Source: POLITICO'S MORNING AGRICULTURE, 10/23/17

After the administration's decision last week to end Obama-era proposals aimed to help protect livestock and poultry growers, farmers and ranchers are skeptical about what may happen to the ranking system draft GIPSA rule that remains. "They've screwed this up bad enough. Lord knows what they're going to say to help big poultry companies," J. Dudley Butler, the former head of USDA's Grain Inspection Packers and Stockyards Administration said in an interview with MA. "I'm not optimistic they'll get anything right."

Trump may face wrath: Butler said the decision may influence what support President Donald Trump and his administration receive from farmers and ranchers in the future. Farmers felt abandoned, Butler said, by statements from USDA Secretary Sonny Perdue that he did not support the interim final rule because it would lead to "unnecessary and unproductive litigation."

Farmers and ranchers are "the least litigious people in this country," Butler said, adding that the bigger challenges may come when Trump seeks their support if he tries to get re-elected.

"Farmers and ranchers are the backbone of America and they paved the way for Trump to be president," Butler said. "They thought he was their president, but he and his minions have now sold these very farmers and ranchers down the river."
Another discouragement: Butler said it would also be harder to encourage future generations to take up farming if they weren't protected from big corporations. "I've got four kids and none of them want to do that. Why would you? It's hard work. You make more money somewhere else."