Livestock and Poultry Competition Reform and More…
Livestock and Poultry Competition Reform, Climate Solutions for Agriculture, Financing Options for Meat Processing Infrastructure, and More in the Weekly Roundup from the National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition (NSAC)
Livestock and Poultry Competition Reform on the Horizon
Livestock consolidation and concentration have been gaining traction in Washington, D.C. Last month, President Biden signed an Executive Order on Promoting Competition in the American Economy, signaling a whole of government effort to address concentration and consolidation in US markets. Several livestock and poultry competition reform initiatives announced could have a far-reaching impact on agriculture, including the intent to strengthen enforcement of the Packers and Stockyards Act (P&SA) to protect farmers and producers from anticompetitive practices. In addition, a bipartisan bill introduced in the Senate and the House of Representatives could complement these rules by adding capacity to enforce P&SA violations.
RELEASE: Letter Urges Congressional Leaders to Prioritize Climate Solutions for Agriculture in Budget Reconciliation
The National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition (NSAC) along with 62 leading farming, environmental, and rural development organizations, sent a letter to Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, House of Representatives Speaker Nancy Pelosi, Chairwoman of the Senate Agriculture Committee, Debbie Stabenow, and Chairman of the House Agriculture Committee, David Scott, calling for a robust reconciliation package that advances climate friendly agriculture, food systems, and equity. “The time for transformative investments to help farmers address the climate crisis is now. This reconciliation package is a down payment on programs that farmers need now to build more resilient food systems. Our organizations have come together to support this groundbreaking request,” said Eric Deeble, NSAC Policy Director.
NSAC Releases Brief on Financing Options for Meat Processing Infrastructure
As the food system begins to recover from the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic, there is a significant need for financial investments to address the backlog at small-scale slaughter and processing facilities utilized by thousands of farmers and ranchers across the country. The backlog in slaughter and processing access is not a new concern, and has been exacerbated by the pandemic. The lack of scale appropriate processing infrastructure in some areas of the country has been a significant issue for small livestock and poultry producers for the last several decades.
What We’re Reading
In this space we share suggested readings that NSAC staff find relevant to the Coalition’s mission and work. The opinions expressed in these readings are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect an official NSAC policy or position.
“Meet the Black Women Driving New Ag Policy”
A new generation of elected officials is working to benefit disadvantaged farmers and African Americans in their states by serving on agriculture committees, introducing legislation to promote equity in agriculture, and fighting food insecurity.
The industry has been pushing through policies devoting billions of dollars to the technology, and much more is likely to come with legislation pending before Congress.
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