Cattle Contract Library Act of 2021

To amend the Agricultural Marketing Act of 1946, to establish a cattle contract library, and for other purposes. 1. Short title This Act may be cited as the Cattle Contract Library Act of 2021 2. Cattle contract library Chapter 2 of subtitle B of the Agricultural Marketing Act of 1946 ( 7 U.S.C. 1635d et seq. 224. Cattle contract library (a) In general Not later than 90 days after the enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall establish and maintain a library or catalog of each type of contract offered by packers to producers for the purchase of all or part of the producers’ production of fed cattle (including cattle that are purchased or committed for delivery), including any schedules of premiums or discounts associated with the contract. (b) Information collection (1) In general To maintain the library or catalog established under subsection (a), the Secretary shall obtain information from each packer on each type of contract of the packer by requiring a filing or other form of information submission from each packer. (2) Contracted cattle information Information submitted to the Secretary by a packer under paragraph (1) shall include, with respect to each contract of a packer— (A) the type of contract; (B) the duration of the contract; (C) all contract summary information; (D) provisions in the contract that may affect the price of cattle covered by the contract including— (i) base price; (ii) schedules of premiums or discounts; and (iii) transportation arrangements; (E) the total number of cattle covered by the contract solely committed to the packer each week within the 6-month and 12-month periods following the date of the contract, by reporting region; (F) in the case of a contract in which a specific number of cattle are not solely committed to the packer— (i) an indication that the contract is an open commitment; and (ii) any weekly, monthly, annual, or other limitations on the number of cattle that may be delivered to the packer under the contract; and (G) a description of the provisions in the contract that provide for expansion in the committed numbers of fed cattle to be delivered under the contract for the 6-month and 12-month periods following the date of the contract. (c) Availability of information (1) Library contents The Secretary shall make publicly available in a user-friendly format a summary of the information collected for each type of contract under subsection (b), including notice (on a real-time basis, if practicable) of the types of contracts that are being offered by packers to, and are open to acceptance by, producers for the purchase of fed cattle. (2) Reports required Beginning not later than 30 days after the date on which the library or catalog is established under subsection (a), the Secretary shall make publicly available weekly or monthly reports for producers and other interested persons, which shall include— (A) based on the information collected under subsection (b)(2)(E), the total number of fed cattle committed under contracts for delivery to packers within the 6-month and 12-month periods following the date of the report, organized by reporting region and type of contract; (B) based on the information collected under subsection (b)(2)(F), the number of contracts with an open commitment along with any weekly, monthly, annual or other limitations on the number of cattle that may be delivered under such contracts; and (C) based on the information collected under subsection (b)(2)(G), the total maximum number of fed cattle that may be delivered within the 6-month and 12-month periods following the date of the report, organized by reporting region and type of contract. (d) Maintenance of library or catalog Information in the library or catalog established under subsection (a) about types of contracts that are no longer offered or in use shall be labeled as inactive in the library or catalog. (e) Confidentiality The publication of information under this section shall be subject to the confidentiality protections provided under section 251 of the Agricultural Marketing Act of 1946 ( 7 U.S.C. 1636 (f) Violations It shall be unlawful and a violation of this Act for any packer to willfully fail or refuse— (1) to provide to the Secretary accurate information required under this section; or (2) to comply with any other requirement of this section. (g) Producer education grants (1) In general The Secretary, acting through the Administrator of the Agricultural Marketing Service and in coordination with the Director of the National Institute of Food and Agriculture, shall make competitive grants to eligible entities for producer outreach and education efforts on best uses of cattle market information, including information made available through the livestock mandatory reporting program and the catalog or library established under subsection (a). (2) Selection criteria In selecting grant recipients under this section, the Secretary shall give priority to eligible entities that— (A) demonstrate an ability to work directly with cattle producers; (B) can quickly and accurately publish and disseminate information and analysis of relevant Department of Agriculture data in a manner that benefits producer decision making; and (C) collaborate with trade associations or other organizations with a demonstrated ability to provide educational programs on markets and risk management. (3) Eligible entity The term eligible entity 7 U.S.C. 3157(b)(7) (h) Authorization of appropriations There are authorized to be appropriated to the Secretary such sums as are necessary to carry out this section. . 3. Definitions Section 221 of the Agricultural Marketing Act of 1946 ( 7 U.S.C. 1635d (1) by amending paragraph (3) to read as follows: (3) Formula marketing arrangement The term formula marketing arrangement (A) by any means other than through a negotiated purchase, negotiated grid purchase, or a forward contract; and (B) using a method for calculating price under which the price is determined at a future date. ; (2) by redesignating paragraphs (5), (6), (7), and (8) as paragraphs (6), (7), (8), and (10), respectively; (3) by inserting after paragraph (4) the following: (5) Negotiated grid purchase The term negotiated grid purchase (A) the base price for the cattle is determined by seller-buyer interaction on a day; (B) the cattle are scheduled for delivery to the packer not more than 14 days after the date on which the agreement for purchase is made; and (C) the base price is subject to adjustment by premiums and discounts after delivery. ; and (4) by inserting after paragraph (8) the following: (9) Type of contract The term type of contract . December 7, 2021 Committed to the Committee of the Whole House on the State of the Union and ordered to be printed

Summary: Cattle Contract Library Act of 2021 This bill directs the Department of Agriculture (USDA) to establish and maintain a library or catalog of each type of contract offered by packers to producers for the purchase of all or part of the production of fed cattle (including cattle that are purchased or committed for delivery), including any schedules of premiums or discounts associated with the contract. USDA must make the library or catalog publicly available in a user-friendly format and provide weekly or monthly reports as applicable. The bill makes it unlawful for any packer to willfully fail or refuse to provide USDA with accurate contractual information or to comply with any other requirements under the bill. The Agricultural Marketing Service must provide competitive grants to state agricultural experiment stations, universities, national laboratories, and other entities for producer outreach and education efforts on best uses of cattle market information, including information made available through the livestock mandatory reporting program and the library or catalog.