Grassley Slams Administration on RVOs, GOP on Tariffs

Senator Chuck Grassley (R-IA) slammed both the Biden administration and the Trump campaign over policies that impact agriculture.

Grassley complains the Ag Committee is holding a hearing this week on cryptocurrency with time about to run out on the one-year farm bill extension. He says, “Iowa farmers and Chuck Grassley would rather see a farm bill markup. The Senate is in session less than six weeks between now and the end of September, when the one-year extension of the 2018 farm bill expires.”

Republican Grassley sees little political impact on the farm bill from the Biden debate fallout but still predicts no Senate farm bill deal.

Separately, Grassley slammed the EPA for delaying 18 months into a new administration, Renewable Volume Obligations or RVOs. He says, “You’d think that they’d want to help this administration. Doesn’t look very well for their reelection, which is already in turmoil. And you’d think that they’d be looking for every policy that could help them, particularly in red states.”

But Grassley’s also critical of the Trump campaign and the GOP platform that calls for a tariff-led trade policy. Grassley says, “It’s anti-free trade, and I think it hurts agriculture because we’re very dependent upon exporting about a third of our production. And I think it’s going to be very unhelpful.”

President Biden has continued the Trump tariffs against China, especially on steel. And Grassley’s final verdict on the administration and agriculture. Grassley added, “I think that this White House, except for Secretary Vilsack, don’t see farming as very important.”

Story by Matt Kaye/Berns Bureau; courtesy of NAFB News Service

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