Meat+Poultry - July 2021 - 14

WASHINGTON
Raising cattle transparency
On June 8, Representative Vicky
Hartzler (R-Mo.) introduced the
Optimizing the Cattle Market Act
of 2021, which is intended to help
the cattle market have greater price
discovery and transparency.
Senators Deb Fischer (R-Neb.)
and Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) introduced
a similar bill to the Senate earlier
this year named The Cattle Market
Transparency Act of 2021.
" America's producers continue to
face challenges in the cattle market,
particularly in terms of external
market disruptions and the fading
COVID-19 pandemic, " Hartzler said.
" This legislation aims to usher in
transparency improvements and
restores accountability in the industry
to lift up these struggling sectors and
embark on a new chapter of progress
for our cattlemen and women. "
The legislation would require
Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack to
establish regionally sufficient levels of
negotiated cash and grid trade within
two years of enactment and to consider
stakeholder input through a public
comment period.
Another provision from the act
would mandate the US Department
of Agriculture (USDA) create a cattle
formula contracts library and increase
the reporting window from seven to
14 days for cattle producers.
The National Cattlemen's Beef
Association (NCBA) said its members
support many of the elements of
Hartzler and Fischer's legislation.
However, NCBA approved a voluntary
price discovery policy during its
summer business meeting in July 2020,
and they want to move forward with it
before giving support to Fischer's bill.
In addition, members currently do not
support the mandatory minimums in
Hartzler's bill.
" The growing momentum we're
seeing in the House and Senate behind
addressing these critical concerns in
the cattle markets is reflective of the
urgency producers are feeling across
the country, " said Ethan Lane, vice
president of government affairs at the
NCBA. " NCBA, alongside our affiliates
and other industry associations,
shares Representative Hartzler's
objectives and welcomes the
discussion this bill will bring. While
a government mandate on regional
minimums for negotiated trade
continues to be a hotly debated topic
among producers, we are encouraged
to see a proposal that builds on past
efforts and moves us closer toward a
realistic finish line. "
Hartzler received bipartisan support
for her legislation from Representative
Emanuel Cleaver (D-Mo.).
" The COVID-19 pandemic has
hit Americans from all walks of
life especially hard over the past
year - and Missouri's cattle ranchers
are no exception, " Cleaver said. " After
their valiant efforts to keep food on
the tables of American families, it's
critical that we do everything possible
to ensure ranchers have the market
transparency necessary to make
informed business decisions that
will help them stay in business and
continue to generate economic activity
throughout rural Missouri. "
Zippy Duvall, president of the
American Farm Bureau Federation,
expressed his appreciation of the effort
Hartzler and Cleaver made and looked
forward to working with Congress on
the bill.
" America's families are paying more
for meat at the grocery store while
rock bottom prices are paid to farmers.
Ranchers can't continue to lose money
on the cattle they work hard to raise.
Farmers and ranchers have legitimate
questions, and this legislation takes
important steps toward ensuring they
have fair access to markets and are
fully informed on pricing, " Duvall said.
" We appreciate Representative Hartzler
(R-Mo.) and Representative Cleaver
(D-Mo.) for introducing the Optimizing
the Cattle Market Act of 2021 and we
look forward to working with Congress
to make certain farmers and ranchers
can continue to put dinner on the table
in homes across America. "
ERICA SHAFFER | eshaffer@sos land.com
" This legislation aims to usher in transparency
improvements and restores accountability in
the industry to lift up these struggling sectors
and embark on a new chapter of progress for
our cattlemen and women. "
- REPRESENTATIVE VICKY HARTZLER
14 MEAT+POULTRY | 07.21 | www.meatpoultry.com
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Meat+Poultry - July 2021

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