The Local Beef Marketing Incentive Act of 2026 directs the Secretary of Agriculture to create a subsidy program that pays beef producers for revenue losses when direct-to-market beef sales drop significantly. Payments are triggered when direct-to-market sales fall 25 percent or more compared to a five-year average, and eligible producers must raise cattle, use a local processor for slaughter, and conduct at least 50 percent of their beef sales directly to consumers, restaurants, or retail stores without intermediaries. Each head of cattle qualifies for payment calculated as 20 percent of the difference between the historical five-year average cattle price and the current year's price, multiplied by the animal's weight, capped at $500 per animal and $100,000 total per producer annually. The Department of Agriculture must establish the program and issue implementing rules within one year of enactment, with applications due within one year after each subsidy year ends and payments due within 90 days of application approval. Funding is authorized for fiscal years 2027 through 2031 in amounts necessary to carry out the program.
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