Federal

A–PLUS Act

Source: Congress.gov · 374 words in original text

What This Bill Does

This bill directs the Secretary of Agriculture to change federal regulations within one year. The change clarifies that owners of livestock auction businesses may own, finance or help run small meatpacking businesses. The bill sets specific size limits for these meatpacking operations based on how many animals they can process.

Who It Affects

Livestock auction owners (businesses that sell livestock at auctions) Small meatpacking businesses The Secretary of Agriculture Market agencies (entities that facilitate livestock sales)

Key Provisions

The Secretary of Agriculture must revise federal regulations to allow market agencies to own, finance or participate in managing small packers, as long as cattle and sheep packers slaughter fewer than 2,000 animals per day or 700,000 animals per year (Sec. 2). The Secretary must allow hog packers to be owned or financed by market agencies if they slaughter fewer than 10,000 animals per day or 3,000,000 animals per year (Sec. 2).

What Changes

Federal regulations currently prevent livestock auction owners from having financial interests in meatpacking businesses. If this bill becomes law, those regulations will be changed to permit this, but only for smaller operations that meet the animal processing limits.

Important Definitions

Market agencies: entities that may have an ownership interest in, finance, or participate in the management or operation of a packer Packer: a meatpacking business that slaughters animals

Effective Date

Within one year after the bill becomes law (Sec. 2)

I 118TH CONGRESS 1ST SESSION H. R. 530 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 JANUARY 26, 2023 Mr. ALFORD (for himself, Mr. JOHNSON of South Dakota, Mr. PANETTA, Mr. HUFFMAN, Mr. BALDERSON, Mr. FINSTAD, Mr. BAIRD, Mr. MOORE of Alabama, Mr. CLOUD, Mr. FEENSTRA, Mr. LAMALFA, and Mr. VAN ORDEN) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Com- mittee 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 Representa- 1 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 2 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 3 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Amplifying Processing 4 of Livestock in the United States Act’’ or the ‘‘A–PLUS 5 Act’’. 6 VerDate Sep 11 2014 04:25 Mar 09, 2023 Jkt 039200 PO 00000 Frm 00001 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H530.IH H530 pbinns on DSKJLVW7X2PROD with $$_JOB 2 •HR 530 IH SEC. 2. CLARIFYING LIVESTOCK AUCTION OWNERS AL- 1 LOWED INTEREST IN SMALL MEATPACKING 2 BUSINESSES. 3 Not later than one year after the date of the enact- 4 ment of this Act, the Secretary of Agriculture shall revise 5 section 201.67 of title 9, Code of Federal Regulations, as 6 in effect on January 1, 2023, to specify that market agen- 7 cies may have an ownership interest in, finance, or partici- 8 pate in the management or operation of a packer, so long 9 as such packer— 10 (1) with respect to cattle and sheep, has a cu- 11 mulative slaughter capacity of less than— 12 (A) 2,000 animals per day; or 13 (B) 700,000 animals per year; and 14 (2) with respect to hogs, has a cumulative 15 slaughter capacity of less than— 16 (A) 10,000 animals per day; or 17 (B) 3,000,000 animals per year. 18 Æ VerDate Sep 11 2014 04:25 Mar 09, 2023 Jkt 039200 PO 00000 Frm 00002 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6301 E:\BILLS\H530.IH H530 pbinns on DSKJLVW7X2PROD with $$_JOB

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