Packers and Stockyards Programs: USDA's Response to Studies on Concentration in the Livestock Industry

Pursuant to a congressional request, GAO provided information on the U.S. Department of Agriculture's (USDA) report on concentration in the red-meatpacking industry, focusing on whether: (1) the report identified the geographic boundaries of livestock procurement markets; (2) the report provided guidance on how to monitor these markets; (3) as a result of this report, USDA had identified additional data that the Grain Inspection, Packers and Stockyards Administration (GIPSA) could use to enhance its monitoring of these markets; and (4) GIPSA plans to take actions as a result of this report. GAO also provided information on the Department of Justice's views on the usefulness of GIPSA's data for conducting its regulatory responsibilities in the livestock procurement markets.