In the waning days of the Trump Administration, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) published a final rule on the undue or unreasonable preference provision, Section 202(b), of the Packers & Stockyards Act of 1921 (P&SA). Unfortunately, the rule fails to protect livestock and poultry farmers from the abusive and exploitative practices that have become […]
contract agriculture
COMMENT: New Fair Competition Rules for Livestock and Poultry Industry Advanced
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact: Reana KovalcikNational Sustainable Agriculture CoalitionP: 202-547-5754, E: rkovalcik@sustainableagriculture.net New Fair Competition Rules for Livestock and Poultry Industry Advanced USDA takes small step forward in decades long rules debate Washington, DC, January 10, 2020 – For years, American livestock and poultry producers have spoken out about the unfair and abusive practices of contract […]
Congress Examines SBA Poultry Loan Practices in Contentious Hearing
The central question at last week’s House Small Business Committee hearing was this: Who does the Small Business Administration’s (SBA) 7(a) program really help, and does that comport with the program’s stated intent? SBA’s 7(a) program has come under fire recently, following the release of an SBA Inspector General’s (IG) report that found SBA had […]
New Report Exposes Over $1 Billion in Bad Loanmaking at SBA
Last week, the exploitative business practices of multinational poultry processing companies – and the role of the Small Business Administration (SBA) in facilitating that exploitation – were put on display by a shocking report from the SBA’s own Office of Inspector General (OIG). The report reveals that SBA has in recent years made an increasing […]
RELEASE: Explanation Demanded on SBA’s Exploitative Loan Practices in Chicken Industry
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact: Reana Kovalcik National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition 202-547-5754, rkovalcik@sustainableagriculture.net Explanation Demanded on SBA’s Exploitative Loan Practices in Chicken Industry National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition applauds Senator Booker for introducing transparency amendment Washington, DC, March 15, 2018 – Yesterday, during consideration of S. 2283 by the Senate Small Business Committee, Senator Cory Booker (D-NJ) offered […]
If Trump Stands with Rural America, He Will Expedite the Farmer Fair Practices Rules
Editors Note: On April 13, 2017 USDA delayed the effective date for the interim final rule on “competitive injury” until October of 2017. A separate Federal Register Notice requests comments by June 12, 2017 on the disposition of the interim final rule including whether it should be delayed further, withdrawn, suspended, or allowed to go […]
Farmer Fair Practices Rules Could Be an Easy Win for Trump Administration
The Office of Management and Budget (OMB) is currently reviewing a set of three rules from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) that, if finalized, could easily be an early win for the Trump Administration. USDA’s Grain Inspection, Packers & Stockyards Administration (GIPSA) has been working on the “Farmer Fair Practices” rules with the support of […]
PRESS COMMENT: Poultry Industry Reforms Must Consider Farmer Welfare, Too
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact: Reana Kovalcik, 202-547-5754, Rkovalcik@sustainableagriculture.net Poultry Industry Reforms Must Consider Farmer Welfare, Too In any conversation about chicken farming, there ought to be concern equally for the welfare of the chickens and for the farmers who raise them. We at the National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition (NSAC) welcome the recent news of proposed animal welfare upgrades from […]