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Cattle Contract Library Act of 2021

Floor Speech

Date: Dec. 8, 2021
Location: Washington, DC

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Mr. MANN. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from South Dakota (Mr. Johnson) for all of his work in getting this legislation put together and bringing it to the floor this morning. It is not a silver bullet, but it potentially can help our cattle markets.

I grew up on a family farm and preconditioning feed yard. I spent thousands of hours riding pens and doctoring sick cattle in the Big First District of Kansas, which is the largest beef-producing district in the country. The Big First is home to cow-calf operations, feed yards, and packing plants of all sizes.

In my district and across the country, cattle producers face challenging market dynamics, including historically wide gaps between wholesale beef prices and fed cattle prices, packing capacity and regulation, and more.

I have talked to hundreds of cattle producers in Kansas, ranging from small cow-calf operations to some of the country's largest feed yards. Overwhelmingly, I have heard that we need to increase price discovery in the cash market, make sure that producers benefit when they provide a superior product, refuse to let the government in the free market, and acknowledge regional differences in the industry.

The Cattle Contract Library Act is a simple step toward addressing some of today's concerns with more fairness, transparency, and healthy competition in the cattle market. I am committed to working with the gentleman from South Dakota (Mr. Johnson), my colleagues in the House, and others across Kansas and the country in addressing any concerns with the program and the cattle market before reauthorization of the program at this time next year.

The Cattle Contract Library Act will help ensure that all market participants are both paying and receiving a fair price for their goods. It sends a clear message to ranchers, farmers, and livestock producers across the country that their voices are being heard in Washington. I urge my colleagues to support it.

Mr. JOHNSON of South Dakota.

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