NSAC Archives for the 'Fair Competition' Category
Senate Committee Approves 2013 Agriculture Spending Bill
Friday, April 27th, 2012
On Thursday, April 26, while the Senate Agriculture Committee was busy passing their version of the 2012 Farm Bill, the Senate Appropriations Committee was also meeting to approve the Fiscal Year 2013 Agricultural Appropriations bill. The spending bill covers the majority of the functions of USDA as well as the Food and Drug Administration. We Read the Rest…
Path to the Farm Bill: 164 Organizations Call On Congressional Leaders to Increase Agricultural Market Competition
Friday, March 30th, 2012
On Thursday, NSAC joined with a total of 164 organizations on a letter to the Chairs of the Senate and House Agriculture Committees and the Senate and House Judiciary Committees urging them to make the issues of increased agricultural market transparency, fairness and access for farmers and ranchers a top priority in the next Farm Read the Rest…
House Holds Agriculture Appropriations Hearings
Wednesday, March 14th, 2012
Earlier this month, the House Agriculture Appropriations Subcommittee held a series of four hearings on the Obama Administration’s fiscal year (FY) 2013 budget request for the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA). The hearings precede and are meant to inform the markup of a FY 2013 agriculture appropriations bill. The four hearings covered the President’s budget Read the Rest…
Oklahoma Case Shows Why Farmers Need Strong GIPSA Rules
Wednesday, March 14th, 2012
On March 6, the Oklahoma Supreme Court overturned a jury award of $10 million to poultry growers who had contracts to grow out broiler chickens for Tyson Foods. The growers alleged that Tyson had given them unhealthy chicks and feed because the growers would not make costly modifications to their chicken houses that were not Read the Rest…
Bill to Ban Packer Ownership of Livestock Introduced
Thursday, March 1st, 2012
On Wednesday, February 29, Senators Chuck Grassley (R-IA) and Kent Conrad (D-ND) introduced a bill (S. 2141) that would ban most meatpackers from owning livestock. Also signing on as original co-sponsors were Tim Johnson (D-SD) and Tom Harkin (D-IA). The Senate passed versions of this legislation in 2002 and 2008, but each time the measure Read the Rest…
It’s Time: Help us Speak up for Sustainable Agriculture
Thursday, January 12th, 2012
Check out our Path to the 2012 Farm Bill blog series for updates on the 2012 Farm Bill process – and be sure to sign up for NSAC Action Alerts to stay in the loop on speaking out and taking action! The summer’s bounty may feel far away, but even in January, farmers and ranchers Read the Rest…
GIPSA Contract Fairness Rule Finalized
Thursday, December 8th, 2011
USDA’s Grain Inspection, Packers & Stockyards Administration has issued a rule, to be published on December 9, that finalizes some provisions of the GIPSA rule proposed in June 2010. The provisions are intended to increase protections for farmers who produce poultry and hogs on contract. The four major areas covered in the final rule include: Read the Rest…
Final FY 2012 Agriculture Funding Levels Agreed Upon
Tuesday, November 15th, 2011
On Tuesday, November 15, House and Senate negotiators reached a compromise deal on a fiscal year (FY) 2012 appropriations “minibus” (H.R. 2112) which includes the FY 2012 agriculture appropriations bill. The minibus will now be sent back to both chambers of Congress for a final vote before being sent to the President for his signature Read the Rest…
Senators Harkin and Johnson Stand Up for Fair Competition
Wednesday, October 26th, 2011
On Thursday, October 20 , Senators Tim Johnson (D-SD) and Tom Harkin (D-IA) presented floor statements in support of the proposed Grain Inspection, Packers, and Stockyards Administration (GIPSA) livestock competition rule. Earlier in the Senate floor debate, negative remarks made against the rule were made by Senator James Inhofe (R-OK) and Senator Jerry Moran (R-KS). Read the Rest…
Court Rules Pilgrim’s Pride Violated Packers & Stockyards Act
Wednesday, October 5th, 2011
Last week, a U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Texas issued a decision in Adams v. Pilgrim’s Pride Corporation, in which the court ruled that Pilgrim’s Pride Corporation (PPC) violated Section 192(e) of the Packers and Stockyards (PSA) when it closed and refused to sell a poultry processing plant in El Dorado, Arkansas Read the Rest…
