USDA’s Cattle Contract Library Pilot Program was created to increase market transparency for cattle producers, and was authorized following the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association‘s engagement with the Congress of the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2022.
The Department recently released the final rule to stand up the program, and the Association is pleased with it.
“We are pleased that USDA listened to feedback from stakeholders like NCBA while crafting the final rule on the Cattle Contract Library Pilot Program. We are hopeful that this pilot program will strike an appropriate balance between offering cattle producers additional insight into the market while also protecting their proprietary business information. A Cattle Contract Library is just one of many tools NCBA has advocated for to help producers make informed business decisions and capture the most value possible for their cattle,” said NCBA Government Affairs Senior Director Tanner Beymer.
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