Dusty Johnson: “This is a town where investigations can last for years, and sometimes, they cost millions. There are other…”

“This is a town where investigations can last for years, and sometimes, they cost millions. There are other investigations that are insignificant, little things. They are just meant to check a box so we can move onto the next task. Yes, I think we all know that, in D.C., there are two types of investigations, investigations that are for show and investigations that are for real. Well, in cattle country, we need an investigation for real. Times have been tough, really tough for cattle producers, especially the last couple of years. The producers that I know, they don't ask for guarantees or handouts. All that they want is a fair chance to earn a living. Unfortunately, prices have been soft, and those producers aren't sure that the market is accurately applying margin to our feeders and to our ranchers. Following the Holcomb fire, the market experienced extreme volatility. The producers that I know, smart and savvy professionals, are telling me that what happened in that aftermath did real damage to the viability of their businesses and to their way of life. That is why I was grateful to see USDA, under the Packers and Stockyards Act, open up an investigation into the cattle market. An investigation like that does not happen every day, and it has folks in South Dakota anxiously awaiting the results. I know that I am.…”