The Senate Agriculture Committee has passed an agricultural appropriations budget that did not include a rider to prevent the implementation of the Grain Inspection, Packers and Stockyards Administration (GIPSA) rule.
Following the vote, Roger Johnson, National Farmers Union (NFU) President, issued the following statement: “We are very pleased that … the senators on the committee did not include an anti-GIPSA rider similar to the one passed by the (House)…
“The GIPSA rule will go a long way towards restoring market competition and helping ensure large producers cannot exert illegal market power over farmers and ranchers. The Senate did the right thing in allowing the GIPSA rule to proceed. The rule must be funded and allowed to continue to help reduce the concentration that has taken place in the livestock industry over the past 30 years…
“The GIPSA rule will help ensure America’s farmers and ranchers are not forced to accept unfairly low prices for their products. We urge the House to pass a similar measure and for the president to sign the bill as soon as possible.”