Sioux City Times

U.S. Representative Randy Feenstra, alongside Senator Chuck Grassley and Representatives Brad Finstad and Derrick Van Orden, has called for answers from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) regarding its approval of funding for Pure Prairie Poultry. The company received nearly $46 million in taxpayer dollars before declaring bankruptcy in late September.

Feenstra emphasized the need for transparency, stating, "Iowa taxpayers deserve to know the full story behind the Pure Prairie Poultry bankruptcy and how the USDA approved nearly $46 million in taxpayer dollars for a company that left millions of chickens uncared for." He also highlighted concerns about oversight and expressed appreciation for Secretary Naig's prompt response to the crisis.

Representative Finstad echoed these sentiments, noting that while expanding livestock markets is important, "the lack of oversight of these dollars by USDA harmed producers and caused a significant disruption to our nation’s food supply chain."

Senator Grassley pointed out the consequences of Pure Prairie's closure: "Iowans and others across America’s Heartland have lost their jobs and their poultry market as a result of Pure Prairie’s closure." He urged USDA to clarify what went wrong to prevent similar situations in the future.

The bankruptcy led to approximately 1.3 million broiler chickens in Iowa being left without feed. The Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship assumed responsibility for these birds until depopulation efforts concluded last Friday.

The letter demanding accountability from USDA was spearheaded by Feenstra with support from his colleagues. It seeks to address issues surrounding federal funding management and its impact on local agriculture sectors.