Sen. Michael Enzi, R-Wyoming, told a cattlemen's group he feels good about a section of the pending Farm Bill that would recognize and benefit Wyoming producers.

Enzi spoke at the Learning and Education Center at UW cooperative extension office before the Independent Cowmen of Wyoming (ICOW) conference Saturday, part of a day that also included the senator's appearance before Wyoming Republicans in Casper.

In late October, the Senate Agriculture Committee passed the 2008 Farm Bill unanimously. Enzi said he's is looking forward to debating the bill on the Senate floor to ensure it includes language that benefits Wyoming producers whose products are sold on supermarket shelves.

Enzi wants the Farm Bill to include language agreed to by the House of Representatives that would mandate country-of-origin (COOL) labeling be implemented n something that is supposed to occur by September 30, 2008. The proposal would require labeling for beef, lamb, pork and goat products and differentiate completely domestic products from completely foreign products. Cattle producers have long desired the bill to stave off competition from foreign suppliers, believing American customers will choose American beef over meat from other countries.

The ICOW group was formed earlier this year. Its board includes cattle producers from around the state, focused "to protect and promote the future of the Wyoming livestock and ranching industry."

Shipments

Sen. Enzi told the group he wants the 2008 Farm Bill to allow Wyoming producers, like ICOW members, to be able to ship state-inspected meat across state lines. The bill contains language that would ensure meat tested in state with the strictest federal standards could be sold across state lines, just like federally-inspected meat. As the law is written now, meat and poultry products that are not federally inspected may only be sold within the borders of the state, even after passing a state inspection which is on par with federal inspection guidelines.

Yet meat and poultry from some foreign countries are allowed to be freely shipped and sold anywhere in the U.S. Enzi believes it is important to fix this inconsistency so Wyoming producers do not have to jump through more federal hoops than foreign producers.

Packer bill

Enzi is also seeking to rein in the meat packers' power over pricing with language to make the current voluntary reporting system mandatory. Packers, processors and importers are required to report critical market data to the USDA, which is then calculated, published and made available to the industry.

Enzi told ICOW that he's keeping a close eye on amendments to the Farm Bill, particularly one by Sen. Russ Feingold, D-Wis., which would bring all of the nation's water under the jurisdiction of the Environmental Protection Agency.

"One of my biggest jobs is educating Easterners about Western issues," he told the audience in response to questions about Feingold's proposed amendment.

Answering questions from the audience, Enzi said he'd try to make the rules and regulations that emerge from the 2008 Farm Bill as simple as possible for producers. He said he worries about USDA staff who "seem to work for the packers" rather than the producers of America. On a question about half-mile wide energy corridors and their impact on property rights, Enzi said he hadn't heard much about the issue, but would like to learn more.

Prospects for the Farm Bill's quick passage are questionable. This week, Majority Leader Sen. Harry Reid, D-NV, warned against "mischievous amendments that have nothing to do with the farm bill." Meanwhile, the White House has threatened to veto the bill on grounds it raises taxes, increases supports for dairy and some crops, and fails to reform rules that allow huge subsidies.

There's still no agreement between Democrats and Republicans on which amendments can be included for consideration in the giant Farm Bill. Congress is in session again Tuesday following the Monday observation of Veterans Day.