Reps. Panetta, Alford, Johnson Introduce Legislation to Modernize Regulations for Livestock Auctions and Small Packers

Monterey, CA – U.S. Representatives Jimmy Panetta (CA-19), Mark Alford (MO-04), and Dusty Johnson (SD-AL) introduced the bipartisan Amplifying Processing of Livestock in the United States (A-PLUS) Act to fix regulatory roadblocks and increase meat processing capacity by allowing livestock auction market owners to invest in small and regional packing facilities.

Since the enactment of the Packers and Stockyards Act in the 1900s, the livestock industry has grown and modernized. These outdated regulations have restricted the livestock industry's growth and presence in the marketplace, despite an increase in demand. The A-PLUS Act now corrects this issue by opening competition and lifting unnecessary restrictions.

"To support a robust livestock industry, the federal government needs to remove unnecessary barriers that are hurting producers' ability to compete in a global marketplace," said Rep. Panetta. "This bipartisan legislation removes outdated regulations from the early 1900s in order to better reflect the needs and realities of our livestock producers today. Allowing livestock auction market investments in regional packing facilities supports small businesses and rural communities, increases competition, and drives down costs for consumers and families."

"The A-PLUS Act corrects an over 100-year-old policy that does not accurately reflect the modern livestock industry, which is why this legislation is critical for the agriculture community. For too long, our farmers and ranchers have had to abide by these restrictive rules while trying to compete in the marketplace, and I'm proud to lead this bill as my first piece of legislation," said Rep. Mark Alford.

This legislation directs the Secretary of Agriculture to amend 9 CFR 201.67, the Packers and Stockyards Act, to allow livestock auction market owners to hold ownership in, finance, or participate in the management or operation of a meat packer with a cumulative slaughter capacity of less than 2,000 animals per day or 700,000 animals per year for cattle and sheep and 10,000 animals per day or 3,000,000 animals per year for hogs. This cap would exclude investment in the top 10 meat Background packers for both cattle and hogs.

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