USDA: Protect Poultry Farmers!

Congress enacted the Packers and Stockyards Act (PSA) in 1921 to protect farmers, ranchers, and consumers from the anti-competitive stranglehold that large corporations had over meat and poultry markets.

But now, the USDA is prioritizing the profits and interests of poultry companies over farmers by delaying the effective date for one of the PSA final rules that determines how poultry companies pay chicken farmers.

It’s past time for increased transparency and fairness in the poultry industry.

Submit your comment urging USDA to protect poultry farmers from unfair practices at the hands of Big Ag.

Your Message

Jeana

Harbison

USDA

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The Packers & Stockyards Act was passed over 100 years ago to protect ranchers and farmers from abuse at the hands of powerful corporations. Those protections are needed today more than ever.

I urge you NOT to delay the Packers & Stockyard Act poultry contracting and tournament system rule.

If USDA follows through with the proposed delay, you’ll be hanging poultry farmers out to dry who have been waiting decades for meaningful Packers & Stockyard Act protections. 
The rule will protect farmers in the following ways:
·   Reduced income variability where a larger percentage of expected compensation will likely be based on fixed non-performance pay;
·   Transparency around, completeness in, and reasonable performance under contracts that will reduce the potential for deception and unfairness;
·   Less vulnerability to intentional harm due to deception, retaliation, or bad faith by LPDs, where AMS and enforcement bodies can more easily evaluate grower complaints and compare LPD actions against stated policies and procedures for ensuring fair comparison;
·   Safeguards to prevent growers from being substantially disadvantaged by unintentional or inadvertent outcomes;
·   Compensation for individual growers that will more closely match the level of individual grower effort, skill, and investment relative to other growers;
·   Effective methods of dispute resolution;
·   An end to additional capital investments that cause unavoidable harms;
·   Reduced information asymmetry that contributes to inefficient investment and resource allocation decisions;
·   Reduced cost to growers of identifying and qualifying manufacturers and vendors when making capital investments;
·   Greater likelihood that growers will realize benefits of additional capital investment
·   Reduced likelihood of costly errors caused by miscommunication and misunderstand and increased likelihood that growers will be able to correctly implement additional capital investments;
·   Greater ability for growers and AMS to effectuate rights under the Packers & Stockyards Act through earlier identification of unfair practices.

It’s long past time to rein in Big Ag’s abusive practices and ensure that the rule takes effect this summer to protect farmers as intended.

Sincerely,
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{user_data~City}, {user_data~State} {user_data~Ghost Zip Code}

Sincerely,
[First Name] [Last Name]
[Your Address]

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