One of the STB's statutory duties is to adjudicate complaints brought by shippers seeking reductions in railroad transportation rates.

A letter to USDA from the House Agriculture Committee calls on the department to deal with several questions going on within the cattle industry. The congressmen want USDA to tap the Office of the Chief Economist to look at price discovery and methods to address deficiencies, price reporting, purchasing mandates, and barriers to entry in the packing sector. The congressmen suggest USDA's policy research centers could commission work from national experts and initiate regional/national workshops.