Thirty members of the House of Representatives have addressed a letter to USDA Secretary Tom Vilsack promoting financial and logistic support for small and medium-sized red meat and poultry processors. In their letter, the bipartisan group commended the Administration for the $500 million intended for packers and processors as part of the American Rescue Plan.
The letter encouraged USDA “to make investments that will provide leverage for producers and at all levels of the supply chain including industries that are less vertically integrated such as the cattle industry and vertically integrated production of poultry and pork.”
The House members requested the USDA ensure that small and regional processors have access to grant funds to allow expansion and also to support small processors with training grants to improve local and regional markets and improve farm income.
The initiative by Members of the House has the support of the American Farm Bureau Federation, the National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition and the National Cattleman’s Beef Association.