South Dakota Senator Mike Rounds has announced a three-part plan to address the ongoing cattle market crisis, which has been heightened during the COVID-19 outbreak. Rounds says cattle producers are suffering and need government aid immediately to prevent additional bankruptcies.

Rounds says he and other farm state Senators are also asking the Department of Justice for an additional federal investigation into multiple allegations of price fixing and anti-trust violations by meatpackers.

He says the industry needs a quick answer to why there’s a disconnect between the cash prices cattle producers are receiving verses boxed beef values and the prices in the store.

Rounds also wants USDA to put Mandatory Country of Origin Labeling or M-COOL back in place.

Rounds says M-COOL also provides needed transparency for consumers.