Senator Chuck Grassley says it is not looking good for his bill aimed at helping independent cattle producers.
He says the Cattle Price Discovery and Transparency Act is in jeopardy with this session of Congress ending in less than a month. The bill would set up a regional system of negotiated pricing to help independent producers compete with major packers. The National Cattlemen’s Beef Association opposes the bill. Senate Ag Committee Ranking Member John Boozman says his vote remains no.
“The cattle industry has made tremendous strides in meeting consumer demand since the 1990s. Investments in genetics, breeding decisions, and specialized marketing have brought real returns to ranch families that have chosen to take those steps. These investments have kept families ranching while producing high-quality beef demanded by consumers.”
Senator Grassley co-sponsored the bill with Deb Fischer from Nebraska. He says time is the biggest enemy with the lame-duck Congress looking ahead to the end of the session.
“But, we’ve got to keep talking about it, for sure, we can’t let it up. If it doesn’t get done this year, what we’re going to do next year, and we have to have a Farm Bill next year, and that’s another opportunity.”
It is unclear how the next session of Congress will approach the issue, which is why Senator Grassley is calling for action now.
