The U.S. Department of Agriculture released a final rule for the Grain Inspection, Packers and Stockyards Administration (GIPSA) yesterday. USDA refers to the rule as common sense protections to restore fairness and reduce the burden for farmers seeking justice under the Packers and Stockyards Act. Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack made the announcement joined by National Farmers Union president Roger Johnson … Read More
@BeefUSA Conducts Aggressive Membership Campaign
A hard-hitting, two-month membership campaign is being conducted by the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association to strengthen the U.S. cattle producer’s voice in Washington, D.C. on issues critical to both individual cattlemen and women and the nation’s cattle industry. The “Tough Times Require a Tough Team” campaign will run through Jan. 31, 2017, and features benefits to cattle producers that are … Read More
Dairy Groups Send Letter to President-Elect on Dairy Trade
The National Milk Producers Federation (NMPF) and the U.S. Dairy Export Council (USDEC) sent a joint letter to President-elect Donald Trump outlining the importance of exports to the U.S. dairy sector and seeking further dialogue on ways the organizations can work with the incoming administration on trade policy. NMPF and USDEC said in their letter that expanded agricultural trade has … Read More
NCBA & PLC Say BLM Released Flawed Planning Rule
The Bureau of Land Management has released a final version of BLM planning 2.0. Ethan Lane, Executive Director of the Public Lands Council and National Cattlemen’s Beef Association federal lands said this process radically alters federal land management planning and moves the agency away from its mandate to manage for multiple use on federal lands. “We are continuing to review … Read More
Proposed Tax Regulation Threaten Multigen Cattle Operations
The Internal Revenue Service hosted a public hearing this week on a Department of Treasury proposed rule that would eliminate or greatly reduce available valuation discounts for family-related entities. Kevin Kester, National Cattlemen’s Beef Association vice president, said the regulation would effectively discourage families from continuing to operate or grow their businesses and passing them on to future generations. Many … Read More
Obama Promotes Antibiotic Myths In Bill Maher Interview
Agricultural interests are concerned about several comments made by President Barack Obama in an interview that discussed antibiotic use in animals on HBO’s Realtime with Bill Maher last week. While the President emphasized the value of science-based policies in the interview, several of his statements lack science-based supporting evidence and suggest a misunderstanding of the current policies enforced by the … Read More
Senate Passes Modernized Livestock Rule
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. … Read More
BLM to Gather Sand Wash Wild Horses
A decision signed last week will allow the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) to begin gathering up to 50 wild horses from northwestern Colorado’s Sand Wash herd management area (HMA) next month. The young horses will be bait-trapped and placed in the Great Escape Mustang Sanctuary (GEMS) training and adoption program, and fertility control treatments will be administered to any … Read More
FDA Releases New FSMA Draft Guidances
As the implementation of the FDA Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) continues, the FDA has issued two new draft guidances to assist industry with the implementation of the Preventive Controls for Animal Food rule, as well as another draft guidance to assist businesses in determining whether the activities they perform are within the “farm” definition. Two of the draft guidances … Read More
Enviro Groups Hamper Endangered Species Conservation
According to the Public Lands Council (PLC) and National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA), the Center for Biological Diversity along with other radical environmental groups threatened to sue the Department of Interior and Fish and Wildlife Service to force action on 417 proposed listings under the Endangered Species Act, all stemming from a massive lawsuit settlement brokered behind closed doors and … Read More