Q&A: Beef & Biofuels

UPDATE: Grassley welcomes Trump administration actions to support American beef producers Learn more HERE . Q: What can be done to help cattle producers grow their herds? A: Americans consume approximately 59 pounds of beef per person each year, a testament to this high-quality source of iron-and-protein-rich food known for its mouth-watering, nutritional value. In 2024, U.S. cattle production represented about 22 percent of the $515 billion in total cash receipts for agricultural commodities . During my annual county meetings , I’ve discussed the hardship cattle farmers are facing to build back their herds and get a fair shake in the marketplace. I’m glad U.S. Attorney General Todd Blanche accepted my invitation to come to the Iowa State Fair and hear directly from Iowa farmers – who are among the two percent of the population raising food for the other 98 percent of the U.S. population – and feeling squeezed out of their livelihoods from anticompetitive practices of the Big Four meatpackers. During his confirmation hearing in July, I called upon the Attorney General to commit to enforcing federal competition laws with particular attention to the cattle markets. America’s cattle herd is at its lowest in about 75 years and still contracting after producers culled cow-calf operations due to natural disasters and other market conditions, including restrictions to mitigate the spread of New World Screwworm in the United States. It takes time to rebuild the cattle herd. I’m working to ensure supply meets demand by supporting our domestic cattle markets and pushing the Trump administration to put America’s cattle farmers and ranchers first . For example, I’m sponsoring bipartisan legislation to look into the economic impact of livestock market consolidation on cattle producers and consumers. Cattle farmers sometimes earn pennies on the dollar in a marketplace where just four companies control 85% of the market. Farmers get less, and families pay more at the grocery store. That’s why I’m also sponsoring a bill to beef up enforcement of anticompetitive practices in the consolidated meatpacking industry. Most recently, I joined a letter calling upon the USDA and U.S. Department of Interior to keep working to expand grazing access for livestock producers and strengthen risk management tools that protect cattle producers from market volatility. I also joined a bicameral letter with more than 50 farm state lawmakers urging President Trump to build on his administration’s successes with Australia and the United Kingdom to expand market access for high-quality, American-grown beef. Such trade agreements drive confidence in the market, giving cattle producers more certainty to expand and invest in rebuilding their herds. Q: How are you working to strengthen Iowa biofuels? A: Biofuels are an important market for Iowa corn and soybean farmers and directly support 31,000 jobs across our state. Iowa is the #1 biofuels producer in America, an important homegrown energy pipeline that helps lower costs for consumers at the pump. For two decades, the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) has helped reduce dependence on imported oil and boost the farm economy. When I got wind the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) was going to issue dozens of small refinery exemptions (SREs) from the RFS program, I led efforts with farm state lawmakers to press the Trump administration to do no harm to farmers and the biofuel industry. I’m glad Trump’s team listened and continued its commitment to rural America. Although I’m disappointed with the scale of small refinery exemptions, I’m glad the EPA agreed to reallocate 100 percent of the difference between projected and actual exempted volumes granted for 2025 SREs into the 2026 and 2027 Renewable Volume Obligations (RVOs). You can bet your boots I’ll be riding herd on the White House to uphold its commitment of full reallocation and to stand by the importance of biofuels and the merits of the RFS to U.S. national security, energy independence and rural America.