{"database": "press", "table": "releases", "rows": [["https://www.scott.senate.gov/media-center/press-releases/scott-joins-bipartisan-group-urging-usda-to-give-farmers-more-time-to-comment-on-new-rule-with-major-impact-for-chicken-industry/", "Scott Joins Bipartisan Group Urging USDA to Give Farmers More Time to Comment on New Rule With Major Impact for Chicken Industry", "2022-11-22", "2022", "2022-11", "Republican", "Senate", "SC", "Tim Scott", "S001184", "www.scott.senate.gov", "timscott", "https://www.scott.senate.gov/media-center/press-releases/jsf/jet-engine:press-list", "scraper", "WASHINGTON \u2013 U.S. Senator Tim Scott (R-S.C.) joined Senators Chris Coons (D-Del.) and Roger Wicker (R-Miss.), co-chairs of the Senate Chicken Caucus, and 16 of their Senate colleagues urging the Secretary of the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) to extend the time farmers have to comment on a proposed rule that would have a major impact on the poultry industry. Granting a 180-day extension, as the letter requests, would allow farmers and constituents to consider more carefully the new rule created through the Packers and Stockyards Act and provide the most substantive comments possible of the effects of the rule on the poultry, cattle, and hog industries.\n\n\u201cThe proposed rule entitled \u2018Inclusive Competition and Market Integrity Under the Packers and Stockyards Act\u2019 introduces novel regulatory concepts, which would have wide-ranging impacts on the contracting of poultry, cattle, and hogs. \u2026 It is appropriate that additional time is allotted to stakeholders and our constituents so that they may provide the most substantive comments possible,\u201d wrote the Senators.\n\n\u201cWe respectfully request that USDA extend the comment period of the proposed rule for 180 days. This would allow stakeholders and constituents to study the impact that the Department\u2019s full competition agenda would have on industry efficiency and compliance costs, food availability and hunger, and inflationary pressures on consumers. As you know, the chicken industry is essential to our domestic and global food security because of our significant exports. We therefore urge you to let stakeholders comment on all proposed rules together and to take steps to mitigate any interruptions to the poultry supply chain,\u201d wrote the Senators.\n\nA bipartisan group of 16 senators joined Senators Scott, Coons, and Wicker in signing the letter, including Senators James Lankford (R-Okla.), Tom Carper (D-Del.), John Boozman (R-Ark.), Rev. Raphael Warnock (D-Ga.), Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-Miss.), Tim Kaine (D-Va.), Mike Braun (R-Ind.), Ben Cardin (D-Md.), Tom Cotton (R-Ark.), Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), Jim Inhofe (R-Okla.), Mark Warner (D-Va.), Thom Tillis (R-N.C.), Bill Cassidy (R-La.), and Richard Burr (R-N.C.).\n\nA copy of the letter is available here and below.\n\nDear Secretary Vilsack:\n\nAs representatives of states with substantial chicken operations, we respectfully request the U.S. Department of Agriculture\u2019s (USDA) Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) grant a 180-day extension of the comment period for the above-referenced proposed rule. We believe an extension is needed for stakeholders to consider and properly analyze the proposal.\n\nThe proposed rule entitled \u201cInclusive Competition and Market Integrity Under the Packers and Stockyards Act\u201d introduces novel regulatory concepts, which would have wide-ranging impacts on the contracting of poultry, cattle, and hogs. It would also establish broad recordkeeping obligations on each of these sectors. Additionally, the preamble to the proposed rule poses 44 detailed, technical questions regarding definitions of terms that require careful consideration and feedback. It is appropriate that additional time is allotted to stakeholders and our constituents so that they may provide the most substantive comments possible.\n\nThe proposed rule is the second installment in a three-part rulemaking intended to effect changes to the meat and poultry supply chains. On June 8, USDA published a proposed rule entitled, \u201cTransparency in Poultry Grower Contracting and Tournaments,\u201d and an advanced notice of proposed rulemaking entitled, \u201cPoultry Growing Tournament Systems: Fairness and Related Concerns.\u201d USDA has also stated its intent to promulgate another proposed rule entitled, \u201cClarification of Scope of the Packers and Stockyards Act.\u201d Each of these rules are inexorably connected, and USDA has described them as a \u201csuite of major actions under the Biden administration to create fairer marketplaces for poultry, livestock, and hog producers.\u201d Therefore, to understand fully the economic, legal, and operational impacts of the proposed rule and to provide meaningful comments, stakeholders and our constituents must have the opportunity to consider USDA\u2019s competition agenda in its entirety.\n\nWe respectfully request that USDA extend the comment period of the proposed rule for 180 days. This would allow stakeholders and constituents to study the impact that the Department\u2019s full competition agenda would have on industry efficiency and compliance costs, food availability and hunger, and inflationary pressures on consumers. As you know, the chicken industry is essential to our domestic and global food security because of our significant exports. We therefore urge you to let stakeholders comment on all proposed rules together and to take steps to mitigate any interruptions to the poultry supply chain.\n\nThank you for your attention to this request. Please do not hesitate to contact us if you would like more information or have any questions.\n\nSincerely,\n\nChristopher A. Coons United States Senator\n\nRoger Wicker United States Senator\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T18:38:01Z"]], "columns": ["url", "title", "date", "year", "month", "party", "chamber", "state", "member_name", "bioguide_id", "domain", "scraper", "source", "date_source", "text", "has_text", "collected_at", "updated_at"], "primary_keys": ["url"], "primary_key_values": ["https://www.scott.senate.gov/media-center/press-releases/scott-joins-bipartisan-group-urging-usda-to-give-farmers-more-time-to-comment-on-new-rule-with-major-impact-for-chicken-industry/"], "units": {}, "query_ms": 0.9190668351948261, "source": "dwillis/congress-press", "source_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press", "license": "MIT", "license_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press/blob/main/LICENSE"}