Mary Gay Scanlon (D-PA)
Packers and Stockyards Improvements Act
A Democratic bill with no cosponsors
Last activity — Referred to the House Committee on Agriculture.
In committee
Introduced and handed to a committee in the chamber it started in.
The committee holds it, and most bills are never heard from again. A hearing or a committee vote would be news; silence is the usual outcome, and it kills the bill without anyone voting against it.
Its path through Congress
- Introduced
- In Committee
What this bill would do
The Packers and Stockyards Improvements Act gives the Secretary of Agriculture the authority to use civil investigative demands to enforce the Packers and Stockyards Act of 1921. It updates administrative enforcement rules to explicitly include live poultry dealers alongside packers. The bill requires the sharing of livestock data between the Department of Agriculture and the Commodity Futures Trading Commission. Additionally, it establishes whistleblower protections for employees and contractors who report violations. Finally, the legislation defines specific unfair practices in livestock, poultry, and meat markets.
Yes· 3 of 7
- Scored +7
Would farmers be better off under this?
The legislation provides livestock and poultry producers with explicit protections against unfair contract terminations and delayed pickups.
- Scored +6
Would people in rural areas be better off under this?
The bill supports rural agricultural economies by strengthening fair trade practices for livestock growers and dealers.
- Scored +6
Does this give people more protection from unfair business practices?
The bill defines specific unfair practices in livestock and poultry markets to protect participants from deceptive and coercive methods.
The opposite
No question was scored the opposite.
Who it would affect, and how
Potential Positive Impacts for People
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Whistleblower Protections: Section 4 adds Section 414 to the Packers and Stockyards Act, which protects employees, contractors, subcontractors, and agents from retaliation if they report violations. This is positive because it gives workers the security to speak out against wrongdoing without fear of losing their jobs or facing discrimination.
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Data Sharing for Oversight: Section 3 amends the Agricultural Marketing Act of 1946 to require regular data sharing with the Department of Agriculture and the Commodity Futures Trading Commission. This helps officials monitor market violations more effectively to protect fair conditions.
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Clear Rules on Unfair Practices: Section 5 adds Section 202A, which explicitly bans certain unfair practices, such as terminating contracts without full compensation for investments made by growers or failing to pay producers for delays in livestock pickups. This provides direct fairness and accountability for farmers and growers dealing with large packers and poultry dealers.
Potential Negative Impacts for People
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Increased Compliance Burdens: Section 4 gives the Secretary of Agriculture broad powers to issue civil investigative demands for documents, tangible things, written reports, and oral testimony. This could create heavy administrative and financial burdens for businesses that must comply with complex demands and investigations.
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Risk of Legal Disputes: Section 4 allows the Secretary to petition federal district courts to enforce investigative demands or compel testimony. This could lead to costly and time-consuming legal battles for individuals and entities caught up in these federal inquiries.
Groups and Interests Ranking
Every group the model scored this bill for, from -10 to +10. Tap or hover a score for the reason it gave.
- Demographic And Interest Groups
- Would farmers be better off under this? — The legislation provides livestock and poultry producers with explicit protections against unfair contract terminations and delayed pickups. Would people in rural areas be better off under this? — The bill supports rural agricultural economies by strengthening fair trade practices for livestock growers and dealers.
- Governance And Ideology
- Does this make what the government does easier for the public to see? — The legislation requires regular livestock data sharing between the Department of Agriculture and the Commodity Futures Trading Commission. Does this protect the right to fair treatment by the courts? — The bill establishes formal procedures and protections, including civil investigative demand challenges, for entities under federal inquiry. Does this give the federal government more power? — The bill grants the Secretary of Agriculture new authority to issue civil investigative demands for enforcement purposes.
- Economy And Finance
- Does this give people more protection from unfair business practices? — The bill defines specific unfair practices in livestock and poultry markets to protect participants from deceptive and coercive methods.
- Environment Energy And Infrastructure
- Does this invest in rural communities? — The legislation establishes clearer market fairness rules and protections for agricultural producers and growers in rural communities.
- 9/17/2026
- Referred to the House Committee on Agriculture.
- Introduced in House