President Donald J. Trump signed an executive order on September 4, 2026, directing the Secretary of Agriculture to expand investigations under the Packers and Stockyards Act, 1921, and to broaden the channels through which state-inspected meat can be shipped across state lines.
The order sets three separate 60-day deadlines for reports to the President and directs the Department of Agriculture to add staff and investigative capacity in specified offices. It does not appropriate money; the order states that it shall be implemented “subject to the availability of appropriations.”
Enforcement directives
The Packers and Stockyards Act, cited in the order as Public Law 67-51, 42 Stat. 159, 7 U.S.C. 181 et seq., is the 1921 statute governing the conduct of meatpackers and livestock dealers.
Under Section 2, the Secretary is directed to prioritize and expand investigations into potential violations by packers and other covered entities, with what the order describes as particular attention to “unfair, unjustly discriminatory, or deceptive practices,” undue or unreasonable preferences or advantages, and practices that restrain commerce or manipulate prices.
The order calls for increased resources, staffing and investigative capacity within three units: the Packers and Stockyards Division of USDA’s Agricultural Marketing Service, the USDA Office of General Counsel, and the USDA Office of Inspector General.
It also directs coordination with the Department of Justice under a memorandum of understanding dated September 26, 2025, between USDA and the DOJ Antitrust Division, to refer cases and pursue what the order calls complementary antitrust actions where appropriate.
Within 60 days, the Secretary must submit a report to the President detailing current enforcement actions, resource needs and a plan for heightened enforcement for the coming year. The Secretary is separately directed to review existing regulations, guidance and enforcement policies under the Act and revise them as appropriate.
Interstate shipment
Section 3 directs the Secretary to expand opportunities for interstate shipment of meat products. Named mechanisms include accelerating outreach and streamlining processes to increase state participation in USDA’s State Meat and Poultry Inspection Program, the Cooperative Interstate Shipment Program and the Talmadge-Aiken Cooperative Inspection Program.
Other listed actions are technical assistance and training programs for small and very small meat processors; a web resource with information on local slaughter and processing availability, including federally inspected establishments that facilitate interstate shipment; modernizing meat inspection; and removing what the order terms unnecessary Food Safety Inspection Service reporting requirements and overly prescriptive requirements that do not advance essential food safety needs.
The order also directs USDA to establish a coordinator position to implement the actions and serve as a conduit to ranchers and small and medium sized processors.
Two further 60-day reports are required. One is to assess current participation in the State-Federal cooperative inspection programs and identify remaining statutory or regulatory barriers to interstate market access for state-inspected products. The other is to identify federal statutory provisions, and trade considerations, that restrict or prohibit state-inspected or custom exempt meat products from entering interstate commerce.
Loan program
The Secretary is directed to take actions, as appropriate and consistent with applicable law, to establish a guaranteed loan program named Strengthening Processing for U.S. Ranchers, aimed at small and regional beef processors. The order states the program is intended to help such processors continue operation, expand their footprint and increase the diversity of animal proteins processed. No loan volume, guarantee percentage or funding level is specified in the order.
Limitations
The order’s general provisions state that it does not create any right or benefit, substantive or procedural, enforceable at law or in equity against the United States or any other party. It also provides that costs for publication of the order are to be borne by the Department of Agriculture.
Source: The White House, “Promoting Fair Competition In Livestock Markets And Expanding Market Access for American Meat Producers” (Executive Order), released September 4, 2026. The order states it shall be implemented consistent with applicable law and subject to the availability of appropriations, and that it creates no enforceable rights.