The Cattle Contract Library Act passed unanimously out of the House Ag Committee on Thursday. It was cosponsored by South Dakota Congressman Dusty Johnson and would establish a library within USDA’s Ag Marketing Service to give cattle producers the market data they need to regain leverage in the cash market.

In early August USDA already started reporting information on contracts and Alternative Marketing Arrangements, but the data is not user friendly. Johnson says they hope to change that with this legislation.

Johnson adds that this is not a silver bullet in the effort to reform the nation’s cattle market but is a good first step.

The library is widely supported by industry groups and lawmakers and Johnson is optimistic about passage in the full House.