[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 8960 Introduced in House (IH)]
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119th CONGRESS
2d Session
H. R. 8960
To direct the Secretary of Agriculture to establish a subsidy program
to make payments to eligible producers for certain revenue losses
associated with direct-to-market sales of beef, and for other purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
May 21, 2026
Mr. Burchett introduced the following bill; which was referred to the
Committee on Agriculture
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To direct the Secretary of Agriculture to establish a subsidy program
to make payments to eligible producers for certain revenue losses
associated with direct-to-market sales of beef, and for other purposes.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``Local Beef Marketing Incentive Act
of 2026''.
SEC. 2. ESTABLISHMENT OF LOCAL BEEF MARKETING SUBSIDY PROGRAM.
(a) In General.--Not later than 1 year after the date of the
enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Agriculture, acting through the
Administrator of the Farm Service Agency, (in this section referred to
as the ``Secretary'') shall establish a program under which the
Secretary shall, with respect to each year determined to be a subsidy
year under subsection (b), make payments to eligible producers for
revenue losses associated with direct-to-market sales of beef.
(b) Determination of Subsidy Year.--
(1) In general.--Not later than March 1 of each calendar
year, the Secretary shall determine the percent decrease, if
any, in direct-to-market sales of beef for the preceding
calendar year compared to the average direct-to-market sales of
beef for the 5-year period preceding such calendar year,
excluding the year with the highest and the year with the
lowest direct-to-market sales of beef.
(2) Qualification for subsidy year.--If the percent
determined under paragraph (1) with respect to a calendar year
is greater than or equal to 25 percent for a calendar year,
such calendar year shall be a subsidy year.
(c) Application.--To be eligible to receive a payment under this
section for a subsidy year, an eligible producer shall, not later than
1 year after the last date of such subsidy year, submit to the
Secretary an application, including--
(1) documentation demonstrating that such producer used a
local processor during the subsidy year, including receipts or
invoices;
(2) documentation of any direct-to-market sale completed by
such producer during the subsidy year, including sale records,
invoices, or such other documentation as the Secretary
determines appropriate; and
(3) a certification by the producer that such producer
meets each requirement required pursuant to subsection (g)(3).
(d) Payment Amounts.--
(1) In general.--Subject to paragraph (2), not later than
90 days after receiving an application from an eligible
producer with respect to a subsidy year under subsection (c),
the Secretary shall, with respect to each head of cattle that
such producer slaughters using a local processor and sells
through direct-to-market sales in the subsidy year, make a
payment to such producer in an amount that is equal to--
(A) 20 percent of the amount equal to--
(i) the average of the beef cattle price
for the 5 years preceding the subsidy year,
excluding the year with the highest and the
year with the lowest average beef cattle price;
minus
(ii) the beef cattle price for the subsidy
year; multiplied by
(B) the average of the live weight (in
hundredweight) for all such cattle.
(2) Limitations.--
(A) Maximum payment amount with respect to head of
cattle.--The payment amount to a producer with respect
to a head of cattle shall not exceed $500.
(B) Maximum total payment amount.--The total amount
of payments received under paragraph (1) by a producer
for a subsidy year shall not exceed $100,000.
(e) Rulemaking.--Not later than 180 days after the date of
enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall issues such rules as may be
necessary to carry out this section, including establishing procedures
for verifying eligibility of a producer and preventing fraud.
(f) Authorization of Appropriations.--There is authorized to be
appropriated such sums as necessary to carry out this section for
fiscal years 2027 through 2031.
(g) Definitions.--In this section:
(1) Beef cattle price.--The term ``beef cattle price''
means the annual average price received by producers for all
beef cattle (in dollars per hundredweight), as determined by
the Secretary using data reported by the National Agricultural
Statistics Service of the Department of Agriculture.
(2) Direct-to-market sale.--The term ``direct-to-market
sale'' means the sale of beef products--
(A) directly to consumers, restaurants, or retail
stores;
(B) through farmers' markets, on-farm sales,
community-supported agriculture programs, or similar
channels; and
(C) without using an intermediary, including a
large-scale packer or distributor.
(3) Eligible producer.--The term ``eligible producer''
means a farmer or rancher that--
(A) raises and finishes steers or heifers for
slaughter;
(B) uses a local processor for such slaughter; and
(C) engages in direct-to-market sales for at least
50 percent of their beef production in the subsidy
year.
(4) Head of cattle.--The term ``head of cattle'' means an
individual steer or heifer.
(5) Local processor.--The term ``local processor'' means a
slaughter facility that is--
(A) inspected by the Food Safety and Inspection
Service of the Department of Agriculture, or an
equivalent State inspection program; and
(B) located--
(i) in the same State as the eligible
producer using the services of such facility;
or
(ii) within 200-miles of such producer.
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