Last year, when the COVID pandemic put large meat packers in the harsh glare of the public spotlight. I thought about the small processor community I cover for Independent Processor. I wrote a series of “Tales from the Front Lines” articles discussing how many small companies adapted to the pandemic. Our “Year of the Independent Processor” feature from last August also highlighted the adaptability of the small processor.
The Biden Administration, it seems, has been following this development as well. The USDA and state ag agencies have been busy offering grants to small processors over the past year. The latest development is the “Biden-Harris Action Plan for a Fairer, More Competitive, and More Resilient Meat and Poultry Supply Chain.” The Action Plan, as a part of an ultimate goal of reducing retail meat prices, is touting $1 billion to small meat processors.