"Legislation to renew federal farm programs will continue to be a top priority when Congress convenes at the end of January," Grassley said. "I want to make sure we pass a bipartisan bill that includes the best possible provisions for family farmers."
Town meetings on the farm bill are planned in Conroy, Van Horne, Traer, Marshalltown, Schleswig, Mapleton, Missouri Valley, and Audubon, and are open to the public. All area residents are invited and encouraged to bring their questions and comments about the farm bill and agriculture policy. Grassley also will address farm issues at the Harlan Co-op annual meeting on Thursday, Jan. 17.
Grassley will discuss his proposals for farm legislation, including provisions he worked to include in the farm bill that limit concentration in the livestock industry, empower family farmers in dispute resolutions and help farmers develop renewable energy sources. The senator also will discuss his proposal to establish payment limitations for farmers. Grassley said he hopes the Senate will adopt his payment limitation provision when the farm bill debate resumes this year.
As he travels across the state, Grassley also will visit secondary schools to meet with young Iowans. He will discuss the war on terrorism and important domestic agenda items including the economy and energy policies. School visits are scheduled for Webster City, Independence, Waterloo, Jefferson and Carroll.
Grassley has annually traveled to each of Iowa's 99 counties for more than 20 years. He says the insight he gains from Iowans is invaluable to his work in the Senate. "Washington can use more of the common-sense advice that I get from Iowans during my county visits," Grassley said. "It's a good reality-check for me, too. I feel like I'm better prepared to fight the Washington nonsense."
Following is a list of Grassley visits in January:
| Tuesday, January 8 Webster County 11:45 - 12:45 p.m. Webster City High School 1001 Lynx Avenue |
| Story County 2 - 3 p.m. $5 million Value-Added Grant Presentation to Iowa State University ISU Memorial Union, Campanile Room |
| Thursday, January 10 Buchanan County 1 - 2 p.m. Independence High School 514 5th Avenue, SE |
| Delaware County 3 - 4 p.m. Tour Attachment Technologies, Inc. 503 Gay Street, Delhi |
| Dubuque County 5 p.m. - 6 p.m. Dubuque Airport Reception 300 Main Street, Chamber of Commerce Boardroom |
| Monday, January 14 Jasper County 9 - 9:30 a.m. Tour Newton Manufacturing 1123 1st Avenue, East, Newton |
| 9:35 - 10 a.m. Tour Hunt Cleaners 1120 14th Street, North, Newton |
| Poweshiek County 11:15 a.m. - 12:15 p.m. Tour Wenco of Iowa 916 Industrial Avenue, Grinnell |
| Iowa County 2 - 3 p.m. Ag Town Meeting Gateway Co-op 573 7th Avenue, Conroy |
| Johnson County 4 - 5 p.m. Tour University of Iowa Hygienic Laboratory Oakdale Campus, Oakdale Hall |
| Tuesday, January 15 Linn County 8:30 - 9:30 a.m. Tour Biomass Fueled Power Plant BFC Gas & Electric 4120 Booth Street, SW, Cedar Rapids |
| Benton County 10:30 - 11:30 a.m. Ag Town Meeting O'Grady Chemical 200 1st Avenue, Van Horne |
| Black Hawk County 1 - 2 p.m. D.A.R.E. Graduation Logan Middle School 1515 Logan Avenue, Waterloo |
| Tama County 3 - 4 p.m. Ag Town Meeting Central County Co-op 216 South Main Street, Traer |
| Marshall County 5:15 - 6:15 p.m. Ag Town Meeting Mid-Iowa Co-op 506 South 18th Avenue, Marshalltown |
| Wednesday, January 16 Greene County 8:30 - 9:30 a.m. Jefferson-Scranton High School 101 Ram Drive |
| Carroll County 10:30 - 11:30 a.m. Carroll High School 2809 North Grant Road |
| Crawford County 12:45 - 1:45 p.m. Ag Town Meeting Schleswig Community Building 204 2nd Street |
| Monona County 2:45 - 3:45 p.m. Ag Town Meeting Western Iowa Co-op 38594 Highway 175, Mapleton |
| Harrison County 5:30 - 6:30 p.m. Ag Town Meeting United Western Co-op 112 South 9th Street, Missouri Valley |
| Thursday, January 17 Shelby County 9:30 - 10:30 a.m. Harlan Co-op Annual Meeting Veteran's Memorial Building 1104 Morningview Drive, Harlan |
| Pottawattamie County 11:45 a.m. - 1 p.m. Council Bluffs Rotary Lakeshore Country Club 4500 Piute Street, Council Bluffs |
| Cass County 2:15 - 3:15 p.m. Tour Atlantic Coca-Cola Bottlers 4 East 2nd Street, Atlantic |
| Audubon County 4:15 - 5:15 p.m. Ag Town Meeting Herber Seed & Consulting 1898 Highway 71, Audubon |
Note for Reporters & Editors: 15 minutes of press time is scheduled following each event.