Rep. Mark Alford, U.S. Representative for Missouri's 4th District | Congressman Mark Alford Official website
Rep. Mark Alford, U.S. Representative for Missouri's 4th District | Congressman Mark Alford Official website
Washington, DC – Congressman Mark Alford (MO-04) has taken the lead on a bipartisan effort to address concerns regarding the pasture-raised claims petition (Petition 23-03) submitted to the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA). In a letter addressed to USDA Secretary Vilsack, Congressman Alford and his colleagues expressed their desire for the USDA to carefully consider the implications of the proposed policy changes.
The letter, signed by Representatives Jason Smith (MO-08), Lloyd Doggett (TX-37), Rick Crawford (AR-01), and James Baird (IN-04), highlights the need for the USDA to assess whether the requested policy changes would create an uneven playing field for certain groups or harm competition. Additionally, the lawmakers emphasized the importance of evaluating the level of consumer understanding regarding the proposed terms.
In a statement, Congressman Alford emphasized the need for transparency and industry input in shaping policies that affect the agriculture sector. He stated, “Our agriculture industry deserves nothing short of complete transparency. Operating in shadows is unacceptable. USDA must allow for industry input on rules such as these." Congressman Alford also expressed his hope for a prompt response from Secretary Vilsack.
As this bipartisan effort gains traction, media inquiries regarding Congressman Alford's perspective on the matter can be directed to Austin Higginbotham at Austin.Higginbotham@mail.house.gov.
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