Packers and Stockyards Improvements Act
Gives the Agriculture Secretary new investigative tools and expands protections against unfair livestock and poultry market practices.
In the House Agriculture Committee since Sept. 17, 2026, 21 days after it was introduced. Most bills never leave committee.
- INTRODUCEDINTROSEP 17, 2026
- COMMITTEECOMM.IN COMMITTEE
- HOUSEHOUSE—
- SENATESENATE—
- LAWLAW—
What the bill would do, and why it matters
The Packers and Stockyards Act sets rules for businesses that buy, process, or contract for livestock and poultry. This bill would give the Agriculture Secretary new ways to gather evidence in investigations and extend enforcement provisions to live poultry dealers. It would also define additional unfair market practices, require certain livestock data sharing, and protect people who report suspected violations.
- INTRODUCED ONLY This bill has been introduced and possibly referred to a committee, but it has not passed any vote. Most introduced bills never become law — they die in committee without a hearing.
- DATA NOTE No Congressional Research Service summary was available.
- Define unfair livestock-market practices
The bill would define unfair practices to include certain conduct that harms competition or causes substantial injury that market participants cannot reasonably avoid and that is not outweighed by benefits. It would also specifically cover practices such as certain poultry-grower pay comparisons, some contract pricing and exclusivity terms, delayed cattle pickup, contract termination without compensation, and losses tied to plant closures.
- Authorize civil investigative demands
Before starting an enforcement proceeding, the Agriculture Secretary could require people with relevant information to provide documents or physical items, answer written questions, or give oral testimony about a suspected unlawful practice. The bill sets procedures for these demands, including confidentiality rules and ways to challenge or enforce them.
- Protect Packers Act whistleblowers
The bill would prohibit retaliation against employees, contractors, subcontractors, and agents who report suspected violations or assist government investigations or proceedings. Remedies could include reinstatement, lost income, other damages, and punitive damages of up to $400,000.
- Share livestock data with enforcers
The Agriculture Department would regularly and continually share livestock data with its employees enforcing the Packers and Stockyards Act and with Commodity Futures Trading Commission employees enforcing the Commodity Exchange Act, so they can monitor possible violations.
- Extend enforcement authority to poultry dealers
The bill would add live poultry dealers to several existing administrative enforcement provisions of the Packers and Stockyards Act. It would also repeal three sections and renumber two others.
The bill would change how suspected violations of the Packers and Stockyards Act can be investigated and would spell out additional practices that count as unfair. That could affect both the tools available to government investigators and the rules governing dealings among livestock and poultry businesses and producers.
Its compensation and whistleblower provisions would also affect what some producers could recover and what protections are available to people who report suspected misconduct.
Written from the bill text.
The path it took, step by step
- IntroducedSEP 17, 2026HOUSESEP 17, 2026By Rep. ScanlonReferred to Agriculture
- SAME DAYNOWHouse committeeSEP 17, 2026AGRICULTURE NOWSEP 17, 2026In committee for 21 daysNo hearing yet
- 21 DAYS SO FARPassed the House—HOUSE FLOOR—Not scheduled
- Senate committee—SENATE—
- Passed the Senate—SENATE FLOOR—Not scheduled
- Resolve differencesONLY IF NEEDEDBOTH CHAMBERSONLY IF NEEDEDSkipped if the other chamber passes the same text
- Signed into law—PRESIDENT—10 days to sign or veto
- SEP 172026SEP 17, 2026REFERREDHOUSEReferred to the House Committee on Agriculture.
- SEP 172026SEP 17, 2026INTRODUCEDHOUSEIntroduced in House
At day 21, this bill is already older than 6% of the laws passed this Congress were when they were signed.
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