SLS 17RS-1930 ORIGINAL
2017 Regular Session
SENATE RESOLUTION NO. 120
BY SENATOR MILKOVICH
AGRICULTURAL COMMODITIES. Memorializes Congress to support the domestic beef
industry.
1 A RESOLUTION
2 To memorialize the Congress of the United States to take such actions as are necessary to
3 support the domestic beef industry.
4 WHEREAS, the value of the domestic beef industry is a vital and integral part of the
5 United States economy; and
6 WHEREAS, the 2016 economic impact was approximately sixty-seven billion in
7 farm cash receipts for cattle and calves; and
8 WHEREAS, there are over nine hundred thousand total cattle and calf operations in
9 the United States of which ninety-one percent are family owned or individually operated,
10 and eleven percent are operated by women; and
11 WHEREAS, domestic beef production in 2017 is estimated to be approximately
12 twenty-five billion eight hundred million pounds; and
13 WHEREAS, the amount of beef consumed in the United States in 2016 was
14 approximately twenty-five billion six hundred million pounds; and
15 WHEREAS, it is essential to the success of the domestic beef industry to increase
16 international trade to key export markets; and
17 WHEREAS, the promotion of policies which highlight the quality, safety,
18 sustainability, and nutritional value of domestic beef will drive growth in domestic beef
Page 1 of 3 SR NO. 120
SLS 17RS-1930 ORIGINAL
1 exports; and
2 WHEREAS, it is in the nation's best interest to protect against legislative policies or
3 agency regulations that have a negative impact on the economic health of the domestic beef
4 industry; and
5 WHEREAS, minor changes in future domestic beef import or export levels can
6 significantly change the net beef supply and beef prices; and
7 WHEREAS, important steps to supporting the domestic beef industry include
8 developing a comprehensive national strategy for including beef in future dietary guidelines
9 and investing in necessary research to improve productivity and efficiency; and
10 WHEREAS, it is critical to the success of the domestic beef industry to identify
11 barriers and develop strategies to attract and enable the next generation of farmers into the
12 domestic beef industry; and
13 WHEREAS, terrorist attacks have heightened the nation's awareness of agriterrorism
14 and placed a renewed focus on ensuring the protection of the nation's critical infrastructures,
15 including the domestic beef food supply; and
16 WHEREAS, an intentional contamination of the domestic beef food supply could
17 harm millions of people and cripple our vast agriculture system; and
18 WHEREAS, it is critical to preserve the United States domestic beef supply and
19 prevent reliance on foreign nations for food; and
20 WHEREAS, it will be necessary to develop a variety of federal actions to support the
21 domestic beef industry including proposals which encourage domestic beef production,
22 improve consumer demand, protect our nation's critical infrastructure, attract new farmers,
23 improve the business climate, and increase trade to export markets.
24 THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Senate of the Legislature of Louisiana
25 memorializes the Congress of the United States to take such actions as are necessary to
26 support the domestic beef industry.
27 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that a copy of this Resolution shall be transmitted
28 to the secretary of the United States Senate and the clerk of the United States House of
29 Representatives and to each member of the Louisiana delegation to the United States
30 Congress.
Page 2 of 3 SR NO. 120
SLS 17RS-1930 ORIGINAL
The original instrument and the following digest, which constitutes no part
of the legislative instrument, were prepared by Thomas L. Tyler.
DIGEST
SR 120 Original 2017 Regular Session Milkovich
Memorializes Congress to take such actions as are necessary to support the domestic beef
industry.
Page 3 of 3