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. @USDA has the power to help rural America thrive, but recent admins have failed to do so.
Today, Big Ag has a hand in everything from seed genetics to hog processing to supermarkets.
Some Q’s for @SenateAgDems + @SenateAgGOP to ask at Tom Vilsack's hearing
Today, Big Ag has a hand in everything from seed genetics to hog processing to supermarkets.
Some Q’s for @SenateAgDems + @SenateAgGOP to ask at Tom Vilsack's hearing
2/ A handful of corps dominate most food & ag markets in the U.S.
Q- Are you familiar w/ the market shares of major agribusinesses in seeds, meatpacking, equipment, chemicals, etc?
Q- Do you think concentration is a problem for workers, independent farmers & consumers? Why?
Q- Are you familiar w/ the market shares of major agribusinesses in seeds, meatpacking, equipment, chemicals, etc?
Q- Do you think concentration is a problem for workers, independent farmers & consumers? Why?
3/ Q- Especially given the significant investments farmers have to make into their farms, would you say that independent farmers today face markets that are “fair, competitive, and transparent?”
Q- What can the @USDA do to make markets more fair to farmers, workers & consumers?
Q- What can the @USDA do to make markets more fair to farmers, workers & consumers?
4/ Vilsack has defended monopolies from calls to break them up.
Q- Will you continue to oppose efforts to break up, geographically or horizontally, dominant meatpackers and check their power over independent farmers and ranchers?
Q- Will you continue to oppose efforts to break up, geographically or horizontally, dominant meatpackers and check their power over independent farmers and ranchers?
5/ In January 2021, The Storm Lake Times reported that Vilsack supported “the recreation of an anti-trust task force in agriculture and food processing that was abandoned in the Trump Administration.” https://www.stormlake.com/articles/vilsack-sees-big-shift-in-ag-induced-by-climate/
6/ Q- Do you agree that the agency should be restored as an independent agency & use its full authority to structure & enforce fair market rules?
Q- Will you reimplement a stronger version of the Farmer Fair Practices Rules rescinded by the Trump admin?
Q- Will you reimplement a stronger version of the Farmer Fair Practices Rules rescinded by the Trump admin?
7/ Q- Would you support writing additional, strong rules to protect independent farmers from abuse by powerful packers under the Packers and Stockyard Act?
Q- Will you put forth a rule that would require meatpackers to justify the prices they pay to farmers? Why or why not?
Q- Will you put forth a rule that would require meatpackers to justify the prices they pay to farmers? Why or why not?
8/ Q- During the Obama admin, your @USDA issued a rule titled “Modernization of Poultry Slaughter Inspection,” which allowed chicken & turkey processing corps to replace federal food inspectors w/ in-house workers.
Do you stand by this rule and think it should still stand today?
Do you stand by this rule and think it should still stand today?
9/ Q- The Trump admin has since extended this inspection system, known as the “New Poultry Inspection System,” to the pork industry.
Was this a good idea?
Do you think these (self-)inspection systems promote consumer safety?
Was this a good idea?
Do you think these (self-)inspection systems promote consumer safety?
10/ Two difference independent govt agencies criticized these new inspection rules.
Q- Do you think the Inspector General’s & GAO’s reports raised valid concerns about the poultry inspection rules’ effects on food safety?
Q- Did you see any issues w/ the pilot program’s data?
Q- Do you think the Inspector General’s & GAO’s reports raised valid concerns about the poultry inspection rules’ effects on food safety?
Q- Did you see any issues w/ the pilot program’s data?
11/ Q- Did you think the analysis for the poultry inspection rules are sound?
Q- Are you concerned that the poultry inspection rules weakened food safety standards?
Q- Are you concerned that the poultry inspection rules weakened food safety standards?
12/ Despite concerns, the @USDA final poultry inspection rule did not require special training for workers who replaced federal inspectors.
Q- Why did @USDA decide not to require inspection-specific training for processing plant workers assigned to replace federal inspectors?
Q- Why did @USDA decide not to require inspection-specific training for processing plant workers assigned to replace federal inspectors?
13/ An investigation from @TheCounter found that many claims Vilsack has made about his accomplishments in addressing @USDA’s racist discrimination against black farmers are misleading or false. https://thecounter.org/usda-black-farmers-discrimination-tom-vilsack-reparations-civil-rights/
14/ Q- How would you improve @USDA’s practices toward black farmers and workers in food systems?
Q- What steps will you take to remedy @USDA’s decades-long discriminatory lending practices?
Q- What steps will you take to remedy @USDA’s decades-long discriminatory lending practices?
15/ To effectively address climate change, @USDA must play a fundamental role.
Q- Do you have any concerns that big agribusinesses could control or reap most of the benefits of carbon markets? What steps will you take to prevent monopolistic control of emerging carbon markets?
Q- Do you have any concerns that big agribusinesses could control or reap most of the benefits of carbon markets? What steps will you take to prevent monopolistic control of emerging carbon markets?
16/ Vilsack most recently served as President & CEO of the Dairy Export Council.
Q- Will you commit to recusing yourself from all of the @USDA’s work relating to the dairy industry for the duration of your time at @USDA?
Q- Will you commit to recusing yourself from all of the @USDA’s work relating to the dairy industry for the duration of your time at @USDA?
17/17 Q- If you recuse yourself, who will take over your responsibilities in those matters?
Q- How will your recusal from Dairy Export Council-related matters affect the functioning of the @USDA?
Q- How will your recusal from Dairy Export Council-related matters affect the functioning of the @USDA?
