White House hopeful Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.) rolled out a sweeping plan to boost investments in rural communities across the country.
The plan, released a day before the start of the Iowa State Fair, comes as Klobuchar seeks to cast herself as an ambassador for the nation’s farming areas stemming from her time representing Minnesota in the Senate.
{mosads}“Heartland politics is about bridging rural/urban divide, farm policy & housing & health & child care. As a [senior] member of AG com. from a rural state I get it & will lead on these issues,” Klobuchar, a member of the Senate Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry Committee, said.
The proposal lays out benefits for farmers, including strengthening agricultural disease protection, investing in rural bridges that are not part of the federal-aid highway network, and boosting the maximum loan amount that an individual farmer or rancher can receive from the Farm Service Agency.
Klobuchar’s plan also vows to invest in high-profile initiatives that are popular across the party, including expanding broadband access to rural and tribal communities and prioritizing rural energy development to help tackle climate change.
The Minnesota Democrat did not clarify how much her proposal would cost.
Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), another presidential contender, also unveiled her own plan to inject new investments into rural America Wednesday.
The rollout of both rural plans comes ahead of the Iowa State Fair, which is set to run Aug. 8-18 and is considered a key part of the presidential primary campaign, making it a must-attend for most candidates.
The fair this year is being staged as farmers continue to face the consequences of a growing trade war between Washington and Beijing. China has hit back against the White House’s tariffs, particularly targeting rural areas that were crucial to President Trump’s political support in 2016.