President Barack Obama, campaigning in Iowa today, will announce $170 million in government meat purchases and urge Congress to pass an agriculture bill that provides aid for farmers struck by drought, the White House said.
The buys of as much as $100 million of pork, $50 million of chicken, and $10 million each of lamb and catfish come on top of $30 million in assistance to farmers and ranchers struggling with the worst combination of heat and dryness since the 1950s, the administration said.
Obama is also directing the Defense Department to speed up purchases and freeze the meat for later use, the White House said in a statement. The administration said the buying will help farmers with sales as they are dealing with the effects of the drought and the government will get a better price on products than if they were bought later.
The president will tour a farm in Missouri Valley, Iowa, the first of several appearances on his three-day trip through the swing state, which is the leading U.S. producer of corn, soybeans, pork and ethanol.
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