Amplifying Processing of Livestock in the United States Act or the A–PLUS Act
This bill directs the Department of Agriculture (USDA) to revise its regulations to allow certain packers to hold an ownership interest in, finance, or participate in the management or operation of a market agency selling livestock on a commission basis.
The bill applies to packers that have a cumulative slaughter capacity of (1) less than 2,000 animals per day or 700,000 animals per year with respect to cattle or sheep, and (2) less than 10,000 animals per day or 3 million animals per year with respect to hogs.
In addition, USDA must revise its regulations to include a disclosure requirement for a market agency that has an ownership interest in, finances, or participates in the management or operation of a packer. Specifically, the market agency must disclose the existence of such ownership interest, financial relationship, or participation.
[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 1648 Introduced in House (IH)]
<DOC>
119th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. R. 1648
To direct the Secretary of Agriculture to amend certain regulations to
clarify that livestock auction owners may have an interest in small
meatpacking businesses, and for other purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
February 27, 2025
Mr. Alford (for himself, Mr. Panetta, Mr. Johnson of South Dakota, Mr.
Rouzer, Mr. Graves, Ms. Tokuda, Mr. Vasquez, Mr. Smith of Nebraska, Mr.
Davis of North Carolina, Mr. Feenstra, Mr. Finstad, and Mr. Moore of
Alabama) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the
Committee on Agriculture
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To direct the Secretary of Agriculture to amend certain regulations to
clarify that livestock auction owners may have an interest in small
meatpacking businesses, and for other purposes.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``Amplifying Processing of Livestock
in the United States Act'' or the ``A-PLUS Act''.
SEC. 2. AMPLIFYING PROCESSING OF LIVESTOCK IN THE UNITED STATES (A-
PLUS).
(a) In General.--Not later than 1 year after the date of enactment
of this Act, the Secretary shall revise section 201.67 of title 9, Code
of Federal Regulations, as in effect on January 1, 2025, to specify
that--
(1) market agencies may have an ownership interest in,
finance, or participate in the management or operation of, a
packer, so long as such packer--
(A) with respect to cattle and sheep, has a
cumulative slaughter capacity of less than--
(i) 2,000 animals per day; or
(ii) 700,000 animals per year; and
(B) with respect to hogs, has a cumulative
slaughter capacity of less than--
(i) 10,000 animals per day; or
(ii) 3,000,000 animals per year; and
(2) market agencies that have an ownership interest in,
finance, or participate in the management or operation of, a
packer shall disclose to sellers of livestock the existence of
such ownership interest, financial relationship, or
participation.
(b) Savings Clause.--Nothing in this section shall be interpreted
as a limitation on the authority of the Secretary to adopt or enforce
rules or regulations under the Packers and Stockyards Act, 1921 (7
U.S.C. 181 et seq.) related to the protection of producers,
competition, market integrity, or the prevention of conflicts of
interest.
<all>
Introduced in House
Introduced in House
Referred to the House Committee on Agriculture.
Referred to the Subcommittee on Livestock, Dairy, and Poultry.
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