[As Amended by House Committee of the Whole]
         
[As Further Amended by Senate Committee of the Whole]
         
As Amended by Senate Committee
          
Session of 1999
         
Senate Concurrent Resolution No. 1602
         
By Special Committee on Rail Transportation
         
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12             A  CONCURRENT  RESOLUTION urging the secretary of the United
13             States department of agriculture to provide greater opportunities to
14             the farmers of the United States by taking greater advantage of the
15             export enhancement program [and demanding that the justice de-
16             partment and the packers and stockyard division of the United
17             States department of agriculture investigate the absence of
18             competition in the livestock and grain industry and the justice
19             department seriously scrutinize the Cargill and Continental
20             Grain Merger].
21      
22             WHEREAS,  If the Kansas farmer is to have the opportunity to prosper
23       and grow, the agricultural products produced by the farmer must be able
24       to reach foreign markets; and
25             WHEREAS,  the export enhancement program is one tool which can
26       expand foreign market opportunities; and
27        [WHEREAS,  The justice department and the packers and stock-
28       yards division of the United States department of agriculture has
29       ignored the concentration of markets in the livestock and grain
30       industry; and
31             [WHEREAS,  The beef industry is controlled by four packers
32       that slaughter over 80 percent of the beef in the United States; and
33             [WHEREAS,  The pork industry is rapidly becoming concen-
34       trated to the same degree; and
35             [WHEREAS,  The lack of competition in the meat packing in-
36       dustry has resulted in historically low beef and pork prices for
37       producers and historically high prices for consumer; and
38             [WHEREAS,  The merger of Cargill and Continental Grain
39       would give one company control of over 40 percent of the world
40       export market; and]
41             WHEREAS,  the stockpiling of grain is just one example of where the

SCR 1602--Am. by HCW

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  1       lack of access to foreign markets hurts not only the Kansas farmer but all
  2       American farmers and the economy of the United States in gen-
  3       eral: Now, therefore,
  4             Be it resolved by the Senate of the State of Kansas, the House of Rep-
  5       resentatives concurring therein: That the secretary of the United States
  6       department of agriculture is urged to take greater advantage of the export
  7       enhancement program; and
  8        [Be it further resolved: That the justice department and the
  9       packers and stockyard division of the United States department of
10       agriculture investigate the absence of competition in the livestock
11       and grain industry; and
12             [Be it further resolved: That the justice department seriously
13       scrutinize the Cargill and Continental Grain Merger; and]
14             Be it further resolved: That the Secretary of State be directed to send
15       enrolled copies of this resolution to the President of the United States,
16       the President [the Vice-President of the United States], Majority
17       Leader and Minority Leader of the United States Senate, the
18       Speaker, Majority Leader and Minority Leader of the United States
19       House of Representatives, the Secretary of the United States Depart-
20       ment of Agriculture[, the Attorney General of the United States] and
21       to each member of the Kansas Congressional Delegation.
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