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HR 4339 106th Congress House

Agriculture Competition Enhancement Act of 2000

Official title: To prohibit excessive concentration resulting from mergers among certain purchasers, processors, and sellers of livestock, poultry, and basic agricultural comm… Show full official titleShow less

Official title: To prohibit excessive concentration resulting from mergers among certain purchasers, processors, and sellers of livestock, poultry, and basic agricultural commodities; to require the Attorney General to establish an Office of Special Counsel for Agriculture, and for other purposes.

Introduced: April 13, 2000 Introduced by: Thune, John Republican · South Dakota See on congress.gov
Commerce Administrative procedureAgribusinessAgricultural industriesAgricultural prices
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Agriculture and FoodAntitrust lawCompetitionCongressCongressional investigationsCongressional reporting requirementsCorporate mergersDepartment of AgricultureDepartment of JusticeEconomic concentrationEconomic impact statementsEconomics and Public FinanceExecutive reorganizationFarm incomeForeign Trade and International Finance
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This bill died when the 106th Congress ended
It never became law before the 106th Congress (1999–2000) adjourned, and bills don't carry over to the next Congress. It would have to be reintroduced. You can still save it for reference, but it won't receive updates.
 Everywhere this bill has been 5 steps
Introduced
In committee
Reported out
Passed House
Passed Senate
To President
Became law
Apr 27, 2000
Executive Comment Requested from USDA, Justice.
Apr 27, 2000
Executive Comment Requested from USDA.
Apr 27, 2000
Referred to the Subcommittee on Department Operations, Oversight, Nutrition and Forestry.
Apr 13, 2000
Referred to the Committee on the Judiciary, and in addition to the Committee on Agriculture, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
Apr 13, 2000
Introduced in House
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 Latest action April 27, 2000

Executive Comment Requested from USDA, Justice.

 Plain-English summary Congressional Research Service
Agriculture Competition Enhancement Act of 2000 - Makes it unlawful for a business purchaser of livestock, poultry, or a basic agricultural commodity for (wholesale) resale, either unprocessed or processed, to acquire the voting assets of any person if: (1) the total amount of such assets or annual sales of each person exceeds specified limits; and (2) such acquisition would reduce competition so as have a negative effect on prices paid to producers.

(Sec. 3) Requires such a purchaser filing a premerger notice under the Clayton Act to also file with the Secretary of Agriculture. Provides for: (1) public comment; and (2) review by the Secretary respecting such action's anticompetitive effects.

(Sec. 4) Subjects such actions to specified enforcement provisions of the Clayton Act.

(Sec. 5) Directs the Attorney General to establish in the Department of Justice an Office of Special Counsel for Agriculture to handle agricultural antitrust issues.

(Sec. 6) Directs the Comptroller General to conduct a study respecting whether: (1) the Grain Inspection, Packers and Stockyard Administration needs additional resources to monitor and investigate the competitive implications of meat packing industry practices; and (2) disparities exist in the Administration's authority respecting the poultry, meat, and pork industries.

 Bill text 1 version

Source documents hosted by congress.gov.

 Committees of jurisdiction 3
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APA
U.S. Congress. (2026). H.R. 4339: Agriculture Competition Enhancement Act of 2000. 106th Congress. Open America. https://openamerica.io/bill/106-HR-4339/
MLA
"H.R. 4339: Agriculture Competition Enhancement Act of 2000." 106th Congress, 2026, Open America, https://openamerica.io/bill/106-HR-4339/.
Bluebook (legal)
H.R. 4339, 106th Cong. (2026), https://openamerica.io/bill/106-HR-4339/.
Markdown link
[H.R. 4339: Agriculture Competition Enhancement Act of 2000](https://openamerica.io/bill/106-HR-4339/)
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