Beef Buzz News
Congressman Frank Lucas Waits on DOJ Decision on Possible Criminal Wrongdoing by Big Four Packers
Mon, 30 May 2022 09:32:13 CDT
Oklahoma Farm Report's Ron Hays caught up with Congressman Frank Lucas and talked about the Biden-Harris Administration"s plan to strengthen the American food supply chain, level the playing field for growers, and more.
Lucas says there is some good in the Administration"s plan, but there are some things that may cause some worry as well.
"They have talked about additional monies for the construction of smaller and intermediate packing facilities, and they"ve talked about more dollars into community colleges and other educational institutions to help prepare a better workforce, or a workforce better able to deal with the issues that are going on in the industry," Lucas said.
A recent element the Administration has discussed involving contract issues, Lucas said, has resulted in discussion over poultry contracts including producer"s relationships with poultry companies, price, and how these contracts impact the poultry house owners.
"We will see just in the coming days and weeks what kind of details the USDA is talking about," Lucas said. "Clearly, this is an important part of the food chain and I hope whatever they are trying to do, they are helping the situation, not making it worse. That is just going to take a little more analysis to be sure."
Switching gears from the executive branch to the legislative branch, the House Agriculture Committee, approved a bill to establish a special prosecutor for issues related to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, specifically for packers and stockyards violations.
"The view of most the committee members on my side of the aisle has been that we need to enforce existing authorities under USDA and the anti-trust provisions under the Department of Justice authority," Lucas said. "There is continuing to be an ongoing criminal investigation when it comes to the beef industry, which is frustrating for many of us who would like to see the results, so we know where they are headed."
Lucas said there is a companion bill filed in the senate, but he does not expect it to make it to the president"s desk this year.
"Not so much because congress is not willing to address issues, but because until the DOJ and USDA stuff is all completed, the Department of Justice has existing authority in their investigation to literally file not just civil charges, but criminal charges against the packer industry and their senior management," Lucas said.
Because it is a criminal investigation, Lucas said the Department of Justice doesn"t talk much.
"Whether it is this kind of issue or dealing with organized crime, or a variety of things, they are pretty close-mouthed until they are done," Lucas said.
Unfortunately, in the cattle industry for our beef producers, that silence is getting louder all the time as we wait.
"It"s just maddening," Lucas said. "The Trump people called initially for this effort to begin, and senior officials at the Justice Department have indicated in the Biden Administration that it is ongoing, and they are going to pursue it aggressively, but that is all they will tell us."
Click the LISTEN BAR below to listen to Ron Hays and Congressman Frank Lucas on the Biden Administration"s plans and their impact on the beef industry.
The Beef Buzz is a regular feature heard on radio stations around the region on the Radio Oklahoma Network and is a regular audio feature found on this website as well. Click on the LISTEN BAR below for today"s show and check out our archives for older Beef Buzz shows covering the gamut of the beef cattle industry today.
Ron Hays Beef Buzzes with Congressman Frank Lucas
right-click to download mp3
WebReadyTM Powered by WireReady® NSI
Beef News
January Cattle on Feed Report Three Percent Under Year Ago- Derrell Peel Says Tighter Supplies Will Be Around for Awhile Mon, 23 Jan 2023 05:15:04 CST
