Iowa Sen. Chuck Grassley says, from an agricultural standpoint, passage of the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) should be Congress’ top priority in 2016.
“I haven’t read it all yet, but I’m pretty much on top of the agricultural issues,” Grassley says, “and since the agricultural organizations—from major organizations to commodity groups—have spoken very favorably of how it’s going to positively benefit agriculture, I hope that that would be the first priority.”
But Grassley says election year politics may delay a TPP vote until after next fall’s election.
Grassley says another top priority for agriculture is finding a way to stop the EPA’s Waters of the U.S. rule—although he admits that will be tough to do as long as President Obama is in office.
“I think there ought to be an effort to try–and I would join those efforts,” he says. “But as a practical matter, it’s going to be difficult to get it done. I think it’s going to take a new president and I hope things like that are a major issue in the next election.”
Grassley says the reauthorization of school nutrition programs will also be a top priority in 2016.
Grassley is a member of the Senate Agriculture Committee.
Source: www.brownfieldagnews.com