7 U.S.C. § 1635: Purpose

provides information that can be readily understood by producers, packers, and other market participants, including information with respect to the pricing, contracting for purchase, and supply and demand conditions for livestock, livestock production, and livestock products; improves the price and supply reporting services of the Department of Agriculture; and encourages competition in the marketplace for livestock and livestock products. “This title [enacting sections 198 to 198b and 1635 to 1636h of this title and this note, amending sections 192 and 5712 of this title, repealing section 229a of this title , and amending provisions set out as a note under section 1421 of this title ] may be cited as the ‘Livestock Mandatory Reporting Act of 1999’. “Not later than 1 year after the date of the enactment of this Act [ Oct. 22, 1999 ], the Secretary of Agriculture shall fully implement a program, through the use of a streamlined electronic online system, to issue and report export certificates for all meat and meat products. obtain information regarding the import of beef and beef variety meats (consistent with the information categories reported for beef exports under section 602(a) of the Agricultural Trade Act of 1978 ( 7 U.S.C. 5712(a) )) and cattle using available information sources; and publish the information in a timely manner weekly and in a form that maximizes the utility of the information to beef producers, packers, and other market participants. The published information shall include information reporting the year-to-date cumulative annual imports of beef, beef variety meats, and cattle for the current and prior marketing years. “There are authorized to be appropriated such sums as are necessary to carry out sections 922 and 923. Effective beginning not later than 90 days after the date of the enactment of this Act [ Oct. 22, 1999 ], the Secretary of Agriculture shall publish on a monthly basis the Hogs and Pigs Inventory Report. The Secretary shall include in a separate category of the Report the number of bred female swine that are assumed, or have been confirmed, to be pregnant during the reporting period. Effective for a period of eight quarters after the implementation of the monthly report required under subsection (a), the Secretary shall continue to maintain and publish on a quarterly basis the Hogs and Pigs Inventory Report published on or before the date of the enactment of this Act. The Secretary of Agriculture shall promptly obtain and maintain, through an appropriate collection system or valid sampling system at packing plants, information on the total slaughter of swine that reflects differences in numbers between barrows and gilts, as determined by the Secretary. The information shall be made available to swine producers, packers, and other market participants in a report published by the Secretary not less frequently than weekly. The Secretary shall administer the collection and compilation of information, and the publication of the report, required by this section. The Secretary shall not delegate the collection, compilation, or administration of the information required by this section to any packer (as defined in section 201 of the Packers and Stockyards Act, 1921 ( 7 U.S.C. 191 )). The Secretary of Agriculture shall contract with a qualified contractor to conduct a correlation study and prepare a report establishing a baseline and standards for determining and improving average trim loss measurements and processing techniques for pork processors to employ in the slaughter of swine. analyze processing techniques that would assist the pork processing industry in improving procedures for uniformity and transparency in how trim loss is discounted (in dollars per hundred pounds carcass weight) by different packers and processors; analyze slaughter inspection procedures that could be improved so that trimming procedures and policies of the Secretary are uniform to the maximum extent determined practicable by the Secretary; determine how the Secretary may be able to foster improved breeding techniques and animal handling and transportation procedures through training programs made available to swine producers so as to minimize trim loss in slaughter processing; and make recommendations that are designed to effect changes in the pork industry so as to achieve continuous improvement in average trim losses and discounts. examine the status of the improvement in reducing trim loss discounts in the pork processing industry; and update the baseline to reflect changes in trim loss discounts. the public on the Internet; the Committee on Agriculture of the House of Representatives; the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry of the Senate; producers and packers; and other market participants. “There are authorized to be appropriated such sums as are necessary to carry out this subtitle and the amendments made by this subtitle. Not later than 180 days after the date of the enactment of this Act [ Oct. 22, 1999 ], the Secretary of Agriculture shall publish final regulations to implement this title and the amendments made by this title. Not later than 90 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall publish proposed regulations to implement this title and the amendments made by this title. The Secretary shall provide an opportunity for comment on the proposed regulations during the 30-day period beginning on the date of the publication of the proposed regulations. Not later than 60 days after the conclusion of the comment period, the Secretary shall publish the final regulations and implement this title and the amendments made by this title. “The authority provided by this title [enacting sections 198 to 198b and 1635 to 1636h of this title and this note, amending sections 192 and 5712 of this title, repealing section 229a of this title , and amending provisions set out as a note under section 1421 of this title ] and the amendments made by this title (other than section 911 of subtitle A [enacting this subchapter] and the amendments made by that section) terminate [sic] on September 30, 2026 .”