NCBA Vice President Testifies Before House Ag Committee

Oct 12, 2021

The U.S. House Committee on Agriculture held a hearing yesterday to review the state of the livestock industry. Witnesses included U.S. Sen. Charles Grassley, U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack and NCBA Vice President Todd Wilkinson, a rancher from South Dakota, who was among a panel of livestock producers who testified. Wilkinson said Congress needs to focus on incentivizing expansion of packing capacity and avoid mandates that could interfere with producers’ choice in marketing their cattle. He also cautioned Congress against adopting the Biden administration’s attempt to repeal stepped-up basis and force recognition of capital gains at death.

In addition, Kansas Congressman Tracey Mann questioned Vilsack about the legality of USDA’s announced intention to remove harm to competition as a requirement to prove a violation of section 202 of the Packers and Stockyards Act (PSA). Mann raised the concern that removing the harm to competition requirement would convert PSA from a tool to ensure equal opportunity to one that ensures equal outcomes.

Click here to see more...

Video: Secure Pork Supply Plan | Prepare to Protect Your Herd | U.S. Pork Producers

Join Jill Brokaw, a third-generation pig farmer, as she dives into the vital role of the Secure Pork Supply (SPS) Plan in preparing the U.S. pork industry for potential foreign animal disease outbreaks. This video is an essential watch for pork producers who are looking to safeguard their operations against the threats of diseases like foot and mouth disease, classical swine fever, and African swine fever. Why Should Pork Producers Care? An outbreak of foreign animal diseases in the U.S. could lead to severe restrictions and potentially result in industry-wide financial losses estimated between $15 to $100 billion. The SPS Plan is a collective effort to prevent such catastrophic outcomes by enhancing biosecurity, ensuring animal traceability, and promoting effective disease monitoring.