Sen. Charles Grassley (R-IA) believes mandatory livestock price disclosure will increase competition within the livestock industry.  It is "a good way to prevent insider deals that undercut fair competition," he said in a statement.

Grassley supports a bill introduced by Senate Minority Leader Tom Daschle (D-SD) that calls for mandatory price disclosure.  Beef, pork and sheep industry groups also favor the bill.

The legislation would require price disclosure first by packers who control the largest market share, then to packers who control the next larges share "and so on, until at least 80% of the market is accounted for," said Grassley.

USDA would be required to promulgate a regulation to make the information public.

Also sponsoring the bill are Sens. Tom Harkin (D-IA), Craig Thomas (R-WY), Bob Kerrey (D-NE), Tim Johnson (D-SD), Kent Conrad (D-ND), Byron Dorgan (D-ND), Max Baucus (D-MT), Paul Wellstone (D-MN), Jeff Bingaman (D-NM), and Russell Feingold (D-WI).