Agricultural News
R-CALF USA and Others Urge U.S. Senators to Finalize USDA's GIPSA Rule
Wed, 03 Aug 2011 16:49:58 CDT
A letter signed by R-CALF USA and 189 groups representing local, state and regional cattle, farm, community, church and consumer groups was sent today to all U.S. Senators urging them to support the finalization of the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Grain Inspection, Packers and Stockyards Administration (GIPSA) proposed competition rule (GIPSA rule) that was published more than one-year ago, on June 22, 2010.
"Not since the heated debate over country-of-origin labeling, which like the current GIPSA rule pitted the self-interests of meatpackers against the interests of farmers, ranchers, and consumers, have so many groups joined together to urge Congress to support a needed agricultural reform," said R-CALF USA President George Chambers.
Chambers said the groups on the joint letter likely represent millions of rural Americans and their voices will help the Senate overcome the vocal opposition to the GIPSA rule generated by the self-interested but well-funded meatpacker lobby.
The letter points out that the nation's two largest general farm organizations the American Farm Bureau Federation and the National Farmers Union previously joined with 140 farmers, consumers and community groups across the nation to oppose the effort by the U.S. House to derail the GIPSA rule with language included in the House's Fiscal Year 2012 Agriculture Appropriations Act.
"It's clear there is widespread producer support for the GIPSA rule and equally clear that the few groups that oppose it are affiliated with the meatpacking industry," said Chambers. The letter states:
The same meatpacker and poultry companies that opposed the strong farmer and rancher protection provisions in the 2008 Farm Bill are now fighting the regulations to implement those provisions. These special interests, joined by purported farm groups that have meatpackers entrenched on their boards, have launched a misleading public relations campaign that distorts the provisions of the proposed rule.
"We have urged the White House and USDA to issue a final GIPSA rule as quickly as possible before the Oct. 1, 2011 start of fiscal year 2012," Chambers said, adding, "And now we've joined with many other groups to deliver an intensely focused message to the U.S. Senate."
"The 190 undersigned groups urge you to stand with our nation's farmers, ranchers, growers and consumers to oppose the meatpacker and poultry special interest efforts to insulate themselves from federal scrutiny of their anti-competitive behavior and unfair treatment of farmers and ranchers. Congress should allow USDA to move forward expeditiously to implement a final rule that will strengthen and clarify the Packers & Stockyards Act with commonsense protections for farmers and ranchers," the letter concluded.
Click here to read a copy of the letter sent to all U.S. Senators.
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