The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Grain Inspection, Packers and Stockyards Administration (GIPSA) today announced controversial regulations in the waning days of the Obama administration that threaten to upend the structure of the livestock and poultry industries, raise the price of meat/poultry and cost jobs in rural America. The “GIPSA rules” include an interim final rule on competitive injury and two proposed rules about undue preference and the poultry grower ranking system. All three rules have a 60-day public comment period.
National Chicken Council President Mike Brown released the following statement in response to the release of the rules:
“The vast majority of chicken farmers in rural America are happy and prosper raising chickens in partnership with companies, and they don’t want the government meddling on their farms and telling them how they should run their businesses. Business under the current contract structure has given thousands and thousands of farm families the opportunity to live in rural America and operate profitable businesses that allowed them to build nice homes, expand other aspects of their farm enterprises and put their children through college. Read More