HR 4421 — Farm System Reform Act of 2021

When used in this chapter— (1) The term “person” includes individuals, partnerships, corporations, and associations; (2) The term “Secretary” means the Secretary of Agriculture; (3) The term “meat food products” means all products and byproducts of the slaughtering and meat-packing industry—if edible; (4) The term “livestock” means cattle, sheep, swine, horses, mules, or goats—whether live or dead; (5) The term “livestock products” means all products and byproducts (other than meats and meat food products) of the slaughtering and meat-packing industry derived in whole or in part from livestock; (6) The term “poultry” means chickens, turkeys, ducks, geese, and other domestic fowl; (7) The term “poultry product” means any product or byproduct of the business of slaughtering poultry and processing poultry after slaughter; (8) The term “poultry grower” means any person engaged in the business of raising and caring for live poultry for slaughter by another, whether the poultry is owned by such person or by another, but not an employee of the owner of such poultry; (9) The term “poultry growing arrangement” means any growout contract, marketing agreement, or other arrangement under which a poultry grower raises and cares for live poultry for delivery, in accord with another’s instructions, for slaughter; (10) The term “live poultry dealer” means any person engaged in the business of obtaining live poultry by purchase or under a poultry growing arrangement for the purpose of either slaughtering it or selling it for slaughter by another, if poultry is obtained by such person in commerce, or if poultry obtained by such person is sold or shipped in commerce, or if poultry products from poultry obtained by such person are sold or shipped in commerce; and (11) The term “commerce” means commerce between any State, Territory, or possession, or the District of Columbia, and any place outside thereof; or between points within the same State, Territory, or possession, or the District of Columbia, but through any place outside thereof; or within any Territory or possession, or the District of Columbia. (12) Swine contractor.— The term “swine contractor” means any person engaged in the business of obtaining swine under a swine production contract for the purpose of slaughtering the swine or selling the swine for slaughter, if— (A) the swine is obtained by the person in commerce; or (B) the swine (including products from the swine) obtained by the person is sold or shipped in commerce. (13) Swine production contract.— The term “swine production contract” means any growout contract or other arrangement under which a swine production contract grower raises and cares for the swine in accordance with the instructions of another person. (14) Swine production contract grower.— The term “swine production contract grower” means any person engaged in the business of raising and caring for swine in accordance with the instructions of another person.

It shall be unlawful for any packer or swine contractor with respect to livestock, meats, meat food products, or livestock products in unmanufactured form, or for any live poultry dealer with respect to live poultry, to: (a) Engage in or use any unfair, unjustly discriminatory, or deceptive practice or device; or (b) Make or give any undue or unreasonable preference or advantage to any particular person or locality in any respect, or subject any particular person or locality to any undue or unreasonable prejudice or disadvantage in any respect; or (c) Sell or otherwise transfer to or for any other packer, swine contractor, or any live poultry dealer, or buy or otherwise receive from or for any other packer, swine contractor, or any live poultry dealer, any article for the purpose or with the effect of apportioning the supply between any such persons, if such apportionment has the tendency or effect of restraining commerce or of creating a monopoly; or (d) Sell or otherwise transfer to or for any other person, or buy or otherwise receive from or for any other person, any article for the purpose or with the effect of manipulating or controlling prices, or of creating a monopoly in the acquisition of, buying, selling, or dealing in, any article, or of restraining commerce; or (e) Engage in any course of business or do any act for the purpose or with the effect of manipulating or controlling prices, or of creating a monopoly in the acquisition of, buying, selling, or dealing in, any article, or of restraining commerce; or (f) Conspire, combine, agree, or arrange with any other person (1) to apportion territory for carrying on business, or (2) to apportion purchases or sales of any article, or (3) to manipulate or control prices; or (g) Conspire, combine, agree, or arrange with any other person to do, or aid or abet the doing of, any act made unlawful by subdivisions (a), (b), (c), (d), or (e).

