Senator Chuck Grassley says he is looking to ease the burden on Iowa farmers by combating a proposed rule from the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) which he claims will cause “unworkable climate disclosure regulations on farmers”. The new proposed rule would administer new greenhouse gas reporting requirements on all entities within a company’s value chain.

The bill that Grassley is working on with Sens. John Hoeven (R-N.D.) and Tim Scott (R-S.C.) would seek to prevent the SEC from applying this new rule to the agriculture sector. When asked about why he is combating this proposed rule Grassley drew back on his past experiences. 

“I’ve been farming since 1960 and my son Robin has been farming since 1979, there’s no way that farmers are equipped to know the impact of their farming operations on global warming. When it comes to global warming farmers have been doing a better job than many other sectors to combat it and they ought to be getting credit for it.”

Grassley, who will be seeking his eighth term in the Senate, is opposed by Democrat Michael Franken, a former US Navy Admiral, with election day scheduled for November 8th.