A handful of large companies increasingly dominate the livestock industry, and this bill aims to shed light on what that means for farmers, ranchers, and the price of meat. It would require the USDA's Economic Research Service to publish a report after each Census of Agriculture analyzing consolidation in the beef, dairy, pork, and poultry industries. The report would look at changes in ranch and farm sizes, processing facility locations, and the financial and market impacts on producers and consumers — including effects on food prices and access. The report must separate beef data by cow-calf and fed cattle operations and protect confidential business information.
Congressional Summary
Livestock Consolidation Research Act of 2026This bill requires the Department of Agriculture's (USDA's) Economic Research Service (ERS) to publish a report on consolidation and concentration in the livestock industry (i.e., beef, dairy, pork, and poultry production, including broilers, eggs, and turkeys). ERS must publish the report within one year of the Census of Agriculture being made publicly available.As background, USDA's National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) conducts the census every five years. NASS released the 2022 census in 2024.The ERS report must include (1) information on changes in the size and location of ranches, farms, processing facilities, and packers throughout the United States; and (2) the impact of these changes on farmers, ranchers, and downstream consumers.
Details
- Congress
- 119th
- Chamber
- Senate
- Status
- summarized
- Action
- Introduced in Senate
- Action Date
- 2026-03-24
- Date Added
- 2026-04-06