They are complaining that there is no provision for them to comment before bureaucrats implement regulations.
The biggest meat packers have been accused of collusion to influence prices; some have reached settlements in class-action lawsuits.
Biden has accused the big packers of holding too much influence and has offered subsidies to encourage entrepreneurs to open competing meat-packing plants.
The legislation calls for more transparency about the prices meat packers pay for cattle and for more to be bought by public auction or open bidding rather than private contracts.
The North American Meat Institute, which lobbies for meat packers, said the law is vague and provides no guardrails for the type or amount of data and leaves program development up to the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Agriculture Marketing Service. (AMS)
The law contains a provision that allows AMS to promulgate the rules without a comment period as normally required by law, it said.
In a related development, Republican Chuck Grassley accused party staff members of trying to divide Republicans on the bill.
“You got to think behind all this is the political power of the big four packers,” Grassley said on a call with reporters as progress on the bill slowed..
The law contains a provision that allows AMS to promulgate the rules without a comment period as normally required by law, it said.
In a related development, Republican Chuck Grassley accused party staff members of trying to divide Republicans on the bill.
“You got to think behind all this is the political power of the big four packers,” Grassley said on a call with reporters as progress on the bill slowed.
