Iowa Senator, Republican Chuck Grassley, and Kansas Senator, Republican Pat Roberts are working together prior to the upcoming Nov. 8 election to discuss current issues facing residents in the Midwest. Grassley, as Chair of the Judiciary Committee, and Roberts, who is Chair of the Senate Agriculture Committee, both say the proposed agriculture seed and chemical company mergers between Dow and Dupont, Syngenta and ChemChina and Monsanto and Bayer could have some significant ramifications for farmers and consumers. Grassley has been heavily involved in investigating these proposals since the onset.
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Grassley adds that farmers do not have the leverage that a lot of others have, so they are looking to the Justice Department and the Federal Trade Commission to do their due diligence. This is why they are conducting hearings right now and working with regulators to get everything out on the table.
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Senator Roberts agrees with Grassley about needing the competition and believes there needs to be follow-up in the Ag Committee. Roberts says that another important issue facing rural America today is that even though farmers may be seeing bumper crops, the prices associated with new crops is not at a sustainable rate.
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Roberts said there was an extra $185 million put in by the U.S.D.A., and we may need more to make sure farmers can get credit. They will be holding hearings right off the bat in 2017, he said, so that the next farm bill reflects the severe problems we have. Roberts added, we have to sell this product too.
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Senator Roberts added that in his opinion, as we enter into this important time in our rural economies, a vote for Grassley is the most important vote to support our small towns, the farmers and the ranchers.