09/13/05 Mandatory cattle price reporting

The current mandatory price reporting law for cattle producers is going to expire at the end of this month. National Cattlemen's Beef Association's Colin Woodall says it's important for producers to have open access to price information and market data. WOODALL "So right now we are working on trying to get that extended for yet another five years to continue this program. It really helps producers understand what's going on with their local markets." Woodall says they're having no problems in the US House where he expect a favorable vote later this month to extend mandatory price reporting for another five years. WOODALL "House committee is the one that really that took the lead on this. They voted to pass mandatory price reporting. The Senate is a little bit different situation because the Senators Grassley and Harkin from Iowa have some concerns with the program." Woodall says producers should let their senators know that a one year extension gives them no certainty, they need five more years and they need it now. WOODALL "Data that is collected is extremely important in looking at our markets and if we have a gap in that data because we don't get this thing authorized in time that's not information that we can go back and recreate." Voice of Idaho Agriculture Bill Scott