No More Equine Slaughter Statistics?
Reports have been discovered, in which sources at the USDA say funding has been cut and they would no longer do annual slaughter equine statistics. Review the following legislation.
Then, wonder why horses are not covered, and why the USDA cut horses out of the report?
When livestock is defined in other pieces of legislation, horses are an included species. Why are definitions pertaining to livestock, used by the U.S. government, not consistant?
Livestock Mandatory Reporting Act of 1999
(Reported in the Senate)
S.1672
SEC. 212. DEFINITIONS.
In this subtitle:
`(1) BASE PRICE- The term `base price' means the price paid for livestock, delivered at the packing plant, before application of any premiums or discounts, expressed in dollars per hundred pounds of carcass weight.
`(2) BASIS LEVEL- The term `basis level' means the agreed-on adjustment to a future price to establish the final price paid for livestock.
`(3) CURRENT SLAUGHTER WEEK- The term `current slaughter week' means the period beginning Monday, and ending Sunday, of the week in which a reporting day occurs.
`(4) F.O.B- The term `F.O.B.' means free on board, regardless of the mode of transportation, at the point of direct shipment by the seller to the buyer.
`(5) LIVESTOCK- The term `livestock' means cattle, swine, and lambs.
`(6) LOT- The term `lot' means a group of 1 or more livestock that is identified for the purpose of a single transaction between a buyer and a seller.
`(7) MARKETING- The term `marketing' means the sale or other disposition of livestock, livestock products, or meat or meat food products in commerce.
`(8) NEGOTIATED PURCHASE- The term `negotiated purchase' means a cash or spot market purchase by a packer of livestock from a producer under which--
`(A) the base price for the livestock is determined by seller-buyer interaction and agreement on a day; and
`(B) the livestock are scheduled for delivery to the packer not later than 14 days after the date on which the livestock are committed to the packer.
`(9) NEGOTIATED SALE- The term `negotiated sale' means a cash or spot market sale by a producer of livestock to a packer under which--
`(A) the base price for the livestock is determined by seller-buyer interaction and agreement on a day; and
`(B) the livestock are scheduled for delivery to the packer not later than 14 days after the date on which the livestock are committed to the packer.
`(10) PRIOR SLAUGHTER WEEK- The term `prior slaughter week' means the Monday through Sunday prior to a reporting day.
`(11) PRODUCER- The term `producer' means any person engaged in the business of selling livestock to a packer for slaughter (including the sale of livestock from a packer to another packer).
`(12) REPORTING DAY- The term `reporting day' means a day on which--
`(A) a packer conducts business regarding livestock committed to the packer, or livestock purchased, sold, or slaughtered by the packer;
`(B) the Secretary is required to make information concerning the business described in subparagraph (A) available to the public; and
`(C) the Department of Agriculture is open to conduct business.
`(13) SECRETARY- The term `Secretary' means the Secretary of Agriculture.
`(14) STATE- The term `State' means each of the 50 States.
`CHAPTER 2--CATTLE REPORTING
`SEC. 221. DEFINITIONS.
`In this chapter:
`(1) CATTLE COMMITTED- The term `cattle committed' means cattle that are scheduled to be delivered to a packer within the 7-day period beginning on the date of an agreement to sell the cattle.
`(2) CATTLE TYPE- The term `cattle type' means the following types of cattle purchased for slaughter :
`(A) Fed steers.
`(B) Fed heifers.
`(C) Fed Holsteins and other fed dairy steers and heifers.
`(D) Cows.
`(E) Bulls.
`(3) FORMULA MARKETING ARRANGEMENT- The term formula marketing arrangement' means the advance commitment of cattle for slaughter by any means other than through a negotiated purchase or a forward
contract, using a method for calculating price in which the price is determined at a future date.
`(4) FORWARD CONTRACT- The term `forward contract' means--
`(A) an agreement for the purchase of cattle, executed in advance of slaughter , under which the base price is established by reference to--
`(i) prices quoted on the Chicago Mercantile Exchange; or
`(ii) other comparable publicly available prices; or
`(B) such other forward contract as the Secretary determines to be applicable.
`(5) PACKER- The term `packer' means any person engaged in the business of buying cattle in commerce for purposes of slaughter , of manufacturing or preparing meats or meat food products from cattle for sale or shipment in commerce, or of marketing meats or meat food products from cattle in an unmanufactured form acting as a wholesale broker, dealer, or distributor in commerce, except that--
`(A) the term includes only a cattle processing plant that is federally inspected;
`(B) for any calendar year, the term includes only a cattle processing plant that slaughtered an average of at least 125,000 head of cattle per year during the immediately preceding 5 calendar years; and
`(C) in the case of a cattle processing plant that did not slaughter cattle during the immediately preceding 5 calendar years, the Secretary shall consider the plant capacity of the processing plant in determining whether the processing plant should be considered a packer under this chapter.
`(6) PACKER-OWNED CATTLE- The term `packer-owned cattle' means cattle that a packer owns for at least 14 days immediately before slaughter .
