(U.S. SENATE) - Senators Max Baucus and Jon Tester today released the following statement after the U.S. Department of Agriculture heeded their call to open an investigation under the Packers and Stockyards Act into price manipulation in the lamb market:

"Agriculture supports one in five Montana jobs which is why we simply can't afford to stand back while large meatpacking companies stack the deck against our sheep producers.  I'm glad we got the ear of the USDA and will keep fighting to make sure everyone is playing by the rules.  Fighting for a level playing field will make sure our Montana sheep producers can compete and thrive," said Baucus.

 "When big meatpacking corporations use their market power to manipulate prices, everybody loses," Tester said.  "I'm pleased that the Agriculture Department heeded our call to look into the collapse of lamb prices because we need to make sure that Montana producers can operate on a level playing field.  They work too hard to have their livelihoods threatened by anti-competitive corporate behavior."

Baucus and Tester called for an investigation into lamb prices earlier this year.