The House Appropriations Committee late yesterday passed a 2012 Appropriations Bill that includes language to prevent the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) from finalizing the livestock marketing rule proposed by the Grain Inspection, Packers and Stockyards Administration (GIPSA) in June 2010.

The House bill now moves to the full House of Representatives for action.

The GIPSA rule was proposed on June 22, 2010. The proposal generated nearly 60,000 comments and extensive controversy.

It was developed without an in-depth government economic analysis; one is underway but has not yet been completed.

A private analysis by John Dunham & Associates that was commissioned by the American Meat Institute projects the rule could cost $14 billion and 104,000 jobs. The analysis also projects that consumers would see higher prices for lower quality meat and poultry products.

Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack recently rejected a bipartisan request by Congress to rescind the rule and repropose the rule to follow congressional wishes in the 2008 Farm Bill.