Iowa’s congressional delegation and the leaders of ag and commodity groups are warning the coronavirus pandemic is significantly damaging the rural economy. Some dairy farmers have dumped milk due to the dramatic drop in demand. Former Iowa Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack, the former Iowa governor who served eight years as U.S. Secretary of Agriculture, is now president of the U.S. Dairy Export Council.  He’s joining the call for federal purchases of dairy products for food banks.

Senator Chuck Grassley tweeted yesterday that he’s asked President Trump to give special attention to the closure of pork and beef processing plants. Grassley, along with Senator Joni Ernst, Congressman Dave Loebsack and Congresswomen Cindy Axne and Abby Finkenauer have all co-signed a letter to the U-S-D-A. They’re asking the agency to compensate farmers who cannot sell their cattle and pigs because the plants in Columbus Junction and Tama are closed. Earlier this week, Congressman Steve King accused the meatpacking industry of manipulating prices and he called for a federal investigation.