Packers and Stockyards Improvements Act

This bill changes the Packers and Stockyards Act, which governs meatpackers, livestock buyers, and poultry dealers. It lets the Secretary of Agriculture bring administrative enforcement actions against live poultry dealers, share livestock market data with USDA and Commodity Futures Trading Commission enforcement staff, and issue civil investigative demands requiring documents, written answers, or sworn testimony before starting a case. It adds protections against retaliation for workers, contractors, and agents who report violations, with complaints handled by the Secretary of Labor and punitive damages capped at $400,000. It also defines 'unfair practice' and lists specific acts that count as unfair, such as using grower comparison (tournament) pay systems to cut poultry grower pay and failing to pay producers for livestock pickup delays beyond seven days.

Full text and official record on Congress.gov

Sponsors

• Mary Gay Scanlon Democrat sponsor
• 0 cosponsors