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Iowa officials disappointed with disaster denial

Iowa officials are expressing their disappointment over President Obama’s denial of a federal disaster declaration request to help deal with the avian flu outbreak in Iowa.

Federal officials say the damage from the bird flu outbreak is not severe enough to warrant additional federal assistance.

Iowa U.S. Senator Joni Ernst disagrees.

“The crippling impact of the avian flu has devastated Iowa’s poultry industry, farmers, producers and local communities,” Ernst says.

Also expressing their disappointment with the president’s decision are Senator Chuck Grassley and Secretary of Agriculture Bill Northey.  Northey says the declaration would have allowed more federal resources to come into the state to assist farmers and others who have been impacted by the avian flu outbreak.

Governor Terry Branstad had asked the president to declare a “major” federal disaster in the four counties that suffered the greatest losses from the outbreak.

Radio Iowa contributed to this story.