{"database": "press", "table": "releases", "rows": [["https://www.tester.senate.gov/?p=press_release&id=5593", "Tester Defends Montana Ranchers, Fights Back Against Consolidation in Agriculture [press_release]", "2017-10-19", "2017", "2017-10", "Democrat", "House", "MT", "Jon Tester", "T000464", "www.tester.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "(U.S. Senate)\u2014U.S. Senator Jon Tester is defending Montana ranchers and \u201cvehemently disagrees\u201d with USDA\u2019s decision to rollback protections that prevent consolidation in agriculture. In a letter to USDA Secretary Sonny Perdue, Tester slammed the agency\u2019s decision to withdraw two rules related to the Packers and Stockyards Act, commonly referred to as the \u201cGIPSA rules.\u201d  \u201cThe industry has consolidated for decades into its current structure that enables a handful of companies to have extraordinary market power,\u201d Tester wrote.  \u201cRecognizing that fact, Congress intentionally instructed the Secretary of Agriculture to promulgate new rules in the 2008 Farm Bill to ensure a better functioning marketplace for farmers and ranchers in the livestock and poultry industry.\u201d Tester has hosted a series of Farm Bill listening sessions across Montana this year with family farmers and ranchers.  During these listening sessions, Tester has raised concerns about the consolidation of Montana family ranches and discussed policies that will strengthen opportunities for local producers. Tester led the charge earlier this year to increase American beef exports to China, and is also sponsoring legislation to protect Montana ranchers by banning Brazilian beef imports to the United States. Tester\u2019s bipartisan letter is cosigned by Senator Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa). Tester\u2019s letter is available HERE.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"]], "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.tester.senate.gov/?p=press_release&id=5593"], "units": {}, "query_ms": 0.8045451249927282, "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"}