Senators oppose House GIPSA provision
October 16, 2013 | 09:25 PM
Eight senators today sent a letter to Senate agriculture leaders opposing a provision in the House farm bill that would repeal a provision of the 2008 farm bill giving the Agriculture Department additional authority to regulate livestock and poultry markets under the Packers and Stockyards Act.
Repealing the provision “would leave small producers vulnerable against concentrated market forces,” the senators wrote to Senate Agriculture Committee Chairman Debbie Stabenow, D-Mich., and ranking member Thad Cochran, R-Miss.
Sen. Jon Tester, D-Mont., and Sen. Charles Grassley, R-Iowa, organized the letter, which was also signed by Sens. Tammy Baldwin, D-Wis., Al Franken, D-Minn., Heidi Heitkamp, D-N.D., Tim Johnson, D-S.D., Joe Manchin, D-W. Va., and John Rockefeller, D-W.Va.
The National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition, which has campaigned vigorously for stricter regulation of livestock and poultry markets, posted the letter on its website. The American Farm Bureau Federation and the National Farmers Union also oppose the House repeal provision.
Repealing the provision “would leave small producers vulnerable against concentrated market forces,” the senators wrote to Senate Agriculture Committee Chairman Debbie Stabenow, D-Mich., and ranking member Thad Cochran, R-Miss.
Sen. Jon Tester, D-Mont., and Sen. Charles Grassley, R-Iowa, organized the letter, which was also signed by Sens. Tammy Baldwin, D-Wis., Al Franken, D-Minn., Heidi Heitkamp, D-N.D., Tim Johnson, D-S.D., Joe Manchin, D-W. Va., and John Rockefeller, D-W.Va.
The National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition, which has campaigned vigorously for stricter regulation of livestock and poultry markets, posted the letter on its website. The American Farm Bureau Federation and the National Farmers Union also oppose the House repeal provision.