(a) Complaint; hearing; intervention Whenever the Secretary has reason to believe that any packer or swine contractor has violated or is violating any provision of this subchapter, he shall cause a complaint in writing to be served upon the packer or swine contractor, stating his charges in that respect, and requiring the packer or swine contractor to attend and testify at a hearing at a time and place designated therein, at least thirty days after the service of such complaint; and at such time and place there shall be afforded the packer or swine contractor a reasonable opportunity to be informed as to the evidence introduced against him (including the right of cross-examination), and to be heard in person or by counsel and through witnesses, under such regulations as the Secretary may prescribe. Any person for good cause shown may on application be allowed by the Secretary to intervene in such proceeding, and appear in person or by counsel. At any time prior to the close of the hearing the Secretary may amend the complaint; but in case of any amendment adding new charges the hearing shall, on the request of the packer or swine contractor, be adjourned for a period not exceeding fifteen days. (b) Report and order; penalty If, after such hearing, the Secretary finds that the packer or swine contractor has violated or is violating any provisions of this subchapter covered by the charges, he shall make a report in writing in which he shall state his findings as to the facts, and shall issue and cause to be served on the packer or swine contractor an order requiring such packer or swine contractor to cease and desist from continuing such violation. The testimony taken at the hearing shall be reduced to writing and filed in the records of the Department of Agriculture. The Secretary may also assess a civil penalty of not more than $10,000 for each such violation. In determining the amount of the civil penalty to be assessed under this section, the Secretary shall consider the gravity of the offense, the size of the business involved, and the effect of the penalty on the person’s ability to continue in business. If, after the lapse of the period allowed for appeal or after the affirmance of such penalty, the person against whom the civil penalty is assessed fails to pay such penalty, the Secretary may refer the matter to the Attorney General who may recover such penalty by an action in the appropriate district court of the United States. (c) Amendment of report or order Until the record in such hearing has been filed in a court of appeals of the United States, as provided in section 194 of this title, the Secretary at any time, upon such notice and in such manner as he deems proper, but only after reasonable opportunity to the packer or swine contractor to be heard, may amend or set aside the report or order, in whole or in part. (d) Service of process Complaints, orders, and other processes of the Secretary under this section may be served in the same manner as provided in section 45 of title 15.

(a) Filing of petition; bond An order made under section 193 of this title shall be final and conclusive unless within thirty days after service the packer or swine contractor appeals to the court of appeals for the circuit in which he has his principal place of business, by filing with the clerk of such court a written petition praying that the Secretary’s order be set aside or modified in the manner stated in the petition, together with a bond in such sum as the court may determine, conditioned that such packer or swine contractor will pay the costs of the proceedings if the court so directs. (b) Filing of record by Secretary The clerk of the court shall immediately cause a copy of the petition to be delivered to the Secretary, and the Secretary shall thereupon file in the court the record in such proceedings, as provided in section 2112 of title 28. If before such record is filed the Secretary amends or sets aside his report or order, in whole or in part, the petitioner may amend the petition within such time as the court may determine, on notice to the Secretary. (c) Temporary injunction At any time after such petition is filed, the court, on application of the Secretary, may issue a temporary injunction, restraining, to the extent it deems proper, the packer or swine contractor and his officers, directors, agents, and employees, from violating any of the provisions of the order pending the final determination of the appeal. (d) Evidence The evidence so taken or admitted, and filed as aforesaid as a part of the record, shall be considered by the court as the evidence in the case. (e) Action by court The court may affirm, modify, or set aside the order of the Secretary. (f) Additional evidence If the court determines that the just and proper disposition of the case requires the taking of additional evidence, the court shall order the hearing to be reopened for the taking of such evidence, in such manner and upon such terms and conditions as the court may deem proper. The Secretary may modify his findings as to the facts, or make new findings, by reason of the additional evidence so taken, and he shall file such modified or new findings and his recommendations, if any, for the modifications or setting aside of his order, with the return of such additional evidence. (g) Injunction If the court of appeals affirms or modifies the order of the Secretary, its decree shall operate as an injunction to restrain the packer or swine contractor, and his officers, directors, agents, and employees from violating the provisions of such order or such order as modified. (h) Finality The court of appeals shall have jurisdiction, which upon the filing of the record with it shall be exclusive, to review, and to affirm, set aside, or modify, such orders of the Secretary, and the decree of such court shall be final except that it shall be subject to review by the Supreme Court of the United States upon certiorari, as provided in section 1254 of title 28, if such writ is duly applied for within sixty days after entry of the decree. The issue of such writ shall not operate as a stay of the decree of the court of appeals, insofar as such decree operates as an injunction unless so ordered by the Supreme Court.

