Packers and Stockyards Act

Three federal rules meant to shield farmers from shady poultry contracts and undisclosed capital investment demands are on the chopping block, and farm groups say that's the wrong move.

Bipartisan legislation has been reintroduced in the U.S. Senate to address anticompetitive markets and vertical consolidation in the meatpacking industry.  The “Meat and Poultry Special Investigator Act of 2025 would create the “Office of the Special Investigator for Competition Matters” within the Packers & Stockyards Division at USDA.  The Office of the Special Inv...

Finalizing a poultry tournament system rule designed to improve fairness.   “This is a system that has come under a great deal of concern and criticism by producers across the United States," Ag Secretary Tom Vilsack noted this week.  "And we'...

The fifth and final rulemaking to strengthen the Packers and Stockyards Act was recently released by USDA.   “One of the real problems that we have as producers is the lack of transparency in the market. In cattle production, what we see is that as little as 12% or so of cattle are negotiated cash price, and that's what's reported," noted Joe Maxwell, chief strategy officer and co-founder of

The USDA announced it’s latest effort to promote “fair and competitive markets for producers” while lowering prices for consumers.  The Department is looking to enhance Price Discovery and Fairness in cattle markets under the Packers and Stockyards Act.  USDA senior adviser Andy ...

Tyson Foods recently announced it will be closing a Virginia processing plant in May.  The two-month notice given to its chicken suppliers has raised concerns among farmers and legal experts about Tyson’s compliance with antitrust regulations.  Those re...

Senators Jon Tester, Chuck Grassley, and Mike Rounds recently reintroduced their Meat Packing Special Investigator Act, which they say is an effort to fight consolidation and enforce the national anti-trust laws.  The bill would create the “Office of the Special Investigator for Competition Matters” within the USDA.  The office would be...

The USDA says it’s extending the comment period on the proposed “Inclusive Competition and Market Integrity Under the Packers and Stockyards Act” by five weeks.  The National Cattlemen’s Beef Association welcomed the extension while urging USDA to proceed in a deliberate manner.    “While we appreciate th...

National Farmers Union members will head to Washington, DC, next month for the organization’s Fall Legislative Fly-In.  The four-day event runs Sunday September 11th through Wednesday, September 14th.  During that time, NFU members from across the country will meet with Members of Congress, Agriculture officials, as well as representatives from other federal agencies.  Throughout the meetings... R

Over the objections of most Republicans, the House approved a USDA special investigator to monitor meat industry competition.  During last week’s 221-204 seven Republicans backed and four Democrats opposed a USDA special investigator to enforce the Packers and Stockyards Act, the anchor for a package of Ag bills. “Crack...