From staff reports OKLAHOMA CITY – Ethan Lane, vice president of governmental affairs for the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association, recently spoke out about the USDA’s Fair and Competitive Livestock and Poultry Markets Rule proposed June 25. The proposal is championed by Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack.
During the Cattle Industry Summer Business Meeting in San Diego, California, Lane called the proposal more of the same from Vilsack.
The rule aims to “tackle longstanding challenges around interpretations of unfairness and competitive injury for the livestock, meat, and poultry sectors,” according to the USDA press release. “This will support farmers and growers, and continues President Biden’s work to lower food costs for consumers.”
Lane believes the rule is a political maneuver for Washington.
“This administration is not doing well in the polls,” Lane said. “That leads to the White House looking inward and trying to figure out what is resonating with the consumers, or the voters. They really latched on to this is a means of lowering grocery store prices.
“You are looking for a final rule by the end of this year which coincides with what is shaping up to be a fairly contentious lame-duck session, and the end of this Congress and perhaps the end of this presidency. There is very little oxygen left in the room for any rulemaking like this.”
Despite that, Lane said the Fairness Proposal applauds sameness over success or innovation in the marketplace.
“They celebrate equality of outcome, which is not what our member- passed policy tells us that we are looking for,” he explained. “We are looking for the ability to differentiate product in the marketplace and seek those premiums and increase quality.”
Lane noted that the issue could be influenced by the Chevron Deference ruling.