Vice President Gore’s office issued a news release late Monday detailing afederal farm bailout plan, but Iowa Senator Chuck Grassley says it’s nothingnew. Grassley, a republican, says the plan touted by Gore, a democratpresidential candidate, was passed by Congress some time ago.Under the plan, Grassley says up to 100-million dollars will be paid out tohog producers who were hurt by last year’s collapse in market prices.Targeting small and medium-sized hog producers, the maximum payment would befive-thousand dollars each. Sign-up for the assistance begins August 9th,with payments to follow soon. Grassley also applauded republicans in theIowa legislature who are meeting in Ames today to discuss the farm crisis.Today, Grassley plans to introduce several amendments to a bi-partisan taxbill — one that he says would set up tax-deferred accounts to help farmerssurvive low-income years.
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