WASHINGTON (May 26, 2016) – Leaders of the cattle, chicken, pork and turkey industries testified during a U.S. Senate Ag Committee hearing: A Review of the U.S. Livestock and Poultry Sectors: Marketplace Opportunities and Challenges”.
Panelists representing the U.S. beef cattle industry included: Mr. Joe Goggins, Vice President Vermilion Ranch Co., Public Auction Yards, Billings Livestock Commission Co., Western Livestock Auction and Northern Livestock Video Auction, testified on behalf of the U.S. Cattlemen’s Association; Mr. Tracy Brunner, President, National Cattlemen's Beef Association.
Other panelists included: Mr. Ronald Truex, Chairman, United Egg Producers; Dr. Howard Hill, Past President, National Pork Producers Council; and Mr. John Zimmerman, Producer, National Turkey Federation/Minnesota Turkey Growers Association.
Both Goggins and Brunner addressed the many opportunities in the U.S. beef cattle industry and they shared their similar concerns about the recent cattle market volatility and its long term impact on producers and rural economies.
Opening statement from Tracy Brunner:
Kansas Republican Pat Roberts is the Senate Ag Committee Chairman and shared his similar concern with those who testified and expressed his appreciation for them testifying.
North Dakota Senator Heidi Heitkamp is a member of the Senate Ag Committee and asked both Joe Goggins and Tracy Brunner for how they would fix the current cattle market volatility.
Brunner stressed to the committee members “We’re not asking the Senate to intervene in our contracts; we’re asking the Senate to play their role in expanding market access and ensuring we are not regulated out of business.”
Goggins reiterated a concluding point from his testimony, “We look forward to working with everyone in the livestock industry to examine the fundamentals and functions of the cattle market in order to bring back competition, transparency, and true price discovery.
Source: Russell Nemetz-Northern Ag Network
