Text: SSB01187 Text: SSB01189 Text: SSB01100 - SSB01199 Text: SSB Index Bills and Amendments: General Index Bill History: General Index
PAG LIN 1 1 SENATE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION NO. ___ 1 2 (BY PROPOSED COMMITTEE ON AGRICULTURE 1 3 RESOLUTION BY CHAIRPERSON GASKILL) 1 4 A Concurrent Resolution relating to the livestock 1 5 industry, by requesting that the United States 1 6 Congress take actions necessary to stabilize the 1 7 agricultural economy and to request that the 1 8 United States Department of Justice investigate 1 9 unfair practices by meatpackers. 1 10 WHEREAS, agricultural production has traditionally been the 1 11 foundation of this nation's economic prosperity, providing the 1 12 basis for a system of production unmatched in the world for 1 13 its abundant and efficient production of food, feed grains, 1 14 and animal products, which contributes billions of dollars in 1 15 revenue each year to the nation's economy from export sales; 1 16 and 1 17 WHEREAS, the production and processing of livestock, 1 18 including swine and cattle, represent key components of this 1 19 nation's prosperity, by providing numerous value-added food 1 20 and other products upon which this nation depends; and 1 21 WHEREAS, the state of Iowa is the leading livestock- 1 22 producing state in the nation, with production revenue 1 23 contributing more than 25 percent of Iowa family cash farm 1 24 income; and 1 25 WHEREAS, the livestock industry faces a threat to its 1 26 economic viability, a crisis caused by disastrously low prices 1 27 and a system of marketing that increasingly relies on 1 28 marketing contracts and that may be exasperated by inadequate 1 29 meatpacking capacity and suspected unfair practices engaged in 1 30 by meatpackers; and 1 31 WHEREAS, losses of several billions of dollars in 1998 may 1 32 force thousands of family farm livestock producers out of 1 33 business and may threaten the cherished position of the small 1 34 independent producer in the agricultural economy; and 1 35 WHEREAS, the practice of contract care and feeding of swine 2 1 and cattle is contrary to the traditional system of the open 2 2 market's universal price disclosure that most efficiently 2 3 ensures that price is a product of supply and demand; NOW 2 4 THEREFORE, 2 5 BE IT RESOLVED BY THE SENATE, THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 2 6 CONCURRING, That the United States Congress is requested to 2 7 approve emergency financial assistance payments to family farm 2 8 swine and cattle producers and funding for loan guarantee 2 9 programs and interest rate buydown programs administered by 2 10 the United States Department of Agriculture; and 2 11 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That the United States Congress, 2 12 the President of the United States, and the United States 2 13 Secretary of Agriculture take all necessary actions in order 2 14 to study the marketing practices of meatpackers, including 2 15 obtaining information regarding marketing contracts executed 2 16 between meatpackers and producers, and that the United States 2 17 Department of Agriculture prepare a report regarding the 2 18 information and its findings for publication; and 2 19 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That the United States Congress, 2 20 the President of the United States, and the United States 2 21 Secretary of Agriculture, and the United States Department of 2 22 Justice cooperate in order to amend the current federal 2 23 Packers and Stockyards Act to address current market practices 2 24 by meatpackers and pursue antitrust actions as necessary; and 2 25 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That a copy of this Resolution be 2 26 sent by the Secretary of the Senate to the President of the 2 27 United States; the United States Secretary of Agriculture; the 2 28 Administrator of the Grain Inspection, Packers and Stockyards 2 29 Administration, United States Department of Agriculture; the 2 30 President of the Senate of the United States; the United 2 31 States Attorney General; the Speaker of the House of 2 32 Representatives of the United States; the Chairperson of the 2 33 United States Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and 2 34 Forestry; the Chairperson of the United States House of 2 35 Representatives Committee on Agriculture; and members of 3 1 Iowa's congressional delegation. 3 2 LSB 3119SC 78 3 3 da/cf/24
Text: SSB01187 Text: SSB01189 Text: SSB01100 - SSB01199 Text: SSB Index Bills and Amendments: General Index Bill History: General Index
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