Washington, D.C. – The National Family Farm Coalition (NFFC) strongly opposes the USDA’s proposed 18-month delay for the Poultry Grower Payment Systems and Capital Improvement Systems Rule, finalized under the Packers and Stockyards Act in January 2025. This delay is a notable setback that would greatly harm the tens of thousands of contract poultry growers in the US who have long fought for fair and transparent contract terms and payment conditions.
Originally set to go into effect on July 1, 2026, the rule is an eagerly awaited win for contract poultry farmers. It will help balance the relationship between contract poultry growers and companies by establishing guardrails around the existing tournament payment system, and requiring greater transparency from companies in business agreements.
Any delay of the rule’s implementation betrays US poultry growers, and could even jeopardize the rule itself. As an active member of the Campaign for Contract Agriculture Reform (CCAR), NFFC and its members demand that the USDA implement the finalized rule as planned on July 1, 2026.
NFFC Executive Director Tim Gibbons commented: “For decades, NFFC, our farmer members, and family farmers across the US have been demanding strengthened and enforced antitrust laws to address extreme corporate and multinational control of poultry and livestock markets. A critical role of our government is to ensure fairness in markets by facilitating and balancing power in the economic relationships among farmers/ranchers, consumers and food companies. The proposed delay of this important rule is a step in the wrong direction.”
For too long, dominant poultry companies have unjustly used the contract system to deceive poultry growers with low pay and unfavorable terms. With nearly all chickens in the US raised under a contract system and more than half processed by just four companies, it’s imperative that this rule and other antitrust reforms are swiftly enacted to support farmers in sustaining their businesses, families, and communities. The USDA cannot allow a handful of poultry companies to continue to abuse the system and bend the rules to their exclusive benefit – the department must keep their original obligation to enact this rule on July 1, 2026. NFFC will submit comments in opposition to this proposed delay – the deadline for public comment to the Federal Register is April 17, 2026.
