§1636f Publication of information on retail purchase prices for representative meat products

Summary

The Secretary must collect and publish regular retail price and sales data for typical food products made from beef, pork, chicken, turkey, veal, and lamb. This must begin within 90 days after October 22, 1999, and the information must appear at least monthly, or weekly if possible. Each report must show the retail price and the total sales quantity for each product, given in both pounds and dollars. For two years after the first report, the Secretary must keep issuing the Meat Price Spreads Report the same way it was done before October 22, 1999. To make the reports accurate, the Secretary must get data from one or more sources that reflect real retail transactions and include both prices and sales amounts. The Secretary can get data from retailers or commercial data companies and can use proper statistical sampling. Prices may be adjusted for where the product is sold, where it was supplied from, distribution costs, and other verifiable factors. Providing data is voluntary, and no one can be fined or forced to give information.