Whenever the Secretary has reason to believe that any person subject to this chapter (a) with respect to any transactions subject to this chapter, has failed to pay or is unable to pay for livestock, meats, meat food products, or livestock products in unmanufactured form, or live poultry, or has failed to pay any poultry grower what is due on account of poultry obtained under a poultry growing arrangement, or has failed to remit to the person entitled thereto the net proceeds from the sale of any such commodity sold on a commission basis; or (b) has operated while insolvent, or otherwise in violation of this chapter in a manner which may reasonably be expected to cause irreparable damage to another person; or (c) does not have the required bond; and that it would be in the public interest to enjoin such person from operating subject to this chapter or enjoin him from operating subject to this chapter except under such conditions as would protect vendors or consignors of such commodities or other affected persons, until a complaint under this chapter is issued and dismissed by the Secretary or until an order to cease and desist made thereon by the Secretary has become final and effective within the meaning of this chapter or is set aside on appellate review of the Secretary’s order, the Secretary may notify the Attorney General, who may apply to the United States district court for the district in which such person has his principal place of business or in which he resides for a temporary injunction or restraining order. When needed to effectuate the purposes of this section, the court shall, upon a proper showing, issue a temporary injunction or restraining order, without bond. Attorneys employed by the Secretary of Agriculture may, with the approval of the Attorney General, appear in the United States district court representing the Secretary in any action seeking such a temporary restraining order or injunction.

(a) Written complaint by Secretary; hearing; intervention; amended complaint Whenever the Secretary has reason to believe that any live poultry dealer has violated or is violating any provision of section 197 of this title or section 228b–1 of this title, he shall cause a complaint in writing to be served upon the live poultry dealer, stating his charges in that respect, and requiring the live poultry dealer to attend and testify at a hearing at a time and place designated therein, at least 30 days after the service of such complaint; and at such time and place there shall be afforded the live poultry dealer a reasonable opportunity to be informed as to the evidence introduced against him (including the right of cross-examination), and to be heard in person or by counsel and through witnesses, under such regulations as the Secretary may prescribe. Any person for good cause shown may, on application, be allowed by the Secretary to intervene in such proceeding, and appear in person or by counsel. At any time prior to the close of the hearing, the Secretary may amend the complaint; but in case of any amendment adding new charges, the hearing shall, on the request of the live poultry dealer, be adjourned for a period not exceeding 15 days. (b) Report on findings of fact by Secretary; cease and desist order; assessment of civil penalty; action by Attorney General upon live poultry dealer’s failure to pay penalty If, after such hearing, the Secretary finds that the live poultry dealer has violated, or is violating, any provisions of section 197 of this title or section 228b–1 of this title covered by the charges, he shall make a report in writing in which he shall state his findings as to the facts, and shall issue and cause to be served on the live poultry dealer an order requiring such live poultry dealer to cease and desist from continuing such violation. The testimony taken at the hearing shall be reduced to writing and filed in the records of the Department of Agriculture. The Secretary may also assess a civil penalty of not more than $20,000 for each such violation. In determining the amount of the civil penalty to be assessed under this section, the Secretary shall consider the gravity of the offense, the size of the business involved, and the effect of the penalty on the person’s ability to continue in business: Provided, however, That in no event can the penalty assessed by the Secretary take priority over or impede the ability of the live poultry dealer to pay any unpaid cash seller or poultry grower. If, after the lapse of the period allowed for appeal or after the affirmance of such penalty, the person against whom the civil penalty is assessed fails to pay such penalty, the Secretary may refer the matter to the Attorney General, who may recover such penalty by an action in the appropriate District Court of the United States. (c) Amendment or setting aside of report or order Until the record in such hearing has been filed in a court of appeals of the United States, as provided in section 228b–3 of this title, the Secretary, at any time, upon such notice and in such manner as he deems proper, but only after reasonable opportunity to the live poultry dealer to be heard, may amend or set aside the report or order, in whole or in part. (d) Service of complaints, orders, and other processes Complaints, orders, and other processes of the Secretary under this section may be served in the same manner as provided in section 45 of title 15.

