Midwest
GOP senator demands answers from Biden admin on 'confusing' regulation that could crush farming families
FIRST ON FOX: Iowa GOP Sen. Joni Ernst has penned a bipartisan letter with fellow senators to the Biden administration expressing concern that farmers and their families are being subjected to significant financial harm by a lengthy delay in updating the process of applying for college financial aid.
“We write to express continued concern with the impact the delayed Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) rollout will have for students and families, in particular those from family farm and small business backgrounds,” Ernst and 13 other senators, including Montana Democratic Sen. Jon Tester, wrote to Education Secretary Miguel Cardona this week.
“The FAFSA Simplification Act was signed into law on December 27, 2020, and yet the Department of Education (Ed) released an incomplete and confusing ‘soft launch’ of the new form exactly three months delayed from the typical October 1 release date,” the letter continued. “In addition, Ed announced on January 30, Institutional Student Information Records (ISIRs) would not be sent to colleges and universities until early March. This creates an untenable timeline for students to review aid offers and compare their school options, with schools already pushing aid offers back to late April or early May.”
The senators wrote that Question 22 on the FAFSA form, related to student assets, requires “each student report the net worth of their family’s businesses or for-profit agricultural operations,” which the senators say doesn’t take into account the financial complexities of operating a farm.
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President Biden and Sen. Joni Ernst, R-Iowa (Getty Images)
“This question fundamentally misunderstands how farm families operate, as the stream of revenue for crops and livestock varies significantly year-over-year, and assets cannot be cashed out to support a loan in the same capacity as traditional investments,” the letter states.
“As defined by Ed, these reported assets may include, ‘fair market value of land, buildings, livestock, unharvested crops, and machinery.’ These assets can range well into the millions of dollars, with the price of a combine harvester alone often exceeding $400,000. This, in combination with projected declines in revenue for nearly every agricultural sector for 2023 harvest, indicates Ed lacked critical insight needed to develop this asset reporting requirement.”
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Sen. Joni Ernst, R-Iowa, kicks off her Roast and Ride event in Des Moines, Iowa, on June 3, 2023. The annual event helps to raise money for veteran charities and highlight Republican candidates and platforms. (Scott Olson/Getty Images)
The senators say that a farming family with a $60,000 annual income and $1 million in farming assets was previously paying $7,626 annually toward their child’s tuition and that under the new formula, that same family would have to pay up to $41,056.
“In this economy, asking Iowa farm families to pay five times more to send their kids to college is a nonstarter,” Ernst told Fox News Digital.
“As a farm kid myself and a recipient of a Pell Grant, I understand how critical federal student aid can be for Iowans. That’s why I’m leading the charge to force Biden’s Department of Ed to reevaluate their FAFSA form and ensure folks of all backgrounds can pursue higher education if they choose to do so. Rural students will not be pushed to the side and ignored under my watch.”
The letter asks who the Department of Education consulted in the farming community about the regulation and whether a discussion took place about how it would impact families.
“How should families reasonably calculate the value of their family farm holdings i.e., recent appraisals, commensurate value?” the senators asked. “Given that Ed has not provided guidance on a number of important questions involving farm assets.”
The senators also asked the Department of Education if it will “conduct an in-depth impact analysis of data throughout the 2024-2025 application process to understand the year-over-year impact of transitioning from the EFC formula to SAI formula?”
Ernst was joined on the letter by Sens. John Tester, D-Mont.; Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa; Pete Ricketts, R-Neb.; Thom Tillis, R-N.C.; James Risch, R-Idaho; Cindy Hyde-Smith, R-Miss.; Deb Fisher, R-Neb.; Roger Marshall, R-Kan.; Roger Wicker, R-Miss.; Mike Crapo, R-Idaho; John Boozman, R-Ark.; Kevin Cramer, R-N.D.; and John Hoeven, R-N.D.
Education Secretary Miguel Cardona speaks during an interview with The Associated Press in his office at the Department of Education in Washington, D.C., on Sept. 20, 2023. (AP Photo/Mark Schiefelbein, File)
Earlier this month, Ernst and Grassley released a factsheet in a press release that explained how the Education Department’s delayed rollout of the streamlined FAFSA system has made it more difficult for students to apply to school and could send the financial contributions of farming families “skyrocketing.”
“Prospective college students and their families ought to have ready access to their financial aid offerings. But this year’s FAFSA launch has created more headaches than it’s helped,” Grassley said. “Senator Ernst and I will continue working with the Department of Education to iron out wrinkles in the new FAFSA, so that when the time comes for young Iowans to choose their college, they’ll have the financial information they need.”
The Department of Education did not respond to a request for comment from Fox News Digital.
