Consolidation in the meat industry — meaning fewer but ever larger companies — has been an issue of increasing concern for small processors for some time. In an effort to mitigate the ongoing impacts arising from continued large-scale consolidation, the Biden administration and Congress have set out plans to spend approximately $1 billion toward providing support for small and mid-sized packers.
According to the White House, the meat and poultry sector is a textbook example of an industry that remains dominated by a limited number of companies that control a large percentage of the overall business. Some argue that the lack of broader competition can have an adverse impact on consumers, producers and the overall economy. But, because larger corporations will typically have more resources and scientific knowledge to direct toward the overall safety of their products, questions remain regarding the effect such these initiatives could have on product safety.