August 21,2019

Grassley, Vilsack to Discuss Benefits of USMCA for Ag at Des Moines Dairy Plant

WASHINGTON – Senate Finance Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa), a family farmer, will join former U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack (D-Iowa) to discuss the benefits of the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA) for American agriculture.
 
Grassley and Vilsack will tour AE Dairy, located at 2420 E. University Ave. in Des Moines, on Monday, August 26th from 11 – 11:20 a.m. CT. Grassley and Vilsack will hold a joint press conference afterward from 11:20 a.m. to 11:45 a.m. CT. Photography/video will not be allowed on the tour. Print and radio news media will be permitted. Photography and video will be permitted afterward at the press conference. All news media interested in attending the tour and/or press conference must RSVP to Katelyn Schultz at Katelyn_Schultz@grassley.senate.gov.
 
“Modernizing and improving our trade relationship with Canada and Mexico is a bipartisan no-brainer. Here in Iowa, the $10 billion worth of agricultural products we export each year to our neighbors to the north and south support more than 86,000 jobs. Canada and Mexico are our allies and largest trade partners. Americans are depending on Congress to deliver much-needed certainty for the Midwest and entire U.S. farm economy. I look forward to discussing the direct impact of these exports on Iowa’s farming communities with Secretary Vilsack,” Grassley said.
 
Vilsack currently serves as president and chief executive officer of the U.S. Dairy Export Council. Vilsack served as President Barack Obama’s Secretary of Agriculture from 2009 to 2017 and served as governor of Iowa from 1999 to 2007. Last month, Vilsack testified in support of USMCA at a Senate Finance Committee hearing led by Grassley.
 
 
Earlier in the day at a separate event, Grassley will also participate in a tour and Q&A with employees at PowerPollen Inc. in Ankeny on August 26 as a part of his annual 99 county meetings.
  
*Tour and Q&A with employees at PowerPollen Inc.
9:30 a.m. – 10:30 a.m.
2302 SE Creekview Dr.
Ankeny
 

*News media interested in attending Grassley’s Q&A in Ankeny earlier in the day should also RSVP to Katelyn_Schultz@grassley.senate.gov. Please note this event is separate from the tour and press conference at A&E Dairy in Des Moines and Vilsack will not be in attendance.