Fairness for Small-Scale Farmers and Ranchers Act of 2026

This bill would pause mergers and acquisitions between large agriculture, food manufacturing, and grocery companies until Congress passes further legislation, and would require federal antitrust agencies to review such mergers since 2006 and consider undoing those found to cause harm. It would require meatpackers that report daily to the government to buy at least half of the livestock they slaughter through spot market purchases from independent producers, and would limit packers' ownership of livestock before slaughter. It would restore mandatory country-of-origin labels for beef and pork and add dairy products, and would set new contract rules for poultry growers, including payment by barn square footage and guaranteed minimum prices. It would also increase funding for local food markets and for beginning, retiring, and socially disadvantaged farmers, and create grants, loans, and an inspection pilot program for small meat, poultry, and dairy processors.

Full text and official record on Congress.gov

Sponsors

• Peter Welch Democrat sponsor
• 3 cosponsors