{"id":58383,"date":"2024-03-05T13:25:08","date_gmt":"2024-03-05T18:25:08","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/sustainableagriculture.net\/?p=58383"},"modified":"2024-03-05T13:42:54","modified_gmt":"2024-03-05T18:42:54","slug":"release-nsac-applauds-final-rule-on-inclusive-competition-and-market-integrity-under-the-packers-and-stockyards-act","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/sustainableagriculture.net\/blog\/release-nsac-applauds-final-rule-on-inclusive-competition-and-market-integrity-under-the-packers-and-stockyards-act\/","title":{"rendered":"Release: NSAC Applauds Final Rule on Inclusive Competition and Market Integrity Under the Packers and Stockyards Act"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Contact: Laura Zaks<\/p>\n\n\n\n

National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition<\/p>\n\n\n\n

press@sustainableagriculture.net <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Tel. 347.563.6408<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Release: NSAC Applauds Final Rule on Inclusive Competition and Market Integrity under the Packers and Stockyards Act<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Washington, DC, March 5, 2024<\/em> \u2013 Today, the National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition (NSAC) applauded Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack for the publication of a final rule: Inclusive Competition and Market Integrity Under the Packers and Stockyards Act<\/a>. This is the final policy from USDA to modernize the Packers and Stockyards Act (P&SA) following a public comment period to a proposed rule<\/a> in 2022, a process set in-motion by President Biden\u2019s Executive Order on Promoting Competition in the American Economy<\/a>.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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\u201cThis is an important and long-awaited step to protect the rights and agency of livestock and poultry producers,\u201d <\/em>said Billy Hackett, NSAC Policy Specialist<\/strong>. <\/strong>\u201cThe deceptive and unfair tactics of corporate integrators in recent decades \u2013 tactics that writers of the century-old P&SA could not have predicted \u2013 have led to many instances of discrimination and retaliation or otherwise imbalanced contractual relationships against producers who until now had no explicit protections or avenues for recourse.<\/em>\u201d  <\/em><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

The final rule addresses many ways that livestock and poultry markets unfairly exclude producers or otherwise limit their ability to obtain the full value of their animals. Notably, USDA chose to forgo protections for \u201cmarket vulnerable individuals<\/a>,\u201d a novel and expansive category included in the proposed rule that may have protected growers whose ability to compete fairly was impeded in a highly concentrated marketplace on those grounds. Instead, protections are explicitly outlined for growers on the basis of protected class and cooperative formation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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\u201cThe release of today\u2019s final rule is worthy of particular applause given the recent high-profile <\/em>attempts by lawmakers<\/em><\/a> to sink USDA\u2019s efforts to strengthen the P&SA,<\/em>\u201d continued Hackett<\/strong>. <\/em>\u201cIt\u2019s affirming to see the federal government stand firmly on the side of our country\u2019s farmers and ranchers to promote healthy competition in the market, and we urge members of Congress to remain steadfast at their side.<\/em>\u201d <\/em><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

In full, the newest Packers and Stockyards Act final rule will: <\/p>\n\n\n\n