Agricultural News
AMI Asks President Obama for a Presidential Fix on GIPSA Rule- Pull It
Thu, 10 Feb 2011 10:24:14 CST
President Obama told the U.S. Chamber of Commerce in a speech yesterday that he urges to businesses to make investments that will help create growth and that, "If there is a reason you don't believe that this is the time to get off the sidelines - to hire and invest - I want to know about it. I want to fix it."
AMI responded to the President's call, noting that an excellent first fix would be a withdrawal of the proposed livestock marketing rule published in June by USDA's Grain Inspection, Packers and Stockyards Administration (GIPSA). The comment period on the rule closed in November and more than 60,000 comments were filed. USDA must now begin the process of reviewing the voluminous comments.
"The future direction of the proposed rule is uncertain, and if there's one thing that American businesses cannot tolerate easily now it's more economic uncertainty. Uncertainty kills investment and, in turn, economic growth," said AMI President J. Patrick Boyle.
During his speech, Obama stressed the importance of America winning the competition for new jobs and industries.
"We know what it will take for America to win the future. We need to out-innovate, out-educate, and out-build our competitors. We need an economy that's based not on what we consume and borrow from other nations, but what we make and sell around the world. We need to make America the best place on earth to do business," Obama said.
According to an economic analysis by John Dunham and Associates on behalf AMI, however, the proposed GIPSA rule could cost 104,000 jobs and remove $14 billion from the GDP.
Obama also noted that a primary responsibility of the government is to break down barriers that stand in the way of success, including unnecessary regulations, and urged those with concerns to voice them.
"We've been telling anyone who would listen that this proposal stands to harm the U.S. agricultural economy and the economy as a whole. We are gratified that the President has committed to listening to concerns like ours and we hope he will remove this impediment to investment and growth by withdrawing the rule," Boyle said.
Click here for more on the American Meat Institute's position on the GIPSA Rule
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