IOWA 4TH DISTRICT CONGRESSMAN RANDY FEENSTRA AND SENATOR CHARLES GRASSLEY, ALONG WITH TWO CONGRESSMEN FROM WISCONSIN AND MINNESOTA, HAVE SENT A LETTER TO U.S. SECRETARY OF AGRICULTURE TOM VILSACK DEMANDING ANSWERS ABOUT THE U.S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE’S 2022 APPROVAL OF NEARLY $46 MILLION IN TAXPAYER DOLLARS FOR PURE PRAIRIE POULTRY AND ITS SUBSEQUENT BANKRUPTCY IN LATE SEPTEMBER.
THAT BANKRUPTCY LED TO THE COMPANY’S FAILURE TO PURCHASE FEED FOR 1.3 MILLION BROILER CHICKENS AT 13 IOWA FARMS WHICH HAVE NOW BEEN “DEPOPULATED”.
FEENSTRA SAYS IOWA TAXPAYERS DESERVE TO KNOW THE FULL STORY BEHIND THE BANKRUPTCY.
HE SAYS “THIS SERIOUS LACK OF OVERSIGHT IS EXTREMELY CONCERNING AND HAS CAUSED MASSIVE UNCERTAINTY FOR OUR GROWERS WHO ARE ALREADY FACING A HARSH FARM ECONOMY,”
GRASSLEY SAYS “USDA CLEARLY DROPPED THE BALL WITH PURE PRAIRIE. IOWANS AND OTHERS ACROSS AMERICA’S HEARTLAND HAVE LOST THEIR JOBS AND THEIR POULTRY MARKET AS A RESULT OF PURE PRAIRIE’S CLOSURE.
HE SAYS “USDA MUST EXPLAIN TO CONGRESS AND THE PUBLIC WHAT WENT WRONG TO HELP PREVENT A REPEAT SCENARIO,”
Updated 3 pm 10/28/24
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BACK ON SEPTEMBER 30TH, PURE PRAIRIE POULTRY OF CHARLES CITY NOTIFIED THE IOWA DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE THAT DUE TO THEIR FINANCIAL POSITION, THEY WERE UNABLE TO PURCHASE FEED FOR APPROXIMATELY 1.3 MILLION BROILER CHICKENS LOCATED AT 13 IOWA FARMS.
KSCJ NEWS DIRECTOR WOODY GOTTBURG EXPLAINS THAT ALL OF THOSE BIRDS HAVE NOW BEEN EUTHANIZED:
POULTRY OC….REPORTING. 1:42
EACH FARM IS NOW UTILIZING COMPOSTING AS THE MEANS TO DISPOSE OF THE BIRDS.
THE DEPARTMENT WILL PURSUE ALL AVAILABLE AVENUES TO RECOUP TAXPAYER COSTS FROM RESPONSIBLE PARTIES, INCLUDING POSSIBLE FUTURE LEGAL ACTION.
File photo Iowa Farm Bureau
