Livestock groups welcomed a delay by the Donald Trump administration to an interim final rule under GIPSA, the Grain Inspection, Packers and Stockyards Administration. A notice in Wednesday’s Federal Register will indicate the Department of Agriculture is delaying the April 22nd effective date for the interim final rule by 180 days and setting a 60-day comment period from April 12th to June 10th on whether to further delay or withdraw the rule. The National Pork Producers Council said the regulation “likely would restrict the buying and selling of livestock, lead to consolidation of the livestock industry, putting farmers out of business and increase consumer prices for meat.” NPPC, along with the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association and others, is calling on the Trump Administration to withdraw the rule. The National Chicken Council applauded the delay, saying the rules would “inflict billions of dollars of economic harm to American agriculture.” Senate Agriculture Chairman Pat Roberts of Kansas also welcomed the delay, saying the rule “ignored the comments submitted by thousands of cattle producers in opposition to the rule.”
From the National Association of Farm Broadcasting news service.