Further delaying a much-anticipated and necessary set of protections for family farmers and ranchers, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has pushed back the effective date and comment periods for the three Farmer Fair Practices Rules.
National Farmers Union (NFU) President Roger Johnson released the following statement in response to today’s announcement:
“Family farmers and ranchers have been waiting on the protections provided by the Farmer Fair Practices Rules for far too long, enduring heavily concentrated markets and the unfair practices associated with lack of competition. After having been delayed and obstructed for the past seven years, it’s time to end the unnecessary delays to the Farmer Fair Practices Rules and allow these basic protections to be finalized.
“Despite the contention of some who have consistently opposed the increased transparency and basic protections these rules offer, the Farmer Fair Practices Rules are not some ‘midnight rule’ of the Obama Administration. They are the culmination of nearly a decade of work, having been provided for in the 2008 Farm Bill and undergone the full regulatory process. The USDA went to extensive lengths to ensure public comment was considered and Congress’s intent was realized, only to be blocked by riders stuck on appropriations bills in the middle of the night.
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