"Gang of Six" Urged to Reject User Fees

The American Sheep Industry Association joined more than 20 industry associations in urging the "Gang of Six" to reject the administration's request for user fees as they work to formulate a plan to reduce the federal deficit.

The Gang of Six is a bipartisan group of senators working to formulate a deficit reduction plan based on the work of the President's National Commission On Fiscal Responsibility And Reform. It includes Senate Budget Committee Chairman Kent Conrad (D-ND), Senators Dick Durbin (D-IL), Mark Warner (D-VA), Saxby Chambliss (R-GA), Mike Crapo (R-ID) and Tom Coburn (R-OK).

The Commission Co-Chair's Proposal released in November 2010 proposed levying a fee on meat-, poultry- and egg-product producers to offset the cost of mandated federal safety inspection. However, this proposal was dropped from the commission's final report released in December 2010.

The food safety-tax proposal would put meat, poultry and egg products at a competitive disadvantage in the domestic and international marketplace, compared with other food and imported products not subject to this tax.

"Meat, poultry and egg product inspection is a public health and safety program required by federal law and has been funded through tax dollars for over a century. Food safety inspection benefits everyone and, therefore, should be paid for through appropriated funds," said the associations in a letter sent to the senators.

Reprinted in part from the American Meat Institute