livestock producers

"It's an extraordinary set of complex factors to be examined when we talk about the livestock industry in the United States," Ag Secretary Tom Vilsack recently told House lawmakers as he addressed a review of the livestock industry, as well as current and future challenges ...

On Thursday, lawmakers on the House Agriculture Committee held another hearing on livestock market issues, hearing from producers, packers, Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack and other lawmakers. Scott Bennett, American Farm Bureau Federation Congressional Relations Director, said the hearing included testimony from Iowa Senator Chuck Grassley ...

Many agree that additional processing capacity within the livestock sector is needed to address current issues within the industry. But as Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack recently told the house Agriculture Committee, other forms of assistance are available from USDA, or are being developed ...

The USDA says it’s working on a trio of proposed rules to support enforcement of the Packers and Stockyards Act. How could these proposals impact the farming community? “First, USDA is proposing a new rule that will provide greater clarity to strengthen the enforcement of unfair and deceptive practices, undue preferences, and unjust prejudices," said American Farm Bureau Federation economist

Back to 2011, as Ag Secretary, Tom Vilsack said. "Livestock and poultry marketplaces now only become more concentrated they've become vertically integrated and with that there is the risk of folks being treated unfairly" And so he announced rules to correct that ...

Earlier this week, the North American Meat Institute defended its members against allegations of wrongdoing in the cattle market. The response follows a closed-door meeting between livestock and farm groups focusing on ways to improve cattle market transparency and a letter from Republican lawmakers to the Department of Justice ...

As restaurants and other parts of the food service sector begin to operate somewhat normally again. And that goes for all products to some extent, noted USDA Outlook Board Chairman, Mark Jekanowski, not just beef. Rewind the clock to just before the pandemic, restaurants, schools, and hotels open for normal business and then "The supply chain's got this big hiccup with COVID when everyone st

Earlier this week, lawmakers from South Dakota led an effort urging the Department of Justice to continue its investigation into the nation’s four biggest meatpackers. Republican Senator John Thune and Republican Representative Dusty Johnson also requested that DOJ provide Congress with updates. The ...

Count Idaho among the growing number of states in need of additional meat processing capacity. Idaho Cattle Association Executive Vice President Cameron Mulrony said as more reports and data regarding the pandemic's impact on the industry are published, it's becoming very apparent that more hook space is needed ...

As Bob Cervera points out, a look back before looking ahead is a good thing for cattle producers. If you have a story idea for the PNW Ag Network, call (509) 547-1618, or e-mail gvaagen@cherrycreekmedia.com