Representatives Randy Feenstra (R-IA) and Elissa Slotkin (D-MI) have introduced the Livestock Consolidation Research Act. This would require the Economic Research Service of the USDA to undertake a study of the beef, dairy, pork and poultry industries. Rep. Slotkin is especially concerned over the disruption of production in the red meat sector during the COVID emergency when production was curtailed by absenteeism in large plants.
The proposed ERS study would concentrate on consolidation that is evident in red meat with the “big four” responsible for 80 percent of processing of pork and beef. In contrast, the broiler industry, although an oligopoly, has at least 50 integrators with their breeder and grow-out contractors provided with a high level of income security and technical support.