146 Reuss, Hon. Henry S., a Representative in Congress from the State of Roosevelt, Hon. James, a Representative in Congress from the 26th Congressional District of the State of California. Rozzoni, Louis, president, California Farm Bureau Federation, and member, AFBF_board_of_directors, on behalf of the AFBF; ac- companied by John C. Lynn, legislative director, and Herman Aaberg, assistant director, Commodity Division, AFBF- Schneider, F. W., representing_American Steamship Purchasing Young, Benjamin, counsel, National Association of Hotel and Res- taurant Meat Purveyors, and Meat and Poultry Purveyors Associa- Exhibit A.-Letter from Charles B. Shuman, president of the AFBF, to Hon. Ezra T. Benson, Secretary of Agriculture........ Exhibit B.-Letter from Mr. Shuman to Secretary Benson.__ Broadbent, J. R., Utah Wool Growers' Association: Consumer cost of lamb, with charts 1955, 1956, 1957, 1958, 1959, Brown, J. W., National Lamb Feeders Association: Resolutions passed at last three annual meetings, Omaha, Nebr., Cooley, Hon. Harold D.: 72 74-79 65 Atlantic Packing Co., Detroit, Mich., letter of December 23, 151 Farrell Lines, Inc., New York, N.Y., telegram of January 13, 157 Harry Heath & Son, Lamar, Colo., telegram of January 7, 1960. Moss, Hon. Frank E., U.S. Senator, letter of January 7, 1960. National Institute of Governmental Purchasing, Inc., Washing- Nelson, Helen Ewing, consumer counsel, Governor's office, Sacra- mento, Calif., telegram of January 12, 1960_ _ . Staggers, Hon. Harley O., letter of January 12, 1960. 148 152-153 University of Kentucky, Agricultural Experiment Station, 153 Additional data submitted to the committee by-Continued Exhibit A-1.-Statistical summary of comments regarding possi- ble suspension of lamb grading received by July 20 (table) - Exhibit A-2.-List of organizations submitting comments on Exhibit A-3.-Statistical summary of comments regarding possible suspension of lamb grading received after July 20 (table) Exhibit B.-Organizations represented at meeting with De- partment to discuss revision of lamb and mutton standards___ Exhibit C.-List of organizations, colleges, State departments of agriculture, and others commenting on proposed standards. Exhibit D.-Comments regarding announced suspension of lamb grading received through January 7, 1960 (table) - Exhibit E.-List of organizations and representatives meeting Dixon, Hon. Henry A.: Whitbeck, C., Sr., Wellington, Nev., letter of January 7, 1960--- H. Moffat Co., San Francisco, Calif., letter of January 8, 1960___ Jennings, Hon. W. Pat: Smyth County Lamb Pool Committee and Rich Valley Farmers' National Farmers Union, Denver, Colo., letter of June 26, 1959_- Josendal, Harold, National Wool Growers Association: Comparison of New York weekly average prices for U.S. Choice Percent increase in average wholesale and retail lamb prices Additional data submitted to the committee by-Continued Levering, Hon. Robert W.-Continued Teegardin Live Stock Co., Columbus, Ohio, telegram of January Ward Livestock Co., Fostoria, Ohio, telegram of January 11, 102 Reuss, Hon. Henry S.: Department of Agriculture, Washington, D.C., letter of January 148 SUSPENSION OF FEDERAL GRADING OF LAMB AND MUTTON MONDAY, JANUARY 11, 1960 HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, The committee met, pursuant to notice, at 10:10 a.m., in room 1310, New House Office Building, Hon. Harold D. Cooley (chairman) presiding. Present: Mr. Cooley (presiding), Mr. Poage, Mr. Albert, Mr. Abbitt, Mr. Hagen, Mr. Johnson of Wisconsin, Mr. Bass of Tennessee, Mr. Jennings, Mr. Gathings, Mr. Matthews, Mr. McGovern, Mr. Breeding, Mr. McSween, Mr. Stubblefield, Mr. Levering, Mr. Thompson of Texas, Mr. Coad, Mr. Hogan, Mr. Abernethy, Mr. Grant, Mr. Jones of Missouri, Mr. Hoeven, Mr. Belcher, Mr. McIntire, Mr. Dixon, Mr. Quie, Mr. Short, Mrs. May, Mr. Pirnie, Mr. Latta, and Mr. Teague of California. Also present: Mr. Berry, of South Dakota, and Mr. Clark Fisher, of Texas. The CHAIRMAN. The committee will please be in order. I would like to say that because of communications that I received from different people in different parts of the country concerning this matter that you are about to discuss, I requested the