BILL REAUTHORIZING PRICE REPORTING LAW ADVANCES
The House Agriculture Committee Wednesday approved legislation to reauthorize the law requiring meat packers to report to the U.S. Department of Agriculture the prices they pay producers for animals. The committee passed H.R. 5852, sponsored by panel Chairman Collin Peterson, D-Minn., to reauthorize for five years the Livestock Mandatory Reporting Act, which is set to expire Sept. 30. The committee bill also adds to the reporting law provisions requiring reporting of pork exports – by price and volume – and of wholesale pork cuts. Companion Senate legislation, sponsored by Agriculture Committee Chairwoman Blanche Lincoln, D-Ark., and Ranking Member Saxby Chambliss, R-Ga., was introduced Tuesday. The last time the price reporting law was reauthorized – in September 2006 – three enhancements to the pork reporting provisions were added. They added more sows to the pricing reports to more accurately reflect the sales and prices paid in the sow market, changed the timing for data reporting to help USDA with its workload and increase report accuracy and efficiency and allowed USDA to publish price distributions for net prices to provide more useful information. NPPC strongly supports the five-year reauthorization of the livestock price reporting law.

COMMENT PERIOD ON PROPOSED GIPSA LIVESTOCK MARKETING RULE EXTENDED
The U.S. Department of Agriculture this week extended the public comment period for its proposed rule on the buying and selling of livestock and poultry. While it welcomed the extension, NPPC said the proposed rule will be a disaster for producers. USDA Monday announced a 90-day extension of the public comment period on the regulation that implements sections of the 2008 Farm Bill and amends the Packers and Stockyards Act. The new comment period deadline is Nov. 22. According to a review by NPPC’s legal team, the rule would effectively dictate the terms of contracts, restrict marketing arrangements, require reams of paperwork, create legal uncertainty and limit producers’ ability to negotiate better prices for the animals they sell. In addition to the extension, USDA issued a “misconception and answer” document on the rule, in an attempt to clarify six provisions. The explanatory document does not reflect the “plain language” found in the proposed rule, moving further away from the original intent of Congress. For more information on the USDA rule, visit NPPC’s Website at www.nppc.org.

BIPARTISAN CHESAPEAKE BAY RESTORATION AND IMPROVEMENT ACT PASSES
A bi-partisan bill to give farmers and ranchers in the Chesapeake Bay region additional tools to help them meet regulatory requirements imposed on them by the Environmental Protection Agency was approved by the House Agriculture Committee this week. H.R. 5509, the “Chesapeake Bay Restoration and Improvement Act,” would help farmers as well as their communities in the bay’s watershed. NPPC Wednesday sent a letter supporting H.R. 5509 to House Agriculture Subcommittee on Conservation Chairman Tim Holden, D-Pa., and Ranking Member Bob Goodlatte, R-Va. To view the letter, click the following link: Coalition letter of support for H.R. 5509.

HOUSE AGRICULTURE COMMITTEE APPROVES VETERINARY SERVICES BILL
The House Agriculture Committee this week approved bi-partisan legislation, H.R.3519, the “Veterinarian Services Investment Act,” sponsored by Rep. Adrian Smith, R-Neb., that would direct the Secretary of Agriculture to establish a grant program to “develop, implement and sustain” veterinary service to help relieve a shortage of veterinarians. The program would include recruitment efforts and financial aid for veterinary students. There has been no action on a similar Senate bill, S. 3621, sponsored Sen. Tim Johnson, D-S.D. NPPC strongly supports the legislation.

LAWMAKERS QUESTION EPA ON ETHANOL BLEND RATE
In a letter sent this week to EPA Administrator Lisa Jackson, House Energy and Commerce Committee Chairman Henry Waxman, D-Calif., and Ranking Member Joe Barton, R-Texas, and Energy and Environment Subcommittee Chairman Edward Markey, D-Mass., and Ranking Member Fred Upton, R-Mich., asked what the agency is doing to ensure that increasing to 15 percent from 10 percent the amount of ethanol that can be blended into gasoline won’t harm air quality, vehicle engines and other equipment and small business owners’ investments in gas stations. Ethanol producers petitioned EPA to raise the blend rate, and the agency is expected act on the request in the coming months. NPPC opposes a rate increase, which would necessitate the use of more corn, driving up costs of corn for feed.

WHAT’S AHEAD

HOUSE BEGINS AUGUST RECESS
The House today wrapped up its legislative business and began a month-long recess. The Senate is expected to begin its summer recess next Friday. Congress is set to return for regular business on Sept. 13