The following statement may be attributed to Iowa Farm Bureau Federation President Craig Hill:

“As Iowa farmers suffer through a prolonged downturned ag economy and severe economic hardship resulting in concerns about livestock markets, the recent USDA Boxed Beef and Fed Cattle Price Spread Investigation Report calling for more transparency, particularly in pricing, is a welcomed first step to address industry-wide concerns. 

Supply chain issues brought on by COVID-19 put many cattle farmers at a significant financial disadvantage which requires immediate attention.  While this report and analysis is just a start to address concerns about fairness in pricing across the cattle industry, recognizing that transparency is essential for a fair and competitive marketplace is a good initial step.  There is still a need to delve deeper into some of the solutions discussed by the cattle industry in the aftermath of this unprecedented pandemic.”