Missouri River
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After many delays, Congress has passed a large disaster aid package with help for communities nationwide, including many in Iowa that are recovering from major flooding. Iowa Republican U.S. Senator Chuck Grassley says some on-farm losses not automatically covered by disaster aid now will be eligible.
0604grassleyaid That included my amendment to add on-farm storage grain, so they can qualify for disaster. You’ve seen the burst grain bins. This is the language the Department of Agriculture told me was necessary in order to help these farmers. (:17)
Grassley says the Department of Agriculture will be working out the details. Flooding ruined many bushels of corn and soybeans that farmers were holding in hopes of fetching a better price than they could get at harvest time.
Republican Governor Kim Reynolds says she’ll tell President Trump she’s concerned about his threat to put new tariffs on all products from Mexico when he visits Iowa next week.
President Trump says all goods coming into the United States from Mexico will be hit with new tariffs next week unless Mexico stops the flow of migrants crossing the southern border.
Reynolds says she’ll tell Trump it’s critical to focus instead on ratifying a trade agreement with Mexico and Canada, Iowa’s top export markets.
0604reynolds1: 15 “Tariffs right now I think potentially disrupt us getting the USMCA ratified. So I really believe that’s where the focus needs to be, and I’m just concerned about when he implements things like that the impact that it has on our ability to get that done.”
Reynolds says Iowa farmers and manufacturers need the stability of a trade agreement. She says she’ll thank Trump for disaster aid and for approving an expansion of access to gasoline with a higher percentage of ethanol.
