USDA Hits Pause on Poultry Pay Changes
The U.S. Department of Agriculture announced a delay in the effective date of changes to the Packers and Stockyards Act that would alter how poultry growers are paid and how they are ranked in the industry, moving implementation from July 2026 to December 2027.
The rule focuses on the industry’s “tournament system,” where broiler growers are compensated based on performance factors like bird weight, mortality, feed efficiency, and production costs. The changes were intended to improve fairness and transparency in a system many growers say can be influenced by factors outside their control.
Reaction from farm groups was immediate. The American Farm Bureau Federation called the delay disappointing and said growers had been encouraged by progress toward more transparency. The National Farmers Union said postponing the rule is a disservice to family farmers seeking fairer contracts. The National Family Farm Coalition warned the delay could harm thousands of growers and weaken efforts to balance market power.
The USDA is seeking public comment on the delay. Find the link to submit yours at https://www.ams.usda.gov/rules-regulations/poultry-grower-payment-systems-and-capital-improvement-systems
