ICYMI: Grassley Talks Free Trade, Biofuels and More with the Waterways Council

ICYMI: Grassley Talks Free Trade, Biofuels and More with the Waterways Council

WASHINGTON - Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) joined Five on the Five with the Waterways Council to discuss free trade, the future of biofuels, his work to provide certainty for America's farmers and more.

Download the full video HERE. Subject-specific excerpts follow.

Reducing Prescription Drug Costs:

"Pharmacy Benefit Managers (PBMs) are the middlemen between companies and you as a consumer. They have a great impact, and nobody knows what they do. There [are] about four bills out of four different committees on the subject… [there's] no indication that they're going to come up, and it's a sad commentary, because I think our bill[s], making what's secret in PBM negotiations more public, will drive prices down."

Amplifying Need for a Five-Year Farm Bill:

"I think we're going to have another extension [of the 2018 Farm Bill]. I don't see the Democrat leadership in the Senate wanting to reflect the inflation that's happened since the 2018 Farm Bill in seed, fertilizer, chemicals, interest and diesel prices. That's got to be reflected to get our reference prices up to a higher level. We've got big holes in the safety net, and they need to be patched."

Improving Ag Outlook Via Free Trade:

"It doesn't look like this administration has done anything, in fact, they probably don't want to do anything, with regard to free trade agreements. So, when you have tariffs as high as they are around the world, having negotiations to get those tariffs down it seems to me is the most important thing to bring [about] an increase in trade for our agriculture products."

Expanding Market Opportunities for Ethanol Producers:

"Governor Reynolds and other governors have petitioned the EPA in the eight states in the Midwest to get E-15 year round, but it's complicated when you have one requirement for eight states and another for the other 42 states. That's why it's necessary to pass my legislation that would make E-15 [available] year-round and nationwide."

"The next generation is sustainable aviation fuel. There [are] tax incentives in the Democrat-passed Inflation Reduction Act that would give more credence to imported feedstocks when making sustainable aviation fuel. We shouldn't be subsidizing imports into the United States and harming American soybean producers."

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