Rep. David Rouzer (NC-7), Chairman of the House Agriculture Committee’s Subcommittee on Livestock and Foreign Agriculture, held a hearing to gather perspectives from key members of the livestock community as part of the committee’s hearing series on the next farm bill. Members of the committee heard from representatives of four major livestock producer groups who discussed the issues facing their respective industries as well as their priorities for the upcoming farm bill.
“From onerous federal rules and regulations to cattle fever ticks to foot-and-mouth disease, it’s no secret our nation’s livestock producers are facing numerous, serious challenges. As we gear up for the next farm bill, it is vital to hear firsthand how all of these issues impact the operations and production of our livestock and which USDA programs and initiatives are helpful in mitigating these harmful impacts so that we can make the necessary modifications to the next farm bill to alleviate some of the challenges our farm families and communities face,” said Subcommittee Chairman Rouzer.
“Beyond contending with the challenges of Mother Nature, including the devastating wildfires that spread across parts of Texas, Oklahoma, and Kansas over the past two weeks, livestock producers have also been plagued with a variety of ill-conceived regulatory burdens like the failed mandatory country-of-origin labeling experiment and the so-called GIPSA rules that threaten the unique marketing arrangements producers have worked so hard to develop. Beyond ensuring that producers have the tools they need to succeed, I am committed to working with industry and the administration to continue efforts to roll back these problematic regulations and to ensure new ones do not make their way into the next farm bill,” said House Agriculture Committee Chairman K. Michael Conaway.
Written testimony provided by the witnesses from today’s hearing is linked below. Click here for more information, including Subcommittee Chairman Rouzer’s opening statement and the archived webcast.
Witness List:
Panel I
Mr. Craig Uden, President, National Cattlemen’s Beef Association, Johnson Lake, NE
Mr. Carl Wittenburg, Chairman, National Turkey Federation, Alexandria, MN
Mr. Bob Buchholz, Region V Executive Board Representative, American Sheep Industry Association, Eldorado, TX
Mr. David Herring, Vice President, National Pork Producers Council, Newton Grove, NC