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Grassley says proposed cattle market bill represents his constituents
US Senator Chuck Grassley of Iowa says he’ll continue to push for progress on his cattle market transparency bill despite calls from American Farm Bureau to revise it. “First of all, I represent Iowa and Fischer represents Nebraska,” he says. Both the Iowa Farm Bureau and the Nebraska Farm Bureau, and our beef associations support our bill. We represent our people.”
During his weekly call with reporters, Grassley said the regional approach in the proposed bill allows for flexibility. “If you want to still contract, you can do that under our bill, but there ought to be some leeway,” he says. “So that the family farmer, the independent producer, the person and wants to negotiate daily challenge can get a market, too.”
And, he says the biggest push-back on the bill is coming from the large commercial feedlots. “I would just hope that the National Beef Association, or whatever their official title is, would want to speak for Iowa family farmers, as much as they want to speak for the big commercial feedlots,” he says.
Last week the American Farm Bureau announced its membership voted and decided it would not support mandated trade volume, a shift from its previous position.
The National Cattlemen’s Beef Association meets in Houston, Texas next week, where its members will also set policy.
