Packer Ownership Bill
Is Bipartisan Effort

CHEYENNE, Wyo. —(AP)— U.S. Sen. Craig Thomas, R-Wyo., is cosponsoring legislation aimed at helping independent livestock producers recover from record low prices.

The bill would attempt to eliminate monopolies in the meat packing industry by preventing meat packers from owning livestock before they are purchased for slaughter.

Thomas announced the measure with a bipartisan group of farm state lawmakers last week.

Four meat packing firms control about 80 percent of the slaughter market, compared to three percent 20 years ago, Thomas said.

``Small producers are suffering because they aren't getting a fair price or process, and market manipulation is in a large part to blame,'' he said.

Current law is ineffective, he said.

The bill would prohibit meat packers from owning, feeding or keeping livestock for slaughter but allow them to obtain livestock within two weeks of slaughter to maintain a reasonable supply to operate their plants.

Earlier, the Senate approved an agriculture spending bill containing a provision requiring meat packers to disclose the prices they pay for beef and pork.