The National Farmers Union along with the U.S. Cattlemen’s Association are urging the U.S. Department of Agriculture to finalize the Farmer Fair Practice rules under the Grain Inspection, Packers and Stockyards Administration. South Dakota Farmers Union President Doug Sombke says they’ve been trying for some time to get those finalized but the real problem now is USDA appointees haven’t been confirmed to help get them across the finish line.
He says these rules are needed to protect family farmers and ranchers from abuse by concentrated markets. Sombke says the lack of market transparency continues to be a major problem.
Sombke realizes even though they’re asking the Ag Secretary to move forward on the rules, he needs assistance at USDA to be able to accomplish this.
One of the groups opposed to the Farmer Fair Practice rules is the National Pork Producers Council. They’re concerned the rules will restrict producers ability to sell and packers ability to buy livestock and lead to further consolidation of the livestock industry.
