As the stage is set for the 2024 LMA Convention and World Livestock Auctioneer Championship in OKC, Senior Farm and Ranch Broadcaster Ron Hays had the chance to catch up with the vice president of government and industry affairs at the Livestock Marketing Association, Chelsea Good.
June 12-15, the LMA Convention will be held in Oklahoma City at the Omni Oklahoma City Hotel, and the World Livestock Auctioneer Championship will be held at Oklahoma National Stockyards. For more information, click here.
Good gave an update on some policy that is pertinent to the LMA including the recent Farm Bill framework released by Senate Agriculture Committee Ranking Member John Boozman.
“LMA is interested in some of the livestock provisions,” Good said. “In particular, livestock auction owners unfortunately cannot own or invest in small or medium-sized meat processors. All three of the frameworks that have come out so far would correct that piece, including what passed out of the House Ag Committee.”
On the Senate side, in Chairwoman Debbie Stabenow’s framework, Good said there is a piece regarding prompt payment, which supports electronic forms of payment to buyers at auctions.
“It is probably something that is not as well-developed as the A-PLUS Act in terms of there being no marker bills out there, but it is a problem we have been talking about for a while,” Good said. “The mail service is slowing down, so the auctions will pay producers that day. They are waiting longer and longer to receive that payment from buyers which is putting them in a poor financial position. We are trying to encourage more electronic forms of payment.”
Good also talked about animal disease traceback and said there was a final rule out that will require beef cows and bulls crossing state lines to have an electronic ear tag starting in November. USDA will continue to pay for those electronic tags and infrastructure, Good added.
“That is definitely something I think this administration wanted to get out well in advance of the election because it is a sensitive topic,” Good said.
On Our Latest Ag Perspectives Podcast- Ron Hays talks with Chelsea Good of Livestock Market Association in OKC Ahead of Their 2024 Meeting. Click Here to listen to the full conversation!
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