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Ranchers.net

Livestock Title Amendments

Senator Enzi (R-WY) introduced an amendment (Captive Supply Reform Act) that will require all forward contracts for the sale of livestock to have a fixed base price. Packers have used un-priced forward contracts to manipulate cash market prices.

Senator Tester (D-MT) is sponsoring an amendment to clarify that contrary to several court decisions, the Packers and Stockyards Act does not excuse market manipulation where the packer has a "legitimate business justification."

Senator Harkin is sponsoring another amendment to provide clarification for the courts. It will ensure that the Packers and Stockyards Act is not interpreted as requiring that producers show not only individual harm from anti-competitive practices but also competitive harm to the entire industry.

Wednesday November 28th is a national call in day to Senate Majority Leader Reid (D-NV) for livestock market reform. Callers will be urging Senator Reid to include the Enzi, Tester and Harkin amendments in the final list of amendments to be brought to the Senate floor.

Several amendments offered by Senator Roberts (R-KS) would strike important gains achieved in the Senate Agriculture Committee. Roberts offered one amendment to strike a provision agreed to by the Senate Agriculture Committee that would prohibit any pricing preference based on volume of business unless they reflect actual and verifiably lower costs. Roberts also targeted for elimination a provision making it unlawful for companies not to bargain in good faith with farmers who form or join producer associations. Roberts may also bring amendments to strike the packer ban on owning and feeding livestock and the voluntary arbitration provision.

Conservation Amendments

Senator Roberts also filed an amendment that the National Campaign will oppose that would strip almost $1 billion from the Conservation Stewardship Program and reinvest the savings in the Environmental Quality Incentives Program, the Federal Farm and Ranchland Protection Program and the Grasslands Reserve Program.
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