WASHINGTON, D.C. – Iowa Senator Charles Grassley, who helps shape farm subsidies flowing out of the federal government, has himself cashed in in hundreds of thousands of dollars from the programs.
According to this report, over the last 2 decades, U.S. Senator Chuck Grassley has received $367,763 in farm subsidies. He has previously said, “I work to give a strong voice to American agriculture.” He has strategically placed himself on boards and commissions in Congress that decide the future of agricultural policies and subsidies.
USDA subsidies in Iowa totaled $1.4 billion in 2016, third in the nation (Texas and Illinois slightly more.) USDA subsidies in Iowa totaled $29.8 billion from 1995-2016.
President Donald Trump has proposed a nearly $5 billion reduction to the $23 billion in subsidies farmers enjoy each year. Grassley referenced the term “dead on arrival” when asked about the Trump budget.