Chuck Grassley: “last week the Senator from South Dakota and I offered an amendment which would prohibit meat packers from owning…”

“last week the Senator from South Dakota and I offered an amendment which would prohibit meat packers from owning, feeding or controlling livestock prior to slaughter. Together, we had introduced legislation in the Senate to accomplish the very goal of our amendment. A majority of our colleagues in the Senate voted in favor of our amendment. However, since that time, concerns have been raised by the Secretary of Agriculture and some in the livestock industry that the language of the amendment, specifically the word ``control'' would affect forward contracts or marketing agreements. I do recall that the Senator from Montana inquired as to whether this amendment affected such contracts and that the Senator from South Dakota responded that the amendment did not affect them. However, I would ask the Senator from South Dakota for further clarification on that issue.”