How Will Updates to the Packers and Stockyards Act Shape Agriculture’s B2B Relationships?

 

In Biden’s anti-trust executive orders targeting anti-competitive practices in agriculture, the administration has emphasized the Packers and Stockyards Act as one of the critical laws that’ll be revised and enforced to protect farmers’ and growers’ interests.

On this episode of Just the FAQts, we’re exploring the what and the why behind the Packers & Stockyards Act and how it applies to agriculture industry professionals in today’s industry context. Giving insights is Hayden Ballard, Attorney, Utah Public Lands Policy Coordinating Office. Ballard, who grew up in the cattle industry, has maneuvered the legalese of these acts professionally, and explains how

“The broad purpose of the Packers and Stockyards Act is to prevent anti-competitive practices in the meat-packing industry,” Ballard said. “Really, at its core, it’s an anti-trust statute, so it protects against anti-competitive practices and also helps to protect the free traded of commerce for producers in the beef, chicken, and hog industries.”

Passed in 1921, the Act was 30 years in the making and involved developing the beef cattle industry in America. After the Civil War ended in 1865, there was a huge demand for beef in the ever-industrializing north, Ballard said. The ranches out west had to somehow get their beef to market, so there were massive cattle drives. After being sold to brokers, the cattle were in stockyards in large cities, such as Kansas City.

With a lot of moving parts, the packing companies saw this as inefficient and affecting their bottom lines. They worked to create deals, and this eventually led to some price-fixing and non-compete agreements. This caused Congress to start investigating, and the Packers and Stockyards Act worked to prevent these anti-competitive practices from taking hold.

In today’s world, if a producer feels they have been subjected to an anti-competitive or monopolistic device, they have two ways they can look out for their own interests. Listen to hear more about how the Packers and Stockyards Act works in today’s world and the changes it will endure under the Biden Administration.

Follow us on social media for the latest updates in B2B!

Twitter – @MarketScale
Facebook – facebook.com/marketscale
LinkedIn – linkedin.com/company/marketscale

Follow us on social media for the latest updates in B2B!

Image

Latest

whole health index
Whole Health Index
May 22, 2025

Dr. Sam Ambewadikar returns to break down Anthem’s Whole Health Index (WHI)—a powerful tool that distills medical, social, environmental, and behavioral data into a single score (0–100) to identify members most at risk. By surfacing factors like transportation deserts, housing instability, or food insecurity, WHI enables Anthem care managers and advocates to proactively match members…

Read More
pcp
PCP Attribution Analysis
May 22, 2025

Dr. Sam Ambewadikar, RVP and Medical Director at Anthem National Accounts, joins Brent to unpack the power of primary care attribution analysis—a tool he helped pioneer to spotlight the clinical and financial impact of members not having an established PCP. Drawing from his background as a practicing pediatrician and claims analytics leader, Dr. Sam shares…

Read More
sydney health
Sydney Health Demo
May 22, 2025

In this episode, Christina Firouztash, Executive Advisor of Digital Solutions at Anthem, gives a dynamic walkthrough of the Sydney Health app—Anthem’s flagship digital member experience. Christina showcases how Sydney delivers personalized, simple, and equitable navigation across benefits, including virtual care, pharmacy, financial transparency, and social services access. From contextual chatbots and ID card access to…

Read More
pharmacy
Pharmacy Part 1
May 22, 2025

In this episode, Brent chats with Katie Brennan, National Sales Director at CarelonRx, about making pharmacy benefits more accessible, consistent, and member-friendly. Katie spotlights Carelon new advanced home delivery model, which brings the pharmacy counter—and the pharmacist—into the member’s home. With fewer retail pharmacies offering extended hours and many patients lacking reliable transportation, CarelonRx is…

Read More