Bob Kerrey: “again, not only are our grain farmers adversely affected, but cattle producers and cattle processors have been as well.…”

“again, not only are our grain farmers adversely affected, but cattle producers and cattle processors have been as well. We have met extensively with our ranchers and our feeders, and they say to us two things need to happen, and they need to happen in order to improve our prices and increase the chances that we are going to get a market bid that is higher than what we are getting now. The first is mandatory reporting of prices, regardless of whether the prices occur in cattle that are owned by the feeder or cattle controlled through formula feeding, or some other contract by the packinghouse. Those prices today are not reported. We had extensive debate here on the floor about that issue. Unfortunately, the conferees dropped that. I believe that provision, all by itself, would increase prices for cattle in the United States, for beef, and would have a very positive impact as a consequence on our rural communities. Likewise, the meat labeling requirement included in the Senate bill was dropped by the conferees, and it is supported by almost all of the cattle organizations.”