`(7) TERMS OF TRADE- The term `terms of trade' includes, with respect to the purchase of cattle for slaughter --
`(A) whether a packer provided any financing agreement or arrangement with regard to the cattle;
`(B) whether the delivery terms specified the location of the producer or the location of the packer's plant;
`(C) whether the producer is able to unilaterally specify the date and time during the business day of the packer that the cattle are to be delivered for slaughter ; and
`(D) the percentage of cattle purchased by a packer as a negotiated purchase that are delivered to the plant for slaughter more than 7 days, but fewer than 14 days, after the earlier of--
`(i) the date on which the cattle were committed to the packer; or
`(ii) the date on which the cattle were purchased by the packer.
`(8) TYPE OF PURCHASE- The term `type of purchase', with respect to cattle, means--
`(A) a negotiated purchase;
`(B) a formula market arrangement; and
`(C) a forward contract.
`SEC. 222. MANDATORY REPORTING FOR LIVE CATTLE.
`(a) ESTABLISHMENT- The Secretary shall establish a program of live cattle price information reporting that will--
`(1) provide timely, accurate, and reliable market information;
`(2) facilitate more informed marketing decisions; and
`(3) promote competition in the cattle slaughtering industry.
`(b) GENERAL REPORTING PROVISIONS APPLICABLE TO PACKERS AND THE SECRETARY-
`(1) IN GENERAL- Whenever the prices or quantities of cattle are required to be reported or published under this section, the prices or quantities shall be categorized so as to clearly delineate--
`(A) the prices or quantities, as applicable, of the cattle purchased in the domestic market; and
`(B) the prices or quantities, as applicable, of imported cattle.
`(2) PACKER-OWNED CATTLE- Information required under this section for packer-owned cattle shall include quantity and carcass characteristics, but not price.
`(c) DAILY REPORTING-
`(1) IN GENERAL- The corporate officers or officially designated representatives of each packer processing plant shall report to the Secretary at least twice each reporting day (including once not later than 10:00 a.m. Central Time and once not later than 2:00 p.m. Central Time) the following information for each cattle type:
`(A) The prices for cattle (per hundredweight) established on that day, categorized by--
`(i) type of purchase;
`(ii) the quantity of cattle purchased on a live weight basis;
`(iii) the quantity of cattle purchased on a dressed weight basis;
`(iv) a range of the estimated live weights of the cattle purchased;
`(v) an estimate of the percentage of the cattle purchased that were of a quality grade of choice or better; and
`(vi) any premiums or discounts associated with--
`(I) weight, grade, or yield; or
`(II) any type of purchase.
`(B) The quantity of cattle delivered to the packer (quoted in numbers of head) on that day, categorized by--
`(i) type of purchase;
`(ii) the quantity of cattle delivered on a live weight basis; and
`(iii) the quantity of cattle delivered on a dressed weight basis.
`(C) The quantity of cattle committed to the packer (quoted in numbers of head) as of that day, categorized by--
`(i) type of purchase;
`(ii) the quantity of cattle committed on a live weight basis; and
`(iii) the quantity of cattle committed on a dressed weight basis.
`(D) The terms of trade regarding the cattle, as applicable.
`(2) PUBLICATION- The Secretary shall make the information available to the public not less frequently than 3 times each reporting day.
`(d) WEEKLY REPORTING-
`(1) IN GENERAL- The corporate officers or officially designated representatives of each packer processing plant shall report to the Secretary, on the first reporting day of each week, not later than 9:00 a.m. Central Time, the following information applicable to the prior slaughter week:
`(A) The quantity of cattle purchased through a forward contract that were slaughtered.
`(B) The quantity of cattle delivered under a formula marketing arrangement that were slaughtered.
`(C) The quantity and carcass characteristics of packer-owned cattle that were slaughtered.
`(D) The quantity, basis level, and delivery month for all cattle purchased through forward contracts that were agreed to by the parties.
`(E) The range and average of intended premiums and discounts that are expected to be in effect for the current slaughter week.
`(2) FORMULA PURCHASES- The corporate officers or officially designated representatives of each packer processing plant shall report to the Secretary, on the first reporting day of each week, not later
than 9:00 a.m. Central Time, the following information for cattle purchased through a formula marketing arrangement and slaughtered during the prior slaughter week:
`(A) The quantity (quoted in both numbers of head and hundredweights) of cattle.
`(B) The weighted average price paid for a carcass, including applicable premiums and discounts.
`(C) The range of premiums and discounts paid.
`(D) The weighted average of premiums and discounts paid.
`(E) The range of prices paid.
`(F) The aggregate weighted average price paid for a carcass.
`(G) The terms of trade regarding the cattle, as applicable.
`(3) PUBLICATION- The Secretary shall make available to the public the information obtained under paragraphs (1) and (2) on the first reporting day of the current slaughter week, not later than 10:00 a.m. Central Time.
