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NFU: Loss of GIPSA stand-alone agency very disappointing

The National Farmers Union president says he’s “deeply disappointed” but not surprised that the USDA has announced it will eliminate the Grain Inspection, Packers and Stockyards Administration, known as “GIPSA”, as a stand-alone agency. The USDA will roll GIPSA into its Agricultural Marketing Service, “GIPSA as a stand-alone agency has a very, very different mission than AMS.”

Roger Johnson says GIPSA existed to protect folks from market misbehavior by big companies and the mission of the AMS is to promote trade, “I think it’s a mistake. I think it significantly reduces the influence of what used to be GIPSA in that piece of the law.” Johnson says farmers are going to be worse off for it.