Mark Jackson is President of the Iowa Soybean Association and like many farmers, is uncertain about the size of this year's soybean crop. He's also frustrated by the lack of action on a farm bill and the implications of not having legislation in place to provide food security for the United States. In this week's Open Mic, he also shares how his association has been very active in reaching out to consumers so they can know more about the source of their food and better understand how farmers have been implementing more sustainable farming practices.

Mark Jackson

Sen. Mitch McConnell has been the Minority Leader of the Senate since January 3, 2007 and is the longest serving U.S. Senator in Kentucky history, but he's facing tough re-election battles heading into 2014. On this week's Open Mic, he talks about the challenges associated with passing a new farm bill and why going back to the 1949 permanent law would be "insane." In this wide-ranging interview, he also addresses a host of other ag-related issues such as immigration reform, estate taxes, the sequester, Obamacare and the "war on coal."

Senator Mitch McConnell

Brett Stuart is President of Global AgriTrends. He was formerly with the U.S. Meat Export Federation before becoming an independent consultant in the meat trade. Stuart's view is that China and Russia do not want "cheap" imports of meat and grain because it reduces their ability to be self sufficient in food production. He examines the politics and the economics of China and Russia and the role the United States plays as a producer and exporter of high quality, low cost meat and meat products.

Brett Stuart

Bill Wykes is a soybean farmer and the past chair of the Illinois Soybean Association. He is a strong advocate of biotechnology and utilization of science and innovation in agriculture. Wykes is concerned about regulatory and trade issues facing biotechnology and has encouraged the ISA to host a symposium on the dynamics of international biotechnology.

Bill Wykes

Lynn Jenkins is the second district U.S. Representative from Kansas. She grew up on a dairy farm near Holton. She is in her third term and has risen to vice-chair of the Republican house conference. Jenkins speaks out about federal agencies and their heavy handed approach in regulating business and industry. She has co-sponsored legislation to allow citizens to have a stronger defense against a government agency by recording phone calls and holding government personnel accountable. Jenkins is also working to determine what federal nutrition policy will be most effective in addressing citizen needs in the future.

Congresswoman Lynn Jenkins

Congressman Dave Loebsack, who recently hosted Rep. Collin Peterson, the ranking Democrat on the House Agriculture Committee, in his southeastern Iowa district, explains why he and other Democrats could not support the split farm bill that passed the House a few weeks ago with only GOP votes. Loebsack is quite concerned about failure to get a farm bill through Congress this year and cites his concerns for agriculture if the current one-year farm bill extension expires.

Rep. Dave Loebsack