The Winter 2026 Grassroots ran Lehman's December 2025 testimony to a U.S. Senate subcommittee on rising health insurance premiums for rural families, Executive Director Matt Russell's review of a hard 2025 for farm income and federal programs, a membership drive aiming for 500 new members in 2026, and plans to engage candidates for Iowa agriculture offices.
It also listed training: mental health workshops, Produce Safety Alliance grower courses, legislative webinars and the union's Day on the Hill at the Iowa Capitol, plus a member's account of the NFU Women's Conference.
What Grassroots Newsletter (Iowa Farmers Union) Is Publishing Now
Policy and the Statehouse
Legislative updates, convention policy, testimony and candidate forums keep members current on farm bill, trade, land use and health care issues.
Education and events
Workshops on farm stress, produce safety and beginning farming, and notices of the summer Barn Party and other gatherings.
Members and awards
Membership news, district reports and the Friends of the Farmer awards, which have honored legislators, journalists and farmer networks.
Grassroots Newsletter (Iowa Farmers Union) Editors and Staff
The Winter 2026 Grassroots masthead lists these officers and staff:
- Aaron Heley Lehman - President
- Ryan Marquardt - Vice President
- Matt Russell - Executive Director
- Christina Dexter - Communications Director
- Deborah Bunka - Membership and Fundraising Director
- Tommy Hexter - Policy Lead
- Jonathan Lawrence - Education Director
The union's newsletter page directs questions, comments and story ideas to Christina Dexter.
Who Reads the Grassroots Newsletter
Readers are Iowa Farmers Union members: corn, soybean and livestock farmers, beginning and diversified growers, local food producers and consumers who back family-scale agriculture. Iowa leads the nation in hogs and ranks at or near the top in corn and soybeans, and the newsletter's focus on market concentration, conservation and local food reflects the pressure on smaller operations in that landscape.
Grassroots readers spend a lot of time explaining to lawmakers that a pipeline easement is not a gift. For a breather, farm.FM runs farm satire about Iowa caucus hopefuls in seed caps, farm humor about township meetings and some ranch humor for the cow-calf folks out west of Des Moines. Its farm jokes travel well to a Barn Party.
farm.FM, the nation's first satirical farm site, also runs Tractor Tunes, a country music lineup for farmers. For a sample of the writing, try the archive of one of its staff humorists.
Grassroots Newsletter (Iowa Farmers Union) Sources and Agriculture Authority Links
- Iowa Farmers Union: Grassroots Newsletter - the newsletter page with recent editions.
- Grassroots, Winter 2026 (PDF) - a full recent issue with masthead.
- Iowa Farmers Union: About - mission and history since 1915.
- Iowa State University Sustainable Agriculture: Aaron Lehman - the land-grant university's event with IFU's president.
- USDA NASS Quick Stats - Iowa crop and livestock statistics.
Grassroots Newsletter (Iowa Farmers Union) FAQ
How often is the Grassroots newsletter published?
Quarterly. Iowa Farmers Union members receive a free print subscription.
Who publishes Grassroots?
Iowa Farmers Union, based in Ames, a state division of National Farmers Union.
Who is the president of Iowa Farmers Union?
Aaron Heley Lehman, a Polk County farmer, reelected at the union's convention.
Who handles story ideas for Grassroots?
Communications Director Christina Dexter.
Four times a year, the Grassroots newsletter carries Iowa Farmers Union's member-written policy from the convention floor to farm kitchens across the state.