House Bill 560

AN ACT TO REQUIRE THE MISSISSIPPI DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE AND COMMERCE TO DEVELOP AND DISTRIBUTE A MONTHLY AGRICULTURE MARKET REPORT, IN A MANNER MODELED AFTER THE AGRICULTURAL MARKETING SERVICE (AMS) DIVISION OF THE UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE; TO PRESCRIBE THE INFORMATION TO BE CONTAINED IN THE REPORTS; AND FOR RELATED PURPOSES.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI:

SECTION 1. (1) The Mississippi Department of Agriculture and Commerce shall develop and distribute a monthly Agriculture Market Report, in a manner modeled after the Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) division of the United States Department of Agriculture, to provide efficient, fair marketing of Mississippi agricultural products, including food, fiber and specialty crops. The unbiased price and sales information contained in the report shall identify commodities by price, volume and other pertinent descriptors to assist farmers, producers and other agricultural businesses to:

(a) Evaluate market conditions;

(b) Identify trends;

(d) Monitor price patterns;

(e) Evaluate transportation equipment needs; and

(f) Accurately assess movement.

(2) The market report, which shall be published and distributed in print form, shall also be made available in electronic format, to be easily located and accessible on the department's website. The market report shall be a compilation of the various agricultural markets, including market news for:

(a) Cotton and Tobacco, which shall be further itemized using:

(i) For cotton:

1. A daily cotton quality summary;

2. A weekly cotton quality classed summary. For purpose of this subparagraph (i), classing shall consist of the cotton's:

a. Color grade;

b. Leaf grade;

c. Staple;

d. Micronaire;

e. Extraneous matter;

f. Strength; and

g. Uniformity;

3. A season-to-date cotton quality summary, statewide and by region;

4. A monthly season-to-date cotton quality classed summary;

5. An annual cotton quality classed summary;

6. A cotton quality carryover summary;

(ii) Cotton prices, using:

1. Daily spot cotton quotations;

2. Daily base, selected quality prices;

3. Monthly cotton price statistics;

4. Current month base price; and

5. Annual cotton price statistics; and

(iii) For tobacco, the report shall consist of the quarterly collection and consolidation of tobacco stocks data;

(b) Dairy and milk products, which shall be further itemized using:

(i) A weekly dairy market report for butter, cheese, dry milk products, fluid milk and cream and dry whey products;

(ii) An annual dairy markets statistics summary; and

(iii) A monthly and annual commodity averages

(d) Livestock, meats, poultry, eggs, grain and hay; and

(e) Organic products.

SECTION 2. This act shall take effect and be in force from and after July 1, 2021.