Iowa State Senate Approves
Bill For Packer Disclosure

DES MOINES, Iowa — Iowa state senators were among the latest to join the movement toward requiring packers to disclose the prices they payt for livestock.

By an almost four-to-one margin, 39-10, the Iowa State Senate last week approved a bill to require packer disclosure of livestock prices and the terms of contracts with producers.

The vote came after several hours of emotional debate that reversed a Democrat provision passed earlier in the week which would have also prohibited price discrimination.

The price reporting bill's main backer, Sen. Jeff Angelo, R-Creston, called the measure a ``watershed moment in agriculture policy.''

``The power to improve is in our own hands,'' Angelo said. ``This is giving the farmer accurate information that he or she needs to market their product effectively.''

The reporting measure would require packers to submit a report within 48 hours on what they are paying for animals in addition to banning confidentiality clauses in contracts.

The proposal would take effect in July 2000, a delay intended to give Congress time to pass nationwide legislation.

Earlier, senators reversed an amendment approved 28-20 Tuesday that would have defined price discrimination and allowed farmers to sue a packer.

``This is wrong; you need to stick to your guns of yesterday, I beg you,'' Sen. John Kibbie, D-Emmetsburg, said as senators debated removing his amendment from the bill.

Angelo slammed the price discrimination provision.

``The solutions we're offering is find the bogey men,'' Angelo said. ``Find them, punish them, regulate them, that's how we get the farm economy back in shape ... instead we're providing effective marketing tools, capital tools. A government-regulated ag economy will not work in the next century.''

Other Democrats stood up on the floor to support the price discrimination provision.

``We need to put some structure in place in order to level the playing field,'' said Michael Connolly, D-Dubuque.

The price discrimination amendments failed mostly on party line votes.

Iowa would become the second state to pass price reporting if the bill passes the House and is signed by the governor. South Dakota passed a measure last year that also prohibits price discrimination, and the Clinton administration recently said it supports reporting prices on a national level.

A similar measure is moving through the Nebraska Legislature.

``We encourage the feds to do it, and if they don't, we will have one in Iowa,'' Angelo said.

Iowa Farmers Union President John Whitaker said the bill will allow price discrimination to continue.

``Price discrimination must be addressed if the Legislature wants to truly help Iowa's family farmers,'' Whitaker said.

Some medium-sized producers don't agree with the measure.

``We've been doing this for eight years and we've been doing very well with 95 percent of our pigs on contracts,'' said Debby Benjegerdes, who along with her husband raises about 3500 hogs near Manly. ``I don't feel it's anybody else's business what we do. We're transacting legally.''