More Packers and Stockyards Rules on Horizon

Clip Season 49 Episode 4931
This week, the USDA announced more proposed rules to level the playing field between meat producers and processors.

This week, the USDA announced more proposed rules to level the playing field between meat producers and processors.

Transcript

This week, the USDA announced more proposed rules to level the playing field between meat producers and processors. Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack, appearing at the National Farmers Union Convention, predicted more proposed rules in 2024.

Tom Vilsack, U.S. Secretary of Agriculture:  “...we need to make sure that farmers have a fair shake in the marketplace. For that reason, we continue our work on Packers and Stockyards. We recently finalized our second rule, which was focused on eliminating the ability of some to discriminate or to retaliate when producers exercise their right of association or exercise their right to reach out and see whether or not a competitor processor might be willing to pay a little bit better or a little bit more. We're now protecting farmers from any kind of retaliation when they exercise those rights. 

We expect and anticipate to see more rules coming out from Packers and stockyards. The next rule that will likely be proposed, is a proposed rule involving the poultry tournament system. We expect and anticipate this year as well, to roll out a proposed competition rule as well as potentially a price discovery, cattle rule as well.”

The additional rules come after years of complaints over the poultry tournament system. Tournament systems base producer payment on poultry metrics compared to the averages of all producers during a given period, and are criticized for being opaque and arbitrary.  

For Market to Market, I’m Peter Tubbs.

Read the Full Transcript

Watch More

    EpisodeSeason51Episode5139
    Agriculture gets sorted to the side during high-stakes negotiations with China. The yeas have it - E15 is approved in the House but not without some pushback. Revving up fans, drivers, and rural communities on the dirt track. And, commodity market analysis with Naomi Blohm.
    ClipSeason51Episode5139
    President Trump met with Chinese President Xi this week in a highly anticipated two-day summit.
    ClipSeason51Episode5139
    Oil, fertilizer, and protein join the discussion for our Market Plus with Naomi Blohm along with corn, soybeans and weather.
    ClipSeason51Episode5139
    One wet blanket hangs over the corn market in our Market Analysis with Naomi Blohm. We also cover cheese and soybean demand as part of the commodity story.
    ClipSeason51Episode5139
    The U.S. House approved the sale of year-round E15. The bill now goes to the U.S. Senate.
    ClipSeason51Episode5139
    Underneath the fun and excitement surrounding the rituals of dirt track racing at local speedways are the spinning wheels of economic good that smalltown race tracks bring to their communities.