# Summary of H.R. 4979: Fairness for Small-Scale Farmers and Ranchers Act
This bill addresses corporate consolidation in agriculture by imposing a temporary moratorium on large mergers in food and farming industries and strengthening protections for farmers and ranchers. The law blocks mergers between major agricultural companies—those with over $22 million to $222 million in annual sales—until Congress passes comprehensive legislation addressing market concentration. The Attorney General and Federal Trade Commission would also review past mergers since 2006 to determine if they should be reversed if they harmed competition, farmers, workers, or consumers, with $100 million allocated annually to each agency for this work.
The bill reforms farming practices by restoring country-of-origin labeling requirements for beef, pork, and dairy products to help domestic farmers compete with imports. It strengthens enforcement against unfair practices by packers, integrators, and poultry dealers under existing law, requiring them to offer spot market sales to independent farmers and prohibiting certain pricing arrangements. The legislation also provides $100 million annually through 2028 to support beginning, retiring, and socially disadvantaged farmers, and establishes new grant and loan programs for small processing facilities and dairy operations. Additionally, it directs a government review of food system fragility in meat, poultry, and dairy industries and expands food safety inspection resources for smaller processing facilities that have labor peace agreements in place.