Angie Craig: “Senator Grassley and I have worked on a lot of agricultural issues together and a lot of farm issues together, and we…”

“Senator Grassley and I have worked on a lot of agricultural issues together and a lot of farm issues together, and we are in agreement about 99.9 percent of the time. Today, we differ slightly, only in that I want to make sure the step Senator Grassley, Senator Harkin, and Senator Johnson are asking the Senate to take, which has a direct impact on the livestock marketing industries of our country, is the right step. They took a step in December only to have a lot of different legal minds say: Wait a minute. We think you are wrong or we think it could be misinterpreted or we think it could be very destructive to a lot of positive relationships that are now building in the marketing between the producer and the processor. I have read his amendment. It was read yesterday. I am not quite sure it achieves what he wants it to achieve as it relates to control. It talks about a variety of controls, managerial supervision, control of livestock, to such an extent the producer is no longer materially participating in the management of the operation ``with respect to, and the following.'' I received a report in the last few days from the Purdue University Department of Agricultural Economics.”