Ernst Concludes ‘Homegrown Week’
The Iowa senator toured derecho damage and made stops at a conservation site, aquaculture facility, and agriculture technology company while closing out her 99 County Tour for 2020
AMES, Iowa – U.S. Senator Joni Ernst (R-IA) marked the end of her “Homegrown Week” after visiting with Iowans in the state’s agriculture community along with U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Secretary Sonny Perdue, Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship (IDALS) Secretary Mike Naig, and Iowa Governor Kim Reynolds.
Ernst and the officials started the day in Johnston, Iowa where they boarded an Iowa National Guard helicopter for an aerial tour of the derecho damage. Today, Secretary Perdue
announced his approval of Governor Reynolds’ request for a Secretarial Disaster Designation for 18 counties, allowing Iowa producers to access USDA disaster programs and Farm Service Agency emergency loans. Secretary Perdue’s announcement comes after Ernst
urged the USDA to grant the governor’s request.
After touring the storm damage, Ernst made her
final 99 County Tour for 2020 stop at Stolee Farms in Hardin County to visit their wetland supported by a partnership between IDALS and USDA. Ernst worked hard to secure key conservation provisions in the Farm Bill, including the
bipartisan
Give Our Resources the Opportunity to Work (GROW) Act of 2018.
Click here or on the image above for more from Senator Ernst’s visit to Hardin County.
Ernst then traveled to Ellsworth to
visit Eagle’s Catch, an aquaculture facility specializing in tilapia production. She
ended her Homegrown Week in Ames at Performance Livestock Analytics, an agriculture technology company that uses data to help farmers raise their cattle more efficiently.
Click here or on the image above for more from Senator Ernst’s visit to Eagle’s Catch.
Click here or on the image above for more from Senator Ernst’s visit to Performance Livestock Analytics.
###
