WHAT HAPPENED: USDA’s Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) on Monday officially announced in the Federal Register an 18-month delay of the “Poultry Grower Payment Systems and Capital Improvement Systems” rule, which was set to go into effect on July 1, 2026. AMS proposed the delay in March after reviewing the rule’s potential costs to the poultry industry and consumers.
WHY IT MATTERS: The rule would have effectively banned performance-based bonuses for chicken farmers, requiring all growers to be paid the same rate regardless of their hard work, investments, housing conditions, or bird welfare practices. AMS acknowledged that even a small drop in production efficiency under the rule could result in significantly higher broiler costs — ultimately hitting consumers at the grocery store.
NCC’s TAKE: We strongly support the delay. “I want to thank Secretary Rollins for delaying this Biden-era regulation, which was published less than one week before President Trump was inaugurated,” said NCC President Harrison Kircher. “This rule threatened to dismantle an efficient and successful industry model that rewards farmers and helps keep chicken affordable for American consumers. We applaud the Trump administration’s decision to delay this rule and urge its full recission.” Our March press release supporting AMS’s announcement can be found here.
