Iowa Senator Chuck Grassley says two important issues continued to come up during his 99-county tour meetings last week.
During his weekly press call with farm reporters Tuesday morning, Grassley said the first agriculture issue was Iowa pork producers being worried about the slowing down of processing.
?That comes because of a recent district court decision vacating a portion of the USDA?s new swine inspection system relating to line speeds at these federally inspected packing plants,? said Grassley. ?By removing this provision, six plants will be forced to reduce their output, and of course by extension, the number of hogs they can purchase and process.?
Grassley says the other big issue he heard was from Iowa cattlemen who are struggling to find a market for their cattle and are also concerned about the recent cyberattack on JBS.
?I?m glad JBS has made progress, but the spread between boxed beef and fed cattle sometimes is as high as $1200,? said Grassley. ?I was in a meeting with Senator Stabenow ? the chairman of the Ag Committee ? and ranking member Boozman of the same committee. That meeting took place last night. At that meeting, we discussed cattle market transparency and the need for a hearing. I think it was a very positive meeting.?
Grassley noted he?s been asking for a Senate hearing on the cattle market since the summer of 2020.
