PlainBillCongress, translated.Legislation. Context. Public interest.Read twice and referred to the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry.
Congressional Research Service
Version 00 · Introduced in Senate · Feb 16, 2006
Competitive and Fair Agricultural Markets Act of 2006 - Amends the Agricultural Fair Practices Act of 1967 to define specified terms.
Establishes within the Department of Agriculture the Office of Special Counsel for Competition Matters, which shall be headed by a Special Counsel for Competition Matters. States that the Office shall: (1) investigate and prosecute violations of this Act, the Packers and Stockyards Act, 1921, and any other Act that the Secretary of Agriculture determines appropriate; (2) serve as a liaison between the Department and the Department of Justice and the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) with respect to competition and trade practices in the food and agricultural sector; and (3) maintain a staff of attorneys and other appropriate professionals.
Requires a dealer, handler, contractor, processor, or commission merchant with annual sales in excess of $100 million to file an annual corporate structure report with the Secretary.
Showing the opening paragraphs of the official summary.
Prohibits unfair or deceptive acts or practices: (1) in agricultural commerce; (2) concerning producer associations; and (3) in agricultural contracts.
Sets forth agricultural and production contract and enforcement provisions.
Amends the Packers and Stockyards Act, 1921 to eliminate the "slaughter" requirement from the definitions of "poultry grower," "poultry growing arrangement," and "live poultry dealer."
Extends: (1) administrative enforcement authority to live poultry dealers; and (2) temporary injunction or restraining order authority to instances of poultry care.
States that: (1) it shall be an unlawful practice to engage in an unfair or discriminatory practice or device regardless of whether the practice or device causes a competitive injury or otherwise adversely effects competition; and (2) a person affected by specified unfair practices shall not be required to prove predatory intent, competitive injury, or likelihood of injury.
People & committees
Sen. Harkin, Tom [D-IA] · D–IA
Legislative record
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Read twice and referred to the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry.
Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S1428-1429)
Introduced in Senate
Primary sources
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Source last updated: Aug 15, 2025. Consult Congress.gov for the current record.
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