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PAG LIN 1 1 HOUSE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION NO. ___ 1 2 BY COMMITTEE ON AGRICULTURE 1 3 (SUCCESSOR TO HSB 142) 1 4 A Concurrent Resolution requesting that the United 1 5 States Congress take all action required to preserve 1 6 free and private enterprise, prevent monopoly, and 1 7 protect consumers by immediately enacting legislation 1 8 to prohibit livestock packers from owning, 1 9 controlling, or feeding livestock to such an 1 10 extent that producers can no longer materially 1 11 participate in the management of their livestock 1 12 operations as provided in Senate Bill 27 introduced 1 13 by the Honorable Senator Charles E. Grassley and 1 14 cosponsored by the Honorable Senator Tom Harkin 1 15 and others. 1 16 WHEREAS, the production and processing of livestock 1 17 represent a key component of this nation's food 1 18 security, welfare, and prosperity by providing an 1 19 abundant supply of value-added products upon which 1 20 this nation depends; and 1 21 WHEREAS, the State of Iowa is a leading livestock- 1 22 producing state in the nation, which has ranked among 1 23 the top third of states in red meat production and 1 24 which has for generations been the principal pork- 1 25 producing state in the nation; and 1 26 WHEREAS, the State of Iowa, like many neighboring 1 27 Midwestern states, has a long-standing public policy 1 28 of preserving farming, farmland, free enterprise, and 1 29 open access to markets for its independent livestock 1 30 producers; and 2 1 WHEREAS, the independence and vitality of livestock 2 2 producers in this state and in other agricultural 2 3 states are facing increasing anticompetitive forces in 2 4 the meat packing industry, which forces are 2 5 accelerating consolidation among companies and are 2 6 resulting in a growing prevalence by these 2 7 consolidated companies to integrate all aspects of 2 8 livestock production under their control from the farm 2 9 and ranch to the consumer's table; and 2 10 WHEREAS, these consolidated companies in the meat 2 11 packing industry have virtually unlimited means to 2 12 challenge long-standing legislative barriers designed 2 13 to preserve competition in agriculture for all 2 14 producers and consumers against the self-serving 2 15 practices of some of these companies; and 2 16 WHEREAS, this challenge to state statutes, if not 2 17 restrained by federal legislative action, threatens to 2 18 impair the independence and ingenuity of this nation's 2 19 family farmers and ranchers, to eliminate the 2 20 opportunity to exercise entrepreneurial and risk- 2 21 taking decisions that are at the core of what it means 2 22 to be a family farmer or family rancher, and to 2 23 endanger the viability of communities in which they 2 24 live; and 2 25 WHEREAS, the Honorable Senator Charles E. Grassley 2 26 and the Honorable Senator Tom Harkin from Iowa have 2 27 long and distinguished records defending independent 2 28 farmers and ranchers, the economies of local 2 29 communities, and the welfare of consumers by leading 2 30 congressional efforts to prohibit companies in the 3 1 meat packing industry from owning, controlling, or 3 2 feeding livestock to such an extent that livestock 3 3 producers no longer have an opportunity to materially 3 4 participate in the management of their operations; and 3 5 WHEREAS, during debate on the federal farm bill in 3 6 2002, the United States Senate approved amendments 3 7 sponsored by Senators Grassley and Harkin together 3 8 with the honorable Senator Tim Johnson from South 3 9 Dakota to ban the vertical integration of the meat 3 10 packing industry; and 3 11 WHEREAS, since the conference committee that 3 12 considered the federal farm bill eliminated the 3 13 protections offered by these amendments, consolidated 3 14 companies in the meat packing industry are now in a 3 15 position to use their captive supplies of livestock to 3 16 limit access to markets, to manipulate prices paid to 3 17 independent farmers and ranchers and charged to 3 18 consumers, and to devastate this nation's traditional 3 19 system of open and free markets; NOW THEREFORE, 3 20 BE IT RESOLVED BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, THE 3 21 SENATE CONCURRING, That the United States Congress is 3 22 urged to immediately enact Senate Bill 27, as 3 23 introduced by Senator Grassley and cosponsored by 3 24 Senator Harkin and others, which amends the federal 3 25 Packers and Stockyards Act, 1921 to prohibit livestock 3 26 packers from owning, controlling, or feeding livestock 3 27 to such an extent that livestock producers no longer 3 28 have the opportunity to materially participate in the 3 29 management of their operations; and 3 30 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That a copy of this 4 1 resolution be sent by the Chief Clerk of the House of 4 2 Representatives to the Honorable Senator Charles E. 4 3 Grassley and the Honorable Senator Tom Harkin, 4 4 together with Iowa's congressional delegation in the 4 5 House of Representatives; and 4 6 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That a copy of this 4 7 resolution be sent to the President of the Senate of 4 8 the United States; the Speaker of the House of 4 9 Representatives of the United States; the Chair of the 4 10 United States Senate Committee on Agriculture, 4 11 Nutrition, and Forestry; and the Chair of the United 4 12 States House of Representatives Committee on 4 13 Agriculture; and 4 14 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That a copy of this 4 15 resolution be sent to the President of the United 4 16 States; the Secretary of Agriculture, United States 4 17 Department of Agriculture; and the Administrator of 4 18 the Grain Inspection, Packers and Stockyards 4 19 Administration, United States Department of 4 20 Agriculture. 4 21 LSB 1749HV 80 4 22 da/sh/8
Text: HCR00011 Text: HCR00013 Text: HCR00000 - HCR00099 Text: HCR Index Bills and Amendments: General Index Bill History: General Index
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