Peterson pushes for flexibility for cattle producers and haulers

WASHINGTON– Representative Collin C. Peterson signed on to a bipartisan letter, led by Representative Greg Gianforte (R-MT), to aid cattle producers and live-cattle haulers who face a crisis because of an August fire.

In early August, the Tyson beef processing plant in Holcomb, Kansas was shut down after a fire. The closest processing facilities that can accommodate the additional cattle are located hundreds of miles away. This market disruption has had ripple effects for cattle producers and beef prices across the country. The letter requests an emergency declaration, which would remove the delays in transporting cattle planned for processing in Holcomb to other facilities.

“I’m proud to sign on to this bipartisan letter. We want to be helpful wherever we can and through our efforts we hope we can provide some relief to our hard working cattle producers and live-cattle haulers,” said Peterson.

The letter was sent to Raymond P. Martinez, administrator of the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA), requesting an emergency declaration and suspension of the Hours of Service (HOS) regulations for live-cattle haulers in light of this emergency situation.