“Hurry up and wait” is how the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association describes the last three years as the industry awaits re-authorization of livestock mandatory reporting.
The tool which requires congressional authorization every five years expired in 2020. NCBA says it is critical for market transparency, and they hope it will get attention despite it being a Farm Bill year. The nation’s largest cattle group is asking lawmakers to do whatever it takes to prevent the program from falling through the cracks.
“So here we are almost three years later, and Congress has only patched that together with duct tape and chicken wire. They’ve authorizing it again through the appropriations process, which is good, it makes sure that the program doesn’t lapse in authority, but we have not seen that clean re-authorization that we want to see. Now this is a Farm Bill year. That means that a lot of focus is going to be on the Ag Committee and the type of bills that it turns out. So we may see some renewed optimism in a renewed push to try and get that legislation over the finish line. Ultimately, our message to Capitol Hill is whatever form it takes, whether it’s a continued temporary extension or whether it’s a full re-authorization of the program, it is mission critical that you preserve the integrity of this program and do not allow it to expire,” said Tanner Beymer.
Beymer says he would like to see the re-authorization happen outside the Farm Bill, given the time it could take to get the legislation done this year.
