The National Pork Producers Council (NPPC) is coordinating two webinar conferences for its Strategic Investment Program (SIP) participants to better understand the marketing rule proposed in June by USDA’s Grain Inspection, Packers and Stockyards Administration (GIPSA).

The rule covers marketing contracts, production contracts and other issues, and USDA has set the deadline for submitting comments at Nov. 22, 2010.

So that producers are aware of the provisions and potential impacts of this rule, NPPC has organized two webinars with Steve Meyer, president of Paragon Economics, Adel, IA. During the webinars, Meyer will discuss the implications of the proposed rules and answer questions of the participants.

The webinars are scheduled for Tuesday, Nov. 9, 2010 at 10 a.m. central standard time and Friday, Nov. 12, 2010 at 2 p.m. central standard time.

To join one of these seminars, RSVP to Michele Eaton at [email protected] for the call in information, according to Neil Dierks, CEO of the National Pork Producers Council.

Pork producers can also go to www.nppc.org to fill out a form letter to submit comments in opposition to the proposed GIPSA rule. The letter points out that the rule would make it harder to buy and sell livestock, and that it will only increase costs and lead to lost farm and farm-related jobs and higher meat prices for consumers. The letter also urges GIPSA to withdraw the rule and propose one that sticks to the five requirements included in the 2008 farm bill.