Call to rescind poultry regulations is on target

Georgians like their chicken Southern fried and in a wide variety of other ways, from hot wings to ala king, but there’s a lot more to chickens in our state than delectable dishes. To say that chickens are important to our state’s economy is an understatement.

The poultry industry is huge, comprising nearly half the state’s agriculture and making Georgia tops nationally in broiler production. Growers in 105 counties, including many in North Georgia, on an average day produce 26 million pounds of chicken and 9.2 million eggs, according to the Georgia Poultry Federation.

The average poultry farm annually produces enough chicken to feed more than 22,000 people. Altogether, poultry farms, processing, further processing and allied industries contribute approximately $38 billion a year to the state’s economy, and 138,000 jobs depend on chickens, directly or indirectly, per the GPF.

Those statistics are behind the effort by a majority of Georgia’s congressional delegation to get rid of onerous rules proposed by former President Barack Obama in the closing days of his term. Ten of Georgia’s congressmen — including Rep. Tom Graves, R-Ranger — have sent a letter to U.S. Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue, urging him to rescind three poultry-related rules of the Grain Inspection, Packers & Stockyards Administration of the USDA. Citing a study by FarmEcon LLC, the letter says:

“These regulations would cost the broiler chicken industry $1.03 billion over five years in reduced efficiency, higher costs for feed and housing, and administrative expenses. Rescinding the regulations would put these issues to rest. It would allow livestock and poultry producers to market their animals how, when and where they want to without GIPSA dictating the transactions. Even based on GIPSA’s own analysis, these rules are completely out of line with our priorities to eliminate burdensome regulations and to promote American businesses.

“We urge you to promote American business, eliminate stifling regulation, and make a clear statement of support for American agriculture by rescinding the GIPSA interim final rule and withdrawing the two GIPSA proposed rules.”

For the record, the other Georgia members of Congress signing the letter include Republicans Barry Loudermilk of Cassville, Buddy Carter of Pooler, Drew Ferguson of West Point, Rob Woodall of Peachtree Corners, Austin Scott of Tifton, Doug Collins of Gainesville, Jody Hice of Bethlehem, Rick Allen of Augusta and Democrat David Scott of Atlanta.

Although the proposed rules were put on hold for review under the Trump administration’s freeze on regulations, the Georgians wants to make a pre-emptive strike with Perdue, the former Georgia governor who has been involved in agriculture for most of his life and surely understands clearly the plight of the state’s poultry producers and processors.

We join in encouraging Secretary Perdue to rescind the rules which, like so many of the too-numerous regulations imposed by the Obama administration, stifle businesses and serve to put brakes on the economy. At the appropriate time, we believe the new Secretary of Agriculture will do what’s best for the Georgia poultry industry — and America’s economy as a whole. Clay Bennett, Chattanooga Times Free Press