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Vilsack urged to prioritize small meatpacker overtime fee reduction

Four U.S. lawmakers are asking Ag Secretary Vilsack to make it a priority to reduce USDA-FSIS overtime fees for small and very small meatpackers as outlined in the bi-partisan bill they co-sponsored that was part of the budget reconciliation packaged signed by President Biden.

Congressman Dusty Johnson of South Dakota and Congresswoman Angie Craig of Minnesota, cosponsors in the House, tell Vilsack in a letter that their legislation directs USDA to reduce the fees by at least 75-percent to very small meatpackers and by at least 30-percent to small establishments.

The lawmakers say the changes will help build greater food supply chain resilience by dealing with the economic disincentive that is now in place for small meatpackers to work longer hours. They say it would help level the playing field between small and large establishments and the increased processing capacity would give livestock producers more options to market their animals.

Senators Pat Roberts of Kansas and Michael Bennett of Colorado were also co-sponsors of the measure.

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