Candidate says he’d help locker business if elected Ag Secretary

The Republican candidate for State Ag Secretary says, if elected, one of his goals will be to boost the state’s meat locker business. John Askew, a farmer from Thurman in southwest Iowa, says state-inspected meat cannot be sold outside of Iowa, and he’s push federal lawmakers to change the rules. Askew says federal law should be changed so state-inspected meat can be sold to customers in other states, and even over the Internet. He says consumers are better protected under a state inspection system. Askew says state inspections are tougher than federal inspections. Askew says the owner of a small meat locker in southeast Iowa told him their business was severely hampered because the locker’s meat can’t be sold to nearby residents in Illinois and Missouri. Askew says boosting the state’s locker industry helps turns more corn into corned-beef and other cuts of meat. Askew says seeing corn-fed cattle, hogs and other livestock slaughtered for meat is better and more profitable for the state than seeing the raw corn leave Iowa on a barge. Askew faces Democrat Secretary of Agriculture Patty Judge on the November ballot.