U.S. Senator Pat Roberts, R-Kan., Chairman of the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry, applauds unanimous Senate passage of H.R. 5883, the Clarification of Treatment of Electronic Sales of Livestock Act of 2016.

H.R. 5883 passed the House of Representatives earlier this week and is identical to S. 3350, introduced by Agriculture Committee Member Sen. Thad Cochran, R-Miss. H.R. 5883 brings much needed clarity to the livestock marketing sector by making technical changes to the Packers and Stockyards Act of 1921. Like all businesses, livestock auctions have evolved as technology has allowed for new forms of buying and selling livestock, such as video and online sales. As a result, modern methods of payment, such as use of credit cards, have become common place in the livestock marketing industry. H.R. 5883 revises the Packers and Stockyards Act of 1921 to ensure that these types of businesses and forms of payment are allowed under the Act.

“H.R. 5883 is the sort of practical legislation I vowed to advocate for when I became Chairman of this Committee,” said Chairman Roberts. “It provides clarity to livestock markets that facilitate commerce in the livestock sector and in rural communities across the country by clarifying that modern business practices are permitted under Packers and Stockyards Act.”

“Today was a huge step forward for the livestock marketing industry bringing our main regulatory law, which dates back to 1921, into the 21st Century with some common sense updates,” said Dan Harris, owner of Holton Livestock Exchange and Chairman of the Board of Directors for the Livestock Marketing Association. “We commend the Senate for its passage of this bill and especially appreciate the leadership provided by fellow Holton, Kansas native Senate Agriculture Committee Chairman Pat Roberts in bringing this dream into reality.”

H.R. 5883 has the support of the American Farm Bureau Federation, American Sheep Industry Association, Livestock Marketing Association, National Cattlemen’s Beef Association, National Farmers Union, National Livestock Producers Association, and the United States Cattlemen’s Association.