U.S. Senators Support LRP-Lamb
July 1, 2005
July 1, 2005 -- On Tuesday, nineteen U.S. Senators showed a united front when they delivered a letter to Agriculture Secretary Mike Johanns supporting a Livestock Risk Protection (LRP) pilot program for the U.S. sheep industry.
In the letter, the senators stated, ?It is evident from the spirit and intent of the 2000 Agriculture Risk Protection Act (ARPA) that sheep and other livestock species not traded on the commodity exchange should not be excluded from price-risk pilot programs. The sheep industry has no futures markets or price-risk management tools available and should be a prime candidate for coverage as intended in ARPA.
?Pilots have been implemented to provide a measure of protection against price volatility for the beef and swine industries and it would seem fully appropriate and authorized for the Federal Crop Insurance Corporation to develop a pilot for the lamb industry,? they concluded.
Peter Orwick, executive director for the American Sheep Industry Association, commented, ?The industry greatly appreciates the commitment of the senators joining in written support of a LRP-Lamb pilot project. The opportunity to build a program for risk management on the price of lambs has strong interest in the industry and the senate letter will strengthen the need for approval of such a program with USDA.?
Senators joining the letter led by Sen. Larry Craig (R-Idaho) and Sen. Tim Johnson (D-S.D.) are: Wayne Allard (R-Colo.); Max Baucus (D-Mont.); Robert Bennett (R-Utah); Jeff Bingaman (D-N.M.); Conrad Burns (R-Mont.); Kent Conrad (D-N.D.); Mike Crapo (R-Idaho); Byron Dorgan (D-N.D.); Mike Enzi (R-Wyo.); Chuck Hagel (R-Neb.); Ken Salazar (D-Colo.); Rick Santorum (R-Penn.); Gordon Smith (R-Ore.); Arlen Specter (R-Penn.); Craig Thomas (R-Wyo.); John Thune (R-S.D.); and Ron Wyden (D-Ore.).
Staff contact: Peter Orwick, ext. 33
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