MPR Program Extended

February 2005 -- The bill to extend the authority of the Livestock Mandatory Reporting Act through Sept. 30, 2005, was signed by President Bush on Dec. 3, 2004.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture?s (USDA) Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) notified packers to resume mandatory reporting beginning Dec. 6, 2004.

The program requires packers to submit electronically to AMS purchase and sale information. AMS currently is releasing more than 100 daily, weekly or monthly reports under the program covering market transactions for lamb, lamb meat, fed cattle, beef and swine.

?The American Sheep Industry (ASI) carried re-authorization of the reporting act as a top priority in 2004 and is pleased to finally have this one-year extension complete,? stated ASI Executive Director, Peter Orwick. ?We would also like to thank the lamb companies that continued to report lamb information on a voluntary basis during the month the act was expired to allow for the uninterrupted publication of information.?

The Act authorizes lamb reporting. However, reporting for lamb differs from that of beef and pork in that all provisions exist by regulation, which has allowed for several modifications since 2001.

?The latest modification rule requires imported lamb meat to be reported and we expect that report to begin this winter,? added Orwick.

ASI will seek a long-term authorization of the reporting act in the 109th Congress.