The public comment period on the rewritten Farmer Fair Practice rules by the USDA closes this Friday. The Organization for Competitive Markets is opposed to the draft rule as it’s proposed. OCM Director of Policy and Research Ben Gotschall says the competitive harm provision contained in the proposal takes protections away from farmers and ranchers.
He says the customary practices provision in the proposed regulation overlooks packer abuses on farmers and ranchers in the past.
Gotschall says this rewritten so-called Farmer Fair Practice Rule doesn’t follow the intent of the Packers and Stockyards Act.
Gotschall encourages producers and consumers to file their comments on this proposed rule by this Friday when the comment period closes.
