Senators Chuck Grassley and John Tester this week introduced legislation to require each meat packing facility that slaughters over 125,000 head of cattle a year to purchase fifty percent of their weekly volume of beef slaughter on the open or spot market. The United State’s Cattlemen’s Association is in favor of the bill. Vice President and South Dakota cattle producer Justin Tupper says this measure would help ensure more transparent markets.

He says even if that 50 percent requirement gets dialed back some, having some higher percentage required of packers will be helpful.

Tupper says it’ll take a strong lobbying effort by cattle producers to get this legislation over the finish line.

Joining Grassley and Tester in co-sponsoring the bill are Joni Ernst of Iowa, Mike Rounds of South Dakota, Steve Daines of Montana, Tina Smith of Minnesota and Cindy Hyde Smith of Mississippi.