Participating in the democratic process is an essential part of maintaining and building the country and communities we want to live in. A lot of focus is placed on exercising your vote and contacting your lawmakers - and those are very important actions to take. However, those aren’t the only places your voice is needed.
Your voice can also be influential in the rulemaking process that turns laws into the policies that govern us. When proposed rules and other documents solicit public input, it is not uncommon to see that only a few individuals or organizations submitted input. This is a huge opportunity for community members like you to provide real, substantive feedback on documents that impact you.
Because of this, Wisconsin Farmers Union has put together a new video walking you through the step-by-step process of making public comments online. It can be found on the WFU YouTube page. You can use this video any time in the future to submit a comment, but you can also try it out right now!
You see, the Packers and Stockyards Act is going through a public comment period right now on proposed changes. The new rule would clarify the regulatory framework that allows USDA and others to enforce the Packers and Stockyards Act. It does this by clarifying the definition of what constitutes “Unfair Practices.” This will allow regulators to better evaluate the extent to which a practice restricts a farmer’s participation in the market and determine whether a company’s conduct prevents a producer from getting the full value of their products or services. The Packers and Stockyards Act applies to livestock, meat, and poultry markets - where we’ve seen significant negative impacts from rampant corporate consolidation. This rule would put into place a workable standard that protects small- and mid-scale “family” livestock producers from harm by corporate monopolies in the meat industry.
We hope that you’ll take this opportunity to make your voice heard and support the plight of farmers in your community as they battle the impacts of corporate greed while trying to win a fair playing field for all producers.
You can complete a petition encouraging the USDA to support the Packers and Stockyards Act proposed rule through National Farmers Union’s Action Alert and submit your comment today on the Regulations.gov website for the Packers and Stockyards Act proposed rule with the support of that step-by-step video. If you need support in the form of a template, check your inbox for an action alert from WFU that links to a template or reach out to our staff for support.
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