A CONCURRENT RESOLUTION,  Requesting certain actions by the federal government to protect the agricultural economy of the United States

     WHEREAS,  ongoing depressed prices at the marketplace for agricultural products have created an economic emergency for rural America; and

     WHEREAS,  an investigation into the causes of the crisis in the agricultural economy, including a full investigation of market competitiveness in livestock and crops and a reexamination of trade agreements is warranted and necessary; and

     WHEREAS,  action is necessary at the federal state level to stabilize this nation's food producers, main street businesses, and rural America as a whole:

     NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, by the Senate of the Seventy-fourth Legislature of the State of South Dakota, the House of Representatives concurring therein, that the South Dakota Legislature requests the following actions by the Congress and the executive agencies of the federal government:

             (1)    The commencement of vigorous antitrust investigations into the concentration of

ownership in meat packing, grain handling, and retail agricultural operations;

             (2)    A block of the proposed Cargill-Continental Grain merger;

             (3)    Country-of-origin labeling of meat and meat products and a limitation of the USDA label to United States production;

             (4)    Mandatory price reporting for livestock and grain;

             (5)    Shift the responsibility for the regulation of packers and stockyards and enforcement of the Packers and Stockyards Act from the United States Department of Agriculture to the Justice Department;

             (6)    Inspections of imported agricultural products to ensure that such products have met standards equivalent to United States standards for food safety and environmental and worker protection; and

             (7)    Actions to ensure that farm and ranch producer interests are represented at the 1999 World Trade Organization negotiations.

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BILL HISTORY
2/12/99 Scheduled for Committee hearing on this date.
2/12/99 State Affairs Adopt Resolution, AYES 7, NAYS 2.   S.J.   474
2/16/99 Senate Adopt Resolution, AYES 32, NAYS 3.   S.J.   495
2/17/99 First read in House and referred to Agriculture and Natural Resources.   H.J.   570
2/23/99 Scheduled for Committee hearing on this date.
2/25/99 Agriculture and Natural Resources Deferred to another day.
2/25/99 Scheduled for Committee hearing on this date.
3/2/99 Scheduled for Committee hearing on this date.
3/2/99 Concurred in resolution as amended, AYES 7, NAYS 5.   H.J.   840