In this subchapter: (1) Covered commodity (A) In general The term “covered commodity” means— (i) muscle cuts of lamb and venison; (ii) ground lamb and ground venison; (iii) farm-raised fish; (iv) wild fish; (v) a perishable agricultural commodity; (vi) peanuts; and 1 (vii) meat produced from goats; (viii) chicken, in whole and in part; (ix) ginseng; (x) pecans; and (xi) macadamia nuts. (B) Exclusions The term “covered commodity” does not include an item described in subparagraph (A) if the item is an ingredient in a processed food item. (2) Farm-raised fish The term “farm-raised fish” includes— (A) farm-raised shellfish; and (B) fillets, steaks, nuggets, and any other flesh from a farm-raised fish or shellfish. (3) Food service establishment The term “food service establishment” means a restaurant, cafeteria, lunch room, food stand, saloon, tavern, bar, lounge, or other similar facility operated as an enterprise engaged in the business of selling food to the public. (4) Lamb The term “lamb” means meat, other than mutton, produced from sheep. (5) Perishable agricultural commodity; retailer The terms “perishable agricultural commodity” and “retailer” have the meanings given the terms in section 499a(b) of this title. (6) Secretary The term “Secretary” means the Secretary of Agriculture, acting through the Agricultural Marketing Service. (7) Wild fish (A) In general The term “wild fish” means naturally-born or hatchery-raised fish and shellfish harvested in the wild. (B) Inclusions The term “wild fish” includes a fillet, steak, nugget, and any other flesh from wild fish or shellfish. (C) Exclusions The term “wild fish” excludes net-pen aquacultural or other farm-raised fish.

(a) In general (1) Requirement Except as provided in subsection (b), a retailer of a covered commodity shall inform consumers, at the final point of sale of the covered commodity to consumers, of the country of origin of the covered commodity. (2) Designation of country of origin for lamb, chicken, goat, and venison meat (A) United States country of origin A retailer of a covered commodity that is lamb, chicken, goat, or venison meat may designate the covered commodity as exclusively having a United States country of origin only if the covered commodity is derived from an animal that was— (i) exclusively born, raised, and slaughtered in the United States; (ii) born and raised in Alaska or Hawaii and transported for a period of not more than 60 days through Canada to the United States and slaughtered in the United States; or (iii) present in the United States on or before July 15, 2008, and once present in the United States, remained continuously in the United States. (B) Multiple countries of origin (i) In general A retailer of a covered commodity that is lamb, chicken, goat, or venison meat that is derived from an animal that is— (I) not exclusively born, raised, and slaughtered in the United States, (II) born, raised, or slaughtered in the United States, and (III) not imported into the United States for immediate slaughter,  may designate the country of origin of such covered commodity as all of the countries in which the animal may have been born, raised, or slaughtered. (ii) Relation to general requirement Nothing in this subparagraph alters the mandatory requirement to inform consumers of the country of origin of covered commodities under paragraph (1). (C) Imported for immediate slaughter A retailer of a covered commodity that is lamb, chicken, goat, or venison meat that is derived from an animal that is imported into the United States for immediate slaughter shall designate the origin of such covered commodity as— (i) the country from which the animal was imported; and (ii) the United States. (D) Foreign country of origin A retailer of a covered commodity that is lamb, chicken, goat, or venison meat that is derived from an animal that is not born, raised, or slaughtered in the United States shall designate a country other than the United States as the country of origin of such commodity. (E) Ground lamb, chicken, goat, and venison The notice of country of origin for ground lamb, ground chicken, ground goat, or ground venison shall include— (i) a list of all countries of origin of such ground lamb, ground chicken, ground goat, or ground venison; or (ii) a list of all reasonably possible countries of origin of such ground lamb, ground chicken, ground goat, or ground venison. (3) Designation of country of origin for fish (A) In general A retailer of a covered commodity that is farm-raised fish or wild fish may designate the covered commodity as having a United States country of origin only if the covered commodity— (i) in the case of farm-raised fish, is hatched, raised, harvested, and processed in the United States; and (ii) in the case of wild fish, is— (I) harvested in the United States, a territory