[Congressional Record Volume 142, Number 103 (Friday, July 12, 1996)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1268]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




              THE CATTLE INDUSTRY IMPROVEMENT ACT OF 1996

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                           HON. EARL POMEROY

                            of north dakota

                    in the house of representatives

                        Thursday, July 11, 1996

  Mr. POMEROY. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to join my colleagues in 
introducing a vital piece of legislation designed to restore 
competition and fairness to our Nation's livestock producers. The 
Cattle Industry Improvement Act of 1996 represents the results of 
suggestions from farmers and ranchers from across the country and 
especially North Dakota. This bill consolidates the efforts that have 
been underway to address the livestock market conditions that have 
cattle producers receiving the lowest price for their livestock since 
the Great Depression. In North Dakota, farm income levels have dropped 
over 20 percent over the past year, mostly due to drops in livestock 
prices. Congress must act now to preserve a way of life that has been a 
backbone of this Nation since its beginning.
  First and foremost, this bill seeks to lift the cloak of darkness 
that surrounds so much of the beef industry today by limiting 
noncompetitive captive supply arrangements and mandating price 
reporting for cattle sold in the United States. Supply and demand in 
the free market cannot work if the prices for the majority of cattle 
slaughtered in this country are never reported. Information is power 
and our ranchers should have access to the same price information as 
the giant packers. This bill would give the Secretary of Agriculture 
explicit authority to require price reporting on all cattle 
transactions.
  Another provision of this bill would require the Secretary of 
Agriculture to develop a labeling program to let consumers know the 
origin of the beef they purchase at the meat counter. This bill would 
require beef of American origin to be labeled as such. Consumers can go 
to the store and know where their shoes, shirts, and toys come from but 
not their beef. American consumers want to help their rancher neighbors 
but right now consumers have no idea if their meat comes from 
Dickinson, Canada or Mexico.
  This bill also directs the Secretary to make funds available from the 
fund for rural America to new value-added cooperatives designed to help 
producers access new markets. These cooperatives are examples of a new 
pioneer spirit taking root across the Nation to produce high-quality 
beef products and carve out high-value niche markets. This bill would 
give them a financial boost to make these ventures a reality.
  The most important aspect of this bill is that it represents a 
bipartisan effort to help out the Nations struggling livestock 
producers. The bill enjoys support from across the political spectrum. 
This is the right thing to do and the time to do it is now before one 
more rancher is forced to liquidate his or her herd. I urge my 
colleagues to support passage of this vital piece of legislation.

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