Senator’s from Northern Ag territory joined in a bipartisan letter asking U.S. Department of Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue to consider areas for regulatory and programmatic reform in the meat processing industry.
“When high-capacity processing facilities experienced outbreaks amongst employees, operations were forced to shut-off or slow down production, leaving the rancher with livestock they could not move and the consumer with either empty grocery shelves or overpriced products,” the senators wrote in a letter. “These pitfalls can be avoided in the future if we take action today to promote a diversified food supply chain. Regulations must be streamlined to remove barriers impeding small and medium-sized meat processors.”
The letter was led by U.S. Senator Kevin Cramer, R-ND, and also signed by Ron Wyden, D-OR, John Barrasso, R-WY, Doug Jones, D-AL, Mike Enzi, R-WY, John Hoeven, R-ND, and Steve Daines, R-MT.
The letter comes a week after Wyoming Congresswoman, Liz Cheney, and Representatives from West Virginia introduced a bill to open new markets for state-inspected meat, a companion bill to South Dakota Senator Mike Rounds’ legislation introduced a month ago.
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Wyoming Senate Delegation
Office of Montana Senator Steve Daines
Northern Ag Network
