CHAPTER 192 HOUSE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION No. 5070 A Concurrent Resolution urging the Kansas Department of Agriculture, Kansas De-
partment of Commerce and Housing, Kansas State Research and Extension of the Col-
lege of Agriculture, Kansas Cattlemen's Association, Kansas Farm Bureau, Kansas Far-
mers Union, Kansas Pork Producers Council, Kansas Livestock Association and the
independent small locker plants to assist producers of beef, pork and poultry to market
their own products.
      WHEREAS,  Increased demand provides an excellent opportunity for
producers and processors to market our outstanding quality Kansas pro-
duced beef; and

      WHEREAS,  There are no federal ``country-of-origin'' labeling
requirements for beef, or any other food products that we import. Many
well-known companies buy much of their beef from Central and South
America and Australia, not from the United States of America and our
American ranches demonstrating that the United States Department of
Agriculture does not mean grown in the U.S.A.; and

      WHEREAS,  The State of Kansas lost 32 locker plants during the years
of 1998 to 2000; and

      WHEREAS,  We feel strongly about the importance of providing safe
delicious beef to our customers, especially in light of all the recent news
about the unsafe beef coming into this country from other countries
around the world; and

      WHEREAS,  The United States Secretary of Agriculture, the Secretary
of Agriculture of the State of Kansas, many members of Congress and
others have stated that interstate shipping of state-inspected meat and
meat products should be allowed after the full implementation of the
food safety and inspection requirements mandated by HACCP, hazard
analysis and critical control points; and

      WHEREAS,  We have attained full implementation of the HACCP
requirements; and

      WHEREAS,  In anticipation of Congress allowing such interstate ship-
ping of state-inspected meat and meat products, the States of Minnesota
and North Dakota and others are preparing for the shipment of state-
inspected meat and meat products across state lines by initiating inno-
vative programs to promote such sales and encouraging the establishment
of new small food locker plants: Now, therefore,

      Be it resolved by the House of Representatives of the State of Kansas,
the Senate concurring therein: That we encourage cooperation between
the Kansas Department of Agriculture, Kansas Department of Commerce
and Housing, Kansas State Research and Extension of the College of
Agriculture, Kansas Cattlemen's Association, Kansas Farm Bureau, Kan-
sas Farmers Union, Kansas Pork Producers Council, Kansas Livestock
Association and independent small locker plants to assist producers of
beef, pork and poultry to market their own products; and

      Be it further resolved: That the State of Kansas should encourage and
assist producers to market their own products directly to consumers; and

      Be it further resolved: That the Kansas Legislature should pass leg-
islation providing tax credits for small locker plants which purchased ma-
chinery and equipment to comply with safety regulations; and

      Be it further resolved: That the Secretary of State be directed to send
an enrolled copy of this resolution to the Department of Agriculture,
Department of Commerce, Kansas State Research and Extension of the
College of Agriculture, Kansas Cattlemen's Association, Kansas Farm Bu-
reau, Kansas Farmers Union, Kansas Pork Producers Council, Kansas
Livestock Association and independent small locker plants in Kansas.

 Adopted by the House March 30, 1999.
Adopted by the Senate
March 29, 2000.
__________