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NCBA criticizes Vilsack’s GIPSA response
The National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA) is critical of Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack’s response to a request for a comprehensive economic analysis of the UDSA’s proposed GIPSA rule on livestock and poultry marketing.
One hundred and fifteen members of the House of Representatives recently sent a letter to Vilsack asking for the analysis. They argued that the analysis contained in the GIPSA proposal failed to demonstrate the need for the rule. Vilsack has denied their request, saying the department will wait until the public comment period on the rule has concluded before determining if further economic analysis is warranted. The comment period runs through November 22nd.
NCBA president Steve Foglesong calls it “irresponsible governing” on the part of the Obama administration to advance the rule without providing all stakeholders with a comprehensive analysis defining how it would affect the marketplace. Foglesong says the GIPSA rule will further inject the federal government into the market and says it could result in, quote, “financial devastation to a critical part of our country’s economy.”
Meanwhile, the American Meat Institute has conducted its own analysis of the proposed rule. It will unveil its findings during a conference call with the media on Thursday.
Everyone needs to take a moment and not only comment against this rule but also ask everyone they know to comment against it. This website has made it easy:
http://nppc.org/Consumer_Postcards/default.aspx