Agricultural Worker Justice Act of 2026

This bill would bar the Secretary of Agriculture from buying meat, poultry, or processed food made by U.S. workers paid less than the local prevailing wage and benefits rate, and would bar agricultural companies with USDA contracts or funding from buying back their own stock or paying dividends. USDA contractors would have to report labor law violations each year, and the Department of Labor would list entities that would be ineligible for USDA contracts. The bill would limit increases in line speeds at meat and poultry plants, require employers with point-based attendance policies to exempt legally protected leave, and direct OSHA to set new safety standards and expand inspections at these plants. It would also add protections against retaliation for meat and poultry workers and provide $60 million per year from fiscal year 2026 through 2031 for additional OSHA inspectors.

Full text and official record on Congress.gov

Sponsors

• Peter Welch Democrat sponsor
• 4 cosponsors