Just moved to Iowa from the Republic of Cook County and all I can report so far is that Iowans are truly a strange bunch politically. It’s all about ethanol subsidies, just like it’s all about public pensions and patronage in Illinois. Third-rail mentality. I don’t think half of the farmers even know what they are growing but they don’t want it messed with eithet.
People think of midwest farmers as a self reliant bunch. Forget it. An honest Iowan I once knew said "the most valuable square foot I own is my mailbox on the first of the month."(when government checks come out.)