Senate Approves MPR

The Senate approved the Mandatory Price Reporting Act of 2010 (S.3656) reauthorizing the mandatory collection of livestock and meat sales and purchases by the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

Senators approved without objection to reauthorize the law through Sept. 30, 2015. The legislation was sponsored by Senate Agriculture Committee Chairwoman Blanche Lincoln (Ark.) and Ranking Member Saxby Chambliss (Ga.). The bill now heads to the full House for approval.

ASI president Glen Fisher (Texas) complimented the Senate Agriculture Committee leaders for shepherding the bill through the U.S. Senate.

"It is critical to the lamb industry that price reporting remain mandatory as the system that has been in place since 2002 has removed the volatility of lamb prices that were experienced in the 1990s," stated Fisher. "We are asking the U.S. House of Representatives to follow suit and approve the legislation before it expires on Sept. 30."

The American Sheep Industry Association is joined by the national livestock and meat organizations in leading the reauthorization of this program.