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Collin Klein and the K-State coaching staff made a major statement on the recruiting trail over the weekend. Cooper Ohnmacht, a four-star recruit and the top-ranked player in Kansas in the 2027 recruiting class, committed to K-State on Sunday. The Wildcats defeated Penn State, Wisconsin and several other power four programs in securing the services of Ohnmacht.
The Great Bend, Kan., native is ranked as the No. 304 player nationally and the 10th-best athlete in the country in the 2027 class, according to the Rivals industry consensus rankings, which incorporates the evaluations of the three major recruiting services nationally.
Ohnmacht is a big-time athlete who has excelled at both safety and wide receiver while also earning major accolades in track and field. The 6-0, 185-pounder, recorded 52 receptions for 755 yards as a junior to lead his team, which also featured national recruit in tight end Ian Premer, who has signed with Notre Dame. Ohnmacht, who is projected to play safety at K-State, had 57 tackles along with five interceptions during the 2025 season.
Ohnmacht is also a two-time state champion in the triple jump in Class 5A. His triple jump of 48-3 as a sophomore was the best all-class jump during the 2025 track season by seven inches, according to Catch it Kansas. He placed 14th in the triple jump at the Nike Outdoor Championships at Hayward Field in Eugene, Ore., in 2025.
The commitment of Ohnmacht marks the third time the Wildcats have landed the state’s No. 1 recruit since 2023. Avery Johnson’s decision to sign with K-State in 2023 ended an 18-year drought of the top player in Kansas going elsewhere. Offensive tackle Gus Hawkins, a top-200 player nationally from Mill Valley in the 2024 class, made it back-to-back years the No. 1 player in the state elected to continue their career in Manhattan. The Wildcats landed another national recruit in 2025 when Linkon Cure, a top-50 recruit in the country, chose K-State over Oregon and others. However, the Goodland, Kan., native was the second-ranked player in the state behind Andrew Babalola, who signed with Michigan.
K-State also earned the commitment of Correll Buckhalter Jr. on Sunday. The Texas native is the son of former Nebraska running back and NFL veteran Correll Buckhalter. He is ranked as the No. 742 player nationally and a top 100 prospect in Texas for the 2027 class.
Klein and his staff have now secured 17 commitments in the 2027 class, which is ranked 40th nationally and fourth-best in the Big 12, per the Rivals industry consensus rankings.
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The NEXT Weather Team is tracking Florida-like humidity and some storm chances for Southeast Michigan this week.
Monday will be the most comfortable day of the week, with dew points in the mid-50s to low 60s and high temperatures in the low to mid-80s under partly cloudy skies. Expect dry conditions and light winds as high pressure holds over the region.
A low pressure system from the High Plains will start moving in late Monday, bringing lots of moisture. Dew points are projected to rise sharply into the mid-60s to low 70s by Tuesday evening.
Showers and storms may start moving into Southeast Michigan overnight Monday and most of the Lower Peninsula is at moderate risk for excessive rainfall on Tuesday.
An extended stretch of heat and humidity is expected Wednesday through Friday with high temperatures between the upper 80s and low 90s and peak heat index values solidly in the upper 90s, with a chance of those values reaching 100.
Thursday is a NEXT Weather Alert Day as there could be either the highest and most dangerous heat index numbers or strong to severe storms. If storm chances increase, widespread heat impacts would be lessened. However, moderate to major heat impacts are possible, so be prepared by having a location for adequate cooling, limiting time outdoors and staying hydrated.
Pets should not be left outside for extended periods of time and may require extra water.
A cold front is expected to move through the state late Friday, bringing the heat and humidity down to more comfortable levels for the weekend.
It’s the kickoff to summer, known as the Midwest’s largest one-day free street festival.
The event brings more than 200,000 people to 30 blocks of St. Paul’s historic Grand Avenue, organizers said.
“It’s a way for us to highlight Grand Avenue and all that makes it special year-round,” said Holly Weinkauf, board president for the Grand Avenue Business Association.
A 5K run and parade kicked off the Sunday tradition that’s gone on more years than not for more than half a century.
“It’s a great community celebration, just seeing everybody come together for a day of joy,” said Weinkauf.
Not only does the event bring people together, but Weinkauf said it’s also a boost for business, in an area that’s faced an exodus in recent years, from Salut to Pottery Barn.
Weinkauf is the owner of Grand Avenue business Red Balloon Bookshop, which was busy with customers Sunday.
“Grand Old Day may be the first time they find our store and they come in and… they come back,” said Weinkauf.
Sharon Lane recently moved to St. Paul from Seattle and shares her new resident’s perspective.
“I like the fact that the community has come together as a whole. I like all the different foods that you can taste and it gives me the opportunity to meet people,” said Lane.
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