The USDA has announced a plan to invest $500 million into the meat and poultry industry in order to “fight monopolization and promote competition.” Noting that “just four large meat-packing companies control over 80 percent of the beef market alone,” the funds primarily will be allocated to “expand meat and poultry processing capacity”––with an additional $155 million allocated to support “existing small and very small processing facilities.” The announcement further states that the “USDA is also holding meatpackers accountable by revitalizing the Packers and Stockyards Act, issuing new rules on ‘Product of USA’ labels, and developing plans to expand farmers’ access to new markets.”
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