IARN — Sens. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa), Joni Ernst (R-Iowa), Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds, and Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Mike Naig praised the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) decision to include liquid egg producers in the Coronavirus Food Assistance Program (CFAP). Grassley, Ernst, Reynolds, and Naig sent a letter to Secretary Sonny Perdue in June requesting USDA to provide CFAP funds for egg producers.
“USDA has made good on its promise to support our farmers through the Coronavirus Food Assistance Program and will now include our liquid egg producers in those payments. Market disruptions have negatively impacted almost all agriculture and farming operations in Iowa. I appreciate the leadership of Governor Reynolds, Senator Ernst and Secretary Naig in this effort to ensure liquid egg producers are kept afloat until the pandemic ends,” Grassley said.
“Nearly 70 percent of Iowa’s layer flocks produce for the liquid egg market, and with COVID-19 forcing restaurants and other egg-buying businesses to close or operate on limited capacities, these past few months have been tough on our egg producers. That’s why I joined Iowa leaders in pushing USDA to include egg producers in the Coronavirus Food Assistance Program, and I’m thankful to Secretary Perdue and the Trump Administration for heeding our calls and getting these folks support,” Ernst, a member of the Senate Agriculture Committee said.
“As our producers continue doing their part to keep our national food supply chains moving, we must do our part to support their livelihood. It’s why I appreciate President Trump and his team for working with us to support Iowa’s egg producers,” Reynolds said. “By making CFAP funds available to growers devastated by this spring’s drop in liquid egg prices, the administration is making strides in delivering aid to Iowans with layer operations.”
“After a tough spring dealing with COVID-19-related market disruptions, I’m pleased to hear that there’s some financial assistance on the way for our state’s egg producers, which largely produce for the liquid egg market. I want to thank USDA for continuing to support our agriculture community throughout this pandemic. We know this won’t make our liquid egg producers whole, but we hope it offers some relief as they continue down the long road to recovery,” Naig said.
Iowa is home to over 58 million egg-laying hens and about 1 in 6 eggs consumed in the United States each year. As an integral part of the state’s economy, the egg industry is responsible for as much as $2.6 billion in total economic activity, supporting 7,084 jobs and directly employing 2,398 people.
Story courtesy of the Iowa Agribusiness Radio Network.