of the United States, or a State, or by a vessel that is documented under chapter 121 of title 46 or registered in the United States; and (II) processed in the United States, a territory of the United States, or a State, including the waters thereof, or aboard a vessel that is documented under chapter 121 of title 46 or registered in the United States. (B) Designation of wild fish and farm-raised fish The notice of country of origin for wild fish and farm-raised fish shall distinguish between wild fish and farm-raised fish. (4) Designation of country of origin for perishable agricultural commodities, ginseng, peanuts, pecans, and macadamia nuts (A) In general A retailer of a covered commodity that is a perishable agricultural commodity, ginseng, peanut, pecan, or macadamia nut may designate the covered commodity as having...

(a) Labeling receptacles or coverings of meat or meat food products inspected and passed; supervision by inspectors When any meat or meat food product prepared for commerce which has been inspected as hereinbefore provided and marked “Inspected and passed” shall be placed or packed in any can, pot, tin, canvas, or other receptacle or covering in any establishment where inspection under the provisions of this chapter is maintained, the person, firm, or corporation preparing said product shall cause a label to be attached to said can, pot, tin, canvas, or other receptacle or covering, under the supervision of an inspector, which label shall state that the contents thereof have been “inspected and passed” under the provisions of this chapter; and no inspection and examination of meat or meat food products deposited or inclosed in cans, tins, pots, canvas, or other receptacle or covering in any establishment where inspection under the provisions of this chapter is maintained shall be deemed to be complete until such meat or meat food products have been sealed or inclosed in said can, tin, pot, canvas, or other receptacle or covering under the supervision of an inspector. (b) Information on articles or containers; legible form All carcasses, parts of carcasses, meat and meat food products inspected at any establishment under the authority of this subchapter and found to be not adulterated, shall at the time they leave the establishment bear, in distinctly legible form, directly thereon or on their containers, as the Secretary may require, the information required under paragraph (n) of section 601 of this title. (c) Labeling: type styles and sizes; definitions and standards of identity or composition; standards of fill of container; consistency of Federal and Federal-State standards The Secretary, whenever he determines such action is necessary for the protection of the public, may prescribe: (1) the styles and sizes of type to be used with respect to material required to be incorporated in labeling to avoid false or misleading labeling in marketing and labeling any articles or animals subject to this subchapter or subchapter II of this chapter; (2) definitions and standards of identity or composition for articles subject to this subchapter and standards of fill of container for such articles not inconsistent with any such standards established under the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act [21 U.S.C. 301 et seq.], and there shall be consultation between the Secretary and the Secretary of Health and Human Services prior to the issuance of such standards under either Act relating to articles subject to this chapter to avoid inconsistency in such standards and possible impairment of the coordinated effective administration of these Acts. There shall also be consultation between the Secretary and an appropriate advisory committee provided for in section 661 of this title, prior to the issuance of such standards under this chapter, to avoid, insofar as feasible, inconsistency between Federal and State standards. (d) Sales under false or misleading name, other marking or labeling or in containers of misleading form or size; trade names, and other marking, labeling, and containers approved by Secretary No article subject to this subchapter shall be sold or offered for sale by any person, firm, or corporation, in commerce, under any name or other marking or labeling which is false or misleading, or in any container of a misleading form or size, but established trade names and other marking and labeling and containers which are not false or misleading and which are approved by the Secretary are permitted. (e) Use withholding directive respecting false or misleading marking, labeling, or container; modification of false or misleading matter; hearing; withholding use pending proceedings; finality of Secretary’s action; judicial review; application of section 194 of title 7 If the Secretary has reason to believe that any marking or labelin...

