To provide Federal relief to hog producers, especially family farmers and independent producers, who have been forced to euthanize hogs due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and for other purposes.

I 116TH CONGRESS 2D SESSION H. R. 7051 To provide Federal relief to hog producers, especially family farmers and independent producers, who have been forced to euthanize hogs due to the COVID–19 pandemic, and for other purposes. IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES MAY 28, 2020 Mr. KING of Iowa introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Agriculture A BILL To provide Federal relief to hog producers, especially family farmers and independent producers, who have been forced to euthanize hogs due to the COVID–19 pan- demic, and for other purposes. Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa- 1 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 2 SECTION 1. EMERGENCY ASSISTANCE FOR MARKET-READY 3 HOG LOSSES. 4 (a) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary shall use the funds 5 of the Commodity Credit Corporation to provide emer- 6 gency relief to covered producers to aid in the reduction 7 of intentional depopulation losses of market-ready hogs 8 VerDate Sep 11 2014 19:01 Jun 20, 2020 Jkt 099200 PO 00000 Frm 00001 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H7051.IH H7051 pamtmann on DSKBC07HB2PROD with BILLS 2 •HR 7051 IH due to the closure or the reduction in processing capacity 1 of a processing plant related to the COVID–19 pandemic. 2 (b) PAYMENT RATE FOR COVERED PRODUCERS.—In 3 the case of a closure or the reduction in processing capac- 4 ity of a processing plant related to the COVID–19 pan- 5 demic, with respect to the losses of market-ready hogs due 6 to such closure or reduction incurred by a covered pro- 7 ducer, the Secretary shall reimburse— 8 (1) for the first 50,000 hogs of such covered 9 producer, 70 percent of the cost of such losses of 10 such covered producer; 11 (2) for up to 50,000 hogs in addition to para- 12 graph (1), 55 percent of the cost of such losses of 13 such covered producer; 14 (3) for up to 100,000 hogs in addition to para- 15 graphs (1) and (2), 45 percent of the cost of such 16 losses of such covered producer; and 17 (4) for any amount of hogs in addition to para- 18 graphs (1), (2), and (3), 35 percent of the cost of 19 such losses of such covered producer. 20 (c) VALUATION.—In determining the amount of 21 losses for purposes of the payment rates under subsection 22 (b), the Secretary shall use the average weekly price (as 23 determined by the Secretary) for a market-ready hog, as 24 determined by the Secretary. In no case shall the pay- 25 VerDate Sep 11 2014 19:01 Jun 20, 2020 Jkt 099200 PO 00000 Frm 00002 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H7051.IH H7051 pamtmann on DSKBC07HB2PROD with BILLS 3 •HR 7051 IH ments made under subsection (b) with respect to the losses 1 of a covered producer exceed the actual market value of 2 market-ready hogs on the day on which the covered pro- 3 ducer began to suffer such losses. 4 (d) VERIFICATION.—The Secretary may not make a 5 payment for the losses of market-ready hogs of a covered 6 producer under subsection (b) unless a veterinarian cer- 7 tifies— 8 (1) that such hogs are market-ready hogs; and 9 (2) the number of such hogs for which the cov- 10 ered producer claims a loss. 11 (e) PACKER-OWNED AND FOREIGN-OWNED HOGS 12 EXCLUDED.—The Secretary may not make payments 13 under subsection (b) for— 14 (1) any hog losses for which the covered pro- 15 ducer does not provide sufficient documentation of 16 ownership; 17 (2) the losses of packer-owned hogs; or 18 (3) the losses of hogs of a producer that is 19 owned, in whole or in part, by any person who is not 20 a United States citizen, lawful permanent resident, 21 or entity. 22 (f) APPLICABILITY.—This section shall apply for the 23 period beginning on April 1, 2020, and ending on the date 24 that national processing capacity of hog processing plants 25 VerDate Sep 11 2014 19:01 Jun 20, 2020 Jkt 099200 PO 00000 Frm 00003 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H7051.IH H7051 pamtmann on DSKBC07HB2PROD with BILLS 4 •HR 7051 IH is equal to or greater than such capacity on February 1, 1 2020, as determined by the Secretary. 2 (g) DEFINITIONS.—In this section: 3 (1) COVERED PRODUCER.—The term ‘‘covered 4 producer’’ means a person or legal entity that as- 5 sumes the production and market risks associated 6 with the agricultural production of hogs (as such 7 terms are defined in section 2(a) of the Packers and 8 Stockyards Act, 1921 (7 U.S.C. 183(a))). 9 (2) MARKET-READY.—The term ‘‘market- 10 ready’’ means, with respect to a hog, a hog that is 11 at least 300 pounds and ready for market, as deter- 12 mined by the Secretary. 13 (3) PACKER.—The term ‘‘packer’’ has the 14 meaning given the term in section 201 of the Pack- 15 ers and Stockyards Act, 1921 (7 U.S.C. 191) except 16 such term does not include a packer with invested 17 shares of less than or equal to 10 percent in a facil- 18 ity that slaughters less than or equal to 5 million 19 hogs a year. 20 (4) SECRETARY.—The term ‘‘Secretary’’ means 21 the Secretary of Agriculture. 22 Æ VerDate Sep 11 2014 19:01 Jun 20, 2020 Jkt 099200 PO 00000 Frm 00004 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6301 E:\BILLS\H7051.IH H7051 pamtmann on DSKBC07HB2PROD with BILLS