USDA developed the rule through negotiated rulemaking by a committee that included members representing pork producers; pork packers, processors, retailers, and buyers; and other interested stakeholders. The final rule outlines what information packers will be required to submit to the USDA Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS), how the information should be submitted and other program requirements.

The rule requires packers to submit the price of each sale, quantity, and other characteristics (e.g., type of sale, item description, destination) that AMS will use to produce market reports that will be disseminated to the public.

“Implementing the mandatory wholesale pork reporting programme provides market participants with considerably more market information than they have had in the past,“ said Craig Morris, the Deputy Administrator of the AMS Livestock and Seed Programme.

“Further, a mandatory wholesale pork reporting program will ensure that accurate, unbiased market information is available to all market participants, ultimately benefitting consumers through improved price discovery in the sector.“

The Mandatory Price Reporting Act of 2010, passed by Congress, added wholesale pork cuts to the commodities required to be reported by larger packers through the livestock mandatory reporting program. Cattle, swine, sheep, boxed beef, boxed lamb, and imported lamb meat already are covered under the programme.

The programme will be effective on 7 January, 2013. As soon as practical after the final rule has been published, AMS will hold a training session to assist packers in meeting the requirements of the mandatory pork reporting programme.