Cattlemen's Association pushing hard to outline priorities

The United States Cattlemen’s Association (USCA) is pushing hard to outline U.S. cattle producers’ priorities for the upcoming year and years to come with letters to both current and incoming administrations.

USCA’s focus remains on continuing work currently underway as the transition process looms and ensuring producers’ voices are heard as one administration caps its term and a new one begins.

The USCA issued an immediate request to President Barack Obama to continue work on restoring basic market protections for U.S. cattle producers. Late this year, the U.S. Department of Agriculture initiated the rulemaking process for the Grain Inspection, Packers and Stockyards Administration’s (GIPSA) Farmer Fair Practices Rules.

The two proposed rules, and one interim rule, were sent to the White House Office of Management and Budget for approval. In its letter, USCA asks the administration to move forward with publishing the rules for public comment.

“USCA stressed the importance for both administrations to consider the current state of the U.S. livestock industry in the transition process,” USCA marketing committee chairman Allan Sents said of the letter. “The Farmer Fair Practices rule initiated and lead by the current Administration clarifies language in the Packers and Stockyards Act that eliminates the need for producers to provide proof of competitive injury to the entire industry in order to file a complaint. Releasing this interim final rule would be an important step towards creating true price discovery and leveling the playing field for all U.S. cattle producers.”

The USCA also outlined a list of priority issues to be addressed by the incoming administration. In its letter to President-elect Donald Trump, the USCA requests a seamless transition, as to account for producers and the livestock industry which will continue its work regardless of the Inauguration.

“The incoming administration must in turn take up these efforts to ensure necessary revisions and enhancements are completed and that additional issue areas within the industry are addressed,” Sents said. “Work must continue during the transition process to help restore and maintain stability in the U.S. livestock marketplace.”