Agricultural News
Lawmakers Tell USDA's Vilsack- Start Over on GIPSA Marketing Rule!
Wed, 18 May 2011 20:29:33 CDT
U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Secretary Tom Vilsack received a letter from 147 members of the U.S. House of Representatives today, May 18, 2011, regarding USDA's Grain Inspection, Packers and Stockyards Administration's (GIPSA) proposed rule on livestock and poultry marketing. You can see a full copy of the letter by clicking on the PDF file at the bottom of this story.
The letter, signed by all five members of the Oklahoma Congressional delegation as well 142 other members of the US Congress, calls on the USDA to consider starting over om the so called "GIPSA Rule." The Congressmen write "Withdrawing the June 22, 2010 proposed rule and re-proposing a revised rule once the Department completes its economic analysis would allow the stakebolders the opportunity they deserve to comment on what we hope will be substantial changes to the proposal more consistent with the intent of Congress outlined in the 2008 farm bill."
"Particularly in a climate in which additional scrutiny is being applied to regulations seen as overreaching or overly burdensome, we urge the department to proceed in a transparent manner that allows for those most impacted by this action a chance to comment on not only pending changes to the rule and the accompanying economic analysis as well," penned the members of Congress, adding that a timeline for completion of the economic analysis and any further action is also needed.
Both the National Cattlemen's Beef Association and the National Pork Producers Council were quick release statements to the media praising the members of Congress for calling on USDA to change their way of thinking on the marketing rules in the June 2010 language. NCBA President Bill Donald said the 147 members of Congress stood up for U.S. cattlemen and women.
"The proposed GIPSA rule puts big government smack dab in the middle of our business. It is the most pervasive invasion of federal government into the private marketplace I have ever witnessed," said Donald, who is a Montana rancher. "I am proud we have leaders inside the Beltway willing to hold this administration accountable for its actions."
"America's pork producers are grateful to the nearly 150 House members who asked that the proposed GIPSA rule be withdrawn," said NPPC President Doug Wolf, a pork producer from Lancaster, Wis. "As written, the regulation would be bad for producers, bad for consumers and bad for rural America.
"In writing the GIPSA rule, USDA went well beyond what Congress asked it to do," added Wolf. "And the regulation it came up with will cost the U.S. pork industry nearly $400 million a year, limit farmers' ability to sell animals, dictate the terms of private contracts, make it harder to get farm financing, raise consumer prices and reduce choices, stifle innovation and lead to more vertical integration of the pork industry."
01604_CongressToVilsack2011-05-18-GIPSA.pdf
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