S. 2036Senate117th Congress (2021-2023)In Committee

Meat Packing Special Investigator Act

A bill to amend the Packers and Stockyards Act, 1921, to establish the Office of the Special Investigator for Competition Matters, and for other purposes.

AI-Generated Summary

Updated February 8, 2026 at 4:08 AM UTC

The Meat Packing Special Investigator Act amends the Packers and Stockyards Act to create a new Office of the Special Investigator for Competition Matters within the USDA’s Packers and Stockyards Division. The Office is led by a Special Investigator appointed by the Secretary of Agriculture and is tasked with enforcing competition rules in the meat‑packing industry. It gives the investigator authority to investigate, subpoena, and bring civil or administrative actions against packers, and to coordinate with the Justice Department, FTC, and Homeland Security.

Key Provisions

Establishes the Office of the Special Investigator for Competition Matters within the USDA’s Packers and Stockyards Division.
Designates a Special Investigator, appointed by the Secretary, to head the Office.
Grants the Special Investigator authority to use tools like subpoenas to investigate and prosecute violations of the Packers and Stockyards Act by packers.
Requires the Special Investigator to work with the DOJ, FTC, and DHS on competition, trade, and national‑security issues in the food and agricultural sector.
Allows the Special Investigator to bring civil or administrative actions against packers, overriding typical jurisdictional limits.

Legislative Activity

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1 earlier action

SenateIntro Referral Latest Action

Read twice and referred to the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry.

Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry Committee

June 10, 2021

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SenateIntro Referral

Introduced in Senate

June 10, 2021

SenateIntro Referral

Read twice and referred to the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry.

Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry Committee

June 10, 2021

Bill Text

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Introduced in SenateIssued June 10, 2021

117th CONGRESS

1st Session

S. 2036

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

June 10, 2021

Mr. Tester (for himself, Mr. Grassley, and Mr. Rounds) introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry

A BILL

To amend the Packers and Stockyards Act, 1921, to establish the Office of the Special Investigator for Competition Matters, and for other purposes.

Short title

This Act may be cited as the Meat Packing Special Investigator Act.

Office of the Special Investigator for Competition Matters

The Packers and Stockyards Act, 1921, is amended by inserting after section 210 (7 U.S.C. 197c) the following:

211.

Office of the Special Investigator for Competition Matters

(a)

Establishment

There is established within the Packers and Stockyards Division of the Department of Agriculture an office, to be known as the Office of the Special Investigator for Competition Matters (referred to in this section as the Office).

(b)

Special investigator for competition matters

The Office shall be headed by the Special Investigator for Competition Matters (referred to in this section as the Special Investigator), who shall be appointed by the Secretary.

(c)

Duties

The Special Investigator shall—

(1)

use all available tools, including subpoenas, to investigate and prosecute violations of this Act by packers;

(2)

serve as a Department of Agriculture liaison to, and act in consultation with, the Department of Justice and the Federal Trade Commission with respect to competition and trade practices in the food and agricultural sector;

(3)

act in consultation with the Department of Homeland Security with respect to national security and critical infrastructure security in the food and agricultural sector; and

(4)

maintain a staff of attorneys and other professionals with appropriate expertise.

(d)

Prosecutorial authority

Notwithstanding title 28, United States Code, the Special Investigator shall have the authority to bring any civil or administrative action authorized under this Act against a packer.