The Senate Agriculture Committee is expected this week to approve proposals aimed at weakening the market power of meatpackers but have long divided producers.
The Cattle Price Discovery and Transparency Act would authorize the Agriculture Department to mandate minimum levels of cash trading in cattle, while the Meat and Poultry Special Investigator Act would create a new office in USDA’s Packers and Stockyards Division to probe allegations of unfair marketing practices.
Arkansas Sen. John Boozman, the ranking Republican on the Senate Agriculture Committee, acknowledged the committee was likely to approve both bills over his opposition.
The House passed a version of the special investigator bill last week as part of a package of measures Democrats argue would lower food and fuel costs. But it’s not clear when or if either of the Senate bills will get floor votes.
Asked about the floor prospects if the committee approves the bills, Senate Ag Chair Debbie Stabenow, D-Mich., said “we’ll see what the process is from there.”
The lead sponsor of the Cattle Price Discovery and Transparency Act, Sen. Deb Fischer, R-Neb., has said she hopes the full Senate will consider her measure this fall.
It is unusual for Congress to pass farm-related legislation that divides ag groups. The American Farm Bureau Federation opposes the cash trade mandates and has raised concerns about the investigator bill.
The National Cattlemen’s Beef Association opposes both bills, but the U.S. Cattlemen’s Association supports them.
Also this week, the Supreme Court could announce as soon as Tuesday whether it will hear oral arguments in a case involving Roundup herbicide.
The court has been considering a petition submitted by Bayer that is backed by dozens of farm groups, conservative legal foundations and the U.S. Chamber of Commerce. At issue is whether states can require wording on pesticide labels that differs from what is required by federal regulations.
The technical issue is whether the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide and Rodenticide Act preempts state tort law claims like in thousands of cases brought by plaintiffs alleging exposure to Roundup caused their cancer. Monsanto and its supporters argue FIFRA expressly prohibits “any requirements for labeling or packaging in addition to or different from those required” by FIFRA.
On Wednesday, the House Agriculture Committee will hold another of its farm bill hearings, this time focusing on dairy programs.
Then on Saturday, the committee will have a regional listening session in College, Arizona, hosted by Rep. Tom O’Halleran, D-Ariz., and chaired by House Agriculture General Farm Commodities and Risk Management Subcommittee Chairwoman Cheri Bustos, D-Ill. Another listening session is scheduled for July in California.
The House Appropriations Committee on Thursday will debate its fiscal 2023 spending bill for USDA, Food and Drug Administration and the Commodity Futures Trading Commission.
Total discretionary spending in the Agriculture bill — the amount of funding subject to annual appropriations bills — is 8% higher than what Congress ultimately approved for FY22, which ends Sept. 30.
The spending level is certain to be cut significantly before it reaches President Joe Biden’s desk: Senate Republicans are expected to delay reaching a deal on FY23 spending levels until after the 2023 elections.
House appropriators also will begin this week moving spending bills for the Interior Department, Environmental Protection Agency, Labor Department and other departments and agencies important to agriculture.
Here is a list of agriculture- or rural-related events scheduled for this week in Washington and elsewhere (all times EDT):
Monday, June 20
Federal Juneteenth holiday.
Tuesday, June 21
3:30 p.m. EPA and the Army Corps of Engineers hold virtual Northeast-focused roundtable on the “waters of the U.S.” rule.
4 p.m. — House Interior-Environment Appropriations Subcommittee meeting to consider its fiscal 2023 spending bill, 2359 Rayburn.
4 p.m. — USDA releases weekly Crop Progress report.
5:30 p.m. — House Energy-Water Appropriations Subcommittee meeting to consider its FY23 spending bill, 2359 Rayburn.
Wednesday, June 22
9:30 a.m. — Senate Agriculture Committee meeting to consider S. 3870, the Meat and Poultry Special Investigator Act of 2022 and S. 4030, the Cattle Price Discovery and Transparency Act of 2022, 106 Dirksen.
9:30 a.m. — Senate Commerce-Justice-Science Appropriations Subcommittee hearing with U.S. Trade Representative Katherine Tai, 192 Dirksen.
10 a.m. — House Agriculture Committee hearing on farm bill dairy programs, 1300 Longworth.
5 p.m. — House State-Foreign Operations Appropriations Subcommittee meeting to consider its FY23 spending bill, 2359 Rayburn.
7 p.m. — House Commerce-Justice-Science Appropriations Subcommittee meeting to consider its FY23 spending bill, 2359 Rayburn.
Thursday, June 23
8:30 a.m. — USDA releases Weekly Export Sales report.
10 a.m. — House Appropriations Committee meeting to consider the FY23 Agriculture spending bill, 1100 Longworth.
10:30 a.m. — House Agriculture subcommittee hearing, “The Future of Digital Asset Regulation,” 1300 Longworth.
4 p.m. — House Transportation-HUD Appropriations Subcommittee meeting to consider its FY23 spending bill, 2359 Rayburn.
5:30 p.m. — House Labor-HHS Appropriations Subcommittee meeting to consider its FY23 spending bill, 2359 Rayburn.
Friday, June 24
9 a.m. — House Appropriations Committee meeting to consider its FY23 Homeland Security, Financial Services and General Government spending bills, 1100 Longworth.
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