Senate passes farm bill

Daily News Update, Dec. 14, 2007

Senate passes Farm Bill

Senate passed the Farm Bill by a vote of 79-14 today. The bill will now head to conference committee where House and Senate conferees will work out differences between the two versions.

TSCRA and NCBA will continue to work to get the ban on packer ownership of cattle removed from the bill in conference committee. This provision was left in the Senate version, but does not exist in the House version.

Packer ownership has improved the quality of beef to create a more consumer-driven product and has made ranchers more profitable and efficient. A ban on packer ownership removes choices for cattlemen in the marketing of their cattle and could erode valuable programs and alliances.

These innovative programs create market opportunities and price management tools that offer more flexibility than traditional methods. Packer ownership allows producers to have a guaranteed buyer and a price they can live with, which places them more in control of their business.

The amendment that Sen. Grassley had planned on offering in regards to the USDA special investigative counsel and task force was ruled to be not germane to the bill and was pulled down.

The Country-of-Origin Labeling (COOL) language remained intact in the Senate bill. This language relaxes the records required from cattlemen to prove country of origin set to take effect in Sept. 2008. Under the passed language, a person subject to audit may use records maintained in the normal course of business (including animal health papers, import or customs documents, and producer affidavits) to verify origin.

In addition, USDA may not require a person to keep records other than those maintained in the normal course of business.

TSCRA and NCBA are working to get the grandfather provision extended as well so that product derived from an animal in the U.S. on or before July 1, 2008 shall be designated U.S. origin. This amendment is being pursued through the omnibus appropriations bill that will be on the Senate floor next week.