USDA and DOJ Announce Agenda for Livestock Workshop


The US Department of Agriculture and the Department of Justice announced the agenda for the livestock competition workshop to be held in Fort Collins, CO on August 27, 2010, according to a press release.

The workshop "will begin with opening remarks and a roundtable discussion including U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder, U.S. Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack and Assistant Attorney General for the Justice Department's Antitrust Division Christine Varney."  Other state attorney generals and representatives will join the discussion.  There will be three panels "composed of ranchers, farmers, academics, and other industry stakeholders."  Three hours will be dedicated to public testimony.

The workshop and testimony will likely focus on the proposed rules published by the Grain Inspection, Packers and Stockyards Administration (GIPSA) recently.  These proposed rules have created discussion in the livestock industry and Congress over fairness, competition, and transparency.  To read past US Ag&Food Law and Policy blog posts on these issues, click here, and here, and here.

Those wishing to participate in the workshop can register here.

For the full agenda and press release, click here.

Posted: 08/24/2010