Farm Director, KC Sheperd, is talking with Congressman Josh Brecheen about his latest work in Washington, D.C., to allow the voices and needs of ag producers to be heard.
On Monday, Congressman Josh Brecheen and Congressman Eric Burlison (R-MO) introduced the Stop Government Overreach in Ranching Act. This legislation would reverse FDA guidance, “GFI 263,” which restricts the use of commonly used livestock antibiotics, such as penicillin, LA 200/300 (oxytetracycline), sulfa-based antibiotics, gentamicin, and a host of other antibiotics that are often bought at local feed stores. This new FDA guidance will require a veterinarian to first issue livestock owners a prescription prior to use starting June 11, 2023.
Reps. Brecheen and Burlison’s bill would repeal this FDA guidance and prohibit the agency from issuing a substantially similar guidance or rule.
Brecheen said this action by FDA will lead to situations where producers have the inability to administer mediation in a timely fashion in emergency situations if they run out of medication last minute.
“Tomorrow may be too late,” Brecheen said. “It is foolishness, it is overregulation, and we are filing a bill to stop it.”
The next step, Brecheen said, will be gaining support for this bill. Similar to climate-related issues, Brecheen added this administration is aiming to place burdens on American ranchers that other parts of the world do not face.
“Like climate change, it is based on fear of the unknown,” Brecheen said. “They are claiming antibiotic resistance.”
The producers are the ones who will be burdened, Brecheen said, not the value-added side.
“I am adamant that you need to be calling your member of Congress and help us out,” Brecheen said.
Brecheen also talked about the DRIVE ACT to protect ranchers, farmers, and truckers from Biden Overreach.
Congressman Josh Brecheen introduced the Deregulating Restrictions on Interstate Vehicles and Eighteen-Wheelers (DRIVE) Act, which would prohibit the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) from implementing any rule or regulation requiring vehicles over 26,000 pounds that are engaged in interstate commerce to be equipped with a speed limiting device set to a maximum speed. The rule would negatively impact both the agricultural and trucking industries and include vehicles like semi-trucks, livestock trailer/truck combos, grain trucks, and other large commercial vehicles.
FMCSA’s proposed rule to require speed limiters on commercial vehicles with a gross weight over 26,000 pounds will add extra transportation costs to the private sector and make our roads less safe. Brecheen said the problem this administration is trying to tackle can be handled within state speed limits, instead of imposing additional regulations for the ag and trucking industries.
“I would say I have an extensive ag pedigree, but holistically what I came up here to do is to change the culture that continues to gobble up more power and authority away from state authority,” Brecheen said.
Brecheen also talked about the 2023 Farm Bill and said while most of the Farm Bill is generally based on food stamps, he would like to see more work requirements and some reforms to the SNAP program
“No longer should we have 20 percent of our food stamp population be unhealthy foods like desserts and cakes,” Brecheen said. “You as a taxpayer are not only paying for that on the front end, but you are paying for that on the back end.”
