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119-s-4007119th CongressWALLET

Family Grocery and Farmer Relief Act

Sponsored By: Senator Schumer, Charles E. [D-NY]

Introduced

Summary

Restore competition in U.S. meatpacking by forcing divestitures of dominant firms. This bill makes the Federal Trade Commission a central tool to break up concentrated beef, pork, and poultry markets, limit packer control over supply chains, and steer divested plants to farmer cooperatives and small processors.

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  • Farmers and feedlots: The bill caps any packer's share of cattle from a single feedlot at 10% in a year and gives affected feedlots a private right to seek treble damages and attorney's fees.
  • Consumers and markets: The Federal Trade Commission must expand use of its authority to block discriminatory pricing, run Section 6(b) market studies, and issue divestiture and pricing rules within 90 days.
  • Enforcement, foreign control, and support: Covered foreign-controlled packers must file divestiture plans within 120 days, failures to divest can trigger civil penalties equal to 10% of revenue, and recovered funds plus new appropriations can finance SBA-backed cooperatives and regional processors.

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Bill Overview

Analyzed Economic Effects

4 provisions identified: 4 benefits, 0 costs, 0 mixed.

Protections and damages for feedlots

If enacted, the bill would define a "covered feedlot" as one with capacity of 24,000 head or more. It would bar any beef packer from slaughtering more than 10% of a covered feedlot's cattle in any calendar year. A feedlot that sold less than 10% to a violating packer could sue for triple damages using the formula: 3 × (highest packer price − your lowest price) × total cattle you sold that year, plus costs and attorney fees.

FTC rules and market definitions

If enacted, the bill would require the FTC to write rules and definitions for covered meatpackers within 90 days. The FTC would set a small-volume cutoff and say when companies are under common control. The FTC would also report to Congress within 180 days on how it is using its authorities to address unfair meat prices.

Ban on multi-protein and foreign ownership

If enacted, the bill would bar covered meatpackers from owning or running businesses in more than one line of protein, like beef, pork, or poultry. Covered foreign-controlled packers would have to divest U.S. operations or stop operating in interstate commerce within 120 days, with a single possible 90-day extension. The FTC would study foreign-controlled firms and must report findings to Congress before ordering structural remedies.

FTC breakups and enforcement fines

If enacted, the bill would let the FTC require sales or spin-offs of packer assets and finish plans for current violators within 120 days. The FTC would impose a civil penalty equal to 10% of a violator's revenue for failure to divest and enhanced penalties (three times damages) for knowing violations. Amounts recovered would be used to promote competition and help new buyers.

Sponsors & CoSponsors

Sponsor

Schumer, Charles E. [D-NY]

NY • D

Cosponsors

  • Sen. Booker, Cory A. [D-NJ]

    NJ • D

    Sponsored 3/5/2026

  • Sen. Welch, Peter [D-VT]

    VT • D

    Sponsored 3/5/2026

  • Sen. Warren, Elizabeth [D-MA]

    MA • D

    Sponsored 3/5/2026

  • Sen. Sanders, Bernard [I-VT]

    VT • I

    Sponsored 3/5/2026

  • Sen. Gallego, Ruben [D-AZ]

    AZ • D

    Sponsored 3/5/2026

  • Sen. Merkley, Jeff [D-OR]

    OR • D

    Sponsored 3/5/2026

  • Sen. Schatz, Brian [D-HI]

    HI • D

    Sponsored 3/5/2026

  • Sen. Durbin, Richard J. [D-IL]

    IL • D

    Sponsored 3/5/2026

  • Sen. Markey, Edward J. [D-MA]

    MA • D

    Sponsored 3/5/2026

  • Sen. Kim, Andy [D-NJ]

    NJ • D

    Sponsored 3/5/2026

  • Sen. Murphy, Christopher [D-CT]

    CT • D

    Sponsored 3/5/2026

  • Sen. Whitehouse, Sheldon [D-RI]

    RI • D

    Sponsored 3/5/2026

  • Sen. Van Hollen, Chris [D-MD]

    MD • D

    Sponsored 3/9/2026

  • Sen. Blumenthal, Richard [D-CT]

    CT • D

    Sponsored 3/10/2026

Roll Call Votes

No roll call votes available for this bill.

View on Congress.gov
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