Iowa leaders seek federal aid to turkey producers

Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds -- along with Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Mike Naig and U.S. Sens. Chuck Grassley and Joni Ernst – is urging the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) to provide federal assistance to farmer-owned cooperatives and independent turkey growers who are experiencing financial losses due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Roy Graber Headshot
Photo courtesy of Iowa Turkey Federation
Photo courtesy of Iowa Turkey Federation

Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds -- along with Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Mike Naig and U.S. Sens. Chuck Grassley and Joni Ernst – is urging the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) to provide federal assistance to farmer-owned cooperatives and independent turkey growers who are experiencing financial losses due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The four – all of which are Republicans – are calling on the USDA to provide assistance through the Coronavirus Food Assistance Program (CFAP) to turkey producers across Iowa.

In a letter to U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue, the four wrote: “Plant closures and reduced flocks remain a growing threat to our turkey growers, and food supply chain. Our independent turkey growers stand to lose disproportionately compared to other corporate-owned growers due to increased exposure. While demand increased for many poultry products at the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, the realities have set in and independent turkey growers remain at risk to lose significant income over the third and fourth quarter.

“There are numerous farmer-owned cooperatives and independent growers who are being left out of assistance in CFAP and we ask that USDA recognize the unique business structure of many turkey operations and help find a solution in order for these producers to receive federal assistance.”

Reynolds, Naig, Grassley and Ernst recommended that if turkey growers could demonstrate a loss of 5% or greater, they should be able to successfully apply for CFAP funds. Grassley and Ernst are both members of the U.S. Senate agriculture committee.

The same four officials earlier urged Perdue to provide CFAP funds for egg producers in the state.

One group of Iowa turkey producers particularly affected by the COVID-19 pandemic is the Iowa Turkey Growers Cooperative, which formed West Liberty Foods. In May, West Liberty Foods announced it would stop placing poults for an 18-week period, starting around June 22. In doing so, the company will not have live turkeys to process from around November 2020 through February 2021, and will instead work through its surplus inventory of turkey meat.

View our continuing coverage of the coronavirus/COVID-19 pandemic.

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