(Washington, D-C; Iowa Capital Dispatch) –  Iowa Sen. Chuck Grassley introduced legislation this past Wednesday to increase enforcement of antitrust laws in the meatpacking industry, a step he said would help bring down the price of meat.

The Meat and Poultry Special Investigator Act would establish a team of investigators in the U.S. Department of Agriculture, tasked with ensuring compliance with existing federal laws banning anti-competitive practices in the meatpacking industry. The investigators, working with the U.S. Department of Justice and the Federal Trade Commission, would have subpoena power and be able to bring court action against meat packers and poultry dealers for violations of Packers and Stockyards Act.

A news release from Grassley’s office stated the measure was needed considering the substantial consolidation of the meatpacking industry in recent decades. Four companies currently control 85% of the beef market and 67% of the pork market, compared to controlling 36% and 34% of the markets respectively in 1980, according to Grassley’s office. Having four companies with such a large portion of control in the industry has “created a distorted marketplace through anti-competitive practices” at the expense of livestock and poultry producers, the news release stated.

Grassley said the bill, endorsed by the National Farmers Union and the U.S. Cattlemen’s Association, will help Iowa livestock farmers while bringing down grocery store prices. “For decades, America’s Big Four meat packers’ anti-competitive practices have made it harder for Iowa cattle producers to receive a fair price,” Grassley said in a statement. “Our bill empowers USDA, in coordination with the Justice Department and Federal Trade Commission, to crack down on bad actors, ensuring a fair and functional marketplace that supports everyone who produces and enjoys quality American meat.”