Derrell Peel Talks Latest Cattle on Feed Report- Showing Fewer Cattle on Feed, Lighter Placements and Stronger Marketings. Mon, 26 Dec 2022 08:19:00 CST
Kara Lee with Certified Angus Beef Tells Cattlemen 'Cut the Bull' Fri, 23 Dec 2022 14:30:39 CST
Beef Checkoff Utilizes Digital Marketing Techniques to Interact with Consumers Thu, 22 Dec 2022 16:02:51 CST
Beef Checkoff Research, Education, and Promotion Efforts Point Consumers to Beef Wed, 21 Dec 2022 16:15:46 CST
OSU Economist Derrell Peel Expects US Beef Export Strength to Continue Into the New Year Tue, 20 Dec 2022 08:00:35 CST
NPPC's Michael Formica Feeling Positive About Supreme Courts Upcoming Proposition 12 Decision Mon, 05 Dec 2022 10:08:27 CST
NCBA Fights to Improve Marketing Options for Cattle Producers Fri, 02 Dec 2022 09:58:28 CST
Chinese Consumers Continue to Grow Appetite for U.S. Beef Thu, 01 Dec 2022 09:23:49 CST
Merck Creates Value for Producers and Consumers with Technology and Biopharmaceuticals Wed, 30 Nov 2022 09:55:28 CST
NCBA’s Todd Wilkinson Ready to Fight Back Against Regulatory Overreach in the Cattle Industry Tue, 29 Nov 2022 10:13:33 CST
NCBA and PLC Call ESA Listing Plan of Lesser Prairie Chicken Punitive for Cattle Producers in Southern Plains Wed, 23 Nov 2022 14:51:02 CST
November Cattle on Feed Report Confirms October Pattern of Lower Placements and Tighter Cattle Numbers in Feedlots Tue, 22 Nov 2022 05:07:02 CST
Turning the Corner- OSU's Derrell Peel Sees Tighter Cattle Inventories into 2023 in Latest Cattle on Feed Report Mon, 21 Nov 2022 04:36:33 CST
Turning the Corner- OSU's Derrell Peel Sees Tighter Cattle Inventories into 2023 in Latest Cattle on Feed Report Mon, 21 Nov 2022 04:27:40 CST
Midterm Elections to Set Stage for What Can Be Expected in 2023 Farm Bill Mon, 07 Nov 2022 12:13:57 CST
USMEF's Dan Halstrom Remains Cautiously Optimistic about Strong Beef Demand Going Forward Thu, 03 Nov 2022 09:35:46 CDT
Economic Factors Create Hesitancy in Beef Plant Expansion Plans Wed, 02 Nov 2022 11:03:34 CDT
NCBA's Mike Simone Says Consumer Interest in Fake Meat is on the Decline Tue, 01 Nov 2022 11:41:02 CDT
Beef Remains Valued Product for Consumers as it Allows Them to Stretch their Dollar Mon, 31 Oct 2022 09:15:56 CDT
Hugh Aljoe Provides Methods to Begin and Maintain Good Land Stewardship Fri, 28 Oct 2022 09:30:13 CDT
Implement Soil Health Practices Now to Increase Forage Production when Rains Come Thu, 27 Oct 2022 15:14:07 CDT
Third Beef. It's What's For Dinner. 300 Promotes the Beef Industry on a National Level Wed, 26 Oct 2022 15:32:23 CDT
Latest Cattle on Feed Report from USDA Implies Fewer Pounds of Beef Available in 2023 Tue, 25 Oct 2022 10:17:53 CDT
OSU's Derrell Peel- Lower Placements and Smaller On Feed Number Highlight October Cattle on Feed Report Sun, 23 Oct 2022 12:45:37 CDT
Beef Checkoff Research Continues to Share Beef Sustainability Story with Consumers Fri, 21 Oct 2022 09:23:36 CDT
Beef Checkoff Research Works to Ensure Consumers Beef is a Product They Can Trust Thu, 20 Oct 2022 13:44:44 CDT
Odds for Significant Wheat Pasture Going Lower Daily in the Southern Plains Wed, 19 Oct 2022 14:35:46 CDT
NCBA Weighs in on California's Proposition 12 Tue, 18 Oct 2022 11:32:24 CDT
2022 Stockyards Steak Out Takes Oklahoma Beef to the Next Level Mon, 17 Oct 2022 11:09:07 CDT
Holding Onto Your Cow Herd a Little Longer is Projected to Pay Off, says Randy Blach Fri, 14 Oct 2022 08:14:05 CDT
Randy Blach Confident in Better Cattle Market Conditions Down the Road Thu, 13 Oct 2022 09:43:02 CDT
No Imports or Exports Would Result in a Smaller U.S. Beef Cattle Industry Wed, 12 Oct 2022 16:11:15 CDT
Derrell Peel Explains Why International Trade of Beef is Valuable Tue, 11 Oct 2022 08:19:29 CDT
Animal Agriculture Hopeful for a Win as U.S. Supreme Court Looks at California's Proposition 12 Mon, 10 Oct 2022 09:26:17 CDT
