P. Scott Shearer, Vice President

June 25, 2012

1 Min Read
Livestock Farm Bill Amendments

The livestock, poultry and meat industries were successful in the Senate version of the farm bill.  Two amendments that were of major concern were not considered.  They were Senator Chuck Grassley’s (R-IA) amendment to ban packers from owning, controlling or feeding livestock 14 days prior to slaughter and Senator Diane Feinstein’s amendment to regulate egg housing.  This is the first time since 2002 that the Senate farm bill has not included a packer ban provision.  Other amendments that were a concern but were defeated included: 1) Senator Jim DeMint’s (R-SC) amendment to prohibit mandatory or compulsory check off programs: 2) Senator Bernie Sanders (I-VT) amendment to permit states to require that any food, beverage or other edible product offered for sale have a label indicating if the product contained a genetically engineered ingredient; and 3) Senator Tom Coburn’s (R-OK) amendment that would have reduced funding for the Market Access Program (MAP) by 20%.  

About the Author(s)

P. Scott Shearer

Vice President, Bockorny Group, Inc.

Scott Shearer is vice president of the Bockorny Group Inc., a leading bipartisan government affairs consulting firm in Washington, D.C. With more than 30 years experience in government and corporate relations in state and national arenas, he is recognized as a leader in agricultural trade issues, having served as co-chairman of the Agricultural Coalition for U.S.-China Trade and co-chairman of the Agricultural Coalition for Trade Promotion Authority. Scott was instrumental in the passage of China Permanent Normal Trade Relations and TPA. He is past chairman of the USDA-USTR Agricultural Technical Advisory Committee for Trade in Animals and Animal Products and was a member of the USAID Food Security Advisory Committee. Prior to joining the Bockorny Group, Scott served as director of national relations for Farmland Industries Inc., as well as USDA’s Deputy Assistant Secretary for Congressional Affairs (1993-96), serving as liaison for the Secretary of Agriculture and the USDA to Congress.

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