GIPSA Rule

The GIPSA Rule is a rule proposed in 2010 that is intended to promote fairness in competition in the livestock industry. It is named after the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Grain Inspection, Packers and Stockyards Administration, GIPSA. The rule was proposed by GIPSA following the 2008 farm bill, which instructed the agency to correct anticompetitive practices in the livestock industry. As Paul Acton, president of the Kansas Cattlemen's Association says, "The Packers and Stockyards Act is a law, a law that has not been adequately enforced and the GIPSA rule merely clarifies and enforces the law as it was intended." However, the GIPSA rule was met with strong opposition by many meatpacking and agribusiness groups, resulting in action by the U.S. House of Representatives intended to delay or prevent the rule's implementation.

GIPSA Rule Proponents
The following groups support the GIPSA Rule:
 * Agricultural Missions, Inc.
 * Agriculture and Land Based Training Association
 * Agriculture of the Middle
 * Alabama Contract Poultry Growers Association
 * Alliance for a Sustainable Future
 * Alternative Energy Resources Organization (AERO)
 * American Agriculture Movement
 * American Corn Growers Association
 * American Grassfed Association
 * American Raw Milk Producers Pricing Association
 * Appalachian Crafts
 * Ashtabula-Lake-Geauga CFU
 * Buckeye Quality Beef Association
 * C.A.S.A. del Llano
 * California Dairy Campaign
 * California Farmers Union
 * California Food & Justice Coalition
 * California Institute for Rural Studies
 * Campaign for Contract Agriculture Reform
 * Campaign for Family Farms and the Environment
 * Carolina Farm Stewardship Association
 * Cattle Producers of Louisiana
 * Center for Food Safety
 * Center for New Community
 * Center for Popular Research, Education and Policy
 * Center for Rural Affairs
 * Church Women United of New York State
 * Community Farm Alliance
 * Community Food Security Coalition
 * Contract Poultry Growers Association of the Virginias
 * Dakota Resource Council
 * Dakota Rural Action of SD
 * Davidson College Office of Sustainability
 * Ecological Farming Association
 * Family Farm Defenders
 * Farm Aid
 * Farm and Ranch Freedom Alliance
 * Farm Fresh Choice of the Ecology Center Berkeley
 * Farmers Market Coalition
 * Fay-Penn Economic Development Council
 * Food & Water Watch
 * Food Chain Workers Alliance
 * Food First
 * Food Democracy Now!
 * Georgia Poultry Justice Alliance
 * Heartland Center / Office of Peace and Justice for the Diocese of Gary, Indiana and the Integrity of Creation
 * Hispanic Organizations Leadership Alliance
 * Illinois Stewardship Alliance
 * Independent Beef Association of North Dakota (I-BAND)
 * Independent Cattlemen of Nebraska
 * Independent Cattlemen of Wyoming
 * Institute for Agriculture and Trade Policy
 * Iowa Citizens for Community Improvement
 * Iowa Farmers Union
 * Island Grown Initiative
 * Izaak Walton League
 * Just Food
 * Kansas Cattlemen’s Association
 * Kansas Farmers Union
 * Kansas Rural Center
 * Land Loss Prevention Project
 * Land Stewardship Project
 * Maryknoll Office for Global Concerns
 * Michael Fields Agricultural Institute
 * Michigan Farmers Union
 * Michigan Land Trustees
 * Midwest Environmental Advocates
 * Midwest Organic Dairy Producers Association
 * Minnesota Farmers Union
 * Mississippi Assoc. of Cooperatives
 * Mississippi Livestock Markets Association
 * Missouri Farmers Union
 * Missouri Rural Crisis Center
 * National Catholic Rural Life Conference
 * National Family Farm Coalition
 * National Farmers Organization
 * National Farmers Union
 * National Hmong American Farmers, Inc.
 * National Latino Farmers & Ranchers Trade Association
 * National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition
 * Nebraska Farmers Union
 * Nebraska Sustainable Agriculture Society
 * Nebraska Wildlife Federation
 * New England Farmers Union
 * Nonviolent Economics
 * North Carolina Contract Poultry Growers Association
 * Northeast Organic Dairy Producers Alliance
 * Northeast Organic Farming Association, Interstate Council (NOFA)
 * Northeast Sustainable Agriculture Working Group
 * Northern Plains Resource Council
 * Northwest Atlantic Marine Alliance
 * Ohio Ecological Food and Farm Association
 * Ohio Environmental Council
 * Ohio Environmental Stewardship Alliance
 * Ohio Farmers Union
 * Oregon Livestock Producers Association
 * Oregon Rural Action
 * Organic Consumers Association
 * Organic Farming Research Foundation
 * Organization for Competitive Markets
 * Partnership for Earth Spirituality
 * Pennsylvania Farmers Union
 * Pennypack Farm and Education Center
 * Pesticide Action Network North America (PANNA)
 * Powder River Basin Resource Council
 * R-CALF United Stockgrowers of America
 * [[Rocky Mountain Farmers Union[[
 * Rural Advancement Foundation International - USA (RAFI-USA)
 * Sisters of St. Francis of Philadelphia
 * Slow Food USA
 * South Dakota Farmers Union
 * South Dakota Stockgrowers Association
 * Taos County Economic Development Corporation
 * Texas Farmers Union
 * The Cornucopia Institute
 * The Food Project
 * Tilth Producers of Washington
 * Trappe Landing Farm & Native Sanctuary
 * United Poultry Growers Association
 * Virginia Association for Biological Farming
 * Western Organization of Resource Councils (WORC)
 * Western Sustainable Agriculture Working Group
 * WhyHunger
 * Wisconsin Farmers Union
 * Women Involved in Farm Economics (WIFE)
 * Women, Food and Agriculture Network

GIPSA Rule Opponents
The following groups oppose the GIPSA Rule:
 * American Meat Institute (AMI)
 * National Cattlemen's Beef Association
 * National Pork Producers Council

Sourcewatch resources

 * National Cattlemen's Beef Association

External resources

 * Outline of Proposed Rule, USDA.
 * Questions and Answers About Proposed Rule, USDA.
 * Misconceptions and Explanations, USDA.
 * Examples of Market Behavior, USDA.
 * Regulatory Trainwreck Video, AgWired, July 20, 2011.

External Articles

 * "GIPSA rule takes detour," High Plains Journal, July 2011.
 * Andrea J. Cook, "GIPSA rule threatened when House pulls funding," Rapid City Journal, June 28, 2011.
 * "ranchers call on White House to issue final GIPSA rule," Western Farm Press, June 24, 2011.
 * NFU: GIPSA rule still not implemented, requires action, National Farmers Union, June 22, 2011.
 * GIPSA Comments, National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition], November 23, 2010.