Grassley wrote a letter to Sen. Tom Harkin, chairman of the Senate Agriculture Committee, as reports circulated on Capitol Hill that farm-bill conferees may finish negotiations early next week.
"These two issues are vitally important to agriculture in Iowa, and support for them at the grassroots is loud and clear," Grassley said. "With Sen. Harkin as chairman of the committee, we have a seat at the table in the conference negotiations, and it's so important that we fight for these provisions."
Grassley said he sponsored both of these amendments to the farm bill to make the Senate bill more focused on family farmers and to ensure that independent livestock producers could compete in the marketplace.
The bipartisan amendment to ban packer ownership of livestock for more than 14 days before slaughter was sponsored by Grassley and Sen. Tim Johnson of South Dakota. The Senate passed the amendment by a vote of 51 to 46 on December 13, and on February 12 beat back an attempt to remove the amendment from the pending bill with a vote of 53 to 46. A recent poll by the Iowa Pork Producers Association found that 92 percent of their membership supported such an initiative. "Our amendment protects farmers' ability to enter into forward contracting and other voluntary marketing agreements," Grassley said, "and it will promote greater access, transparency, competition and fairness, especially among smaller and mid-sized producers."
The bipartisan amendment to cap farm subsidy payments at no more than $275,000 a year was sponsored by Grassley and Sen. Byron Dorgan of North Dakota. This measure was adopted on February 7 by a Senate vote of 66 to 31. Studies show that 10 percent of the farmers in the United States receive 60 percent of farm payments from the federal Treasury. "Putting in place reasonable annual payment limits will better target medium- to small-sized family farms, and stop the erosion of support for the farm program by more urban-oriented lawmakers and the public," Grassley said.
Grassley is neither a member of the conference committee on the farm bill nor the Senate Agriculture Committee. But as the only working family farmer in the Senate, he has long played an active and outspoken role in promoting effective policies for farmers in Iowa and across the country.
In January, Grassley held a series of town meetings about what's at stake for Iowa farmers in the farm bill debate. "I want to make sure Congress doesn't underestimate the importance of preserving a farm safety net and a competitive environment that enables our farm families to prosper and feed America and the world in the 21st century," he said.
A copy of Grassley's letter to Harkin follows here.
March 14, 2002
The Honorable Chairman Harkin
328A Russell Senate Office Building
Washington, D.C. 20510
Dear Senator Harkin:
I urge you in the strongest possible fashion to provide the necessary leadership as chairman of the Agriculture Committee to produce a final farm bill that retains the Senate farm bill provisions banning packer-ownership of livestock and establishing reasonable payment limitations.
The provision pertaining to limiting packer-ownership of livestock in the Senate bill provides vital advances for rural economic opportunity through fair competition in the marketplace. Passing a ban on packer-ownership of livestock is critical for our home state. That's why the Iowa Cattlemen, Iowa Farm Bureau, Iowa Farmers Union, Iowa Citizens for Community Improvement, the National Farmers Organization (based in Ames, IA), and the Iowa Pork Producers Association endorse this provision. This issue enjoys the support of nearly every Iowa group that commonly demonstrates an interest in state livestock issues. This unprecedented unanimity must be respected and represented by Iowa's elected officials.
Banning packer-ownership of livestock is clearly the most important issue in the farm bill for Iowa's livestock producers. For example, the Iowa Pork Producers Association recently polled their membership and found an astounding 92 percent of their membership supports banning packer-ownership of livestock. I voted for the Senate bill because it included my provision banning packer-ownership and many other amendments I sponsored, but if the conference report is returned to the Senate without the inclusion of this provision I will oppose the farm bill. My support is contingent on your ability to oppose any attempt to significantly weaken the Senate's position because it's important to Iowans.
Finally, it is also very important for the Senate conferees to maintain the provision I offered with Senator Dorgan establishing strong payment limits. This amendment was approved by an overwhelming margin in the Senate. As we seek to improve the farm income safety net, we must be sure in doing so we are not encouraging farm consolidation. Payment limits are a critical part of improving farm income for family farms. Neither current law nor the House bill has any effective payment limit, this is an intolerable situation which must be brought to an end.
Our constituency has made it clear that these are crucial issues. Please use your leadership position and support the wishes of our constituency.
Sincerely,
Chuck Grassley
United States Senator