Schweitzer: Special Investigator Act will hold meatpackers accountable

Montana Farmers Union welcomed the introduction by U.S. senators of the Meat and Poultry Special Investigator Act, saying the bipartisan bill will help level the playing field for producers.

“When the Big 4 meat packers control more than 85 percent of the beef market, it is too easy for them to take advantage of the consumer and producer. Having an investigator with the powers of the Packers and Stockyards Act keeping them honest is important,” MFU President Walter Schweitzer said.

The bill, similar to one introduced in 2021, would create and empower a team of investigators at USDA to prevent anticompetitive practices in the meat and poultry industry by enforcing existing antitrust laws, focusing on entities that fall under the Packers and Stockyards Act.

“Only bad actors could be against this bill – if you are playing by the rules you would want everyone else too as well,” Schweitzer said. “For too long the Big 4 packers have been getting away with anticompetitive practices, price gouging consumers and producers, and this bill will help put a stop to it.”