Iowa Fourth District Congressman, Steve King, is calling for the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to provide disposal cost reimbursements to livestock producers forced to euthanize animals due to widespread production slowdowns at meatpacking facilities. King joined a bipartisan group of 15 U.S. representatives in signing a letter to the Trump Administration asking they issue guidance to FEMA to include these producers under Category B of the Public Assistance program. “The COVID-19 pandemic has caused a crisis in which processing capability has been taken offline and pork producers are being forced to euthanize millions of market-ready hogs. FEMA has often stepped in to help producers deal with animal loses in the wake of a natural disaster, and the unprecedented nature of the COVID-19 virus deserves a similarly proactive response. Our farmers and ranchers need help, and the FEMA assistance I am requesting is part of the solution,” says King. King is also in the process of drafting legislation to provide indemnification to pork producers forced to euthanize hogs. A link to the full bipartisan letter can be found included below.
