Civics students from Pleasantville High School had a chance to meet and directly question Sen. Chuck Grassley, as he paid a visit to the campus on Thursday afternoon.

Several of the students’ questions deal with agricultural matters; the flooding in southwestern Iowa is impacting farmers there badly, and federal funding will be needed to help with their recovery.

Sen. Grassley tells KNIA/KRLS News even though the emergency funding bill has been caught up in political maneuvering, he believes it will ultimately pass.

“Right now on the disaster bill, this wouldn’t be true because we’ve had some political controversy; but most of the time throughout my 38 years in the United States Senate, funding disaster — because the federal government’s the insurer of last resort — hasn’t been a political issue,” Sen. Grassley says.

“And I don’t expect this one’s in the end’s going to be much of a political issue, but maybe for the last couple weeks it has been.”

But the Senator warns even if this bill passes, a supplemental bill will be necessary once more accurate damage figures are in from the flooded areas.

He also notes the matter most directly affecting local farmers is the trade agreements with China and between Mexico, Canada and the U.S. If agreements can be worked out and tariffs involving these countries are removed, exports will improve for ethanol, pork and corn.