Top Pols Predicting
Price Reporting Law

WASHINGTON —(AP)— Two lawmakers predicted Monday that legislation requiring meatpackers to reveal the prices they pay will win passage in Congress this year.

Senate Minority Leader Tom Daschle, D-S.D., and House Agriculture Chairman Larry Combest, R-Texas, made the prediction about what is called mandatory price reporting during separate comments with reporters.

Pressure has been building for mandatory price reporting in the last year. All areas of livestock are experiencing low prices, particularly the hog industry, where prices have dipped to their lowest levels in four decades.

Farmers have accused big companies of pushing them out by keeping prices secret.

``I believe without question by the end of the year there will be mandatory price reporting,'' Combest said.

Added Daschle, ``I expect to pass a mandatory price reporting bill this year.''

The Clinton administration announced this month it would introduce legislation requiring mandatory price reporting. Several lawmakers have also introduced versions of the proposal.