Farm Action today welcomed Trump administration executive orders addressing Mandatory Country-of-Origin Labeling (MCOOL), Packers and Stockyards Act enforcement, and meat processing, while saying the actions do not go far enough.
“These actions show the administration is listening to problems farmers and ranchers have raised for years, and we appreciate that,” said Angela Huffman, president and CEO of Farm Action. “They move in the right direction, but stop short of the stronger reforms independent producers need.”
Several provisions touch on recommendations in Farm Action’s June plan, Lowering Beef Prices While Rebuilding America’s Cattle Sector, which called for restoring MCOOL, strengthening Packers and Stockyards Act enforcement, and expanding regional and independent meat processing.
On Mandatory Country-of-Origin Labeling, Farm Action welcomed the administration’s recognition of MCOOL but said another review does not go far enough. The administration is already renegotiating the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement with Canada and Mexico—the two countries that challenged the previous MCOOL law—and Farm Action has urged USTR to make mandatory labeling part of those negotiations.
Congress also has a path forward. The bipartisan American Beef Labeling Act would restore country-of-origin labeling requirements for beef, and Farm Action is urging President Trump to call on Congress to pass it.
On Packers and Stockyards Act enforcement, Farm Action supports directing USDA to prioritize investigations of practices that restrain commerce or manipulate prices, increase enforcement capacity, and coordinate with the Department of Justice.
But stronger enforcement should be paired with stronger producer protections. Farm Action is urging USDA to reverse its planned rescission of the Inclusive Competition and Market Integrity rule, which would protect producers against undue prejudice, unjust discrimination, retaliation, and deceptive practices.
Separately, USDA should clarify that individual producers do not have to prove industry-wide harm to competition to challenge unfair practices under the Packers and Stockyards Act.
Farm Action is also urging USDA to rebuild dedicated Packers and Stockyards enforcement capacity. Under Secretary Sonny Perdue during the first Trump administration, USDA eliminated the Grain Inspection, Packers and Stockyards Administration as a standalone agency and moved the Packers and Stockyards Program into the Agricultural Marketing Service, where it was downgraded from a program to a division.
On processing and market access, Farm Action welcomed the administration’s focus on expanding the Cooperative Interstate Shipment program and providing technical assistance to small and very small processors. Farm Action said improving that existing program could give independent producers more processing and marketing options.
The administration can go further by urging Congress to pass the bipartisan PRIME Act, which would create additional opportunities for meat processed at qualifying custom facilities to be sold within a state. The current House bill would amend federal meat inspection law to create that exemption when state-law requirements are met.
Taken together, Farm Action said the actions represent welcome movement on problems independent ranchers have raised for years, but stronger reforms are still needed to create fair and competitive livestock markets.
Media Contact: Emma Nicolas, [email protected], 202-450-0094