(a) Permits for discharge of pollutants (1) Except as provided in sections 1328 and 1344 of this title, the Administrator may, after opportunity for public hearing issue a permit for the discharge of any pollutant, or combination of pollutants, notwithstanding section 1311(a) of this title, upon condition that such discharge will meet either (A) all applicable requirements under sections 1311, 1312, 1316, 1317, 1318, and 1343 of this title, or (B) prior to the taking of necessary implementing actions relating to all such requirements, such conditions as the Administrator determines are necessary to carry out the provisions of this chapter. (2) The Administrator shall prescribe conditions for such permits to assure compliance with the requirements of paragraph (1) of this subsection, including conditions on data and information collection, reporting, and such other requirements as he deems appropriate. (3) The permit program of the Administrator under paragraph (1) of this subsection, and permits issued thereunder, shall be subject to the same terms, conditions, and requirements as apply to a State permit program and permits issued thereunder under subsection (b) of this section. (4) All permits for discharges into the navigable waters issued pursuant to section 407 of this title shall be deemed to be permits issued under this subchapter, and permits issued under this subchapter shall be deemed to be permits issued under section 407 of this title, and shall continue in force and effect for their term unless revoked, modified, or suspended in accordance with the provisions of this chapter. (5) No permit for a discharge into the navigable waters shall be issued under section 407 of this title after October 18, 1972. Each application for a permit under section 407 of this title, pending on October 18, 1972, shall be deemed to be an application for a permit under this section. The Administrator shall authorize a State, which he determines has the capability of administering a permit program which will carry out the objectives of this chapter to issue permits for discharges into the navigable waters within the jurisdiction of such State. The Administrator may exercise the authority granted him by the preceding sentence only during the period which begins on October 18, 1972, and ends either on the ninetieth day after the date of the first promulgation of guidelines required by section 1314(i)(2) of this title, or the date of approval by the Administrator of a permit program for such State under subsection (b) of this section, whichever date first occurs, and no such authorization to a State shall extend beyond the last day of such period. Each such permit shall be subject to such conditions as the Administrator determines are necessary to carry out the provisions of this chapter. No such permit shall issue if the Administrator objects to such issuance. (b) State permit programs At any time after the promulgation of the guidelines required by subsection (i)(2) of section 1314 of this title, the Governor of each State desiring to administer its own permit program for discharges into navigable waters within its jurisdiction may submit to the Administrator a full and complete description of the program it proposes to establish and administer under State law or under an interstate compact. In addition, such State shall submit a statement from the attorney general (or the attorney for those State water pollution control agencies which have independent legal counsel), or from the chief legal officer in the case of an interstate agency, that the laws of such State, or the interstate compact, as the case may be, provide adequate authority to carry out the described program. The Administrator shall approve each submitted program unless he determines that adequate authority does not exist: (1) To issue permits which— (A) apply, and insure compliance with, any applicable requirements of sections 1311, 1312, 1316, 1317, and 1343 of this title...