WASHINGTON, D.C. – Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack today announced additional updates to the Packers and Stockyards Act (P&S Act) rules at an event with Assistant Attorney General for Antitrust Jonathan Kanter. The “Fair and Competitive Livestock and Poultry Markets” proposed rule is meant to strengthen P&S Act enforcement by creating a framework to assess “unfair practices” claims by family livestock producers who are harmed by meatpackers.

“We commend Secretary Vilsack and the Biden-Harris administration for the continued progress in issuing important updates to the P&S Act,” said National Farmers Union (NFU) President Rob Larew. “Family farmers and ranchers continue to face unfair practices at the hands of monopolistic meatpackers, and they need P&S Act rules that are clear, durable, and enforceable.”

“Farmers Union was born at a time when farmers and ranchers were fighting for fair market access,” said Minnesota Farmers Union (MFU) President Gary Wertish. “For more than a hundred years, Farmers Union has continued that fight, advocating for cooperatives, increased market access for farmers and increased market transparency. The Farmers Union Fairness for Farmers campaign highlights these long-time priorities and brings attention to the many ways consolidation harms not only farmers, but also workers and consumers.”

Updating and strengthening enforcement of the P&S Act is a central priority of the Fairness for Farmers campaign and Farmers Union’s grassroots policy.

This proposed rule is the fourth in a series of P&S Act updates issued by USDA in recent years, with two of the rules finalized over the past year. The rules have addressed issues of discrimination, retaliation and deception against livestock producers by meatpackers, and several issues specific to poultry contracting.

About Minnesota Farmers Union

Minnesota Farmers Union works to protect and enhance the economic interests and quality of life of family farmers and ranchers and rural communities. MFU is a nonprofit membership-based organization. Membership is open to everyone. Learn more and join at mfu.org, and follow MFU on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

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Minnesota Farmers Union—Standing for Agriculture, Working for Farmers (mfu.org).