Iowa Farm Bureau Did Not Un-Endorse Joni Ernst

DES MOINES, Iowa – A fake email gained was spread among the left and supporters of Theresa Greenfield over the weekend.

The fake email was supposedly sent from the Audubon County Farm Bureau was dated Friday, October 16, 2020. It said that U.S. Senator Joni Ernst, R-Iowa, no longer had the “extensive support of the Farm Bureau and its partners.”

“As many of Audubon County Farm Bureau members have observed, following last evening’s debate between incumbent Senator Joni Ernst and challenger Theresa Greenfield, our current Senator may not be as in tune with the needs of Iowa agriculture and the membership of Iowa Farm Bureau, as may have been previously portrayed. In light of this development, we can no longer emphasize the need for our membership to cast their ballots for Senator Joni Ernst. While she will remain a “Friend of Agriculture,” Senator Ernst will no longer receive the extensive backing of Farm Bureau and its partners. We encourage our members here in Audubon County, and beyond to consider this choice carefully while casting their ballots,” the fake email” read.

Iowa Farm Bureau issued a statement declaring this email to be false and affirmed its endorsement of Joni Ernst.

“Recently, a fake email has been circulating through social media that Senator Ernst no longer has the support of Iowa Farm Bureau or our members. This email is fake, and any news reports that speak to its validity are false. Iowa farmers know Senator Joni Ernst understands agriculture and works tirelessly to increase the economic opportunities for Iowa farmers and rural America, and that is why the Iowa Farm Bureau was proud to designate her as a Friend of Agriculture. She continues to have our full support,” the statement read.

The fake email source is unknown, but it was promoted first by this Twitter account. However, the beneficiary of such fake news is obvious, and the Ernst campaign blasted Greenfield. 

“Theresa Greenfield’s last run for office ended when her campaign was caught committing felony election fraud. Now Greenfield and her liberal allies are pushing false information to confuse voters,” Joni Ernst’s campaign manager Sam Pritchard said.

Not only is Ernst supported by Iowa Farm Bureau, but was endorsed by Iowa Corn Growers Association and the Iowa Cattlemen’s Association as well. Comparatively, Greenfield has not been endorsed by a single agriculture group and has mostly avoided rural Iowa while campaigning.