U.S. Rep. Dusty Johnson (R-SD) sponsored legislation on June 24 that would protect the U.S. meat industry while improving the marketing opportunities for livestock producers.
“Our cattle producers and economists have been clear, there’s supply and demand, but not enough processing capacity,” Rep. Johnson said.
To help rectify the situation, the congressman introduced the Butcher Block Act, H.R. 4140, with U.S. Rep. Abigail Spanberger (D-VA), which would ease regulatory barriers in the cattle market and offer U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) meat processing grants for small processors looking to expand shackle space. Rep. Frank Lucas (R-OK) was among the original cosponsors of the bill.
“The bipartisan Butcher Block Act will help right the ship in cattle country and create more avenues for producers to sell their product,” Rep. Johnson said. “Producers deserve a fair price and our bill will expand market capacity quickly.”
The bill, if enacted, would establish a loan program at the USDA Rural Development department for new and expanding meat processors and finance producer investment to drive competition within the meat packing industry, Rep. Johnson’s office said. It would also allocate grants to entities to increase hiring and processing capacity.
“I am proud to co-lead the introduction of this legislation alongside Congressman Johnson, and I look forward to Members on both sides of the aisle working together to increase processing capacity, meet food demand here at home, and keep American cattlemen and poultry producers competitive in the global ag economy,” Rep. Spanberger said.
The American Farm Bureau Federation supports the bill.
“We appreciate Congressman Johnson and Congresswoman Spanberger for introducing the Butcher Block Act, which aims to diversify processing and create a more resilient food supply chain,” said Zippy Duvall, president of the American Farm Bureau Federation. “Expanding opportunities for America’s ranchers will ensure they are paid fairly for the cattle they work hard to raise while meeting the demands of a growing nation.”