In addition to the federal dollars that Iowa would automatically receive by way of the formulas spelled out in the law, the measure includes emergency disaster relief for crop losses or severe economic losses due to damaging weather or weather-related conditions. Grassley worked for the inclusion of $473 million for direct payments to dairy farmers due to low commodity prices.
Grassley also secured funding for several research projects that he said are vital to the well-being of Iowa's family farms. "Expert findings help farmers develop new products and prevent crop or animal disease to keep their operations viable," Grassley said. "I'm pleased with Iowa's gains in this bill."
Grassley worked to include the following funding items in the bill:
*$9 million for the modernization of the National Animal Disease Center/National Veterinary Service Laboratory in Ames
*$750,000 to fight soil erosion in the Loess Hills
*$523,000 for rural development centers in six states, including one at Iowa State University
*$248,000 for Iowa State University's project to block methamphetamine production from anhydrous ammonia
*$646,000 for the Midwest agricultural products project at Iowa State University
*$1.56 million for the Iowa Biotechnology Consortium (the University of Iowa, Iowa State University and the City of Cedar Rapids)
*an extra $1.35 million for the price reporting program
*$822,000 for the Rural Policy Research Institute at Iowa State University, the University of Missouri and the University of Nebraska
*$950,000 for the Food and Agriculture Policy Research Institute at Iowa State University and in Missouri
*$1.63 million for the Animal Science Food Safety Consortium at Iowa State University, the University of Arkansas and Kansas State University
*$350,000 for the agriculture-based industrial lubricant research program at the University of Northern Iowa
With today's passage, the measure will go to the President for consideration The President is expected to sign the legislation.