John Hoeven: “I know. And that was part of it, which is why I registered concerns but left it at that.”

MCOOL benefits not only U.S. livestock producers, who can better market their high-quality products, but also U.S. consumers, who will be better informed about the beef they purchase.

North Dakota’s farmers and ranchers know their land and water better than anyone, and their stewardship of these resources is second to none.

Today’s meeting was also an opportunity to get input from our ranchers on important priorities we’ve included in the Farm Bill, including better prairie dog management and MCOOL, which we’ve been working to advance for years.

That’s the right kind of focus for our country’s chief law enforcement official, and the results are clear, as violent crime and other offenses have decreased across the country.