Congress: Vote 'Yes' on S. 3285 and H.R. 6250, the Protecting America's Meatpacking Workers Act (PAMWA)

On November 30, 2021, Senator Cory Booker and Representative Ro Khanna introduced a new cattle market re-form bill, the Protecting America’s Meatpacking Workers Act of 2021 (the new Act). The new Act includes all the important reforms needed to fix the broken cattle market such as MCOOL, 50/14, ban on unpriced contracts and ban on packer ownership of cattle. A section-by-section summary of the Protecting America’s Meatpacking Workers Act can be found here. 

This much needed, comprehensive overhaul of the systematically broken cattle market, along with its worker-related reforms, elevates the new Act to that of the 2021 version of the 100-year-old Packers and Stockyard’s Act, which is sorely needed by cattle producers, workers and consumers. 

A list of the organizations endorsing the Protecting America’s Meatpacking Workers Act can be found here.

Comparison of Senate Bills as they Relate to Thin Cash Market updated 1/11/2022

ACTION STEP 1: Everyone must call the Capitol Switchboard at 202-224-3121, ask for your U.S. Senators and Representative by name and tell your Senators to cosponsor Senate Bill 3285 Senator Booker’s Protecting America’s Meatpacking Workers Act and tell your Representative to cosponsor Representative Khanna’s identical House Bill 6250. If your member of Congress says that they are already a cosponsor, thank them and reaffirm your support. 

HERE’S WHAT TO SAY:

 “Hello, my name is ______________ and I’m a [cattle producer or consumer] from [City/State]. Our cattle market is broken and has been for many years. Beef prices have skyrocketed while cattle prices are too low for ranchers to remain profitable. I need you to fix this as quickly as possible, you can do that by supporting Senate Bill S.3285 (and its related House Bill 6250).

S.3285 is the Protecting America’s Meatpacking Workers Act (PAMWA) that includes all the important reforms needed to fix the broken cattle market such as mandatory country of origin labeling (MCOOL) for beef, requirement for packers to buy 50% of their cattle in the cash market, a ban on unpriced contracts and a ban on packer ownership of cattle more than 7 days.

These reforms will immediately fix our cattle market and protect our nation’s food supply.

Thank you.