The Iowa Congressional delegation is working to ensure Iowa farmers and producers have support through the Commodity Credit Corporation in the midst of COVID-19, derecho recovery and extreme drought
WASHINGTON – Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) today joined his colleagues in the Iowa Congressional delegation in
urging Speaker of the House of Representatives Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) and Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) to ensure funds for the Commodity Credit Corporation (CCC) are replenished in the upcoming government funding bill.
Grassley joined Sen. Joni Ernst (R-Iowa) and Reps. Cindy Axne (D-Iowa), Abby Finkenauer (D-Iowa), Steve King (R-Iowa) and Dave Loebsack (D-Iowa) in calling on the congressional leaders to replenish CCC funds to ensure farmers are supported, especially during COVID-19, drought recovery and the aftermath of the August derecho.
“In Iowa, our farmers have not only suffered lost markets and disrupted supply chains from the COVID-19 pandemic, but they have also been dealing with drought conditions and the destruction caused by the recent derecho which destroyed thousands of acres of crops and farmland. On top of all of this, farmers are planning to receive farm payments this fall and these resources cannot be taken away when they need it the most. Not providing additional funds to the CCC will delay their payments,”
the members wrote.
The CCC includes support for farm income stabilization, livestock programs, conservation efforts and dairy supports for Iowa’s agriculture community. Grassley and Ernst worked with colleagues on a bipartisan basis to ensure the 2018 Farm Bill included these important programs to help support farmers and producers in Iowa and across the country.
In April, Grassley and Ernst
called for the U.S. Department of Agriculture to provide additional funds to the biofuel industry through the CCC and introduced
legislation that would help ensure support is provided to biofuel producers negatively impacted by the pandemic.
Grassley’s tweet on this issue can be found
here. Majority Leader McConnell’s tweet can be found
here.
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