Livestock Consolidation Research Act of 2026
Introduced Mar 24, 2026 by Sen. Tina Smith
It's waiting on a committee vote to reach the full chamber. Most bills never leave this stage.
This bill requires the Department of Agriculture's (USDA's) Economic Research Service (ERS) to publish a report on consolidation and concentration in the livestock industry (i.e., beef, dairy, pork, and poultry production, including broilers, eggs, and turkeys). ERS must publish the report within one year of the Census of Agriculture being made publicly available.
As background, USDA's National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) conducts the census every five years. NASS released the 2022 census in 2024.
The ERS report must include (1) information on changes in the size and location of ranches, farms, processing facilities, and packers throughout the United States; and (2) the impact of these changes on farmers, ranchers, and downstream consumers.
Summary by the Congressional Research Service.
No floor votes yet — it hasn't reached the floor of either chamber.