Senator Joni Ernst gets the scoop on WW Homestead Dairy ...

U.S. Senator Joni Ernst talks with (left to right) Tom Weighner, Tom Walleser and Paul Weighner during her tour of WW Homestead Dairy in Waukon Wednesday, August 17. Ernst visited the locally owned and operated dairy as part of the annual 99-county tour she is conducting during her time in office to hear concerns and ideas from Iowans across the state and relay that feedback to her legislative colleagues in Washington, D.C. During the tour, Senator Ernst discussed industry regulations and economic development, commenting that this tour was very timely when thinking of the recent Field Hearing she was part of with Chairman Ron Johnson of the U.S. Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs. This committee is involved in the oversight of several agencies including the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Food and Drug Administration (FDA), Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) and others. Ernst said that achieving a balance between what makes food safe without hampering an industry with too much regulation and cost is crucial to economic development and small town, rural companies like WW Homestead Dairy. Standard photo by Joe Moses.