HB 1052 -- Livestock Purchasing

Co-Sponsors:  Wiggins, Kreider, Leake, Williams (159), Backer,
Clayton, Ransdall, Relford, Berkowitz, Summers, Hegeman

This bill requires a packer purchasing livestock for slaughter
in Missouri to not discriminate in prices paid to the seller of
such livestock.  Packers are to provide all sellers with the
same terms and conditions offered to a seller who receives a
differential price based on such criteria.

Packers are to provide to the Agricultural Market Service,
Livestock Market Branch, of the United States Department of
Agriculture and the Missouri Department of Agriculture all
prices paid for livestock, both contract and direct purchase, by
9:00 a.m. the following business day.  Packers are also to make
available for publication and to the Missouri Department of
Agriculture a daily report regarding prices paid for livestock
under any contract with a Missouri resident seller which sets
the date of delivery more than 20 days after the marketing
contract.  Any packer who fails to report information required
in this bill is guilty of a class A misdemeanor.

The Missouri Attorney General or any person injured by a
violation of the provisions of this bill may bring an action for
any remedy allowed for unlawful merchandising practices.  A
seller of livestock who receives a discriminatory price in
violation of the provisions of this bill may receive treble
damages, costs, and a reasonable attorney's fee.