`(e) REGIONAL REPORTING OF CATTLE TYPES-
`(1) IN GENERAL- The Secretary shall determine whether adequate data can be obtained on a regional basis for fed Holsteins and other fed dairy steers and heifers, cows, and bulls based on the number
of packers required to report under this section.
`(2) REPORT- Not later than 2 years after the date of enactment of this subtitle, the Secretary shall submit to the Committee on Agriculture of the House of Representatives and the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry of the Senate a report on the determination of the Secretary under paragraph (1) SEC. 223. MANDATORY PACKER REPORTING OF BOXED BEEF SALES.
`(a) DAILY REPORTING- The corporate officers or officially designated representatives of each packer processing plant shall report to the Secretary at least twice each reporting day (not less than once before,
and once after, 12:00 noon Central Time) information on total boxed beef sales, including--
`(1) the price for each lot of each negotiated boxed beef sale (determined by seller-buyer interaction and agreement), quoted in dollars per hundredweight (on a F.O.B. plant basis);
`(2) the quantity for each lot of each sale, quoted by number of boxes sold; and
`(3) information regarding the characteristics of each lot of each sale, including--
`(A) the grade of beef (USDA Choice or better, USDA Select, or ungraded no-roll product);
`(B) the cut of beef; and
`(C) the trim specification.
`(b) PUBLICATION- The Secretary shall make available to the public the information required to be reported under subsection (a) not less frequently than twice each reporting day.
`CHAPTER 3--SWINE REPORTING
`SEC. 231. DEFINITIONS.
`In this chapter:
`(1) AFFILIATE- The term `affiliate', with respect to a packer, means--
`(A) a person that directly or indirectly owns, controls, or holds with power to vote, 5 percent or more of the outstanding voting securities of the packer;
`(B) a person 5 percent or more of whose outstanding voting securities are directly or indirectly owned, controlled, or held with power to vote, by the packer; and
`(C) a person that directly or indirectly controls, or is controlled by or under common control with, the packer.
`(2) APPLICABLE REPORTING PERIOD- The term `applicable reporting period' means the period of time prescribed by the prior day report, the morning report, and the afternoon report, as required under section 232(c).
`(3) BARROW- The term `barrow' means a neutered male swine.
`(4) BASE MARKET HOG- The term `base market hog' means a hog for which no discounts are subtracted from and no premiums are added to the base price.
`(5) BRED FEMALE SWINE- The term `bred female swine' means any female swine, whether a sow or gilt, that has been mated or inseminated and is assumed, or has been confirmed, to be pregnant.
`(6) FORMULA PRICE- The term `formula price' means a price determined by a mathematical formula under which the price established for a specified market serves as the basis for the formula.
`(7) GILT- The term `gilt' means a young female swine that has not produced a litter.
`(8) HOG CLASS- The term `hog class' means, as applicable--
`(A) barrows or gilts;
`(B) sows; or
`(C) boars or stags.
`(9) NONCARCASS MERIT PREMIUM- The term `noncarcass merit premium' means an increase in the base price of the swine offered by an individual packer or packing plant, based on any factor other than the
characteristics of the carcass, if the actual amount of the premium is known before the sale and delivery of the swine.
`(10) OTHER MARKET FORMULA PURCHASE-
`(A) IN GENERAL- The term `other market formula purchase' means a purchase of swine by a packer in which the pricing mechanism is a formula price based on any market other than the market for
swine, pork, or a pork product.
`(B) INCLUSION- The term `other market formula purchase' includes a formula purchase in a case in which the price formula is based on 1 or more futures or options contracts.
`(11) OTHER PURCHASE ARRANGEMENT- The term `other purchase arrangement' means a purchase of swine by a packer that--
`(A) is not a negotiated purchase, swine or pork market formula purchase, or other market formula purchase; and
`(B) does not involve packer-owned swine.
`(12) PACKER- The term `packer' means any person engaged in the business of buying swine in commerce for purposes of slaughter , of manufacturing or preparing meats or meat food products from swine for sale or shipment in commerce, or of marketing meats or meat food products from swine in an unmanufactured form acting as a wholesale broker, dealer, or distributor in commerce, except that--
`(A) the term includes only a swine processing plant that is federally inspected;
`(B) for any calendar year, the term includes only a swine processing plant that slaughtered an average of at least 100,000 swine per year during the immediately preceding 5 calendar years; and
`(C) in the case of a swine processing plant that did not slaughter swine during the immediately preceding 5 calendar years, the Secretary shall consider the plant capacity of the processing plant in determining whether the processing plant should be considered a packer under this chapter.
`(13) PACKER-OWNED SWINE- The term `packer-owned swine' means swine that a packer (including a subsidiary or affiliate of the packer) owns for at least 14 days immediately before slaughter .
`(14) PACKER-SOLD SWINE- The term `packer-sold swine' means the swine that are--
`(A) owned by a packer (including a subsidiary or affiliate of the packer) for more than 14 days immediately before sale for slaughter ; and
etc. etc. etc....
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