National Farmers Union honored former U.S. Senator Tom Harkin of Iowa with the 2025 Award for Meritorious Service to American Agriculture, its highest distinction, at the opening banquet of the 123rd Anniversary Convention.
“Senator Tom Harkin was steadfastly committed to American family farmers throughout his life and 40-year career in the U.S. Congress,” said NFU President Rob Larew. “NFU is proud to honor him with the 2025 Award for Meritorious Service to American agriculture, recognizing his dedication to family farmers and our communities. He’s been a friend and a staunch ally to Farmers Union for decades. We congratulate him on this well-deserved recognition.”
Harkin made agriculture a top priority during his time in the U.S. Congress. serving on the House Agriculture Committee during his 10-year stint in the U.S. House of Representatives from Iowa’s 5th Congressional District. Harkin then served five consecutive terms in the U.S. Senate, including serving as chair on the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry.
During his tenure in Congress, Harkin always served in the best interests of his family farmer constituents. Notably, Harkin co-authored the Biofuels Security Act of 2006 to promote renewable fuels and energy security. Harkin also held assignments on the Subcommittee on Hunger, Nutrition and Family Farms, the Subcommittee on Rural Revitalization, Conservation, Forestry and Credit, and was co-chair of the Senate Rural Health Caucus, where he advocated for more robust health care policy. He helmed the Senate Agriculture Committee during the negotiation and passage of the 2008 Farm Bill.
In his early life, Harkin spent time working on farms in the Des Moines, Iowa, area, which instilled in him from a young age the importance of family-based agriculture. Since retiring from the Senate in 2014, Harkin has continued his service to American agriculture by founding The Harkin Institute for Public Policy and Citizen Engagement at Drake University, with a goal to connect people with policy.
NFU news release
