H.R. 8960

[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 8960 Introduced in House (IH)]

<DOC>

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.
<all>