Secretary to hold the order in abeyance until we could have an opportunity to have hearings on this matter before the committee. I want to thank the Secretary for granting that request. I assure you that I have no preconceived notions about the matter, but it does seem to me that you should testify in these hearings, in which all parties will be given an opportunity to be heard. I would like for you to explain to the committee just what has been done, what caused it, and what is now contemplated. Tell us something about the old rules and regulations, the regulations that will be changed and modified, and the new regulations that have been talked about for some few months now. Go ahead and give us your prepared statement, and then I am sure that members of the committee will want to interrogate you. Mr. MILLER. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. We will be delighted to answer questions that you may care to ask. The statement I have recites the series of events over the past year. 1 STATEMENT OF HON. CLARENCE L. MILLER, ASSISTANT SECRETARY OF AGRICULTURE; ACCOMPANIED BY CHARLES W. BUCY, ASSISTANT GENERAL COUNSEL FOR MARKETING AND REGULATORY LAWS; DAVID M. PETTUS, DIRECTOR, LIVESTOCK DIVISION, AGRICULTURAL MARKETING SERVICE; JOHN C. PIERCE, DEPUTY DIRECTOR, LIVESTOCK DIVISION, AGRICULTURAL MARKETING SERVICE; AND NATHAN KOENIG, SPECIAL ASSISTANT TO THE ADMINISTRATOR, AGRICULTURAL MARKETING SERVICE, DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE Mr. MILLER. We in the Department of Agriculture appreciate this committee's interest in the question of the Federal service for grading lamb and mutton. As you know, this is a voluntary grading program and has been a subject of controversy over the past year. A request to suspend Federal grading of lamb was brought to the Department's attention by the National Wool Growers Association in a resolution adopted on January 29, 1959, stating that Federal grading was detrimental to the efficient merchandising of lamb and urging that the Department suspend Federal lamb grading immediately. The National Lamb Feeders Association had adopted a similar resolution on January 10, 1959. In response to this request, the Department called a meeting on April 17, 1959, of individuals representing various organizations, from producers to retailers, which were directly concerned with producing, feeding, and merchandising of lamb. From the statements presented at that meeting, it was apparent that there was widespread interest in the subject and that the entire industry as well as others interested should have an opportunity to comment prior to the Department's taking action on the request to suspend lamb grading. Consequently, notice was published in the Federal Register on May 28, 1959, announcing that the Department of Agriculture was considering the suspension of lamb grading on August 1, 1959, and inviting all interested persons to submit comments by June 22, 1959. By request, the Department extended the time for submitting comments until July 6, 1959, and later extended it until July 20, 1959. On July 13, 1959, Department officials appeared before the Livestock and Feed Grains Subcommittee of the House Committee on Agriculture to discuss current developments in the lamb grading problem in relation to the consideration being given by the Department to the suspension of the Federal grading service for lamb and mutton on August 1, 1959. The subcommittee was advised that after all comments in response to the Department's formal request were received, the record would be analyzed, carefully reviewed, and thereafter the Department's decision would be announced as promptly as possible. After considering comments of more than a thousand organizations and individuals, and weighing the subject carefully, the Department issued a press release on July 23, 1959, announcing that Federal lamb grading would be continued, and further stating that the Department would proceed promptly to consider revised grade standards for lamb and mutton to eliminate any deficiencies in the then present standards. At that time it was stated that, "If improved grade standards for lamb and mutton are not developed to meet more adequately |