Brief⁽¹⁾

S.C.R. 1616 would:

• urge Congress to remove or restrict the use of trade sanctions as they apply to agricultural products, and to work for the reduction or elimination of trade barriers and sanctions imposed by other countries against agricultural products;



• urge the Secretary of the United States Department of Agriculture to provide greater opportunities to the farmers of the United States by taking greater advantage of the export enhancement program;



• urge Congress to require country of origin labeling on foreign meat and dairy products with the labeling being on the final consumer product;



• urge Congress to investigate the need for mandatory price reporting by packers in the livestock industry; and



• urge Congress, the Justice Department, and the Packers and Stockyard Division of the United States Department of Agriculture to investigate market concentration and pending mergers in the livestock and grain industry.

Background

This resolution was introduced by the Senate Agriculture Committee. The resolution addresses a number of concerns in the agricultural sector of the state's economy.

1. *Supplemental notes are prepared by the Legislative Research Department and do not express legislative intent. The supplemental note and fiscal note for this bill may be accessed on the Internet at http://www.ink.org/public/legislative/bill_search.html